Ecology and control of vectors and vector-borne diseases
We are interested in why some mosquitoes, midges or ticks are such good vectors of certain pathogens, and others not. We specifically investigate how the insects ability to transmit a pathogen, is shaped by its immune system, microbiome and environmental factors such as temperature and larval stress.
“Why are some insects such efficient vectors of viruses and parasites, and others not? and how do climate and environmental change affect the ecology of blood-feeding insects?”
We study pathogen-vector interactions in our secured Bio-Safety Level 3 laboratory in collaboration with the Laboratory of Virology. to study transmission of flaviviruses (West Nile virus, Zika) and alphaviruses (chikungunya and Mayaro). Vector-borne disease control relies heavily on insecticides and little attention is paid to the opportunities of biological (non-chemical) alternatives. Our research focuses on the use of bacteria and entomopathogenic fungi for integrated management of mosquitoes and ticks. Opportunities for biological control are investigated in multidisciplinary projects and include the social sciences perspective. Ultimately, we aim to create a world in which we can quickly respond to the threat of vector-borne diseases with means that are affordable, safe for human and animal use and, most notably, sustainable in the context of our changing environment.
Topics
• Theme 1: fundamental aspects of arthropod-pathogen-host interactions
• development of novel (biological) tools for surveillance and control.
Projects
The impact of urban greening on vector biology
The impact of urban greening on vector biology
The impact of urban greening on vector biology
The impact of urban greening on vector biology
A Genetic Approach to Assess the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Disease Vectors
A Genetic Approach to Assess the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Disease Vectors
Reducing the malaria burden by integrating citizen science as community engagement tool into new vector control approaches in Rwanda
Reducing the malaria burden by integrating citizen science as community engagement tool into new vector control approaches in Rwanda
Eco-epidemiology of wildlife and vector-borne disease in wild carnivores
Eco-epidemiology of wildlife and vector-borne disease in wild carnivores
Mosquito ecology, surveillance and diagnostics
Mosquito ecology, surveillance and diagnostics
Investigating the impact of microclimate change and land use patterns on malaria and arbovirus vector adaptation strategies and disease transmission risks
The continued emission of greenhouse gases, as well as changes in land cover and land use is expected to worsen the climate. These changes are expected to influence the distribution of medically important vectors and the diseases they can transmit. Thermal tolerance and response of mosquitoes and transmitted pathogens beyond lower and upper limits vary by species, developmental stage, physiological status, and genetic features. The temperature beyond average may have adverse or beneficial effects on reproduction, development, survival, and behaviors which translate to mosquito-borne disease transmission. Unlike the laboratory experimentation on how temperature affects malaria mosquito traits, our knowledge is limited on their instant behavioral response to unfavorable microclimate conditions for survival.
What makes some flaviviruses tick-borne and others mosquito-borne: the role of ecological, organismal, and genetic barriers in flavivirus transmission
What makes some flaviviruses tick-borne and others mosquito-borne: the role of ecological, organismal, and genetic barriers in flavivirus transmission
Muggenradar
Velen van ons storen zich mateloos aan een zoemende mug in de slaapkamer. En de volgende dag zit je met een jeukende maar onschuldige muggenbult. Echter, door klimaatverandering en de veranderingen in onze omgeving, wordt de kans groter dat deze muggen in de toekomst ook ziekten kunnen overdragen. Om een goede beoordeling te kunnen maken van het risico op ziekte, is het van groot belang dat we weten wanneer, waar en welke soorten muggen actief zijn. In dit opzicht kunnen observaties en meldingen van het grote publiek die worden verzameld via citizen science ontzettend waardevol zijn.
Contact us
Research themes
Entomology
Entomology, led by Bregje Wertheim, works on the physiology of insect-plant interactions and the ecology of parasite-host and predator-prey interactions.