Prevalence of Filarial Parasites in Lake County, CA
Poster Number
27
Format
Poster Presentation
Faculty Mentor Name
Tara Thiemann
Faculty Mentor Department
Biological Sciences
Abstract/Artist Statement
Filarial nematodes, including dog heartworm, deer body worm, and many avian parasites, are commonly transmitted by mosquito vectors. These parasites can clog vessels leading to death in wild and domestic canines and, in rare cases, they can cause pulmonary disease in humans. Additionally, if a mosquito is already infected with a filarial nematode, it is more likely to be infected with a virus, which could then be transmitted to humans. The purpose of this project was to assess the prevalence of filarial parasites in several mosquito species. Over 2000 mosquitoes, representing 12 species, were collected from June through August of 2013 in Lake County, CA. Mosquitoes were collected using carbon dioxide and vacuum traps and were divided into pools of twenty individuals. DNA was extracted from these mosquito pools, and using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with general “panfilarial” primers, we were able to determine whether or not the mosquitoes were infected with a filarial parasite. The percentage of positive filarial pools was approximately 10%. These results are important because they help determine areas of relatively high filarial infection, which may increase risk of disease as well as the potential for coinfection with a virus.
Location
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Start Date
25-4-2015 2:00 PM
End Date
25-4-2015 4:00 PM
Prevalence of Filarial Parasites in Lake County, CA
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Filarial nematodes, including dog heartworm, deer body worm, and many avian parasites, are commonly transmitted by mosquito vectors. These parasites can clog vessels leading to death in wild and domestic canines and, in rare cases, they can cause pulmonary disease in humans. Additionally, if a mosquito is already infected with a filarial nematode, it is more likely to be infected with a virus, which could then be transmitted to humans. The purpose of this project was to assess the prevalence of filarial parasites in several mosquito species. Over 2000 mosquitoes, representing 12 species, were collected from June through August of 2013 in Lake County, CA. Mosquitoes were collected using carbon dioxide and vacuum traps and were divided into pools of twenty individuals. DNA was extracted from these mosquito pools, and using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with general “panfilarial” primers, we were able to determine whether or not the mosquitoes were infected with a filarial parasite. The percentage of positive filarial pools was approximately 10%. These results are important because they help determine areas of relatively high filarial infection, which may increase risk of disease as well as the potential for coinfection with a virus.