This week had a lot of different activities. To start the week I spent a majority of my time working on mosquito identification. There is a large number of unidentified mosquitos in the labs freezer that have either been collected from resting boxes or CDC light/CO2 traps. Since I am still fairly new at this, I was instructed to help out with the resting box samples as the number of mosquitos collected is generally lower. This is a more effective way to learn since I do not become overwhelmed, and my work can be more accurately double checked by research assistants. Of the mosquitos identified, we have begun to separate the inventory according to where the specimen will be transported to for testing. From July to August or until the first mosquito positive for EEE/WNV, Culiseta melanura, Cs. morsitans, Culex pipiens, and Cx. restuans, will be sent to the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL). The JCV testing will now be directed to the Federal CDC, but all of this could be tentative dependent on positive results.
In other news, I was able to attend a variety of meetings this week including the Maine Vector-Borne Disease Workgroup meeting at the ME CDC in Augusta, and the second virtual seminar for the NEVBD-TEC program.
Vector-Borne Disease Workgroup
The VBD Workgroup meets every 2 months and serves as a space to present an update on the happenings of participating organizations. Of those represented in this meeting included ME CDC epidemiologists/public health professionals, MaineHealth Lyme & Vector-Borne Disease Laboratory, ME Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF), University of Maine Cooperative Extension, HETL, Maine Veterinarian Medical Association, and other clinical physicians who work around infectious disease.
While this meeting consisted of numerous topics I found myself drawn to the human data points that were presented. The most notable of such was that at this point and time (July 2024) Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, and Lyme disease human cases are close to a 100% increase when compared to July 2023. Anaplasmosis, which is the most alarming according to this data, has increased in cases by 100% monthly since the start of the year, and July will be pivotal to determine what is in store for the rest of the year. Needless to say, all 3 of these diseases are likely to surpass records from the previous 3 years and indicates that the needs to be steps taken, from a public health perspective, to further educate the community on safe practices while being outdoors.
Powassan virus (POWV) has also been detected in 15 samples of Ixodes scapularis, with lineage 2 being dominant. Lineage 1 is also presumed to be detected but is not confirmatory at this time. Reports also explained that there has been a larval Haemaphysalis leporispalustris (rabbit tick) containing the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii, commonly known to cause Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). This tick was collected in Penobscot county and is unusual but not of major concern at this time.
On the mosquito side of things, there has now been the first recorded mosquito of the year that is positive for Jamestown Canyon Virus (JCV). This mosquito, an Aedes communis was collected from Penobscot county and was explained to possibly be the earliest detection and furthest North to have been recorded in Maine.
NEVBD Summer Seminar
Moving forward, this week’s NEVBD summer seminar consisted of a presentation from Charles Abadam, B.S., who serves as the superintendent of Mosquito Control for the city of Suffolk, VA. This opportunity served as a chance to learn about how integrate mosquito management is implanted at a municipal level, how the program has grown over the years, and the career of an individual who worked their way from a part time sprayer to the superintendent.
When Charles began this work 20 years ago, he was a part time sprayer that who soon be promoted to staff biologist. At this time the Suffolk mosquito control program had a very small taxing district (about 10-15 square miles), which can be very difficult. I have talked in length about all of the locations that I am able to travel to for tick and mosquito surveillance, but this is only possible because our lab has permissions to collect from these areas. With these limitations, Charles and the rest of the team had minimal trapping sites, and all of the EEE and WNV testing had to be off sourced to the local health department. Additionally this program completes abatement services where individuals may request services and if appropriate pesticides may be applied. At this time the only insecticide applied was adult mosquito focused and limited the impact that could be made.
Jumping forward 20 years, his title was elevated first to supervisor and later to superintendent. City wide surveillance was now granted, and the land covered move to 429 square miles. This meant that surveillance efforts could be increased immensely, and the lab grew in size and members. When starting, Charles mentioned that the team was about 4 contributors, and now they have grown to 9. In house vector testing was established by using a bioassay that could then be outsourced to another lab for confirmatory Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing. Abatement was increased as it became further home inspection focused using larvicides and then adulticides as needed.
All in all this meeting served as a testament that if this line of work is interesting to an individual, there is no telling how large a company/program can grow. Understandably, different organizations encounter different struggles. Funding for a municipal mosquito control program can be difficult to establish because it is dependent on taxpayer and their support. Whereas other labs may be able to apply for research grants to fund projects, there is varying levels of support. Likewise, Charles explained that there has never been a human case of EEE in Suffolk, although there is EEE positive mosquitos, so drumming up support from the community for a risk that hasn’t yet impacted humans can be difficult. Nonetheless, it was apparent that Charles loves what he does and was excited to talk to us all about possible avenues that exist in the vector control world.
Thanks for reading along, I love sharing with you all the inner workings of my lab but alternatively these opportunities have been one of my favorite benefits of this work. Can’t wait to write to you all again next week!
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| Female Coquillettidia perturbans |
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