Dissecting the Transmission Biology of Vector-Borne Diseases
Derrick Mathias, PhD, MPHDepartment of Entomology & Plant Pathology
College of AgricultureAuburn University
Faculty Cluster Hire Initiative: Environmental Health Cluster
11.12.14
Nidus of pathogen
transmission
Reisen 2010, Annu Rev Entomol 55:461-83
- Competency- Feeding behavior- Oviposition behavior- Biology of immature stages
- Virulence- Mutation rate- Incubation period- Immune avoidance
- Immune response- Exposure• behavior• vector attraction
- Nutritional status
Components of Vector-Borne Disease Systems
EcologicalFactors
- Seasonal/spatial variation in temperature, rainfall, etc.
- Land cover, vegetation- Landscape modification- Climate change
Transmission-Cycle Variables
- Host number- Reservoirs- Bridge vectors- Vertical transmission
Host Vector
Pathogen
Zieler et al., 2000 J Exp Biol 203:1599-1611
I. Vector Competence − mechanisms of pathogen invasion• ligand variation on vector tissues
II. Vector-Pathogen Coevolution– population genetics/genomics of
vector & pathogen– virus adaptation to the vector(s)
III. Vector Ecology – feeding behavior & host attraction
(olfactory cues)– oviposition behavior– larval ecology– vector habitat characterization
Bethan et al. 2009
Research Interests Transmission Biology of malaria and arboviral diseases (bluetongue, epizootic hemorrhagic disease):
Exflagellation
Fertilization
MG invasion
Transmissio
n
Sporogony
Schmidtmann, USDA-ARS
Roy et al. 2009
Potential Areas for Collaboration2007
2012
Recent HD Mortality in wild ruminants
Data compiled by the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, UGA
– Modeling of disease risk– Objective:
To improve understanding of transmission cycles and conditions that lead to outbreaks.
– Variables:• vector (density, diversity)• pathogen (serotype, genetic
variation)• climate• water quantity/quality• other abiotic factors• land cover/use
– Potential Funding: NSF Ecology & Evolution of Infectious Diseases program