Climate change, biodiversity and pandemic prevention

Harnessing mosquitoes for epidemic and pandemic research in Africa

Human-made environmental changes across Africa erode biodiversity and disrupt ecosystems, with impacts on the spread of zoonotic disease with epidemic potential. This project will use mosquitoes as natural “samplers” of vertebrates to monitor changes on pathogen diversity and transmission dynamics. Using advanced diagnostic technologies in serology and metagenomics, the programme will analyse mosquito bloodmeals from humans and animals will to detect their prior exposure to 20 epidemic-prone pathogens; assess changes in exposure risk along “urban-rural-forest” transects; and collect windborne mosquitoes at high altitude, as well as on the ground, to identify their role in spreading arboviruses over long distances.

Monitoring changes in the species compositions of mosquitoes, vertebrate hosts, and pathogens, this work will analyse the effect of human-made changes, bolster early-warning systems, and inform prevention and mitigation strategies. The programme will also generate baselines for assessing future changes and address knowledge gaps such as identifying reservoirs of pathogens.