Identifying Mosquitoes Associated with Heartworm Disease

Heartworm poses a significant and growing health risk to dogs and other mammals throughout the United States, especially to those living in the southeastern states. Little is known about which species of mosquitoes can harbor and successfully transmit the larval parasite that causes heartworm disease to dogs. Researchers, with the help of trained entomologists, will use advanced molecular technique to identify disease-vector mosquitoes, collecting, screening and analyzing a variety of species in southern Georgia. Findings will inform targeted control measures against heartworm-transmitting mosquitoes during seasons of high transmission.