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Braz Sousa L, Fricker S, Webb C, Baldock KL, Williams CR. Learning outcomes for participants in citizen science mosquito surveillance. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2024:tjae117. [PMID: 39271136 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjae117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024]
Abstract
Although citizen science initiatives have been increasing globally, there is still a gap in understanding how they can result in sustainable benefits for citizen scientists. This article addresses dual goals of (i) collecting relevant data on potential vector mosquitoes and (ii) delivering learning outcomes among participants in a citizen science mosquito surveillance program. Mozzie Monitors uses an e-entomology approach to collect and identify mosquitoes of medical importance. This study used quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method approaches, comprised of before and after longitudinal surveys, in-depth interviews and descriptive assessment of mosquito attributes to assess participants' educational gains and data collection scalability. Results showed that mosquito abundance and diversity differed in each study location, with Aedes notoscriptus (Skuse) being the most common mosquito reported in all areas. Citizen scientists were predominantly women over 50 and highly educated. The before-and-after analysis showed that participants learned how to identify the most common mosquito species after participating in the program. They also improved their technical skills in mosquito photography, increasing the rates of identifiable photos. Finally, participating in this citizen science program resulted in behavior changes, with participants starting to look for mosquito eggs and larvae in their backyards to manage mosquito populations. The mixed methods used in this research showed increased participants' confidence, self-efficacy, and engagement throughout the trial. Overall, this study demonstrated the potential of Mozzie Monitors to contribute to the dual goals of mosquito data contribution and citizen scientists' educational outcomes for improved public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Braz Sousa
- UniSA: Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Stephen Fricker
- UniSA: STEM, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Cameron Webb
- Medical Entomology, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead, NSW, Australia
- Department of Medical Entomology, University of Sydney and Marie Bashir Institute, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine L Baldock
- UniSA: Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Craig R Williams
- UniSA: STEM, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Iyaloo DP, Zohdy S, Carney RM, Mosawa VR, Elahee KB, Munglee N, Latchooman N, Puryag S, Bheecarry A, Bhoobun H, Rasamoelina-Andriamanivo H, Bedja SA, Spear J, Baldet T, Carter TE. A regional One Health approach to the risk of invasion by Anopheles stephensi in Mauritius. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011827. [PMID: 39259766 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anopheles stephensi is an invasive malaria vector in Africa that threatens to put an additional 126 million people at risk of malaria if it continues to spread. The island nation of Mauritius is highly connected to Asia and Africa and is at risk of introduction due to this connectivity. For early detection of An. stephensi, the Vector Biology and Control Division under the Ministry of Health in Mauritius, leveraged a well-established Aedes program, as An. stephensi is known to share Aedes habitats. These efforts triggered multisectoral coordination and cascading benefits of integrated vector and One Health approaches. METHODS Beginning June 2021, entomological surveys were conducted at points of entry (seaport, airport) and on ships transporting livestock in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Department, the Mauritian Port Authority and National Veterinary Services. A total of 18, 39, 723 mosquito larval surveys were respectively conducted in the airport, seaport, and other localities in Mauritius while two, 20, and 26 adult mosquito surveys were respectively conducted in the airport, seaport, and twenty-six animal assembly points. Alongside adult mosquito surveys, surveillance of vectors of veterinary importance (e.g.- Culicoides spp.) was also carried out in collaboration with National Parks and Conservation Service and land owners. RESULTS A total of 8,428 adult mosquitoes were collected and 1,844 larval habitats were positive for mosquitoes. All collected mosquitoes were morphologically identified and 151 Anopheles and 339 Aedes mosquitoes were also molecularly characterized. Mosquito species detected were Aedes albopictus, Anopheles arabiensis, An. coustani, An. merus, Culex quinquefasciatus, Cx. thalassius and Lutzia tigripes. Anopheles stephensi was not detected. The One Health approach was shared with the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), strengthening collaboration between Mauritius and Réunion Island on vector surveillance at entry points and insecticide resistance monitoring. The Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) was also alerted to the risk of An. stephensi, leading to regional efforts supporting trainings and development of a response strategy to An. stephensi bringing together stakeholders from Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion Island and Seychelles. CONCLUSIONS Mauritius is a model system showing how existing public health entomology capabilities can be used to enhance vector surveillance and control and create multisectoral networks to respond to any emerging public and veterinary health vector-borne disease threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana P Iyaloo
- Vector Biology and Control Division, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Curepipe, Mauritius
- Surveillance Epidemiologique et Gestion des Alertes (SEGA) One Health network, Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
| | - Sarah Zohdy
- US President's Malaria Initiative, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Ryan M Carney
- Department of Integrative Biology, College of Arts & Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Varina Ramdonee Mosawa
- Vector Biology and Control Division, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Curepipe, Mauritius
- Surveillance Epidemiologique et Gestion des Alertes (SEGA) One Health network, Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
| | - Khouaildi B Elahee
- Vector Biology and Control Division, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Curepipe, Mauritius
- Surveillance Epidemiologique et Gestion des Alertes (SEGA) One Health network, Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
| | - Nabiihah Munglee
- Vector Biology and Control Division, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Curepipe, Mauritius
- Surveillance Epidemiologique et Gestion des Alertes (SEGA) One Health network, Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
| | - Nilesh Latchooman
- Vector Biology and Control Division, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Curepipe, Mauritius
- Surveillance Epidemiologique et Gestion des Alertes (SEGA) One Health network, Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
| | - Surendra Puryag
- Vector Biology and Control Division, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Curepipe, Mauritius
- Surveillance Epidemiologique et Gestion des Alertes (SEGA) One Health network, Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
| | - Ambicadutt Bheecarry
- Vector Biology and Control Division, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Curepipe, Mauritius
- Surveillance Epidemiologique et Gestion des Alertes (SEGA) One Health network, Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
| | - Hemant Bhoobun
- Surveillance Epidemiologique et Gestion des Alertes (SEGA) One Health network, Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
- Livestock and Veterinary Division, Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security, Reduit, Mauritius
| | - Harena Rasamoelina-Andriamanivo
- Surveillance Epidemiologique et Gestion des Alertes (SEGA) One Health network, Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
- Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
| | - Saïd Ahmed Bedja
- Surveillance Epidemiologique et Gestion des Alertes (SEGA) One Health network, Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
- Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
| | - Joseph Spear
- Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Thierry Baldet
- Surveillance Epidemiologique et Gestion des Alertes (SEGA) One Health network, Indian Ocean Commission, Ebene, Mauritius
- UMR ASTRE, Cirad, INRAe, Univ. Montpellier, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Tamar E Carter
- Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
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Mwalugelo YA, Mponzi WP, Muyaga LL, Mahenge HH, Katusi GC, Muhonja F, Omondi D, Ochieng AO, Kaindoa EW, Amimo FA. Livestock keeping, mosquitoes and community viewpoints: a mixed methods assessment of relationships between livestock management, malaria vector biting risk and community perspectives in rural Tanzania. Malar J 2024; 23:213. [PMID: 39020392 PMCID: PMC11253484 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-024-05039-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Livestock keeping is one of the potential factors related to malaria transmission. To date, the impact of livestock keeping on malaria transmission remains inconclusive, as some studies suggest a zooprophylactic effect while others indicate a zoopotentiation effect. This study assessed the impact of livestock management on malaria transmission risks in rural Tanzania. Additionally, the study explored the knowledge and perceptions of residents about the relationships between livestock keeping and malaria transmission risks in a selected village. METHODS In a longitudinal entomological study in Minepa village, South Eastern Tanzania, 40 households were randomly selected (20 with livestock, 20 without). Weekly mosquito collection was performed from January to April 2023. Indoor and outdoor collections used CDC-Light traps, Prokopack aspirators, human-baited double-net traps, and resting buckets. A subsample of mosquitoes was analysed using PCR and ELISA for mosquito species identification and blood meal detection. Livestock's impact on mosquito density was assessed using negative binomial GLMMs. Additionally, in-depth interviews explored community knowledge and perceptions of the relationship between livestock keeping and malaria transmission risks. RESULTS A total of 48,677 female Anopheles mosquitoes were collected. Out of these, 89% were Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.) while other species were Anopheles funestus s.l., Anopheles pharoensis, Anopheles coustani, and Anopheles squamosus. The findings revealed a statistically significant increase in the overall number of An. gambiae s.l. outdoors (RR = 1.181, 95%CI 1.050-1.862, p = 0.043). Also, there was an increase of the mean number of An. funestus s.l. mosquitoes collected in households with livestock indoors (RR = 2.866, 95%CI: 1.471-5.582, p = 0.002) and outdoors (RR = 1.579,95%CI 1.080-2.865, p = 0.023). The human blood index of Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes from houses with livestock was less than those without livestock (OR = 0.149, 95%CI 0.110-0.178, p < 0.001). The majority of participants in the in-depth interviews reported a perceived high density of mosquitoes in houses with livestock compared to houses without livestock. CONCLUSION Despite the potential for zooprophylaxis, this study indicates a higher malaria transmission risk in livestock-keeping communities. It is crucial to prioritize and implement targeted interventions to control vector populations within these communities. Furthermore, it is important to enhance community education and awareness regarding covariates such as livestock that influence malaria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohana A Mwalugelo
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P. O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, P. O. Box 210, Bondo, 40601, Kenya.
| | - Winifrida P Mponzi
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P. O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
| | - Letus L Muyaga
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P. O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
- School of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Herieth H Mahenge
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P. O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
- The Nelson Mandela, African Institution of Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences and BioEngineering, Tengeru, Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Godfrey C Katusi
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P. O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
| | - Faith Muhonja
- School of Public Health, Amref International University, P.O. Box 27691-00506, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Dickens Omondi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, P. O. Box 210, Bondo, 40601, Kenya
| | - Alfred O Ochieng
- Department of Biological Sciences, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 210, Bondo, 40601, Kenya
| | - Emmanuel W Kaindoa
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P. O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
- The Nelson Mandela, African Institution of Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences and BioEngineering, Tengeru, Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania
- Wits Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand and the Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Fred A Amimo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, P. O. Box 210, Bondo, 40601, Kenya
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Virgillito C, Longo E, De Marco CM, Serini P, Zucchelli MV, Montarsi F, Severini F, Rosà R, Da Re D, Filipponi F, Manica M, Palmer J, Bartumeus F, Della Torre A, Caputo B. Involving citizen scientists in monitoring arthropod vectors of human and zoonotic diseases: The case of Mosquito Alert in Italy. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 948:174847. [PMID: 39025142 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Citizen science has been particularly effective in gathering reliable, timely, large-scale data on the presence and distributions of animal species, including mosquito vectors of human and zoonotic pathogens. This involves the participation of citizen scientists in research projects, with success strongly dependent on the capacity to disseminate project information and engage citizen scientists to contribute their time. Mosquito Alert is a citizen science that aids in the system surveillances of vector mosquitoes. It involves citizen scientists providing expert-validated photos of targeted mosquitoes, along with records of bites and breeding sites. Since 2020 the system has been disseminated throughout Europe. This article uses models to analyze the effect of promotion activities carried out by the Mosquito Alert ITALIA team from October 2020 to December 2022 on the number of citizen scientists recruited and engaged in the project, and their performance in mosquito identification. Results show a high level of citizen scientist recruitment (N > 18.000; 37 % of overall European participants). This was achieved mostly through articles generated by ad hoc press releases detailing the app's goals and functioning. Press releases were more effective when carried out at the beginning and end of the mosquito season and when mosquito's public health significance was emphasized. Despite the high number of records received (N > 20.000), only 30 % of registered participants sent records, and the probability of a participant sending a record dropped off quickly over time after first registering. Among participants who contributed, ∼50 % sent 1 record, ∼30 % ≥3 and 4 % >10 records. Participants showed good capacity to identify mosquitoes and improve identification skills with app usage. The results will be valuable for anyone interested in evaluating citizen science, as participation and engagement are seldom quantitatively assessed. Our results are also useful for designing dissemination and education strategies in citizen science projects associated with arthropod vector monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Virgillito
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | - E Longo
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy; Center Agriculture Food Environment, University of Trento, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy
| | - C M De Marco
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | - P Serini
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | | | - F Montarsi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), Padua, Italy
| | - F Severini
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy
| | - R Rosà
- Center Agriculture Food Environment, University of Trento, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy; Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy
| | - D Da Re
- Center Agriculture Food Environment, University of Trento, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy; Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy
| | - F Filipponi
- National Research Council - Institute for Environmental Geology and Geoengineering (CNR-IGAG), Montelibretti, RM, Italy
| | - M Manica
- Center for Health Emergencies, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy
| | - J Palmer
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Bartumeus
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Girona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Della Torre
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | - B Caputo
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy.
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Wang X, Yang T, Fang L, Yang Y, Zhang H, Yang J, Wang C, Fan L, Zang X, Meng S, Song C. Citizen science in action: Time-resolved immunofluorescence-based field detection of antibiotics with portable analytical kit. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:173251. [PMID: 38750731 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Citizen scientist-based environmental monitoring and public education are becoming increasingly popular. However, current technologies for antibiotic-based novel contaminant identification are still restricted to laboratory sample collection and analysis due to detection methodologies and apparatus limitations. This study developed a time-resolved immunofluorescence-based simultaneous field-based assay for ciprofloxacin (CIP) and enrofloxacin (ENR) that matches test results to geographic locations. The assay helps the public understand the potential levels of antibiotic exposures in their environments and helps them take appropriate action to reduce risk. The assay was developed using smartphones and social software in addition to rapid testing. The method uses a portable, low-cost analytical kit with a smartphone app to build a field-based detection platform for the detection and analysis of ENR and CIP in water and aquatic products. The methodological evaluation was good, with detection limits of 0.4 ng/mL and 0.5 ng/g for ENR in water and fish, and quantification limits of 1.2 ng/mL and 1.4 ng/g, with recoveries of 89.0 %-101.0 % and 78.0 %-97.0 %. For CIP in water and fish, the limits of detection were 0.3 ng/mL and 0.4 ng/g, the limits of quantification were 0.9 ng/mL and 1.2 ng/g, and the recoveries were 75.0 %-91.0 % and 72.0 %-89.0 %, both with coefficients of variation <15 %. These limits were sufficient to prevent the two antibiotics from crossing over during simultaneous detection. The assay was validated using real samples to assess the effectiveness of the assay platform in field deployments, and the results were consistent with those obtained through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) techniques. In addition, the TRFIA assay process requires less time, uses more portable instruments, and is less complex than traditional methods. This study provides a new scientific, accurate, and rapid detection method for antibiotic detection by citizen scientists, helping scientists to obtain a wider range of data and providing more opportunities to solve scientific problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinchi Wang
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081 Wuxi, PR China
| | - Tingting Yang
- Jiangsu Su Wei Institute of Microbiology Co., Ltd., 214063 Wuxi, PR China
| | - Longxiang Fang
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 100000 Beijing, PR China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081 Wuxi, China
| | - Yong Yang
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081 Wuxi, PR China
| | - Haitao Zhang
- Jiangsu Su Wei Institute of Microbiology Co., Ltd., 214063 Wuxi, PR China
| | - Jianghua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing University Xianlin Campus, 163 Xianlin Avenue, 210023 Nanjing, PR China
| | - Changbo Wang
- Kunshan Aquatic Technology Promotion Station, 215300 Suzhou, PR China
| | - Limin Fan
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 100000 Beijing, PR China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081 Wuxi, China
| | - Xuelei Zang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100000 Beijing, PR China.
| | - Shunlong Meng
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 100000 Beijing, PR China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081 Wuxi, China.
| | - Chao Song
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 214081 Wuxi, PR China; Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 100000 Beijing, PR China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081 Wuxi, China.
