St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) is of concern in many areas of the US, with recent outbreaks or isolated cases in 10 states. Although this virus and its mosquito vectors have been the subject of much research, there are still many unanswered questions about the system. In particular, the factors which lead to an epidemic are not well understood. The proposed research will use mathematical models to integrate available information on the SLE virus-Culex nigripalpus cycle in Florida and examine the factors influencing transmission and epidemics. A basic virus transmission model with two host types and one vector species will be expanded to consider questions about SLE transmission in Florida. Four main topics will be addressed: age-related susceptibility differences and population dynamics of avian hosts; host preferences and seasonal changes in preferences in the mosquito vector; the meteorological factors affecting Cx. nigripalpus population dynamics; and the potential role of secondary vectors in SLE epidemiology. These factors will be added to the model individually and in combination, to determine the effect of each on SLE epidemiology. Formal sensitivity analysis will be used to identify how uncertainties in parameter estimates affect uncertainty in the likelihood of epidemics and the prevalence of virus in the wild hosts. Field and laboratory experiments will be used in parameter estimation and in testing hypotheses generated by the models. Comparisons of model output with data from ongoing virus surveillance projects will be used for model validation. The final model will be used to explore potential indicators of epidemics and intervention strategies.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
First Independent Research Support & Transition (FIRST) Awards (R29)
Project #
5R29AI042164-05
Application #
6627861
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG5-TMP (01))
Program Officer
Aultman, Kathryn S
Project Start
1999-02-01
Project End
2004-05-14
Budget Start
2003-02-01
Budget End
2004-05-14
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$51,199
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Florida
Department
Miscellaneous
Type
Schools of Earth Sciences/Natur
DUNS #
969663814
City
Gainesville
State
FL
Country
United States
Zip Code
32611
Smartt, Chelsea T; Shin, Dongyoung; Anderson, Sheri L (2016) The Effect of West Nile Virus Infection on the Midgut Gene Expression of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae). Insects 7:
Alto, Barry W; Richards, Stephanie L; Anderson, Sheri L et al. (2014) Survival of West Nile virus-challenged Southern house mosquitoes, Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus, in relation to environmental temperatures. J Vector Ecol 39:123-33
Richards, Stephanie L; Anderson, Sheri L; Lord, Cynthia C (2014) Vector competence of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) for West Nile virus isolates from Florida. Trop Med Int Health 19:610-7
Richards, Stephanie L; Anderson, Sheri L; Yost, Samantha A (2012) Effects of blood meal source on the reproduction of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae). J Vector Ecol 37:1-7
Richards, Stephanie L; Anderson, Sheri L; Lord, Cynthia C et al. (2012) Effects of virus dose and extrinsic incubation temperature on vector competence of Culex nigripalpus (Diptera: Culicidae) for St. Louis encephalitis virus. J Med Entomol 49:1502-6
Richards, Stephanie L; Anderson, Sheri L; Lord, Cynthia C et al. (2012) Relationships between infection, dissemination, and transmission of West Nile virus RNA in Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae). J Med Entomol 49:132-42
Richards, Stephanie L; Anderson, Sheri L; Lord, Cynthia C et al. (2011) Impact of West Nile virus dose and incubation period on vector competence of Culex nigripalpus (Diptera: Culicidae). Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 11:1487-91
Bustamante, Dulce M; Lord, Cynthia C (2010) Sources of error in the estimation of mosquito infection rates used to assess risk of arbovirus transmission. Am J Trop Med Hyg 82:1172-84
Anderson, Sheri L; Richards, Stephanie L; Tabachnick, Walter J et al. (2010) Effects of West Nile virus dose and extrinsic incubation temperature on temporal progression of vector competence in Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 26:103-7
Richards, Stephanie L; Anderson, Sheri L; Smartt, Chelsea T (2010) Vector competence of Florida mosquitoes for chikungunya virus. J Vector Ecol 35:439-43

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