Project Number: 6615-32000-045-11
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 01, 2009
End Date: Sep 01, 2014

Objective:
1. Determine the animal and mosquito species that serve as the inter-epizootic maintenance hosts of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) virus. 2. Test candidate repellents for biting insects. 3. Test and evaluate efficacy of control treatments.

Approach:
1. Determine mosquito blood meal sources for blood-fed females collected during an outbreak (previously collected) and during an inter-epidemic period. Test collected mosquitoes for the presence of RVFV using RT-PCR. Determine mosquito succession from the onset of rain events leading to flooding until flooded areas are dry. 2. Evaluate the efficacy of a candidate repellent for use on humans in terms of how well it protects against insect bites and how well it would be received and actually used in an emergency distribution situation. 3. Evaluate the efficacy of chemical mosquito control that is applied prior to rain events.