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Imprint
Collaborative project: Biting midges as virus vectors in Germany with special emphasis on changing climatic conditions - subproject 2 (CeratoVir)
Project
Project code: 281B101916
Contract period: 01.05.2018
- 30.04.2021
Budget: 469,011 Euro
Purpose of research: Inventory & Assessment
The project contributes to the evaluation of the present and future risk situation in Germany by biting midge-borne pathogens, notably bluetongue and Schmallenberg viruses. In selected farms throughout Germany, biting midges will be trapped, identified to species and screened for viruses. The collected data on the occurrence of potential vector species and viruses associated with them will be entered into a database to be established in the framework of the project, in order to be available for epidemiological analyses and future research approaches. In a second part of the project, biting midge colonies will be established in the laboratory, and immature biting midges will be acquired in the field to produce adults in the laboratory. Both kinds of midges will be subjected to in vitro and in vivo infection and transmission studies with bluetongue and Schmallenberg viruses. Likewise, the possibility of transovarial virus transmission by the biting midges will be checked. Monitoring: On 30 farms throughout Germany, including such that recently reported seroconversion in livestock due to infection with Schmallenberg virus, UV light traps (BG-Sentinel biting midge traps) will be operated from April to October for the weekly collection of host-seeking biting midges. In addition, emergence traps will be placed on five of those farms for continuous collection of freshly emerging biting midge in spring. Bting midges will be identified morphologically and genetically (species-specific PCR assays, CO1 barcoding) and be screened for bluetongue and Schmallenberg viruses by molecular techniques. Database: Data on the geographical and seasonal occurrence as well as on the infection status of the biting midges will be transferred into the form of a standardized SQL database, in order to secure them in the long term and prepare them to be used for future analyses. Biting midge laboratory rearing: An offshoot of an existing Culicoides sonorensis colony, and – depending on the result.
Section overview
Subjects
- Animal Husbandry
- Climate Change
