This is a great story featuring Michael Weissmann, who works as a zoology associate with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. In his other job, he uses open data from the NEON Program as the chief bug expert with Vector Disease Control International (VDCI), a company that captures, identifies and compiles data on mosquitoes for cities and scientific groups across the nation. The work helps us understand more about these creatures and aids cities like Denver in keeping their numbers in check. Battelle proudly operates NEON for the National Science Foundation (NSF). https://okt.to/jnBwTU
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#NGS is a transformative tool not only for investigating the human genome, but also a powerful tool to advance environmental studies. This #EarthDay, we’d like to recognize researchers who take big strides to make the earth a better place for all living organisms. Check out our recent blog post where we highlight a few of our clients’ publications where NGS was used to advance their research relating to plant and animal conservation, evolutionary research, infectious disease, and population genetics: https://lnkd.in/eNdANNah
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🔬 Exciting News! 🔍🦢 Wildlife viruses have the power to trigger outbreaks in both humans and animals. Our latest breakthrough involves the detection of a divergent gammacoronavirus within swans. By understanding these viruses and how they interact with their hosts, we're taking a step closer to predicting and stopping potential outbreaks in the future. 🌍 So, let's stay curious and keep exploring the incredible world of science! 🔬 #NewVirusAlert #WildlifeAdventures #ScienceRocks 🧐🌐 #VirusDiscovery #WildlifeOutbreaks #ScienceAtWork #Lovevirology #JGV #MicrobiologySociety
Genetic diversity, recombination and cross-species transmission of a waterbird gammacoronavirus in the wild
microbiologyresearch.org
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💡 As pressure on wild spaces continues to mount, this paper highlights the importance of giving wildlife space. By protecting the spaces where bats live and feed, the risk of future pandemics are reduced. When humans move into bat habitat, they risk coming into contact or displacing these animals - increasing the likelihood of disease transmission. 📰 https://ow.ly/l5cq50Rjfey #bats #ecology #trees #wildlife #nature #ecologist #zoologist #bat #chiroptology #chiroptologist #humanhealth #covid #pandemic
How do we halt the next pandemic? Be kind to critters like bats, says a new paper
npr.org
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Experiences : Entomologist | Pest Control Specialist | Mosquito Control Expert | Disease Vector Controller: Navigating the Frontline of Health Defense | Environmental Social and Governance Compliance | Agriculturist |
🦟🦟👀The Surprising Speed and Efficiency of Mosquitoes Feeding! 📢 Did you know that mosquitoes can insert their proboscis into a host's skin in just 1/10th of a second (0.1 seconds) and start feeding within 2-3 seconds? Mosquitoes are incredibly efficient feeders, and their sucking speed and blood consumption vary depending on the species and other factors. Here are some fascinating facts: - Speed: Mosquitoes can insert their proboscis (feeding tube) into a host's skin in about 1/10th of a second (0.1 seconds) and start feeding within 2-3 seconds. - Blood consumption: The amount of blood consumed by a mosquito varies, but: ‣ Aedes aegypti (a common disease vector) can consume up to 5-7 μL (microliters) of blood per feeding session. ‣ Culex pipiens (another disease vector) can consume around 2-3 μL of blood per feeding session. - Feeding duration: Mosquitoes typically feed for 1-3 minutes, but some species can feed for up to 5-7 minutes. Keep in mind that these values can vary depending on factors like mosquito species, host animal, and environmental conditions. Remember, mosquitoes are incredibly efficient feeders, and their feeding behavior is crucial for their survival and, unfortunately, the transmission of diseases to humans and animals. #Mosquitoes #Efficiency #Speed #FeedingHabits #DiseaseTransmission #Precautions #Nature #Wildlife #Biology #Science
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#EcoSaludGlobal Detection of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia bacteria in humans, wildlife, and ticks in the #Amazon rainforest. Tick-borne bacteria of the genera #Ehrlichia and #Anaplasma cause several emerging human infectious diseases worldwide. In this study, we conduct an extensive survey for Ehrlichia and Anaplasma infections in the rainforests of the Amazon biome of French Guiana. Through molecular genetics and metagenomics reconstruction, we observe a high indigenous biodiversity of infections circulating among humans, wildlife, and ticks inhabiting these #ecosystems. #Molecular typing identifies these infections as highly endemic, with a majority of new strains and putative species specific to French Guiana. They are detected in unusual rainforest wild animals, suggesting they have distinctive sylvatic transmission cycles. They also present potential health hazards, as revealed by the detection of Candidatus Anaplasma sparouinense in human red blood cells and that of a new close relative of the human pathogen Ehrlichia ewingii, Candidatus Ehrlichia cajennense, in the tick species that most frequently bite humans in South America. The #genome assembly of three new putative species obtained from human, sloth, and tick metagenomes further reveals the presence of major homologs of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma virulence factors. These observations converge to classify health hazards associated with Ehrlichia and Anaplasma infections in the Amazon biome as distinct from those in the Northern Hemisphere.
