Mosquito News and Research

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Understanding mosquitoes' mating game could help curb the spread of malaria

Male mosquitoes beat their wings faster when swarming at sunset to better detect females and increase their chance of reproducing, finds a novel study led by UCL scientists.

From University College London 13 Jan 2022

Review: Transmission, origin, pathogenesis, animal model and diagnosis of Zika virus

Announcing a new article publication for Zoonoses journal. Dallas Vue and Qiyi Tang from Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA review transmission, origin, pathogenesis, animal model and diagnosis of Zika Virus.

10 Dec 2021

Scientists unravel the structure of octopus-like Lassa viral polymerase

Endemic in Western African countries, Lassa virus is transmitted to humans through food or household items that are contaminated with the urine or faeces of Mastomys rats.

7 Dec 2021

People previously infected by Chikungunya virus may develop partial immunity to Mayaro virus

A study conducted at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil suggests people previously infected by Chikungunya virus may develop partial immunity to Mayaro virus.

6 Dec 2021

Study finds a correlation between zika-induced neurological complications and Gas6 protein

An article by Brazilian researchers published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity elucidates one of the mechanisms whereby zika virus causes neurological complications in adult patients and microcephaly in fetuses. The discovery paves the way for future research to develop drugs that combat the virus.

4 Oct 2021

Mapping the genome of Eurasian spruce bark beetle reveals new insights

Researchers have successfully mapped the entire genome of the Eurasian spruce bark beetle. The breakthrough paves the way for new research into bark beetles and better prospects for effective pest control of a species that can destroy more than 100 million cubic meters of spruce forest during a single year in Europe and Asia.

30 Sep 2021

Researchers identify host entry factor for Rift Valley fever virus

Rift Valley fever virus causes economically devastating outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever in livestock such as sheep, goats and cattle. These mosquito-borne outbreaks lead to infection in people working with dead or dying animals, sometimes causing hundreds of human cases and dozens of deaths.

24 Sep 2021

New scalable genetic control system to restrain disease-spreading mosquitoes

Leveraging advancements in CRISPR-based genetic engineering, researchers at the University of California San Diego have created a new system that restrains populations of mosquitoes that infect millions each year with debilitating diseases.

From UC San Diego 13 Sep 2021

Researchers identify new forms of mosquito immune cells

Recent research detailing mosquito immune cells provides insights into the insect immune system and how mosquitoes transmit parasites that result in malaria.

31 Aug 2021

Genome editing tool used to render male mosquitoes infertile and slow disease spread

Mosquitos spread viruses that cause potentially deadly diseases such as Zika, dengue fever and yellow fever. New U.S. Army-funded research uses gene editing to render certain male mosquitoes infertile and slow the spread of these diseases.

24 Aug 2021

Scientists isolate monoclonal antibodies against alphaviruses

A research group has isolated monoclonal antibodies that, in laboratory and animal studies, prohibited infection by alphaviruses.

From Vanderbilt University 24 Aug 2021

New technique boosts the efficacy of future malaria vaccines

A new technique for obtaining pure malaria parasites from infected mosquitos could speed up the development of novel, more powerful malaria vaccinations.

21 Jun 2021

Advanced video microscopy reveals molecular details of malaria invasion

Using cutting-edge video microscopy, researchers have successfully observed the molecular intricacies of how malaria parasites enter red blood cells.

From Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) 17 Jun 2021

Researchers identify new therapeutic targets for flaviviruses

In a recent study, Australian scientists used an original approach to resolve the 3D structure of flaviviruses with an unprecedented level of detail, identifying small molecules known as 'pocket factors' as new therapeutic targets.

2 Jun 2021

Climate change makes future outbreaks of West Nile virus more likely in the UK

Climate change will make outbreaks of West Nile virus more likely in the UK within the next 20-30 years, scientists say. West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes and has no vaccine. Most people have no symptoms, but it can cause serious neurological disease.

1 Jun 2021

Genetic editing tools stop the spread of Culex mosquitoes

Since the onset of the CRISPR genetic editing revolution, scientists have been working to leverage the technology in the development of gene drives that target pathogen-spreading mosquitoes such as Anopheles and Aedes species, which spread malaria, dengue and other life-threatening diseases.

From UC San Diego 31 May 2021

New drug-like compound designed to stop malaria in its tracks

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis have designed a drug-like compound which effectively blocks a critical step in the malaria parasite life cycle and are working to develop this compound into a potential first of its kind malaria treatment.

13 May 2021

Study on AEG12 mosquito protein could lead to therapeutics against deadly viruses

Researchers have found that AEG12, a mosquito protein, strongly suppresses the class of viruses causing dengue, yellow fever, Zika, and West Nile.

11 Mar 2021

Probiotic spray reduced incidence of fire blight in apple flowers

While many celebrate apple blossoms as classic signs of spring, they are also welcoming entry gates for pathogens. Full of nutrients to lure pollinators and promote pollen germination, flowers also attract bacteria like Erwinia amylavora, a pathogen that causes a damaging disease called fire blight.

10 Mar 2021