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Carrillo MA, Gessler AM, Rivera Ramirez T, Cárdenas Sanchez R, Lindenmeier J, Kern WV, Kroeger A. WhatsApp-based intervention in urban Colombia to support the prevention of arboviral diseases: a feasibility study. Pathog Glob Health 2024; 118:334-347. [PMID: 38794811 PMCID: PMC11238608 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2024.2358263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Arboviral diseases remain a significant health concern worldwide, with over half the world's population at risk for dengue alone. Without a vaccine or targeted treatment, the most effective strategy of prevention is vector management with community involvement. mHealth interventions, like WhatsApp, offer promising results for engaging communities and promoting healthier behaviors. This study explores the feasibility of integrating WhatsApp in vector control activities to improve arbovirus prevention in Colombia. A mixed-methods approach was employed to assess the WhatsApp-based intervention. WhatsApp messages were sent to 45 community women for 5 weeks to increase their knowledge and practices about dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Pre-and-post surveys and focus group discussions were conducted in community settings to measure the feasibility and acceptability of this intervention. Chat reviews were done to assess the usability of users. A total of 1566 messages were exchanged in 45 WhatsApp chats. High acceptance and good usability (82% of users used the app for replying) were reported in this study. WhatsApp messages were perceived as short, clear, and enjoyable. Users liked the frequency, and design of messages. Pre- and post-surveys demonstrated improvements in the knowledge and practices of arboviral diseases. The intention to apply this knowledge in practice was reflected in a significant improvement, particularly in cleaning the laundry tank once a week (pre 62.1% to post 89.6%, p < 0.008). This study suggests that using WhatsApp as an additional tool could be a feasible, acceptable, and affordable strategy for improving the adoption of better practices in the prevention of arboviral diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Angelica Carrillo
- Centre for Medicine and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Research Group Geotecnia Ambiental (GIGA), University Francisco De Paula Santander, Cucuta, Colombia
| | - Alisa Maria Gessler
- Graduate Institute, Geneva and Université de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tatiana Rivera Ramirez
- Centre for Medicine and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Research Group Geotecnia Ambiental (GIGA), University Francisco De Paula Santander, Cucuta, Colombia
| | - Rocío Cárdenas Sanchez
- Centre for Medicine and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Research Group Geotecnia Ambiental (GIGA), University Francisco De Paula Santander, Cucuta, Colombia
- Vector Control Programme, The Health Institute of Cucuta, Cucuta, Colombia
| | - Jörg Lindenmeier
- Corporate Governance und Ethik, Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Winfried V. Kern
- Center for Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Axel Kroeger
- Centre for Medicine and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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7
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Almeida-Souza PA, de Oliveira CH, Brito LP, Teixeira TDJ, Celestino IA, Penha GB, dos Santos RM, Mendes WM, Ribeiro BM, Campos FS, Roehe PM, Guimarães NR, Iani FCM, Martins AJ, de Abreu FVS. High Frequencies of kdr Mutation and Chikungunya Infection in Aedes aegypti Population from Minas Gerais, Brazil. Pathogens 2024; 13:457. [PMID: 38921757 PMCID: PMC11206328 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13060457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) presents global health challenges, with Brazil experiencing outbreaks since its introduction in 2014. In 2023, following a CHIKV outbreak in Minas Gerais (MG), social media was used to optimize an entomological survey aimed at identifying vectors and viral lineages and assessing insecticide resistance. Following Instagram posts, residents with suspected CHIKV infection were able to schedule mosquito aspirations. In total, 421 mosquitoes (165 Aedes aegypti and 256 Culex quinquefasciatus) were captured from 40 households in Salinas city (MG) and tested for the Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya viruses through RT-qPCR. Twelve of 57 pools (10 Ae. aegypti and two Cx. quinquefasciatus) tested positive for CHIKV RNA. Viral RNA was also detected in the heads of nine Ae. aegypti, indicating viral dissemination but not in Cx. quinquefasciatus. Genome sequencing yielded the first near-complete genome from the 2023 outbreak, unveiling that the CHIKV strain belonged to the East/Central/South African (ECSA) genotype. Additionally, genetic analyses revealed high frequencies of kdr alleles, including in CHIKV-infected mosquitoes, suggesting resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in this Ae. aegypti population. Social media was important for guiding mosquito-capture efforts in CHIKV transmission hotspots, thus optimizing the opportunity for viral detection. These findings emphasize the urgent need for innovative vector studies and control strategies, as well as interdisciplinary approaches in public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Augusto Almeida-Souza
- Laboratório de Comportamento de Insetos, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais, Campus Salinas, Salinas 39560-000, MG, Brazil; (P.A.A.-S.); (C.H.d.O.); (T.d.J.T.); (I.A.C.); (G.B.P.)
| | - Cirilo Henrique de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Comportamento de Insetos, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais, Campus Salinas, Salinas 39560-000, MG, Brazil; (P.A.A.-S.); (C.H.d.O.); (T.d.J.T.); (I.A.C.); (G.B.P.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Uso dos Recursos Naturais, Unimontes, Montes Claros 39401-089, MG, Brazil
| | - Luiz Paulo Brito
- Laboratório de Biologia, Controle e Vigilância de Insetos Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil;
| | - Thaynara de Jesus Teixeira
- Laboratório de Comportamento de Insetos, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais, Campus Salinas, Salinas 39560-000, MG, Brazil; (P.A.A.-S.); (C.H.d.O.); (T.d.J.T.); (I.A.C.); (G.B.P.)
| | - Iago Alves Celestino
- Laboratório de Comportamento de Insetos, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais, Campus Salinas, Salinas 39560-000, MG, Brazil; (P.A.A.-S.); (C.H.d.O.); (T.d.J.T.); (I.A.C.); (G.B.P.)
| | - Gabriele Barbosa Penha
- Laboratório de Comportamento de Insetos, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais, Campus Salinas, Salinas 39560-000, MG, Brazil; (P.A.A.-S.); (C.H.d.O.); (T.d.J.T.); (I.A.C.); (G.B.P.)
| | - Ronaldo Medeiros dos Santos
- Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais, Campus Salinas, Salinas 39560-000, MG, Brazil;
| | | | | | - Fabrício Souza Campos
- Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, RS, Brazil; (F.S.C.); (P.M.R.)
| | - Paulo Michel Roehe
- Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, RS, Brazil; (F.S.C.); (P.M.R.)
| | | | - Felipe C. M. Iani
- Setor de Arbovirologia, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte 30510-010, MG, Brazil;
| | - Ademir Jesus Martins
- Laboratório de Biologia, Controle e Vigilância de Insetos Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil;
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro 21941-590, RJ, Brazil
| | - Filipe Vieira Santos de Abreu
- Laboratório de Comportamento de Insetos, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais, Campus Salinas, Salinas 39560-000, MG, Brazil; (P.A.A.-S.); (C.H.d.O.); (T.d.J.T.); (I.A.C.); (G.B.P.)
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García-García D, Fernández-Martínez B, Bartumeus F, Gómez-Barroso D. Modeling the Regional Distribution of International Travelers in Spain to Estimate Imported Cases of Dengue and Malaria: Statistical Inference and Validation Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e51191. [PMID: 38801767 PMCID: PMC11165286 DOI: 10.2196/51191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the patterns of disease importation through international travel is paramount for effective public health interventions and global disease surveillance. While global airline network data have been used to assist in outbreak prevention and effective preparedness, accurately estimating how these imported cases disseminate locally in receiving countries remains a challenge. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to describe and understand the regional distribution of imported cases of dengue and malaria upon arrival in Spain via air travel. METHODS We have proposed a method to describe the regional distribution of imported cases of dengue and malaria based on the computation of the "travelers' index" from readily available socioeconomic data. We combined indicators representing the main drivers for international travel, including tourism, economy, and visits to friends and relatives, to measure the relative appeal of each region in the importing country for travelers. We validated the resulting estimates by comparing them with the reported cases of malaria and dengue in Spain from 2015 to 2019. We also assessed which motivation provided more accurate estimates for imported cases of both diseases. RESULTS The estimates provided by the best fitted model showed high correlation with notified cases of malaria (0.94) and dengue (0.87), with economic motivation being the most relevant for imported cases of malaria and visits to friends and relatives being the most relevant for imported cases of dengue. CONCLUSIONS Factual descriptions of the local movement of international travelers may substantially enhance the design of cost-effective prevention policies and control strategies, and essentially contribute to decision-support systems. Our approach contributes in this direction by providing a reliable estimate of the number of imported cases of nonendemic diseases, which could be generalized to other applications. Realistic risk assessments will be obtained by combining this regional predictor with the observed local distribution of vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- David García-García
- Department of Communicable Diseases, National Centre of Epidemiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Epidemiology and Public Health Biomedical Network Research Consortium (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Fernández-Martínez
- Department of Communicable Diseases, National Centre of Epidemiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Epidemiology and Public Health Biomedical Network Research Consortium (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Frederic Bartumeus
- Group of Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes, Spanish Research Council, Blanes, Spain
- Ecological and Forestry Applications Research Centre, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diana Gómez-Barroso
- Department of Communicable Diseases, National Centre of Epidemiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Epidemiology and Public Health Biomedical Network Research Consortium (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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9
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Rogers AM, Yong RQY, Holden MH. The house of a thousand species: The untapped potential of comprehensive biodiversity censuses of urban properties. Ecology 2024; 105:e4225. [PMID: 38038234 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Rogers
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Russell Q-Y Yong
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Matthew H Holden
- School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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10
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Pocock MJ, Adriaens T, Bertolino S, Eschen R, Essl F, Hulme PE, Jeschke JM, Roy HE, Teixeira H, de Groot M. Citizen science is a vital partnership for invasive alien species management and research. iScience 2024; 27:108623. [PMID: 38205243 PMCID: PMC10776933 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive alien species (IAS) adversely impact biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and socio-economics. Citizen science can be an effective tool for IAS surveillance, management, and research, providing large datasets over wide spatial extents and long time periods, with public participants generating knowledge that supports action. We demonstrate how citizen science has contributed knowledge across the biological invasion process, especially for early detection and distribution mapping. However, we recommend that citizen science could be used more for assessing impacts and evaluating the success of IAS management. Citizen science does have limitations, and we explore solutions to two key challenges: ensuring data accuracy and dealing with uneven spatial coverage of potential recorders (which limits the dataset's "fit for purpose"). Greater co-development of citizen science with public stakeholders will help us better realize its potential across the biological invasion process and across ecosystems globally while meeting the needs of participants, local communities, scientists, and decision-makers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tim Adriaens
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sandro Bertolino
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Franz Essl
- Division of BioInvasions, Global Change & Macroecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Philip E. Hulme
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, Department of Pest Management and Conservation, Lincoln University, PO Box 84850, Christchurch, Lincoln 7648, New Zealand
| | - Jonathan M. Jeschke
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Helen E. Roy
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Heliana Teixeira
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Maarten de Groot
- Slovenian Forestry Institute, Večna pot 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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11
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Negri A, Pezzali G, Pitton S, Piazzoni M, Gabrieli P, Lazzaro F, Mastrantonio V, Porretta D, Lenardi C, Caccia S, Bandi C, Epis S. MosChito rafts as a promising biocontrol tool against larvae of the common house mosquito, Culex pipiens. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0295665. [PMID: 38096210 PMCID: PMC10721080 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquito control is of paramount importance, in particular, in light of the major environmental alterations associated with human activities, from climate change to the altered distribution of pathogens, including those transmitted by Arthropods. Here, we used the common house mosquito, Culex pipiens to test the efficacy of MosChito raft, a novel tool for mosquito larval control. MosChito raft is a floating hydrogel matrix, composed of chitosan, genipin and yeast cells, as bio-attractants, developed for the delivery of a Bacillus thuringiensis israeliensis (Bti)-based bioinsecticide to mosquito larvae. To this aim, larvae of Cx. pipiens were collected in field in Northern Italy and a novel colony of mosquito species (hereafter: Trescore strain) was established. MosChito rafts, containing the Bti-based formulation, were tested on Cx. pipiens larvae from the Trescore strain to determine the doses to be used in successive experiments. Thus, bioassays with MosChito rafts were carried out under semi-field conditions, both on larvae from the Trescore strain and on pools of larvae collected from the field, at different developmental stages. Our results showed that MosChito raft is effective against Cx. pipiens. In particular, the observed mortality was over 50% after two days exposure of the larvae to MosChito rafts, and over 70-80% at days three to four, in both laboratory and wild larvae. In conclusion, our results point to the MosChito raft as a promising tool for the eco-friendly control of a mosquito species that is not only a nuisance insect but is also an important vector of diseases affecting humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Negri
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Pediatric Clinical Research Center “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Italian Malaria Network, Inter University Center for Malaria Research, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Pezzali
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Pitton
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Piazzoni
- Department of Physics, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Gabrieli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Pediatric Clinical Research Center “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Italian Malaria Network, Inter University Center for Malaria Research, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Daniele Porretta
- Department of Environmental Biology, “La Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Silvia Caccia
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudio Bandi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Pediatric Clinical Research Center “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Italian Malaria Network, Inter University Center for Malaria Research, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Epis
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Pediatric Clinical Research Center “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Italian Malaria Network, Inter University Center for Malaria Research, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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12
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Liu Q, Zhang HD, Xing D, Jia N, Du YT, Xie JW, Wang M, Li CX, Zhao T, Jiang YT, Dong YD, Guo XX, Zhou XY, Zhao TY. The predicted potential distribution of Aedes albopictus in China under the shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP)1-2.6. Acta Trop 2023; 248:107001. [PMID: 37634685 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) is one of the 100 most invasive species in the world and represents a significant threat to public health. The distribution of Ae. albopictus has been expanding rapidly due to increased international trade, population movement, global warming and accelerated urbanization. Consequently, it is very important to know the potential distribution area of Ae. albopictus in advance for early warning and control of its spread and invasion. We randomly selected 282 distribution sites from 27 provincial-level administrative regions in China, and used the GARP and MaxEnt models to analyze and predict the current and future distribution areas of Ae. albopictus in China. The results showed that the current range of Ae. albopictus in China covers most provinces such as Yunnan and Guizhou Provinces, and the distribution of Ae. albopictus in border provinces such as Tibet, Gansu and Jilin Provinces tend to expand westwards. In addition, the potential distribution area of Ae. albopictus in China will continue to expand westwards due to future climate change under the SSP126 climate scenario. Furthermore, the results of environmental factor filtering showed that temperature and precipitation had a large effect on the distribution probability of Ae. albopictus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; School of Public Health and Health Management, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Heng-Duan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Dan Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Nan Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yu-Tong Du
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; School of Public Health and Health Management, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Jing-Wen Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Ming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Chun-Xiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Teng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yu-Ting Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yan-De Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Xiao-Xia Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Xin-Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Tong-Yan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; School of Public Health and Health Management, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China.
