Researchers Hope To Control Disease-Spreading Mosquitos
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NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) – West Nile, then Chikungunya, and this spring the newest threat from mosquitos -- Zika. And as North Texas warms up, with plenty of water around, the insects are hunting early; preparing for battle so-to-speak. After all, mosquitos killed more men in the Spanish American War than actual combat.
Some of the front lines in the war against the pesky insects are in North Texas, where people like Bethany Hambrick focus on what most see as a nuisance. But what she sees through the lens is a complicated, often dangerous creature.
"In my opinion it's the most highly adaptable species we have," said Hambrick, who works in a lab at the University of North Texas. She and other researchers are looking for patterns in the 50 different species of mosquitos that inhabit the metroplex. They seek answers for the many, many questions people have about mosquitos.
What triggers new populations? What makes them go away? When do they carry viruses?
Dr. James Kennedy started one collection of mosquitos 15 years ago, about the time the West Nile Virus first started showing up in North Texas.
"Some of them are more important to us from a disease perspective than others," said Dr. Kennedy about the insects.
His perspective applies to three species thus far.
"Even for my professional colleagues here, that couldn't care less about mosquitos, there's a lot more interest and a lot more discussion," said Dr. Kennedy.
The discussion has started early in 2016 and not just due to disease concerns.
Mosquitos are already reproducing thanks to a warm winter and researchers are already trapping and testing.
"If we understand the biology of the mosquito, understand the pathogen that it's carrying then there's a chance that we can develop some kind of control methods to break through cycles," said Dr. Kennedy.
His goal is to create something more reliable than a spray, or a slap to battle against an organism that's winning the insect war.
"They are beautiful but they are a menace, they are dangerous animals," according to Dr. Kennedy.
Researchers at UNT have seen evidence that very hot weather, more than 100 degrees, tends to knock out West Nile Virus. They are currently focused on the spread of mosquitos around Denton.
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