Climate variability and Aedes vector indices in the southern Philippines: An empirical analysis.

Background: Vector surveillance is an essential public health tool to aid in the prediction and prevention of mosquito borne diseases. This study compared spatial and temporal trends of vector surveillance indices for Aedes vectors in the southern Philippines, and assessed potential links between vector indices and climate factors.

Methods: We analysed routinely collected larval and pupal surveillance data from residential areas of 14 cities and 51 municipalities during 2013-2018 (House, Container, Breteau and Pupal Indices), and used linear regression to explore potential relationships between vector indices and climate variables (minimum temperature, maximum temperature and precipitation).

The environmental and ecological determinants of elevated Ross River Virus exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal landscapes.

Koala populations in many areas of Australia have declined sharply in response to habitat loss, disease and the effects of climate change. Koalas may face further morbidity from endemic mosquito-borne viruses, but the impact of such viruses is currently unknown. Few seroprevalence studies in the wild exist and little is known of the determinants of exposure.

A regional suitable conditions index to forecast the impact of climate change on dengue vectorial capacity.

Background: The mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are the primary vectors of dengue virus, and their geographic distributions are predicted to expand further with economic development, and in response to climate change. We aimed to estimate the impact of future climate change on dengue transmission through the development of a Suitable Conditions Index (SCI), based on climatic variables known to support vectorial capacity.

Spatial and temporal patterns of Ross River virus in south east Queensland, Australia: identification of hot spots at the rural-urban interface.

Background: Ross River virus (RRV) is responsible for the most common vector-borne disease of humans reported in Australia. The virus circulates in enzootic cycles between multiple species of mosquitoes, wildlife reservoir hosts and humans. Public health concern about RRV is increasing due to rising incidence rates in Australian urban centres, along with increased circulation in Pacific Island countries.

A micro-PRNT for the detection of Ross River virus antibodies in mosquito blood meals: A useful tool for inferring transmission pathways.

Introduction: Many arboviruses of public health significance are maintained in zoonotic cycles with complex transmission pathways. The presence of serum antibody against arboviruses in vertebrates provides evidence of their historical exposure but reveals nothing about the vector-reservoir relationship. Moreover, collecting blood or tissue samples from vertebrate hosts is ethically and logistically challenging.

Interpreting mosquito feeding patterns in Australia through an ecological lens: an analysis of blood meal studies.

Background: Mosquito-borne pathogens contribute significantly to the global burden of disease, infecting millions of people each year. Mosquito feeding is critical to the transmission dynamics of pathogens, and thus it is important to understanding and interpreting mosquito feeding patterns. In this paper we explore mosquito feeding patterns and their implications for disease ecology through a meta-analysis of published blood meal results collected across Australia from more than 12,000 blood meals from 22 species.