Publications by authors named "B J Cull"
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates the use of iNaturalist, a community-driven biodiversity platform, for monitoring mosquito populations in the UK and Ireland, where invasive species and diseases pose a risk to health.
- The Mozzie Monitors project gathered 738 mosquito observations from 2020 to 2022, primarily from urban areas, confirming that certain species are more commonly seen in these locations.
- Results show that data from iNaturalist aligns with existing mosquito datasets, demonstrating its effectiveness as a tool for tracking mosquito distributions, variety, and their interactions with humans.
Arthropod-borne pathogens are responsible for hundreds of millions of infections in humans each year. The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the predominant arthropod vector in the United States and is responsible for transmitting several human pathogens, including the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and the obligate intracellular rickettsial bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum, which causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis. However, tick metabolic response to microbes and whether metabolite allocation occurs upon infection remain unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDetection of Babesia species in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks in England and Wales.
Ticks Tick Borne Dis
January 2024
Article Synopsis
- Babesiosis is a disease in humans and animals caused by parasites from the genus Babesia, transmitted by ixodid ticks, and is notably present in cattle as "redwater fever."
- A study in England and Wales collected ticks over six years to determine the presence of Babesia spp., finding it in only 15 out of 3912 questing Ixodes ricinus nymphs, resulting in a 0.38% prevalence rate.
- While the overall low prevalence suggests a lower risk than other tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease, there may still be specific areas in England and Wales with higher exposure risks.
Article Synopsis
- * The emergence of new tick species and pathogens, along with human activities, is contributing to the rise of tick-borne diseases.
- * Research shows that the survival of a specific rickettsial endosymbiont in ticks requires their autophagy mechanisms, which could lead to new strategies for controlling or managing tick-borne diseases.
Article Synopsis
- The texts cover various studies published in the Journal of Visualized Experiments focusing on the detection and analysis of pathogens and vectors like mosquitoes and ticks.
- They include methods for detecting Wolbachia strains in Aedes albopictus, assessing temperature preferences of mosquitoes, isolating viruses, and feeding experimental ticks.
- Additionally, the research highlights techniques like electroporation for transforming Rickettsia species and larval control methods for mosquito populations, showcasing advancements in entomological research.