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13
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Uelmen JA, Clark A, Palmer J, Kohler J, Van Dyke LC, Low R, Mapes CD, Carney RM. Global mosquito observations dashboard (GMOD): creating a user-friendly web interface fueled by citizen science to monitor invasive and vector mosquitoes. Int J Health Geogr 2023; 22:28. [PMID: 37898732 PMCID: PMC10612222 DOI: 10.1186/s12942-023-00350-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit pose a significant public health threat worldwide, causing more fatalities than any other animal. To effectively combat this issue, there is a need for increased public awareness and mosquito control. However, traditional surveillance programs are time-consuming, expensive, and lack scalability. Fortunately, the widespread availability of mobile devices with high-resolution cameras presents a unique opportunity for mosquito surveillance. In response to this, the Global Mosquito Observations Dashboard (GMOD) was developed as a free, public platform to improve the detection and monitoring of invasive and vector mosquitoes through citizen science participation worldwide. METHODS GMOD is an interactive web interface that collects and displays mosquito observation and habitat data supplied by four datastreams with data generated by citizen scientists worldwide. By providing information on the locations and times of observations, the platform enables the visualization of mosquito population trends and ranges. It also serves as an educational resource, encouraging collaboration and data sharing. The data acquired and displayed on GMOD is freely available in multiple formats and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. RESULTS Since its launch less than a year ago, GMOD has already proven its value. It has successfully integrated and processed large volumes of real-time data (~ 300,000 observations), offering valuable and actionable insights into mosquito species prevalence, abundance, and potential distributions, as well as engaging citizens in community-based surveillance programs. CONCLUSIONS GMOD is a cloud-based platform that provides open access to mosquito vector data obtained from citizen science programs. Its user-friendly interface and data filters make it valuable for researchers, mosquito control personnel, and other stakeholders. With its expanding data resources and the potential for machine learning integration, GMOD is poised to support public health initiatives aimed at reducing the spread of mosquito-borne diseases in a cost-effective manner, particularly in regions where traditional surveillance methods are limited. GMOD is continually evolving, with ongoing development of powerful artificial intelligence algorithms to identify mosquito species and other features from submitted data. The future of citizen science holds great promise, and GMOD stands as an exciting initiative in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny A Uelmen
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.
| | - Andrew Clark
- Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Arlington, VA, 22202, USA
| | - John Palmer
- Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeau Fabra, 08005, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Russanne Low
- Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Arlington, VA, 22202, USA
| | - Connor D Mapes
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
- Department of Geography, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK
| | - Ryan M Carney
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
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14
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Tamayo LD, Condori-Pino CE, Sanchez Z, Gonçalves R, Málaga Chávez FS, Castillo-Neyra R, Levy MZ, Paz-Soldan VA. An effective internet-based system for surveillance and elimination of triatomine insects: AlertaChirimacha. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011694. [PMID: 37844066 PMCID: PMC10602375 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases remain a significant public health threat in many regions of the world. Traditional vector surveillance and control methods have relied on active and passive surveillance programs, which are often costly and time-consuming. New internet-based vector surveillance systems have shown promise in removing some of the cost and labor burden from health authorities. We developed and evaluated the effectiveness of a new internet-based surveillance system, "AlertaChirimacha", for detecting Triatoma infestans (known locally by its Quechua name, Chirimacha), the Chagas disease vector, in the city of Arequipa, Peru. In the first 26 months post-implementation, AlertaChirimacha received 206 reports of residents suspecting or fearing triatomines in their homes or neighborhoods, of which we confirmed, through pictures or inspections, 11 (5.3%) to be Triatoma infestans. After microscopic examination, none of the specimens collected were infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. AlertaChirimacha received 57% more confirmed reports than the traditional surveillance system and detected 10% more infested houses than active and passive surveillance approaches combined. Through in-depth interviews we evaluate the reach, bilateral engagement, and response promptness and efficiency of AlertaChirimacha. Our study highlights the potential of internet-based vector surveillance systems, such as AlertaChirimacha, to improve vector surveillance and control efforts in resource-limited settings. This approach could decrease the cost and time horizon for the elimination of vector-mediated Chagas disease in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura D. Tamayo
- Zoonotic Disease Research Laboratory, One Health Unit, School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Arequipa, Perú
| | - Carlos E. Condori-Pino
- Zoonotic Disease Research Laboratory, One Health Unit, School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Arequipa, Perú
| | - Zoee Sanchez
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Lousiana, United States of America
| | - Raquel Gonçalves
- Zoonotic Disease Research Laboratory, One Health Unit, School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Arequipa, Perú
| | | | - Ricardo Castillo-Neyra
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Michael Z. Levy
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Valerie A. Paz-Soldan
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Lousiana, United States of America
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15
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Zhang H, Yang J, Zhang L, Gu X, Zhang X. Citizen science meets eDNA: A new boom in research exploring urban wetland biodiversity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 16:100275. [PMID: 37213810 PMCID: PMC10196805 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2023.100275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
•eDNA citizen science provides a comprehensive picture of the biodiversity.•Non-native species reduced the local fish diversity in urban wetlands.•Expanding water area can improve wetland biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowen Zhang
- Nanjing Foreign Language School, 30 East Beijing Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Jianghua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing University Xianlin Campus, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Lijuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing University Xianlin Campus, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xueping Gu
- Nanjing Foreign Language School, 30 East Beijing Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing University Xianlin Campus, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
- Jiangsu Province Ecology and Environment Protection Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety and Health Risk, Nanjing, 210023, China
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Rocklöv J, Semenza JC, Dasgupta S, Robinson EJ, Abd El Wahed A, Alcayna T, Arnés-Sanz C, Bailey M, Bärnighausen T, Bartumeus F, Borrell C, Bouwer LM, Bretonnière PA, Bunker A, Chavardes C, van Daalen KR, Encarnação J, González-Reviriego N, Guo J, Johnson K, Koopmans MP, Máñez Costa M, Michaelakis A, Montalvo T, Omazic A, Palmer JR, Preet R, Romanello M, Shafiul Alam M, Sikkema RS, Terrado M, Treskova M, Urquiza D, Lowe R. Decision-support tools to build climate resilience against emerging infectious diseases in Europe and beyond. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. EUROPE 2023; 32:100701. [PMID: 37583927 PMCID: PMC10424206 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is one of several drivers of recurrent outbreaks and geographical range expansion of infectious diseases in Europe. We propose a framework for the co-production of policy-relevant indicators and decision-support tools that track past, present, and future climate-induced disease risks across hazard, exposure, and vulnerability domains at the animal, human, and environmental interface. This entails the co-development of early warning and response systems and tools to assess the costs and benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures across sectors, to increase health system resilience at regional and local levels and reveal novel policy entry points and opportunities. Our approach involves multi-level engagement, innovative methodologies, and novel data streams. We take advantage of intelligence generated locally and empirically to quantify effects in areas experiencing rapid urban transformation and heterogeneous climate-induced disease threats. Our goal is to reduce the knowledge-to-action gap by developing an integrated One Health-Climate Risk framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joacim Rocklöv
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH) & Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jan C. Semenza
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH) & Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Shouro Dasgupta
- Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC), Venice, Italy
- Graham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth J.Z. Robinson
- Graham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmed Abd El Wahed
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tilly Alcayna
- Red Cross Red Crescent Centre on Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness, The Hague, the Netherlands
- Centre on Climate Change & Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
- Health in Humanitarian Crises Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
| | - Cristina Arnés-Sanz
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH) & Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Meghan Bailey
- Red Cross Red Crescent Centre on Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness, The Hague, the Netherlands
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Frederic Bartumeus
- Theoretical and Computational Ecology Group, Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carme Borrell
- Pest Surveillance and Control, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Research Center Network for Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laurens M. Bouwer
- Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS), Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Aditi Bunker
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Climate, Health and the Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Kim R. van Daalen
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Heart and Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Junwen Guo
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Katie Johnson
- Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC), Venice, Italy
| | - Marion P.G. Koopmans
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - María Máñez Costa
- Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS), Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Antonios Michaelakis
- Laboratory of Insects & Parasites of Medical Importance, Benaki Phytopathological Institute (BPI), Attica, Greece
| | - Tomás Montalvo
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Omazic
- Department of Chemistry, Environment, and Feed Hygiene, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - John R.B. Palmer
- Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raman Preet
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Marina Romanello
- Institute for Global Health, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom
| | - Mohammad Shafiul Alam
- Infectious Disease Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Reina S. Sikkema
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marta Terrado
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marina Treskova
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH) & Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Diana Urquiza
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rachel Lowe
- Centre on Climate Change & Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
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Dekramanjian B, Bartumeus F, Kampen H, Palmer JRB, Werner D, Pernat N. Demographic and motivational differences between participants in analog and digital citizen science projects for monitoring mosquitoes. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12384. [PMID: 37524770 PMCID: PMC10390545 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38656-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, citizen scientists help to map the distribution of native and introduced mosquito species in a variety of programs, contributing to environmental research and management decisions. Participant background, behavior, and engagement may vary depending on the project design, especially between those using digital apps and those using physical samples, which in turn may impact the quality and representativeness of the data collected. During the analysis of the responses to a survey directed at citizen scientists participating in a digital and an analog program, we found significant differences in the respondents' demographic backgrounds. Diverse participant motivations and varying sentiments towards mosquitoes were observed, indicating differing susceptibility in response to the program messages. The results can be translated into recommendations to further strengthen the appeal of citizen science projects and to promote and sustain public engagement in environmental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berj Dekramanjian
- Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Frederic Bartumeus
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicaicons Forestals (CREAF), Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Helge Kampen
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
| | - John R B Palmer
- Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Doreen Werner
- Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Nadja Pernat
- Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany.
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
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18
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Uelmen JA, Mapes CD, Prasauskas A, Boohene C, Burns L, Stuck J, Carney RM. A Habitat Model for Disease Vector Aedes aegypti in the Tampa Bay Area, FloridA. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MOSQUITO CONTROL ASSOCIATION 2023; 39:96-107. [PMID: 37364184 DOI: 10.2987/22-7109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Within the contiguous USA, Florida is unique in having tropical and subtropical climates, a great abundance and diversity of mosquito vectors, and high rates of human travel. These factors contribute to the state being the national ground zero for exotic mosquito-borne diseases, as evidenced by local transmission of viruses spread by Aedes aegypti, including outbreaks of dengue in 2022 and Zika in 2016. Because of limited treatment options, integrated vector management is a key part of mitigating these arboviruses. Practical knowledge of when and where mosquito populations of interest exist is critical for surveillance and control efforts, and habitat predictions at various geographic scales typically rely on ecological niche modeling. However, most of these models, usually created in partnership with academic institutions, demand resources that otherwise may be too time-demanding or difficult for mosquito control programs to replicate and use effectively. Such resources may include intensive computational requirements, high spatiotemporal resolutions of data not regularly available, and/or expert knowledge of statistical analysis. Therefore, our study aims to partner with mosquito control agencies in generating operationally useful mosquito abundance models. Given the increasing threat of mosquito-borne disease transmission in Florida, our analytic approach targets recent Ae. aegypti abundance in the Tampa Bay area. We investigate explanatory variables that: 1) are publicly available, 2) require little to no preprocessing for use, and 3) are known factors associated with Ae. aegypti ecology. Out of our 4 final models, none required more than 5 out of the 36 predictors assessed (13.9%). Similar to previous literature, the strongest predictors were consistently 3- and 4-wk temperature and precipitation lags, followed closely by 1 of 2 environmental predictors: land use/land cover or normalized difference vegetation index. Surprisingly, 3 of our 4 final models included one or more socioeconomic or demographic predictors. In general, larger sample sizes of trap collections and/or citizen science observations should result in greater confidence in model predictions and validation. However, given disparities in trap collections across jurisdictions, individual county models rather than a multicounty conglomerate model would likely yield stronger model fits. Ultimately, we hope that the results of our assessment will enable more accurate and precise mosquito surveillance and control of Ae. aegypti in Florida and beyond.
