Research Contributing to Improvements in Controlling Florida’s Mosquitoes and Mosquito-borne Diseases

Abstract

Research on mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases has contributed to improvements in providing effective, efficient, and environmentally proper mosquito control. Florida has benefitted from several research accomplishments that have increased the state’s mosquito control capabilities. Research with Florida’s mosquitoes has resulted in the development of ecologically sound management of mosquito impoundments on Florida’s east coast. This strategy, called Rotational Impoundment Management (RIM), has improved the ability to target the delivery of pesticides and has helped to reduce non-target effects and environmental damage. Research has led to the development of an arbovirus surveillance system which includes sentinel chicken surveillance, real time use of environmental contributing factors like meteorology and hydrology to target mosquito control, as well as public health efforts to mitigate disease outbreaks to areas with risk of disease. These research driven improvements have provided substantial benefits to all of Florida. More research is needed to meet the future challenges to reduce emerging pathogens like Zika virus and the consequences of environmental changes like global climate change that are likely to influence the effects of mosquito-borne pathogens on human health and well-being.

Fighting the Bite during a Crisis: Capabilities of Florida Mosquito Control Districts during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Florida's mosquito control capabilities maybe attributed to the very nature of the ongoing mosquito control programs with permanent personnel, including several research projects that have been implemented over the years on mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases. These efforts combined, may have enhanced mosquito control capabilities as it relates to effective, e cient, and environmentally good mosquito control (28). However, the observed lack of arbovirus surveillance for serology and pool testing limits the generation of evidence about when to anticipate a surge in arbovirus infection and in mosquito control programs' ability to detect or monitor arbovirus presence.…”

Spatial variation in the frequency of knockdown resistance genotypes in Florida Aedes aegypti populations

“…In Florida, insecticides are widely used to control the mosquito species that transmit disease as well as nuisance species (8). There are currently 61 active mosquito control programs throughout the state, most of which are organized at the county level (9) (Figure 1), in addition to numerous private pest control companies that perform mosquito control.…”

“…Vector control districts generally aim to implement integrated pest management including efforts in public education and outreach, larval breeding site reduction, and the application of biological controls, but the application of insecticides to kill adult mosquitoes remains the central component of vector control, particularly during an outbreak of mosquito-borne disease (9). In Florida, insecticide application is typically done using ultralow volume (ULV) spraying from ground vehicles or airplanes (8,10). Control districts most frequently use pyrethroids (e.g.…”

Fighting the Bite during Pandemics: Florida Mosquito Control District Capabilities during the COVID-19 crisis

“…Florida's mosquito control capabilities maybe attributed to the very nature of the ongoing mosquito control programs with permanent personnel, including several research projects that have been implemented over the years on mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases, which combined may have enhanced mosquito control capabilities as it relates to effective, e cient, and environmentally good mosquito control [27]. However, the lack of arbovirus surveillance for serology and pool testing observed during the COVID-19 crisis limits the generation of evidence about when to anticipate a surge in arbovirus infection and in programs' ability to detect or monitor arbovirus presence.…”