Award details

Climate and the transmission of arboviruses by biting midges (Culicoides)

Reference	BBS/E/I/00000524
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Philip Mellor
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	The Pirbright Institute
Department	The Pirbright Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	198,657
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1997
End date	30/09/1999
Duration	30 months

Abstract

Culicoides imicola, a vector of bluetongue virus (BTV) and African horse sickness virus (AHSV), is principally Afro- Asian in its distribution, but has recently been found in parts of Europe, including Iberia and Greece. In addition, it is likely that this species will expand its range into further areas of Europe, especially if conditions warm with climate change. Since areas where C. imicola is found are potentially at risk of BTV and AHSV, it is essential to identify where it could become established in Europe. One approach, to determine the potential distribution of C. imicola, is to identify the most significant climatic determinants of its current distribution in Europe and then from this, derive 'expected' distributions for other parts of Europe. We will also establish which conditions are most favourable for virus transmission and how transmission is influenced by these conditions. This problem will be approached in two ways. First, since it is not possible to colonise C. imicola, another vector species, C. variipennis sonorensis, will be used as a laboratory model system to investigate the relationship between these factors. Second, transmission studies with field caught C. imicola will be carried out at Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, South Africa. Such data are critical in gaining an understanding of how climate change may alter the temporal and spatial distributions of these and other economically important arboviral diseases.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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