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Dam R, Mponzi W, Msaky D, Mwandyala T, Kaindoa EW, Sinka ME, Kiskin I, Herreros-Moya E, Messina J, Shah SGS, Roberts S, Willis KJ. What incentives encourage local communities to collect and upload mosquito sound data by using smartphones? A mixed methods study in Tanzania. Glob Health Res Policy 2023; 8:18. [PMID: 37246227 DOI: 10.1186/s41256-023-00298-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To detect and identify mosquitoes using their characteristic high-pitched sound, we have developed a smartphone application, known as the 'HumBug sensor', that records the acoustic signature of this sound, along with the time and location. This data is then sent remotely to a server where algorithms identify the species according to their distinctive acoustic signature. Whilst this system works well, a key question that remains is what mechanisms will lead to effective uptake and use of this mosquito survey tool? We addressed this question by working with local communities in rural Tanzania and providing three alternative incentives: money only, short message service (SMS) reminders and money, and SMS reminders only. We also had a control group with no incentive. METHODS A multi-site, quantitative empirical study was conducted in four villages in Tanzania from April to August 2021. Consenting participants (n = 148) were recruited and placed into one of the three intervention arms: monetary incentives only; SMS reminders with monetary incentives; and SMS reminders only. There was also a control group (no intervention). To test effectiveness of the mechanisms, the number of audio uploads to the server of the four trial groups on their specific dates were compared. Qualitative focus group discussions and feedback surveys were also conducted to explore participants' perspectives on their participation in the study and to capture their experiences of using the HumBug sensor. RESULTS Qualitative data analysis revealed that for many participants (37 out of 81), the main motivation expressed was to learn more about the types of mosquitoes present in their houses. Results from the quantitative empirical study indicate that the participants in the 'control' group switched on their HumBug sensors more over the 14-week period (8 out of 14 weeks) when compared to those belonging to the 'SMS reminders and monetary incentives' trial group. These findings are statistically significant (p < 0.05 or p > 0.95 under a two-sided z-test), revealing that the provision of monetary incentives and sending SMS reminders did not appear to encourage greater number of audio uploads when compared to the control. CONCLUSIONS Knowledge on the presence of harmful mosquitoes was the strongest motive for local communities to collect and upload mosquito sound data via the HumBug sensor in rural Tanzania. This finding suggests that most efforts should be made to improve flow of real-time information back to the communities on types and risks associated with mosquitoes present in their houses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinita Dam
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK.
| | - Winifrida Mponzi
- Environmental Health and Ecological Science Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
| | - Dickson Msaky
- Environmental Health and Ecological Science Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
| | - Tumpe Mwandyala
- Environmental Health and Ecological Science Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
| | - Emmanuel W Kaindoa
- Environmental Health and Ecological Science Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
- The Nelson Mandela, African Institution of Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Tengeru, Arusha, Tanzania
| | | | - Ivan Kiskin
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Surrey Institute for People-Centred AI, Centre for Vision Speech and Signal Processing, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | | | - Janey Messina
- School of Geography and the Environment and the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Syed Ghulam Sarwar Shah
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Stephen Roberts
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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20
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Müller R, Bálint M, Hardes K, Hollert H, Klimpel S, Knorr E, Kochmann J, Lee KZ, Mehring M, Pauls SU, Smets G, Steinbrink A, Vilcinskas A. RNA interference to combat the Asian tiger mosquito in Europe: A pathway from design of an innovative vector control tool to its application. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 66:108167. [PMID: 37164239 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is currently spreading across Europe, facilitated by climate change and global transportation. It is a vector of arboviruses causing human diseases such as chikungunya, dengue hemorrhagic fever and Zika fever. For the majority of these diseases, no vaccines or therapeutics are available. Options for the control of Ae. albopictus are limited by European regulations introduced to protect biodiversity by restricting or phasing out the use of pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or products of genome editing. Alternative solutions are thus urgently needed to avoid a future scenario in which Europe faces a choice between prioritizing human health or biodiversity when it comes to Aedes-vectored pathogens. To ensure regulatory compliance and public acceptance, these solutions should preferably not be based on chemicals or GMOs and must be cost-efficient and specific. The present review aims to synthesize available evidence on RNAi-based mosquito vector control and its potential for application in the European Union. The recent literature has identified some potential target sites in Ae. albopictus and formulations for delivery. However, we found little information concerning non-target effects on the environment or human health, on social aspects, regulatory frameworks, or on management perspectives. We propose optimal designs for RNAi-based vector control tools against Ae. albopictus (target product profiles), discuss their efficacy and reflect on potential risks to environmental health and the importance of societal aspects. The roadmap from design to application will provide readers with a comprehensive perspective on the application of emerging RNAi-based vector control tools for the suppression of Ae. albopictus populations with special focus on Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Müller
- Unit Entomology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 9, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Miklós Bálint
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Kornelia Hardes
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch of Bioresources, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research "ASCRIBE", Germany
| | - Henner Hollert
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Department Media-related Toxicity, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Integrative Parasitology and Zoophysiology, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eileen Knorr
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch of Bioresources, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Judith Kochmann
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Kwang-Zin Lee
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch of Bioresources, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Marion Mehring
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; ISOE - Institute for Social-Ecological Research, Hamburger Allee 45, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Steffen U Pauls
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany; Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Greet Smets
- Perseus BV, Kortrijksesteenweg 127 B1, B-9830 Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium
| | - Antje Steinbrink
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch of Bioresources, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
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Ballman ES, Leahy JE, Sponarski CC, Galli MG, Gardner AM. A citizen science approach to investigate the distribution, abundance, and pathogen infection of vector ticks through active surveillance. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102144. [PMID: 36905814 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne disease poses a growing public health burden in the United States and understanding the patterns of presence and density of infected vector ticks is key to developing and implementing effective public health management strategies. Citizen science has emerged as a highly effective means to generate data sets on the geographical distribution of tick species. But to date, nearly all citizen science studies of ticks are 'passive surveillance' programs in which researchers accept reports of ticks, together with either physical specimens or digital images, found opportunistically on people, pets, and livestock from community members for species identification and in some cases also tick-borne pathogen detection. These studies are limited because data are not collected systematically, making comparisons among locations and over time challenging, and introducing considerable reporting bias. In this study, we engaged citizen scientists in 'active surveillance' of host-seeking ticks, training volunteers to actively collect ticks on their woodland properties in an emergent region of tick-borne disease in the state of Maine, USA. We developed volunteer recruitment strategies, materials to train volunteers in data collection methods, field data collection protocols based on techniques used by professional scientists, and a variety of incentives to promote volunteer retention and satisfaction with their experiences, and we communicated research findings to participants. A total of 125 volunteers in 2020 and 181 volunteers in 2021 collected 7,246 ticks in southern and coastal Maine, including the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis, 4,023 specimens), the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis, 3,092 specimens), and the rabbit tick (Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, 102 specimens). We demonstrated the feasibility of citizen scientists collecting ticks using active surveillance methods and found that volunteers were motivated to participate largely by their interest in the scientific problem and a desire to learn about ticks on their properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissa S Ballman
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, 5722 Deering Hall, Orono, ME 04469 United States
| | - Jessica E Leahy
- School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, 5755 Nutting Hall, Orono, ME 04469 United States
| | - Carly C Sponarski
- Northern Forestry Centre, Canadian Forest Service, 5320 122 Street, Edmonton AB T6H3S5 United States
| | - Michael G Galli
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, 5722 Deering Hall, Orono, ME 04469 United States
| | - Allison M Gardner
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, 5722 Deering Hall, Orono, ME 04469 United States.
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Shruti VC, Kutralam-Muniasamy G, Pérez-Guevara F, Roy PD. An assessment of higher-value recyclable wastes in Mexico City households using a novel waste collector citizen science approach. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 863:161024. [PMID: 36549527 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The ability to accurately characterize and collect data on household waste generation and composition is essential for promoting recycling and developing city management plans. However, traditional data collection approaches in developing countries are hampered by jurisdictional and budgetary constraints. Here, we explore whether citizen science projects that collaborate with waste collectors can solve this problem and be a viable tool for addressing household waste generation across temporal and geographic boundaries. In this regard, this first study evaluated recyclable household waste generation by engaging waste collectors both door-to-door individuals and trucks as citizen scientists daily in an urbanized colony (5797 inhabitants and 1747 houses) in Mexico City between September and October 2022. To understand their distribution and consumption patterns on a regional basis, we stratified the colony's households into 2 distinct non-overlapping sub zones and one Wednesday market based on waste collectors' routine using a Geographical Information System. Results show that for seven weeks, household waste constitutes up to 12.19 t of recyclables, ranging from 99.5 to 480.8 kg/day, with 35 % cardboard, 23 % PET plastics, 21 % hard plastics, 17 % glass, and 4 % aluminum. The average amount of recyclable waste produced was 54 g/person/day, resulting in an annual recycling generation of 114 t. Statistical analysis revealed that recyclable waste generation varied by day and subzone. Furthermore, informal centers rather than municipal waste disposal facilities are in charge of the final disposition of the collected recyclables, suggesting that a substantial waste proportion may go unaccounted for in the local government's annual MSW report and calling for the implementation of formal recycling sectors. Overall, this study show how effective waste collector engagement in science can be and imply that the proposed citizen science approach is vital for future waste projects and the generation of transparent datasets in developing cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- V C Shruti
- Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria, Del. Coyoacán, C.P. 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Gurusamy Kutralam-Muniasamy
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Fermín Pérez-Guevara
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico; Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Program, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Priyadarsi D Roy
- Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria, Del. Coyoacán, C.P. 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico
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23
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The value of volunteer surveillance for the early detection of biological invaders. J Theor Biol 2023; 560:111385. [PMID: 36565952 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Early detection of invaders requires finding small numbers of individuals across large landscapes. It has been argued that the only feasible way to achieve the sampling effort needed for early detection of an invader is to involve volunteer groups (citizen scientists, passive surveyors, etc.). A key concern is that volunteers may have a considerable false-positive and false-negative rate. The question then becomes whether verification of a report from a volunteer is worth the effort. This question is the topic of this paper. Since we are interested in early detection we calculate the Z% upper limit of the one sided confidence interval of the incidence (fraction infected) and use the term maximum expected plausible incidence for this. We compare the maximum plausible incidence when the expert samples on their own, qE∼, and the maximum plausible incidence when the expert only verifies cases reported by the volunteer surveyor to be infected, qV∼. The maximum plausible incidences qE∼ and qV∼. are related as, qV∼=θfp1-θfnqE∼ where θfp and θfn are the false positive and false negative rate of the volunteer surveyor, respectively. We also show that the optimal monitoring programme consists of verifying only the cases reported by the volunteer surveyor if, TXTN<θfp1-θfn, where TN is the time needed for a sample taken by the expert and TX is the time needed for an expert to verify a case reported by a volunteer surveyor. Our results can be used to calculate the maximum plausible incidence of a plant disease based on reports of passive surveyors that have been verified by experts and data from experts sampling on their own. The results can also be used in the development phase of a surveillance project to assess whether including passive surveyor reports is useful in the early detection of exotic invaders.
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Rawson T, Doohan P, Hauck K, Murray KA, Ferguson N. Climate change and communicable diseases in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Epidemics 2023; 42:100667. [PMID: 36652872 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2023.100667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A review of the extant literature reveals the extent to which the spread of communicable diseases will be significantly impacted by climate change. Specific research into how this will likely be observed in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is, however, greatly lacking. This report summarises the unique public health challenges faced by the GCC countries in the coming century, and outlines the need for greater investment in public health research and disease surveillance to better forecast the imminent epidemiological landscape. Significant data gaps currently exist regarding vector occurrence, spatial climate measures, and communicable disease case counts in the GCC - presenting an immediate research priority for the region. We outline policy work necessary to strengthen public health interventions, and to facilitate evidence-driven mitigation strategies. Such research will require a transdisciplinary approach, utilising existing cross-border public health initiatives, to ensure that such investigations are well-targeted and effectively communicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Rawson
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Jameel Institute, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - Patrick Doohan
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Jameel Institute, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Katharina Hauck
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Jameel Institute, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Kris A Murray
- Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, MRC Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Neil Ferguson
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Jameel Institute, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Johnston C, Vaux A, Cull B, Medlock J. Passive surveillance records including nuisance or suspected invasive/non-native mosquitoes in the United Kingdom, 2005-2021. JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN MOSQUITO CONTROL ASSOCIATION 2023. [DOI: 10.52004/jemca2022.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Alongside active surveillance at ports and land transport sites, the UK Health Security Agency runs a passive mosquito surveillance scheme: The Mosquito Recording Scheme (MRS). The MRS is a citizen-science scheme, it receives and identifies mosquitoes submitted by members of the public, including in response to nuisance biting incidents. The aims of the scheme are to detect unusual or invasive species, provide a log of reportable incidents of nuisance mosquito biting, and gain insight into the seasonality of British mosquito biting. Between 2005 and 2021, 286 submissions of mosquitoes were submitted to the MRS, all of which were native UK species, 23 specifically reported nuisance biting, with 92.7% of submissions from England. In total 16 species were submitted with Culiseta annulata (39%) and Culex pipiens s.l. (26% of submissions) the most common, with records of these species throughout the years. Case studies giving examples of a range of submissions and a flow chart of the workflow when receiving a submission are described. Reasons for the low incidence of submissions compared to comparable schemes in Europe are discussed and recommendations on how to improve the scheme is given.
