Mosquito-borne viruses

Mosquito-borne viruses (arboviruses) use mosquitoes to transmit from person to person. A mosquito will become infected with the virus after sucking the blood of someone who has the virus. The mosquito vector will then infect every person it bites after that.

Because of our focus on tropical disease, QIMR researchers investigate viruses such as:

• Barmah Forest virus
• Chikungunya virus
• Dengue virus
• Kunjin virus
• Ross River virus

Our researchers study both the virus and the mosquito vector to try to stop the number of arbovirus infections, especially in tropical developing countries like Vietnam and Thailand.

Our research focuses on:

• Developing strategies to shorten the life of the mosquito, so that it will reduce the number of people it bites in its lifetime.
• Raising community awareness of mosquito breeding in open-water storage. Reducing areas where water can accumulate can reduce mosquito larvae numbers.
• Understanding age-related changes in mosquito physiology to measure mosquito age.
• Implementing and evaluating mosquito biological control strategies.

Our recent research has found:

• Infecting mosquitoes with Wolbachia, a naturally-occurring bacteria, prevents the dengue and chikungunya viruses from passing from person to person. The bacteria act as a barrier, blocking the virus from infecting the mosquito.

Research groups involved in mosquito-borne disease research:

• Immunovirology
• Mosquito Control
• Australian Centre for International Tropical Health