Manipulating the mosquito microbiome to mitigate mosquito-borne disease transmission
Principal Investigator: Allison Gardner, UMaine School of Biology and Ecology
Partners: Bangor Area Stormwater Group
Abstract: West Nile virus is the most prevalent mosquito-borne disease in the U.S. and Maine is projected to see an increase in the number of human cases as a consequence of global climate change. Because there are no human vaccines available for West Nile virus, vector management is the only viable option for prevention of this illness. However, the costs associated with mosquito control impose a substantial economic burden upon municipal and state public health agencies, and moreover, concerns regarding the environmental and public health safety of insecticides and public opposition to their application may limit their widespread use. The goal of the proposed research is to investigate multiple pathways by which manipulation of microbiota in the aquatic larval mosquito environment may be exploited to mitigate mosquito-borne disease transmission as an environmentally safe and sustainable alternative to conventional insecticide use. In addition, the proposed study will provide training in advanced molecular biology tools and support the senior capstone experience of an undergraduate Biology major who has worked in the lead investigator’s lab since January 2017.