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Affiliation(s)
- C.J. Johnston
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology group, United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - A.G.C. Vaux
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology group, United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - B. Cull
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology group, United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - J.M. Medlock
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology group, United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
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Soares AO, Haelewaters D, Ameixa OMCC, Borges I, Brown PMJ, Cardoso P, de Groot MD, Evans EW, Grez AA, Hochkirch A, Holecová M, Honěk A, Kulfan J, Lillebø AI, Martinková Z, Michaud JP, Nedvěd O, Roy HE, Saxena S, Shandilya A, Sentis A, Skuhrovec J, Viglášová S, Zach P, Zaviezo T, Losey JE. A roadmap for ladybird conservation and recovery. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e13965. [PMID: 35686511 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) provide services that are critical to food production, and they fulfill an ecological role as a food source for predators. The richness, abundance, and distribution of ladybirds, however, are compromised by many anthropogenic threats. Meanwhile, a lack of knowledge of the conservation status of most species and the factors driving their population dynamics hinders the development and implementation of conservation strategies for ladybirds. We conducted a review of the literature on the ecology, diversity, and conservation of ladybirds to identify their key ecological threats. Ladybird populations are most affected by climate factors, landscape composition, and biological invasions. We suggest mitigating actions for ladybird conservation and recovery. Short-term actions include citizen science programs and education, protective measures for habitat recovery and threatened species, prevention of the introduction of non-native species, and the maintenance and restoration of natural areas and landscape heterogeneity. Mid-term actions involve the analysis of data from monitoring programs and insect collections to disentangle the effect of different threats to ladybird populations, understand habitat use by taxa on which there is limited knowledge, and quantify temporal trends of abundance, diversity, and biomass along a management-intensity gradient. Long-term actions include the development of a worldwide monitoring program based on standardized sampling to fill data gaps, increase explanatory power, streamline analyses, and facilitate global collaborations.
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Affiliation(s)
- António O Soares
- Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group (cE3c-ABG) / CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island (Azores), Portugal
- IUCN SSC, Ladybird Specialist Group
| | - Danny Haelewaters
- IUCN SSC, Ladybird Specialist Group
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Olga M C C Ameixa
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) & Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Isabel Borges
- Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group (cE3c-ABG) / CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island (Azores), Portugal
| | - Peter M J Brown
- Applied Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Finnish Museum of Natural History LUOMUS, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Michiel D de Groot
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Geraardsbergen, Belgium
| | - Edward W Evans
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Audrey A Grez
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Axel Hochkirch
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Trier, Germany
- IUCN SSC Invertebrate Conservation Committee, Trier, Germany
| | - Milada Holecová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Alois Honěk
- Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ján Kulfan
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
| | - Ana I Lillebø
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) & Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | | | - J P Michaud
- Agricultural Research Center - Hays (ARCH), Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Hays, Kansas, USA
| | - Oldřich Nedvěd
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Helen E Roy
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, UK
| | - Swati Saxena
- Ladybird Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India
| | - Apoorva Shandilya
- Ladybird Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India
| | - Arnaud Sentis
- UMR RECOVER, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) & Aix-Marseille University, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | | | - Sandra Viglášová
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
| | - Peter Zach
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
| | - Tania Zaviezo
- Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - John E Losey
- IUCN SSC, Ladybird Specialist Group
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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Kolimenakis A, Tsesmelis D, Richardson C, Balatsos G, Milonas PG, Stefopoulou A, Horstick O, Yakob L, Papachristos DP, Michaelakis A. Knowledge, Attitudes and Perception of Mosquito Control in Different Citizenship Regimes within and Surrounding the Malakasa Open Accommodation Refugee Camp in Athens, Greece. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16900. [PMID: 36554780 PMCID: PMC9779083 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The study aims to evaluate the Knowledge, Attitude and Perception (KAP) of different societal groups concerning the implementation of targeted community-based mosquito surveillance and control interventions in different citizenship regimes. Targeted surveys were carried out within Malakasa camp for migrants and refugees, neighboring residential areas and urban areas in the wider Athens metropolitan area to investigate different knowledge levels and the role that both local and migrant communities can play in the implementation of community-based interventions based on their attitudes and perceptions. A scoring system was used to rate the collected responses. Results indicate different levels of KAP among the various groups of respondents and different priorities that should be considered in the design and execution of community interventions. Findings indicate a lower level of Knowledge Attitudes and Perceptions for the migrants, while the rate of correct answers for Perception significantly improved for migrants following a small-scale information session. The study highlights disparities in the levels of knowledge for certain public health issues and the feasibility of certain approaches for alleviating health-related challenges such as mosquito-borne diseases. Findings suggest that essential preparedness is needed by public authorities to respond to public health challenges related to migration and the spread of vector-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios Kolimenakis
- Scientific Directorate of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 145 61 Kifisia, Greece
| | - Demetrios Tsesmelis
- School of Applied Arts and Sustainable Design, Hellenic Open University, 263 35 Patra, Greece
| | - Clive Richardson
- Department of Economic and Regional Development, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, 176 71 Athina, Greece
| | - Georgios Balatsos
- Scientific Directorate of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 145 61 Kifisia, Greece
| | - Panagiotis G. Milonas
- Scientific Directorate of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 145 61 Kifisia, Greece
| | - Angeliki Stefopoulou
- Scientific Directorate of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 145 61 Kifisia, Greece
| | - Olaf Horstick
- Research to Practice Group, Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Laith Yakob
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Dimitrios P. Papachristos
- Scientific Directorate of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 145 61 Kifisia, Greece
| | - Antonios Michaelakis
- Scientific Directorate of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 145 61 Kifisia, Greece
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Szentivanyi T, Vincze O. Tracking wildlife diseases using community science: an example through toad myiasis. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-022-01623-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
AbstractParasite and pathogen surveillance is crucial for understanding trends in their distributions and host spectra, as well as to document changes in their population dynamics. Nevertheless, continuous surveillance is time-consuming, underfunded due to the non-charismatic nature of parasites/pathogens, and research infrastructure is usually limited to short-term surveillance efforts. Species observation data provided by the public can contribute to long-term surveillance of parasites using photographic evidence of infections shared on community science platforms. Here, we used public photo repositories to document the occurrence across space and time of Lucilia spp. (Diptera: Calliphoridae), a parasite inducing nasal toad myiasis in the European toad Bufo bufo (Anura: Bufonidae). We found a total of 262 toad myiasis observations on iNaturalist (n = 132), on GBIF (n = 86), on Flickr (n = 41), and on observation.org (n = 3). Our results indicate that the distribution of toad myiasis is regionally limited, despite its host being widely distributed and abundant across a wide region in Europe. Observations were found in 12 countries with relatively low prevalence, including Belgium (3.90%, CI 2.44–6.18), Denmark (1.26%, CI 0.89–1.80), France (0.45%, CI 0.14–1.38), Germany (1.27%, CI 0.92–1.75), Lithuania (0.50%, CI 0.13–1.98), Luxembourg (1.30%, CI 0.42–3.95), the Netherlands (2.71%, CI 1.61–4.52), Poland (0.89%, CI 0.34–2.35), Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) (4.76%, CI 0.67–27.14), Switzerland (NA), Ukraine (0.87%, CI 0.12–5.91), and in the UK (0.45%, CI 0.28–0.72). Nevertheless, the number of uploaded observations of both parasite infection and host presence indicates a stable increase likely due to the growing popularity of community science websites. Overall, community science is a useful tool to detect and monitor certain wildlife diseases and to recognize potential changes in disease dynamics through time and space.
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Multiple invasions, Wolbachia and human-aided transport drive the genetic variability of Aedes albopictus in the Iberian Peninsula. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20682. [PMID: 36450768 PMCID: PMC9712423 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24963-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is one of the most invasive species in the world. Native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, over the past 30 years it has rapidly spread throughout tropical and temperate regions of the world. Its dramatic expansion has resulted in public health concerns as a consequence of its vector competence for at least 16 viruses. Previous studies showed that Ae. albopictus spread has been facilitated by human-mediated transportation, but much remains unknown about how this has affected its genetic attributes. Here we examined the factors that contributed to shaping the current genetic constitution of Ae. albopictus in the Iberian Peninsula, where the species was first found in 2004, by combining population genetics and Bayesian modelling. We found that both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers showed a lack of genetic structure and the presence of worldwide dominant haplotypes, suggesting regular introductions from abroad. Mitochondrial DNA showed little genetic diversity compared to nuclear DNA, likely explained by infection with maternally transmitted bacteria of the genus Wolbachia. Multilevel models revealed that greater mosquito fluxes (estimated from commuting patterns and tiger mosquito population distribution) and spatial proximity between sampling sites were associated with lower nuclear genetic distance, suggesting that rapid short- and medium-distance dispersal is facilitated by humans through vehicular traffic. This study highlights the significant role of human transportation in shaping the genetic attributes of Ae. albopictus and promoting regional gene flow, and underscores the need for a territorially integrated surveillance across scales of this disease-carrying mosquito.
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30
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Rahimi-Ardabili H, Magrabi F, Coiera E. Digital health for climate change mitigation and response: a scoping review. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2022; 29:2140-2152. [PMID: 35960171 PMCID: PMC9667157 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocac134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Climate change poses a major threat to the operation of global health systems, triggering large scale health events, and disrupting normal system operation. Digital health may have a role in the management of such challenges and in greenhouse gas emission reduction. This scoping review explores recent work on digital health responses and mitigation approaches to climate change. MATERIALS AND METHODS We searched Medline up to February 11, 2022, using terms for digital health and climate change. Included articles were categorized into 3 application domains (mitigation, infectious disease, or environmental health risk management), and 6 technical tasks (data sensing, monitoring, electronic data capture, modeling, decision support, and communication). The review was PRISMA-ScR compliant. RESULTS The 142 included publications reported a wide variety of research designs. Publication numbers have grown substantially in recent years, but few come from low- and middle-income countries. Digital health has the potential to reduce health system greenhouse gas emissions, for example by shifting to virtual services. It can assist in managing changing patterns of infectious diseases as well as environmental health events by timely detection, reducing exposure to risk factors, and facilitating the delivery of care to under-resourced areas. DISCUSSION While digital health has real potential to help in managing climate change, research remains preliminary with little real-world evaluation. CONCLUSION Significant acceleration in the quality and quantity of digital health climate change research is urgently needed, given the enormity of the global challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hania Rahimi-Ardabili
- Centre for Health Informatics, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia
| | - Farah Magrabi
- Centre for Health Informatics, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia
| | - Enrico Coiera
- Centre for Health Informatics, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia
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A literature review of dispersal pathways of Aedes albopictus across different spatial scales: implications for vector surveillance. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:303. [PMID: 36030291 PMCID: PMC9420301 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05413-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aedes albopictus is a highly invasive species and an important vector of dengue and chikungunya viruses. Indigenous to Southeast Asia, Ae. albopictus has successfully invaded every inhabited continent, except Antarctica, in the past 80 years. Vector surveillance and control at points of entry (PoE) is the most critical front line of defence against the introduction of Ae. albopictus to new areas. Identifying the pathways by which Ae. albopictus are introduced is the key to implementing effective vector surveillance to rapidly detect introductions and to eliminate them. METHODS A literature review was conducted to identify studies and data sources reporting the known and suspected dispersal pathways of human-mediated Ae. albopictus dispersal between 1940-2020. Studies and data sources reporting the first introduction of Ae. albopictus in a new country were selected for data extraction and analyses. RESULTS Between 1940-2020, Ae. albopictus was reported via various dispersal pathways into 86 new countries. Two main dispersal pathways were identified: (1) at global and continental spatial scales, maritime sea transport was the main dispersal pathway for Ae. albopictus into new countries in the middle to late 20th Century, with ships carrying used tyres of particular importance during the 1980s and 1990s, and (2) at continental and national spatial scales, the passive transportation of Ae. albopictus in ground vehicles and to a lesser extent the trade of used tyres and maritime sea transport appear to be the major drivers of Ae. albopictus dispersal into new countries, especially in Europe. Finally, the dispersal pathways for the introduction and spread of Ae. albopictus in numerous countries remains unknown, especially from the 1990s onwards. CONCLUSIONS This review identified the main known and suspected dispersal pathways of human-mediated Ae. albopictus dispersal leading to the first introduction of Ae. albopictus into new countries and highlighted gaps in our understanding of Ae. albopictus dispersal pathways. Relevant advances in vector surveillance and genomic tracking techniques are presented and discussed in the context of improving vector surveillance.
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Nordin NRM, Arsad FS, Mahmud MH, Kamaruddin PSNM, Amir SM, Bahari NI, Hassan MR, Rahim SSSA, Lukman KA, Jeffree MS. Wolbachia in Dengue Control: A Systematic Review. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2022.9014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dengue fever outbreaks have been an important public health issue causing high morbidity and mortality, and serious economic effects, particularly in Asia. Control strategies are a challenge to be implemented due to a variety of factors. However, new approaches such as Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti have been shown to successfully lowering the life spans of the mosquito, eggs resistance, and disease transmission capabilities. Field trials are still on-going, and there are data to support its benefit in a large population. This systematic review aims to determine the current progress and impact of using Wolbachia in curbing dengue cases in high dengue case locations worldwide.
METHODOLOGY: The study uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses review protocol, while the formulation of the research question was based on population of interest, comparison, and outcome. The selected databases include Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, SAGE, and EBSCOhost. A thorough identification, screening, and included process were done and the results retrieved four articles. These articles were then ranked based on quality using mixed methods appraisal tool.
RESULTS: A total of four articles were included from 2019 and 2020 reports in both dengue- and non-dengue-endemic settings. In this review, comparisons in terms of the hierarchy of the study design, community engagement and acceptance, Wolbachia-infected A. aegypti deployment, entomological outcome, and epidemiological outcomes were detailed. All four studies showed a decrease in dengue incidence in Wolbachia-intervention populations.
CONCLUSION: Wolbachia programs have been shown to be an effective method in combating dengue diseases. Strong community engagement and involvement from multidisciplinary teams are important factors to ensure the effectiveness and good outcomes of the program.
