Fall 2016 Mosquito Survey of the Greater Bryan/College Station, Texas Area
Abstract
Much is known about the numerous species of mosquito and the diseases that they can transmit when the conditions for the host and pathogen are appropriate. Knowledge of the types of mosquitoes that inhabit a particular region can give entomologists and medical professionals an understanding of the kinds of arboviruses that could potentially plague that area. In this study, mosquito larvae were collected from a number of rural and urban sites within and surrounding the area of Bryan/College Station, Texas. Collections were taken from temporary and permanent bodies of water to increase the odds of catching a variety of species. The larvae were then reared to adulthood and identified in the lab. 101 mosquitoes were collected over the course of the study. All of the mosquitos belonged to either the Culex or Aedes genera, most notably Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes albopictus. The ratio of males to females was nearly even, though females are the primary concern regarding the transmittance of disease. Based on the species collected, it can be determined that the Bryan/College Station area could at some point experience an outbreak of diseases such as West Nile virus or Zika virus, both transmitted by Culex quinquefasciatus, or the numerous other diseases vectored by Aedes albopictus including dengue and chikungunya. Cases of some of these diseases a have already been recorded in Texas, so local officials should be aware of the potential of an outbreak.
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