Award details

Studentship: Quantitative dynamics of bluetongue virus within Culicoides biting midges

Reference	BBS/E/I/00001757
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Carrie Batten
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor Philippa Hawes, Dr Anthony Wilson
Institution	The Pirbright Institute
Department	The Pirbright Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	136,131
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/10/2012
End date	30/09/2016
Duration	47 months

Abstract

Studentship The rates of spread and replication of a virus within an arthropod vector determine when an infected vector becomes infectious. We hypothesise that virus migrates rapidly to a range of tissues within the body of the vector, rather than replicating to high levels within the lining of the midgut before spreading. In order to address our hypothesis experimentally, we will use modified fluorescent virus particles to track the spread and replication of a virus within an insect vector - specifically, of bluetongue virus (BTV) within Culicoides midges. The data generated will be used to develop the first ever quantitative model of within-insect viral dynamics. Given the increasing BTV activity in Europe, it is important to unravel the interaction between BTV and Culicoides. The BTV-Culicoides system is also an ideal model for other virus-vector systems for at least two reasons. Firstly, only a midgut-associated barrier to viral dissemination occurs in Culicoides, compared with the multiple barriers present in other vector groups such as mosquitoes. Secondly, the University Supervisor’s group has recently developed a system for generating fluorescent BTV particles which will allow the quantity of virus in locations within the vector to be measured more accurately than using fluorescent antibody technology.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Animal Health, Microbiology
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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