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Experiences : Entomologist | Pest Control Specialist | Mosquito Control Expert | Disease Vector Controller: Navigating the Frontline of Health Defense | Environmental Social and Governance Compliance | Agriculturist |
Meet the Backswimmers: The Unsung Heroes of Mosquito Population Control! Backswimmers (Notonecta spp.) are aquatic insects belonging to the family Notonectidae. They are also known as "greater water boatmen" due to their elongated, boat-shaped bodies. These insects are predators that feed on various aquatic organisms, including mosquito larvae, which are their favorite snack. Why mosquito larvae are their favorite snack: Mosquito larvae are an ideal food source for backswimmers due to their abundance, nutritional value, and ease of capture. Backswimmers can feed on various stages of mosquito larvae, from first instar to fourth instar, providing a consistent food supply. Mosquito population control: Backswimmers play a significant role in controlling mosquito populations by preying on their larvae. Studies have shown that backswimmers can consume a substantial number of mosquito larvae, with some estimates suggesting they can control up to 50-70% of the mosquito population in certain aquatic ecosystems. Leg strength and swimming speed: Backswimmers have powerful legs that enable them to swim efficiently and capture prey. Their legs are adapted for swimming, with long, slender hairs that help propel them through the water. They can swim at speeds of up to 10-15 cm/s (3.9-5.9 in/s), making them effective predators in their aquatic environment. Eye strength and defense: Backswimmers have large, compound eyes that provide excellent vision, helping them detect prey and predators. Their eyes are positioned on top of their head, allowing them to remain mostly submerged while still observing their surroundings. This helps them detect potential threats and respond quickly to defend themselves. Additional defense mechanisms include: - Producing a foul-tasting fluid to deter predators - Using their powerful legs to kick and defend themselves - Releasing a cloud of sediment to confuse and distract predators Overall, backswimmers play a vital role in maintaining the balance of aquatic ecosystems, and their predatory habits help control mosquito populations, reducing the risk of mosquito-borne diseases. #Backswimmers #MosquitoControl #AquaticInsects #EcologicalBalance #InsectHeroes #WaterQuality #PublicHealth #Entomology #Biology #Insects #Zoology
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Super excited to share that I have published my first first-author paper - and it's open access so anyone can read it! This has been a massive effort from all people involved, so my thanks go out to my fantastic co-authors, and all volers and volettes involved 🐭 If you are interested to learn about the spread of vector-borne infections in wildlife, especially metapopulations, give it a read! #phd #disease #wildlife #phdresearch (https://lnkd.in/eWQpyN88)
Patterns and drivers of vector-borne microparasites in a classic metapopulation | Parasitology | Cambridge Core
cambridge.org
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Habitat degradation and loss of genetic diversity are common threats faced by almost all of today’s wild cats. Big cats, such as tigers and lions, are of great concern and have received considerable conservation attention through policies and international actions. However, knowledge of and conservation actions for small wild cats are lagging considerably behind. The black-footed cat, Felis nigripes, one of the smallest felid species, is experiencing increasing threats with a rapid reduction in population size. However, there is a lack of genetic information to assist in developing effective conservation actions. A de novo assembly of a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome of the black-footed cat was made, and comparative genomics and population genomics analyses were carried out. These analyses revealed that the most significant genetic changes in the evolution of the black-footed cat are the rapid evolution of sensory and metabolic-related genes, reflecting genetic adaptations to its characteristic nocturnal hunting and a high metabolic rate. Genomes of the black-footed cat exhibit a high level of inbreeding, especially for signals of recent inbreeding events, which suggest that they may have experienced severe genetic isolation caused by habitat fragmentation. More importantly, inbreeding associated with two deleterious mutated genes may exacerbate the risk of #amyloidosis, the dominant disease that causes mortality of about 70% of captive individuals. Our research provides comprehensive documentation of the evolutionary history of the black-footed cat and suggests that there is an urgent need to investigate genomic variations of small felids worldwide to support effective conservation actions. https://lnkd.in/e5TZ5Ccr
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Interesting insights on Jamestown Canyon virus vector ecology in New Hampshire Background: ❗ Jamestown Canyon virus disease (JCVD) is a potentially neuroinvasive condition caused by the arbovirus Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV). ❗ The number of human JCVD cases has increased in New Hampshire (NH) over the past decade, but vector surveillance is limited due to funding and staffing. Study: 🔍 Mosquito surveillance with a focus on human JCVD cases in South Central NH during 2021 🔍 Virus testing, blood meal analysis, and compared morphological identification with DNA barcoding. Results: 💡 12 JCV-positive pools were derived from 6 species of more than 1,600 pools tested. 💡 Aedes excrucians/ stimulans and Aedes sticticus had the highest JCV infection rates. 💡 All putative vectors fed on the amplifying host of JCV, white-tailed deer. 💡 Putative vectors that fed on human hosts included Aedes excrucians, Anopheles punctipennis and Coquillettidia perturbans. Full text: 👉https://hubs.li/Q020xPJ90 #Jamestowncanyonvirus #JCV #JCVD #Mosquitosurveillance #NewHampshire #vectorecology #mosquitovector #vectorecology #arbovirus #vectorsurveillance #Virustesting #bloodmealanalysis #mosquitospecies #mosquitosampling #vectors #putativevectors #humanhosts #Aedes #Anopheles #Coquillettidia
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