Colorado State University

Effects of Environmental Temperature on Arbovirus Vector Competence of Various Mosquito Species - Understanding the Factors That Are Associated With Arbovirus Infection Pathogenesis and Maintenance Is Needed to Develop Effective Control Strategies. Environmental Temperature Is Known to Effect the Ability of Insect Vector Become Infected an Transmit Arboviruses. Mosquito Species Such as Culex Species Are Known to Transmit Two Important Exotic Zoonotic Arboviruses, Japanese Encephalitis and Rift Valley Fever Viruses, That Are of Potential Concern to the U.s. Animal and Public Health. the Objective Is to Determine How Temperature Influences Vector Competence of Culex Quinquefasciatus and Culex Tarsalis and Potentially Other Relevant Mosquito Species for These Arboviruses. in Addition, Samples Will Be Collected to Study Genetic Interactions Between the Mosquito and Virus by Performing Transcriptomic Sequencing and Gene Expression Analyses of Arbovirus Infected and Control Mosquitoes.