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Carney RM, Mapes C, Low RD, Long A, Bowser A, Durieux D, Rivera K, Dekramanjian B, Bartumeus F, Guerrero D, Seltzer CE, Azam F, Chellappan S, Palmer JRB. Integrating Global Citizen Science Platforms to Enable Next-Generation Surveillance of Invasive and Vector Mosquitoes. INSECTS 2022; 13:675. [PMID: 36005301 PMCID: PMC9409379 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases continue to ravage humankind with >700 million infections and nearly one million deaths every year. Yet only a small percentage of the >3500 mosquito species transmit diseases, necessitating both extensive surveillance and precise identification. Unfortunately, such efforts are costly, time-consuming, and require entomological expertise. As envisioned by the Global Mosquito Alert Consortium, citizen science can provide a scalable solution. However, disparate data standards across existing platforms have thus far precluded truly global integration. Here, utilizing Open Geospatial Consortium standards, we harmonized four data streams from three established mobile apps—Mosquito Alert, iNaturalist, and GLOBE Observer’s Mosquito Habitat Mapper and Land Cover—to facilitate interoperability and utility for researchers, mosquito control personnel, and policymakers. We also launched coordinated media campaigns that generated unprecedented numbers and types of observations, including successfully capturing the first images of targeted invasive and vector species. Additionally, we leveraged pooled image data to develop a toolset of artificial intelligence algorithms for future deployment in taxonomic and anatomical identification. Ultimately, by harnessing the combined powers of citizen science and artificial intelligence, we establish a next-generation surveillance framework to serve as a united front to combat the ongoing threat of mosquito-borne diseases worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M. Carney
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, FL 33620, USA; (C.M.); (D.D.); (K.R.)
| | - Connor Mapes
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, FL 33620, USA; (C.M.); (D.D.); (K.R.)
- Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC 20007, USA; (A.L.); (A.B.)
| | - Russanne D. Low
- Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Arlington, VA 22202, USA;
| | - Alex Long
- Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC 20007, USA; (A.L.); (A.B.)
| | - Anne Bowser
- Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC 20007, USA; (A.L.); (A.B.)
| | - David Durieux
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, FL 33620, USA; (C.M.); (D.D.); (K.R.)
| | - Karlene Rivera
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, FL 33620, USA; (C.M.); (D.D.); (K.R.)
| | - Berj Dekramanjian
- Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08005 Barcelona, Spain; (B.D.); (J.R.B.P.)
| | - Frederic Bartumeus
- Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), 17300 Blanes, Spain;
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Guerrero
- Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), 17300 Blanes, Spain;
| | - Carrie E. Seltzer
- iNaturalist, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA;
| | - Farhat Azam
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA; (F.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Sriram Chellappan
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA; (F.A.); (S.C.)
| | - John R. B. Palmer
- Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08005 Barcelona, Spain; (B.D.); (J.R.B.P.)
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Spatial Analysis of Mosquito-Borne Diseases in Europe: A Scoping Review. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14158975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Mosquito-borne infections are increasing in endemic areas and previously unaffected regions. In 2020, the notification rate for Dengue was 0.5 cases per 100,000 population, and for Chikungunya <0.1/100,000. In 2019, the rate for Malaria was 1.3/100,000, and for West Nile Virus, 0.1/100,000. Spatial analysis is increasingly used in surveillance and epidemiological investigation, but reviews about their use in this research topic are scarce. We identify and describe the methodological approaches used to investigate the distribution and ecological determinants of mosquito-borne infections in Europe. Relevant literature was extracted from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception until October 2021 and analysed according to PRISMA-ScR protocol. We identified 110 studies. Most used geographical correlation analysis (n = 50), mainly applying generalised linear models, and the remaining used spatial cluster detection (n = 30) and disease mapping (n = 30), mainly conducted using frequentist approaches. The most studied infections were Dengue (n = 32), Malaria (n = 26), Chikungunya (n = 26), and West Nile Virus (n = 24), and the most studied ecological determinants were temperature (n = 39), precipitation (n = 24), water bodies (n = 14), and vegetation (n = 11). Results from this review may support public health programs for mosquito-borne disease prevention and may help guide future research, as we recommended various good practices for spatial epidemiological studies.
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Low RD, Schwerin TG, Boger RA, Soeffing C, Nelson PV, Bartlett D, Ingle P, Kimura M, Clark A. Building International Capacity for Citizen Scientist Engagement in Mosquito Surveillance and Mitigation: The GLOBE Program's GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper. INSECTS 2022; 13:624. [PMID: 35886800 PMCID: PMC9316649 DOI: 10.3390/insects13070624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The GLOBE Program's GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper is a no-cost citizen scientist data collection tool compatible with Android and iOS devices. Available in 14 languages and 126 countries, it supports mosquito vector surveillance, mitigation, and education by interested individuals and as part of participatory community surveillance programs. For low-resource communities where mosquito control services are inadequate, the Mosquito Habitat Mapper supports local health action, empowerment, and environmental justice. The tangible benefits to human health supported by the Mosquito Habitat Mapper have encouraged its wide adoption, with more than 32,000 observations submitted from 84 countries. The Mosquito Habitat Mapper surveillance and data collection tool is complemented by an open database, a map visualization interface, data processing and analysis tools, and a supporting education and outreach campaign. The mobile app tool and associated research and education assets can be rapidly deployed in the event of a pandemic or local disease outbreak, contributing to global readiness and resilience in the face of mosquito-borne disease. Here, we describe the app, the Mosquito Habitat Mapper information system, examples of Mosquito Habitat Mapper deployment in scientific research, and the outreach campaign that supports volunteer training and STEM education of students worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russanne D. Low
- Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Arlington, VA 22202, USA; (T.G.S.); (C.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Theresa G. Schwerin
- Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Arlington, VA 22202, USA; (T.G.S.); (C.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Rebecca A. Boger
- The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY 11210, USA;
| | - Cassie Soeffing
- Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Arlington, VA 22202, USA; (T.G.S.); (C.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Peder V. Nelson
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
| | - Dan Bartlett
- Northwest Mosquito Abatement District, Wheeling, IL 60090, USA;
| | - Prachi Ingle
- Department of Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78705, USA;
| | | | - Andrew Clark
- Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Arlington, VA 22202, USA; (T.G.S.); (C.S.); (A.C.)
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36
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Wei X, Hossain MZ, Ahmed KA. A ResNet attention model for classifying mosquitoes from wing-beating sounds. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10334. [PMID: 35725886 PMCID: PMC9209486 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14372-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes are vectors of numerous deadly diseases, and mosquito classification task is vital for their control programs. To ease manual labor and time-consuming classification tasks, numerous image-based machine-learning (ML) models have been developed to classify different mosquito species. Mosquito wing-beating sounds can serve as a unique classifier for mosquito classification tasks, which can be adopted easily in field applications. The current study aims to develop a deep neural network model to identify six mosquito species of three different genera, based on their wing-beating sounds. While existing models focused on raw audios, we developed a comprehensive pre-processing step to convert raw audios into more informative Mel-spectrograms, resulting in more robust and noise-free extracted features. Our model, namely 'Wing-beating Network' or 'WbNet', combines the state-of-art residual neural network (ResNet) model as a baseline, with self-attention mechanism and data-augmentation technique, and outperformed other existing models. The WbNet achieved the highest performance of 89.9% and 98.9% for WINGBEATS and ABUZZ data respectively. For species of Aedes and Culex genera, our model achieved 100% precision, recall and F1-scores, whereas, for Anopheles, the WbNet reached above 95%. We also compared two existing wing-beating datasets, namely WINGBEATS and ABUZZ, and found our model does not need sophisticated audio devices, hence performed better on ABUZZ audios, captured on usual mobile devices. Overall, our model has potential to serve in mosquito monitoring and prevalence studies in mosquito eradication programs, along with potential implementation in classification tasks of insect pests or other sound-based classifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xutong Wei
- Research School of Computing, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Md Zakir Hossain
- Research School of Computing, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia. .,Biological Data Science Institute, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia. .,CSIRO Agriculutre and Food, Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
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Vianna Franco MP, Molnár O, Dorninger C, Laciny A, Treven M, Weger J, Albuquerque EDME, Cazzolla Gatti R, Villanueva Hernandez LA, Jakab M, Marizzi C, Menéndez LP, Poliseli L, Rodríguez HB, Caniglia G. Diversity regained: Precautionary approaches to COVID-19 as a phenomenon of the total environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 825:154029. [PMID: 35202694 PMCID: PMC8861146 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
As COVID-19 emerged as a phenomenon of the total environment, and despite the intertwined and complex relationships that make humanity an organic part of the Bio- and Geospheres, the majority of our responses to it have been corrective in character, with few or no consideration for unintended consequences which bring about further vulnerability to unanticipated global events. Tackling COVID-19 entails a systemic and precautionary approach to human-nature relations, which we frame as regaining diversity in the Geo-, Bio-, and Anthropospheres. Its implementation requires nothing short of an overhaul in the way we interact with and build knowledge from natural and social environments. Hence, we discuss the urgency of shifting from current to precautionary approaches to COVID-19 and look, through the lens of diversity, at the anticipated benefits in four systems crucially affecting and affected by the pandemic: health, land, knowledge and innovation. Our reflections offer a glimpse of the sort of changes needed, from pursuing planetary health and creating more harmonious forms of land use to providing a multi-level platform for other ways of knowing/understanding and turning innovation into a source of global public goods. These exemplary initiatives introduce and solidify systemic thinking in policymaking and move priorities from reaction-based strategies to precautionary frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco P Vianna Franco
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Martinstrasse 12, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | - Orsolya Molnár
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Martinstrasse 12, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria.
| | - Christian Dorninger
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Martinstrasse 12, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria; Institute of Social Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Schottenfeldgasse 29, Vienna 1070, Austria
| | - Alice Laciny
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Martinstrasse 12, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | - Marco Treven
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Martinstrasse 12, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | - Jacob Weger
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Martinstrasse 12, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | - Eduardo da Motta E Albuquerque
- Cedeplar, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Roberto Cazzolla Gatti
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Zamboni, 33, 40126 Bologna, BO, Italy
| | | | - Manuel Jakab
- Department for Academic Communication, Sigmund Freud University, Freudpl. 1, Vienna 1020, Austria
| | - Christine Marizzi
- BioBus, 1361 Amsterdam Avenue, Ste 340, New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Lumila Paula Menéndez
- Department of Anthropology of the Americas, University of Bonn, Regina-Pacis-Weg 3, 53113 Bonn, Germany; Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Universitätsring 1, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Luana Poliseli
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Martinstrasse 12, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | | | - Guido Caniglia
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Martinstrasse 12, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
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38
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Freeman EA, Carlton EJ, Paull S, Dadzie S, Buchwald A. Utilizing citizen science to model the distribution of Aedes aegypti in West Africa. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2022; 47:117-127. [PMID: 36629363 DOI: 10.52707/1081-1710-47.1.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In the rapidly urbanizing region of West Africa, Aedes mosquitoes pose an emerging threat of infectious disease that is compounded by limited vector surveillance. Citizen science has been proposed as a way to fill surveillance gaps by training local residents to collect and share information on disease vectors. Understanding the distribution of arbovirus vectors in West Africa can inform researchers and public health officials on where to conduct disease surveillance and focus public health interventions. We utilized citizen science data collected through NASA's GLOBE Observer mobile phone application and data from a previously published literature review on Aedes mosquito distribution to examine the contribution of citizen science to understanding the distribution of Ae. aegypti in West Africa using Maximum Entropy modeling. Combining citizen science and literature-derived observations improved the fit of the model compared to models created by each data source alone but did not alleviate location bias within the models, likely due to lack of widespread observations. Understanding Ae. aegypti distribution will require greater investment in Aedes mosquito surveillance in the region, and citizen science should be utilized as a tool in this mission to increase the reach of surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Freeman
- Colorado School of Public Health, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523,
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health,University of Colorado, Denver, CO 80045
| | - Elizabeth J Carlton
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health,University of Colorado, Denver, CO 80045
| | - Sara Paull
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health,University of Colorado, Denver, CO 80045
| | - Samuel Dadzie
- Parasitology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Andrea Buchwald
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Denver, CO 80045
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39
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Webb C, Clancy J, Doggett SL, McAlister E, Williams C, Fricker S, van den Hurk A, Lessard B, Lenagan J, Walter M. First record of the mosquito Aedes ( Downsiomyia) shehzadae (Diptera: Culicidae) in Australia: A unique discovery aided by citizen science. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2022; 47:133-137. [PMID: 36629366 DOI: 10.52707/1081-1710-47.1.133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cameron Webb
- The University of Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases and Charles Perkins Centre Citizen Science Node, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia,
- Medical Entomology, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - John Clancy
- Medical Entomology, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Stephen L Doggett
- Medical Entomology, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Erica McAlister
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Craig Williams
- Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
| | - Stephen Fricker
- Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
| | - Andrew van den Hurk
- Public Health Virology, Forensic and Scientific Services, Department of Health, Queensland Government, Archerfield, Queensland 4108, Australia
| | - Bryan Lessard
- Australian National Insect Collection, National Research Collections Australia-CSIRO, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | | | - Marlene Walter
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- The Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
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40
