The European Society for Vector Ecology (ESOVE) is a professional organization formed in 1968 committed to solving many complex problems encountered in the field of vector biology and control – among these are the suppression of disease vectors through integration of control elements, such as environmental management, biological control and public education. ESOVE organizes one European conference every year, which is an internationally recognized and prestigious conference
BopCo has processed several requests concerning disease and parasite hosts and vector species potentially harmful to humans and/or animals. Hence, the scope and objectives of the 22nd ESOVE conference fit perfectly the field and core interest of BopCo.
The first poster that BopCo will be presenting is an overview of BopCo’s activities related to vector species identification. For instance, we will be presenting our findings on a species-ID request that we processed with regards to the detection of exotic mosquito species (EMS) at Schiphol International Airport (Amsterdam, The Netherlands). Recently two fatal cases of airport malaria were reported in Belgium. The establishment of EMS after introduction via aircraft is considered a potential risk of transmission. Our results reveal accidental introductions of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus, as well as exotic Anopheles and Mansonia specimens. The findings of Ae. albopictus at Schiphol airport are the first evidence of accidental introduction of the species using this pathway in Europe.
Then, we will present the DNA-based identification of terrestrial snails and slugs that may act as intermediate hosts of Metastrongyloid nematodes – a cardiopulmonary parasite affecting domestic cat (Felis catus) and wildcat (Felis silvestris) populations throughout Europe. In order to survey the prevalence and expansion of the parasites, an accurate identification of their intermediate snail and slug hosts is important. Yet, this detection requires a destructive approach by which a morphological identification of the intermediate hosts becomes difficult. Therefore, the DNA techniques that we used in our study provides an important opportunity to address these knowledge gaps. The different species that we identified are efficient colonizers of new areas, and have been introduced in several parts of Europe. These results raise concerns about the possible further spread of the nematode parasites they can carry.
Finally, three other BopCo’s projects related to the genetic structure of the exotic Asian bush mosquito, Aedes japonicus, the diversity of the vector mosquitoes Culex pipiens s.s. and C. torrentium in Belgium and the urvey of parasitic larval trematodes in the Assassin Snails Anentome helena and A. wykoffi from Thailand will also be presented, respectively.