Project Number: 6615-32000-042-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Feb 18, 2005
End Date: Feb 17, 2010

Objective:
1) Identify, and evaluate chemical attractants to augment trap selectivity and efficacy under laboratory and field conditions. 2) Design, develop, and evaluate innovative, robust, automated and economically feasible traps capable of selective sampling of mosquitoes, biting and filth-breeding flies. 3) Investigate relationships between mosquito and fly biology, physiology, and behavior and disease transmission and surveillance. 4) Design and validate automated, remote surveillance systems that incorporate selective trapping and global information technology to direct control efforts.

Approach:
Conduct basic laboratory and field research to determine the relationship(s) between mosquito biology, physiology, and behavior and disease transmission, surveillance, and control. Design, develop, and evaluate innovative, robust and inexpensive traps capable of selective sampling of biting and filth-breeding flies. Isolate, identify, and adapt chemical attractants to augment trap selectivity. Devise accurate biological assays to evaluate attractant activity for biting and filth-breeding flies under laboratory and field conditions. Design and validate surveillance systems based on an understanding of the quantitative relationship between mosquito activity in time and space and the presence/absence of biotic and abiotic factors with GIS technology to predict disease transmission patterns and to direct control efforts.