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Miranda MÁ, Barceló C, Arnoldi D, Augsten X, Bakran-Lebl K, Balatsos G, Bengoa M, Bindler P, Boršová K, Bourquia M, Bravo-Barriga D, Čabanová V, Caputo B, Christou M, Delacour S, Eritja R, Fassi-Fihri O, Ferraguti M, Flacio E, Frontera E, Fuehrer HP, García-Pérez AL, Georgiades P, Gewehr S, Goiri F, González MA, Gschwind M, Gutiérrez-López R, Horváth C, Ibáñez-Justicia A, Jani V, Kadriaj P, Kalan K, Kavran M, Klobucar A, Kurucz K, Lucientes J, Lühken R, Magallanes S, Marini G, Martinou AF, Michelutti A, Mihalca AD, Montalvo T, Montarsi F, Mourelatos S, Muja-Bajraktari N, Müller P, Notarides G, Osório HC, Oteo JA, Oter K, Pajović I, Palmer JRB, Petrinic S, Răileanu C, Ries C, Rogozi E, Ruiz-Arrondo I, Sanpera-Calbet I, Sekulić N, Sevim K, Sherifi K, Silaghi C, Silva M, Sokolovska N, Soltész Z, Sulesco T, Šušnjar J, Teekema S, Valsecchi A, Vasquez MI, Velo E, Michaelakis A, Wint W, Petrić D, Schaffner F, della Torre A. AIMSurv: First pan-European harmonized surveillance of Aedes invasive mosquito species of relevance for human vector-borne diseases. GIGABYTE 2022; 2022:gigabyte57. [PMID: 36824512 PMCID: PMC9930523 DOI: 10.46471/gigabyte.57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Human and animal vector-borne diseases, particularly mosquito-borne diseases, are emerging or re-emerging worldwide. Six Aedes invasive mosquito (AIM) species were introduced to Europe since the 1970s: Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Ae. japonicus, Ae. koreicus, Ae. atropalpus and Ae. triseriatus. Here, we report the results of AIMSurv2020, the first pan-European surveillance effort for AIMs. Implemented by 42 volunteer teams from 24 countries. And presented in the form of a dataset named "AIMSurv Aedes Invasive Mosquito species harmonized surveillance in Europe. AIM-COST Action. Project ID: CA17108". AIMSurv2020 harmonizes field surveillance methodologies for sampling different AIMs life stages, frequency and minimum length of sampling period, and data reporting. Data include minimum requirements for sample types and recommended requirements for those teams with more resources. Data are published as a Darwin Core archive in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility- Spain, comprising a core file with 19,130 records (EventID) and an occurrences file with 19,743 records (OccurrenceID). AIM species recorded in AIMSurv2020 were Ae. albopictus, Ae. japonicus and Ae. koreicus, as well as native mosquito species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ángel Miranda
- Applied Zoology and Animal Conservation Group, University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Ctra Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Spain
| | - Carlos Barceló
- Applied Zoology and Animal Conservation Group, University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Ctra Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Spain
| | - Daniele Arnoldi
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via Edmund Mach 1, 38098 San Michele all’Adige (TN), Italy
| | - Xenia Augsten
- Kommunale Aktionsgemeinschaft zur Bekämpfung der Schnakenplage (KABS) e.V. Georg-Peter-Süß-Str. 3, 67346 Speyer, Germany
| | - Karin Bakran-Lebl
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Division for Public Health, Währinger Strasse 25a, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - George Balatsos
- Laboratory of Insects & Parasites of Medical Importance, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, St. Delta 8, Kifisia 14561, Athens, Greece
| | - Mikel Bengoa
- Anticimex Spain, Carrer Jesús Serra Santamans 5 Planta 3, 08174 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Philippe Bindler
- Brigade Verte du Haut-Rhin, Service démoustication, 92 rue Mal. de Lattre de Tassigny, 68360 Soultz, France
| | - Kristina Boršová
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Maria Bourquia
- Agronomic and Veterinary Institute Hassan II, BP 6202, Rabat-Instituts 10100, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Daniel Bravo-Barriga
- Department of Animal Health, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Av. de la Universidad, s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
| | - Viktória Čabanová
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Beniamino Caputo
- Dep. Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Christou
- Environmental Predictions Department, Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre, The Cyprus Institute, 20 Konstantinou Kavafi Street, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Sarah Delacour
- Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Zaragoza, University of Zaragoza, C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Roger Eritja
- Consell Comarcal del Baix Llobregat, 08980 Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Martina Ferraguti
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Extremadura Av. de Elvas, s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - Eleonora Flacio
- University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Institute of Microbiology, Vector Ecology Unit, Via Flora Ruchat-Roncati 15, 6850 Mendrisio, Switzerland
| | - Eva Frontera
- Department of Animal Health, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Av. de la Universidad, s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
| | | | - Ana L. García-Pérez
- NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Berreaga 1, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Pantelis Georgiades
- Environmental Predictions Department, Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre, The Cyprus Institute, 20 Konstantinou Kavafi Street, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Sandra Gewehr
- Ecodevelopment S.A., PO Box 2420, Thesi Mezaria, 57010 Filyro, Greece
| | - Fátima Goiri
- NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Berreaga 1, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | | | - Martin Gschwind
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Kreuzstrasse 2, CH-4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- Universität Basel, Petersplatz 1, P.O. Box CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rafael Gutiérrez-López
- Applied Zoology and Animal Conservation Group, University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Ctra Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Spain
| | - Cintia Horváth
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Adolfo Ibáñez-Justicia
- Centre for Monitoring of Vectors, National Reference Centre, Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, Geertjesweg 15, 6706 EA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Viola Jani
- Vectors’ Control Unit, Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases Department, Institute of Public Health, Rruga Aleksander Moisiu 80, Tirana, Albania
| | - Përparim Kadriaj
- Vectors’ Control Unit, Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases Department, Institute of Public Health, Rruga Aleksander Moisiu 80, Tirana, Albania
| | - Katja Kalan
- Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Glagoljaška ulica 8, 6000 Koper, Slovenia
| | - Mihaela Kavran
- University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Laboratory for Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21 000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Ana Klobucar
- Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Mirogojska c. 16, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Javier Lucientes
- Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Zaragoza, University of Zaragoza, C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Renke Lühken
- Bernhard Nocht Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Arbovirology, Hamburg, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sergio Magallanes
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Extremadura Av. de Elvas, s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - Giovanni Marini
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via Edmund Mach 1, 38098 San Michele all’Adige (TN), Italy
| | | | - Alice Michelutti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell’Università 10, 35020 Legnaro (Padua), Italy
| | - Andrei Daniel Mihalca
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Tomás Montalvo
- Agencia de Salud Pública de Barcelona, Plaça Lesseps 8 entresol, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fabrizio Montarsi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell’Università 10, 35020 Legnaro (Padua), Italy
| | - Spiros Mourelatos
- Ecodevelopment S.A., PO Box 2420, Thesi Mezaria, 57010 Filyro, Greece
| | - Nesade Muja-Bajraktari
- Departament of Biology, Faculty of Mathematic and Natural Sciences, University of Prishtina, Str. Eqrem Qabej 9, Pristina, Republic of Kosovo
| | - Pie Müller
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Kreuzstrasse 2, CH-4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- Universität Basel, Petersplatz 1, P.O. Box CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Gregoris Notarides
- Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Archiepiskopou Kyprianou 30, Limassol 3036, Cyprus
| | - Hugo Costa Osório
- National Institute of Health/ Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Research, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - José A. Oteo
- Center for Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, C/Piqueras 98, 26006 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
| | - Kerem Oter
- Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Buyukcekmece Yerleskesi, Alkent 2000 Mah, Yigitturk Cad. 5/9/1, 34500 Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Igor Pajović
- University of Montenegro. Biotechnical Faculty, Mihaila Lalića 15, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro
| | - John R. B. Palmer
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Mosquito Alert, C/Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27. 08005 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Suncica Petrinic
- Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Mirogojska c. 16, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Cristian Răileanu
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Christian Ries
- Luxembourg National Museum of Natural History, Rue Münster 25, L-2160, Luxembourg
| | - Elton Rogozi
- Vectors’ Control Unit, Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases Department, Institute of Public Health, Rruga Aleksander Moisiu 80, Tirana, Albania
| | - Ignacio Ruiz-Arrondo
- Center for Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, C/Piqueras 98, 26006 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
| | - Isis Sanpera-Calbet
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Mosquito Alert, C/Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27. 08005 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nebojša Sekulić
- Institute for Public Health of Montenegro, bb John Jackson Street, Podgorica, Montenegro
| | - Kivanc Sevim
- Hacettepe University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Ecology Section, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Kurtesh Sherifi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, University Hasan Prishtina, M546+72H, Prishtinë, Republic of Kosovo
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Manuel Silva
- National Institute of Health/ Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Research, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Nikolina Sokolovska
- PHI Center for Public Health-Skopje, blv.3rd Macedonian brigade 18, Skopje, North Macedonia
| | - Zoltán Soltész
- Centre for Ecological Research, Eötvös Lóránd Research Network, Alkotmány út 2-4, 2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Tatiana Sulesco
- Institute of Zoology, Ministry of Education and Research st. Academiei 1, Chisinau MD-2028, Republic of Moldova
| | - Jana Šušnjar
- Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Glagoljaška ulica 8, 6000 Koper, Slovenia
| | - Steffanie Teekema
- Centre for Monitoring of Vectors, National Reference Centre, Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, Geertjesweg 15, 6706 EA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Valsecchi
- Agencia de Salud Pública de Barcelona, Plaça Lesseps 8 entresol, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marlen Ines Vasquez
- Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Archiepiskopou Kyprianou 30, Limassol 3036, Cyprus
| | - Enkelejda Velo
- Institute of Public Health, Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases Department, Vectors’ Control Unit, Rruga Aleksander Moisiu, No. 80, Tirana, Albania
| | - Antonios Michaelakis
- Laboratory of Insects & Parasites of Medical Importance, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, St. Delta 8, Kifisia 14561, Athens, Greece
| | - William Wint
- Environmental Research Group Oxford, c/o Department of Zoology, Mansfiled Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Dušan Petrić
- University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Laboratory for Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21 000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Francis Schaffner
- Francis Schaffner Consultancy, Lörracherstrasse 50, 4125 Riehen, Switzerland
| | - Alessandra della Torre
- Dep. Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy
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41
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Južnič-Zonta Ž, Sanpera-Calbet I, Eritja R, Palmer JR, Escobar A, Garriga J, Oltra A, Richter-Boix A, Schaffner F, della Torre A, Miranda MÁ, Koopmans M, Barzon L, Bartumeus Ferre F. Mosquito alert: leveraging citizen science to create a GBIF mosquito occurrence dataset. GIGABYTE 2022; 2022:gigabyte54. [PMID: 36824520 PMCID: PMC9930537 DOI: 10.46471/gigabyte.54] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mosquito Alert dataset includes occurrence records of adult mosquitoes collected worldwide in 2014-2020 through Mosquito Alert, a citizen science system for investigating and managing disease-carrying mosquitoes. Records are linked to citizen science-submitted photographs and validated by entomologists to determine the presence of five targeted European mosquito vectors: Aedes albopictus, Ae. aegypti, Ae. japonicus, Ae. koreicus, and Culex pipiens. Most records are from Spain, reflecting Spanish national and regional funding, but since autumn 2020 substantial records from other European countries are included, thanks to volunteer entomologists coordinated by the AIM-COST Action, and to technological developments to increase scalability. Among other applications, the Mosquito Alert dataset will help develop citizen science-based early warning systems for mosquito-borne disease risk. It can also be reused for modelling vector exposure risk, or to train machine-learning detection and classification routines on the linked images, to assist with data validation and establishing automated alert systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Živko Južnič-Zonta
- Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), C/d’accés a la Cala St. Francesc 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain
| | - Isis Sanpera-Calbet
- Departament de Ciències Polítiques i Socials, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Plaça de la Mercè, 10-12, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roger Eritja
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), Edifici C Campus de, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - John R.B. Palmer
- Departament de Ciències Polítiques i Socials, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Plaça de la Mercè, 10-12, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Agustí Escobar
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), Edifici C Campus de, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Garriga
- Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), C/d’accés a la Cala St. Francesc 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain
| | - Aitana Oltra
- Departament de Ciències Polítiques i Socials, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Plaça de la Mercè, 10-12, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alex Richter-Boix
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), Edifici C Campus de, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francis Schaffner
- Francis Schaffner Consultancy (FSC), Lörracherstrasse 50, 4125 Riehen, Switzerland
| | - Alessandra della Torre
- Department Public Health and Infectious Diseases (UNIROMA1), Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Miguel Ángel Miranda
- University Balearic Islands, Applied Zoology and Animal Conservation Research Group (UIB), Ctra. Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122, Palma, Spain
| | - Marion Koopmans
- Erasmus University Medical Center (Erasmus MC), Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Luisa Barzon
- Department of Molecular Medicine (UNIPV), Università degli Studi di Padova, 63 Via Gabelli, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Frederic Bartumeus Ferre
- Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), C/d’accés a la Cala St. Francesc 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), Edifici C Campus de, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 23 Passeig de Lluís Companys, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
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Braz Sousa L, Fricker S, Webb CE, Baldock KL, Williams CR. Citizen Science Mosquito Surveillance by Ad Hoc Observation Using the iNaturalist Platform. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:6337. [PMID: 35627874 PMCID: PMC9140400 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19106337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Citizen science mosquito surveillance has been growing in recent years due to both increasing concern about mosquito-borne disease and the increasing popularity of citizen science projects globally. Health authorities are recognising the potential importance of citizen science to expanding or enhancing traditional surveillance programs. Different programs have shown success in engaging communities to monitor species of medical importance through low-cost methods. The Mozzie Monitors project was established on iNaturalist-an open citizen science platform that allows participants to upload photos (i.e., observers) and assist identification (i.e., identifiers). This article describes the likelihood of citizen scientists submitting photos of mosquitoes, assesses user submission behaviour, and evaluates public health utility from these citizen science-derived data. From October 2018 to July 2021, the Mozzie Monitors project on iNaturalist received 2118 observations of 57 different species of mosquitoes across Australia. The number of observers in the system increased over time with more than 500 observers and 180 identifiers being active in the project since its establishment. Data showed species bias with large-bodied and colourful mosquitoes being over-represented. Analyses also indicate regional differentiation of mosquito fauna per state, seasonality of activity, and ecological information about mosquitoes. The iNaturalist citizen science platform also allows connectedness, facilitated communication and collaboration between overall users and expert entomologists, of value to medical entomology and mosquito management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Braz Sousa
- UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (L.B.S.); (S.F.)
- Australian Centre for Precision Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia;
| | - Stephen Fricker
- UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (L.B.S.); (S.F.)
- Australian Centre for Precision Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia;
| | - Cameron E. Webb
- Medical Entomology, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia;
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Katherine L. Baldock
- Australian Centre for Precision Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia;
- UniSA Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
| | - Craig R. Williams
- UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (L.B.S.); (S.F.)
