Doctoral Dissertation Research: Phylogeographic Investigation of Aedes aegypti

该项目调查干旱沙漠环境中埃及伊蚊媒介的地理范围和活动情况。干旱环境越来越引起人们对蚊子控制的关注。埃及伊蚊最近迅速扩展到这些干旱的环境中。天哪。埃及伊蚊传播登革热、黄热病、寨卡病毒和基孔肯雅病毒。该项目使用系统发育技术对整个线粒体基因组进行排序和分析，并将这些数据与两个季节的系统发育模式的空间显式分析结合在一起。这一分析有助于理解哪些地方条件导致了来源种群和高个体数量。对Ae的基本地理分布和移动有更全面的了解。干旱沙漠环境中的埃及伊蚊有利于病媒控制和公共卫生工作，因为这种蚊子继续扩大其活动范围并发生疾病暴发。这一理解支持公共卫生干预措施通过建立急性呼吸道综合征的“风险范围”，有效和有效地针对风险最高的人群。这个项目的目的是利用在两个蚊子季节收集的蚊池的线粒体全基因组测序，以更好地了解媒介在该地区的移动，以及蚊子种群的任何潜在来源位置。研究人员将与公共卫生官员合作，从2019年至2020年获取地理位置的蚊子样本。将使用各种系统发育和系统地理技术对数据进行测序和分析，以产生整个线粒体基因组。这个项目加深了对Ae的地理分布和移动的了解。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project investigates the geographic range and movement of the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti in arid desert environments. Arid environments are of increasing attention for mosquito control as Ae. aegypti has recently and rapidly expanded into these arid environments. Ae. aegypti mosquitoes transmit dengue, yellow fever, Zika, and chikungunya viruses. This project sequences and analyzes the entire mitochondrial genome using phylogenetic techniques and couples these data with a spatially explicit analysis of phylogenetic patterns over two seasons. This analysis contributes to an understanding of which local conditions result in source populations and high individual counts. A more complete understanding of the underlying geographic distribution and movement of Ae. aegypti in arid desert environments is beneficial to vector control and public health efforts as this mosquito continues to expand its range and outbreaks of disease occur. This understanding supports public health interventions to be targeted efficiently and effectively to those at greatest risk by establishing a “range of risk” for Ae. aegypti-borne diseases.The objective of this project is to utilize whole mitochondrial genome sequencing of mosquito pools collected over two mosquito seasons to better understand the movement of the vector within this area, as well as any potential source locations of the mosquito population. Researchers will work with public health officials to procure geo-located mosquito samples from 2019 and 2020. Data will be sequenced and analyzed to produce the entire mitochondrial genome using various phylogenetic and phylogeographic techniques. This project develops an understanding of the geographic distribution and movement of Ae. aegypti and identifies potential source locations for the mosquito population in arid environments.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.