- Australian Centre for Precision Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia;
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Pernat N, Zscheischler J, Kampen H, Ostermann-Miyashita EF, Jeschke JM, Werner D. How media presence triggers participation in citizen science-The case of the mosquito monitoring project 'Mückenatlas'. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262850. [PMID: 35176044 PMCID: PMC8853470 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Since 2012, the citizen science project ‘Mückenatlas’ has been supplementing the German mosquito monitoring programme with over 28,000 submissions of physical insect samples. As the factors triggering people to catch mosquitoes for science are still unknown, we analysed the influence of mass media reports on mosquito submission numbers. Based on a theoretical framework of how mass media affect citizen responsiveness, we identified five possible influencing factors related to citizen science: (i) project awareness and knowledge, (ii) attention (economy), (iii) individual characteristics of citizen scientists and targeted communication, (iv) spatial differences and varying affectedness, and (v) media landscape. Hypotheses based on these influencing factors were quantitatively and qualitatively tested with two datasets: clipping data of mass media reports (online, television, radio and print) referring to or focussing on the ‘Mückenatlas’, and corresponding data of ‘Mückenatlas’ submissions between 2014 and 2017. In general, the number of media reports positively affected the number of mosquito submissions on a temporal and spatial scale, i.e. many media reports provoke many mosquito submissions. We found that an already heightened public and media awareness of mosquito-relevant topics combined with a direct call-to-action in a media report title led to a maximum participation. Differences on federal state level, however, suggest that factors additional to quantitative media coverage trigger participation in the ‘Mückenatlas’, in particular the mosquito affectedness of the resident population. Lastly, media types appear to differ in their effects on the number of submissions. Our results show under which circumstances the media presence of the ’Mückenatlas’ is most effective in activating people to submit mosquito samples, and thus provide advice for designing communication strategies for citizen science projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Pernat
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Jana Zscheischler
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Helge Kampen
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald–Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Emu-Felicitas Ostermann-Miyashita
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
- Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonathan M. Jeschke
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Doreen Werner
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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Abstract
Community (or citizen) science, the involvement of volunteers in scientific endeavors, has a long history. Over the past few centuries, the contributions of volunteers to our understanding of patterns and processes in entomology have been inspiring. From the collation of large-scale and long-term data sets, which have been instrumental in underpinning our knowledge of the status and trends of many insect groups, to action, including species management, whether for conservation or control, community scientists have played pivotal roles. Contributions, such as pest monitoring by farmers and species discoveries by amateur naturalists, set foundations for the research engaging entomologists today. The next decades will undoubtedly bring new approaches, tools, and technologies to underpin community science. The potential to increase inclusion within community science is providing exciting opportunities within entomology. An increase in the diversity of community scientists, alongside an increasing taxonomic and geographic breadth of initiatives, will bring enormous benefits globally for people and nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary M Gardiner
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA;
| | - Helen E Roy
- Biological Records Centre, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Oxford OX10 8BB, United Kingdom;
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Citizen science for monitoring the spatial and temporal dynamics of malaria vectors in relation to environmental risk factors in Ruhuha, Rwanda. Malar J 2021; 20:453. [PMID: 34861863 PMCID: PMC8641173 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03989-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As part of malaria prevention and control efforts, the distribution and density of malaria mosquitoes requires continuous monitoring. Resources for long-term surveillance of malaria vectors, however, are often limited. The aim of the research was to evaluate the value of citizen science in providing insight into potential malaria vector hotspots and other malaria relevant information, and to determine predictors of malaria vector abundance in a region where routine mosquito monitoring has not been established to support vector surveillance. Methods A 1-year citizen science programme for malaria mosquito surveillance was implemented in five villages of the Ruhuha sector in Bugesera district, Rwanda. In total, 112 volunteer citizens were enrolled and reported monthly data on mosquitoes collected in their peridomestic environment using handmade carbon-dioxide baited traps. Additionally, they reported mosquito nuisance experienced as well as the number of confirmed malaria cases in their household. Results In total, 3793 female mosquitoes were collected, of which 10.8% were anophelines. For the entire period, 16% of the volunteers reported having at least one confirmed malaria case per month, but this varied by village and month. During the study year 66% of the households reported at least one malaria case. From a sector perspective, a higher mosquito and malaria vector abundance was observed in the two villages in the south of the study area. The findings revealed significant positive correlations among nuisance reported and confirmed malaria cases, and also between total number of Culicidae and confirmed malaria cases, but not between the numbers of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae and malaria cases. At the sector level, of thirteen geographical risk factors considered for inclusion in multiple regression, distance to the river network and elevation played a role in explaining mosquito and malaria mosquito abundance. Conclusions The study demonstrates that a citizen science approach can contribute to mosquito monitoring, and can help to identify areas that, in view of limited resources for control, are at higher risk of malaria.
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Skuhrovec J, Roy HE, Brown PMJ, Kazlauskis K, Inghilesi AF, Soares AO, Adriaens T, Roy DB, Nedvěd O, Zach P, Viglášová S, Kulfan J, Honek A, Martinkova Z. Development of the European Ladybirds Smartphone Application: A Tool for Citizen Science. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.741854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife observations submitted by volunteers through citizen science initiatives are increasingly used within research and policy. Ladybirds are popular and charismatic insects, with most species being relatively easy to identify from photographs. Therefore, they are considered an appropriate taxonomic group for engaging people through citizen science initiatives to contribute long-term and large-scale datasets for use in many different contexts. Building on the strengths of a mass participation citizen science survey on ladybirds in the United Kingdom, we have developed a mobile application for ladybird recording and identification across Europe. The main aims of the application are to: (1) compile distribution data for ladybird species throughout Europe, and use this to assess changes in distribution over time; (2) connect and engage people in nature and increase awareness about the diversity and ecological importance of ladybirds. In developing the application we first constructed a database including ladybird species from the United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, Belgium, and Portugal with associated information on relevant morphological features (e.g., size, main color, pronotum pattern) to inform identification. Additionally, the species were assessed on the basis of probability of occurrence within each country which enables users to reduce the number of species to only those with relevance to the location of the recorder. This is amongst the first collaborative citizen science approaches aimed at involving participants across Europe in recording a group of insects. In the near future, we aim to expand the use of the application to all countries in Europe.
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Kopsco HL, Mather TN. Tick-Borne Disease Prevention Behaviors Among Participants in a Tick Surveillance System Compared with a Sample Of Master Gardeners. J Community Health 2021; 47:246-256. [PMID: 34727297 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-021-01041-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Theory-based approaches to health communication and behavior are increasingly applied to interventions that address poor public tick-borne disease prevention knowledge and practices. We sought to understand the tick-borne disease prevention behaviors among participants in a crowdsourced passive tick surveillance system that employs theory-based messages about tick bite risk and prevention strategies. We administered an electronic survey to a randomly selected sample of passive surveillance system users and compared their responses to those from a nationwide sample of Master Gardeners (MG), a group with heighten tick exposure due to outdoor activity. Over 80% of TickSpotters respondents, and over 75% of MG respondents encountered a tick in the past year. Among both groups, tick checks were the most frequently practiced prevention behavior, with over 70% of people performing them most or all the time after outdoor activity. A greater proportion of MGs used skin repellents such as DEET or picaridin than TickSpotters users, but more than 70% of respondents from both groups reported that they never or only sometimes use permethrin-treatment on clothing, and nearly half of both groups reportedly used no peridomestic tick treatments. TickSpotters respondents overwhelmingly reported recording tick encounter information and saving specimens for identification and testing, while only a small percentage of MGs monitored their tick encounters. These findings suggest that while both TickSpotters and MG groups appear to be practicing some important tick bite prevention behaviors, there remain areas that could benefit from targeted theory-based interventional approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather L Kopsco
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, M/C 002, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA.
| | - Thomas N Mather
- Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA.,URI TickEncounter Resource Center, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
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Perelló J, Cigarini A, Vicens J, Bonhoure I, Rojas-Rueda D, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Cirach M, Daher C, Targa J, Ripoll A. Large-scale citizen science provides high-resolution nitrogen dioxide values and health impact while enhancing community knowledge and collective action. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 789:147750. [PMID: 34082196 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We present outcomes from a large-scale air quality citizen science campaign (xAire, 725 measurements) to demonstrate its positive contribution in the interplay between advances in exposure assessment and developments in policy or collective action. A broad partnership with 1,650 people from communities around 18 primary schools across Barcelona provided the capacity to obtain unprecedented high-resolution NO2 levels and an updated asthma Health Impact Assessment. It is shown that NO2 levels vary considerably with at some cases very high levels. More than a 1,000 new cases of childhood asthma could be prevented each year by lowering NO2 levels. Representativity of site selection and the minimal number of samplers for land use regression modelling are considered. Enhancement of community knowledge and attitudes towards collective response were observed and identified as key drivers for successful large-scale monitoring campaigns. The results encourage strengthening collaboration with local communities when exploring environmental health issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josep Perelló
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès, 1, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Anna Cigarini
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès, 1, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems, Catalonia, Spain; Internet Interdisciplinary Institute, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Rambla del Poblenou, 156, 08018 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Julián Vicens
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès, 1, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Isabelle Bonhoure
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès, 1, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems, Catalonia, Spain
| | - David Rojas-Rueda
- Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, 1601 Campus Delivery, 80523 Fort Collins, USA
| | - Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGLOBAL), Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Marta Cirach
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGLOBAL), Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Carolyn Daher
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGLOBAL), Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jaume Targa
- 4sfera Innova, 17002 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Anna Ripoll
- 4sfera Innova, 17002 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
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Caputo B, Langella G, Petrella V, Virgillito C, Manica M, Filipponi F, Varone M, Primo P, Puggioli A, Bellini R, D’Antonio C, Iesu L, Tullo L, Rizzo C, Longobardi A, Sollazzo G, Perrotta MM, Fabozzi M, Palmieri F, Saccone G, Rosà R, della Torre A, Salvemini M. Aedes albopictus bionomics data collection by citizen participation on Procida Island, a promising Mediterranean site for the assessment of innovative and community-based integrated pest management methods. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009698. [PMID: 34529653 PMCID: PMC8445450 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last decades, the colonization of Mediterranean Europe and of other temperate regions by Aedes albopictus created an unprecedented nuisance problem in highly infested areas and new public health threats due to the vector competence of the species. The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and the Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) are insecticide-free mosquito-control methods, relying on mass release of irradiated/manipulated males, able to complement existing and only partially effective control tools. The validation of these approaches in the field requires appropriate experimental settings, possibly isolated to avoid mosquito immigration from other infested areas, and preliminary ecological and entomological data. We carried out a 4-year study in the island of Procida (Gulf of Naples, Italy) in strict collaboration with local administrators and citizens to estimate the temporal dynamics, spatial distribution, and population size of Ae. albopictus and the dispersal and survival of irradiated males. We applied ovitrap monitoring, geo-spatial analyses, mark-release-recapture technique, and a citizen-science approach. Results allow to predict the seasonal (from April to October, with peaks of 928-9,757 males/ha) and spatial distribution of the species, highlighting the capacity of Ae. albopictus population of Procida to colonize and maintain high frequencies in urban as well as in sylvatic inhabited environments. Irradiated males shown limited ability to disperse (mean daily distance travelled <60m) and daily survival estimates ranging between 0.80 and 0.95. Overall, the ecological characteristics of the island, the acquired knowledge on Ae. albopictus spatial and temporal distribution, the high human and Ae. albopictus densities and the positive attitude of the resident population in being active parts in innovative mosquito control projects provide the ground for evidence-based planning of the interventions and for the assessment of their effectiveness. In addition, the results highlight the value of creating synergies between research groups, local administrators, and citizens for affordable monitoring (and, in the future, control) of mosquito populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beniamino Caputo
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuliano Langella
- Department of Agriculture, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Petrella
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Chiara Virgillito
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Edmund Mach Foundation, San Michele all’Adige, Italy
| | - Mattia Manica
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Edmund Mach Foundation, San Michele all’Adige, Italy
- Center for Health Emergencies, Bruno Kessler Foundation, Trento, Italy
| | - Federico Filipponi
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
- Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Rome, Italy
| | - Marianna Varone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Pasquale Primo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Romeo Bellini
- Centro Agricoltura Ambiente “Giorgio Nicoli”, Crevalcore, Italy
| | | | - Luca Iesu
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Liliana Tullo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Ciro Rizzo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Germano Sollazzo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Miriana Fabozzi
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Fabiana Palmieri
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Saccone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberto Rosà
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Edmund Mach Foundation, San Michele all’Adige, Italy
- Centre Agriculture Food Environment, University of Trento, San Michele all’Adige (TN), Italy
| | - Alessandra della Torre
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Salvemini
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Eritja R, Delacour-Estrella S, Ruiz-Arrondo I, González MA, Barceló C, García-Pérez AL, Lucientes J, Miranda MÁ, Bartumeus F. At the tip of an iceberg: citizen science and active surveillance collaborating to broaden the known distribution of Aedes japonicus in Spain. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:375. [PMID: 34311767 PMCID: PMC8314548 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04874-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Active surveillance aimed at the early detection of invasive mosquito species is usually focused on seaports and airports as points of entry, and along road networks as dispersion paths. In a number of cases, however, the first detections of colonizing populations are made by citizens, either because the species has already moved beyond the implemented active surveillance sites or because there is no surveillance in place. This was the case of the first detection in 2018 of the Asian bush mosquito, Aedes japonicus, in Asturias (northern Spain) by the citizen science platform Mosquito Alert. METHODS The collaboration between Mosquito Alert, the Ministry of Health, local authorities and academic researchers resulted in a multi-source surveillance combining active field sampling with broader temporal and spatial citizen-sourced data, resulting in a more flexible and efficient surveillance strategy. RESULTS Between 2018 and 2020, the joint efforts of administrative bodies, academic teams and citizen-sourced data led to the discovery of this species in northern regions of Spain such as Cantabria and the Basque Country. This raised the estimated area of occurrence of Ae. japonicus from < 900 km2 in 2018 to > 7000 km2 in 2020. CONCLUSIONS This population cluster is geographically isolated from any other population in Europe, which raises questions about its origin, path of introduction and dispersal means, while also highlighting the need to enhance surveillance systems by closely combining crowd-sourced surveillance with public health and mosquito control agencies' efforts, from local to continental scales. This multi-actor approach for surveillance (either passive and active) shows high potential efficiency in the surveillance of other invasive mosquito species, and specifically the major vector Aedes aegypti which is already present in some parts of Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Eritja
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Ignacio Ruiz-Arrondo
- Center for Rickettsioses and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro–CIBIR, Logroño, Spain
| | - Mikel A. González
- NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio, Spain
| | - Carlos Barceló
- Applied Zoology and Animal Conservation research group, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Palma, Spain
| | - Ana L. García-Pérez
- NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio, Spain
| | - Javier Lucientes
- The Agrifood Institute of Aragón (IA2), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Miguel Á. Miranda
- Applied Zoology and Animal Conservation research group, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Palma, Spain
- Agro-Environmental and Water Economics Institute (INAGEA), Palma, Spain
| | - Frederic Bartumeus
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
- Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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