Know more

ANR – JCJC Evasion (2023 – 2028) Evasion = Epidemiological consequences of invasion-induced simultaneous erosion of vector-microbiota diversity

Partners: LEM, LBBE

The Ae. albopictus tiger mosquito is the vector of over 16 human and animal pathogens, including the Chikungunya virus. It is also one of the world's most invasive species. Recent advances by the team have shown that, during the invasive process, recently introduced populations of the tiger mosquito have undergone a reduction in their genetic diversity correlated with an erosion of their associated microbiota. These two factors have major repercussions on the insect's life-history traits, its behavior and its ability to transmit certain pathogens. The aim of our project is therefore to (i) better estimate these variations within natural mosquito populations over time, (ii) manipulate the mosquito's microbiota and genetic diversity under controlled conditions in order to measure precisely the impact of these changes on traits linked to the transmission of the Chikungunya virus by the tiger mosquito, (iii) use these empirical data to build a mathematical model aimed at improving the prediction of epidemic risk in territories recently invaded by the mosquito.  

CNRS / AFRICA Residential Research School – MICROVEC (2023-2024) International exchanges on the mosquito microbiome and its application for the control of vector-borne diseases

Partners: LEM, University of Ghana (Ghana), University of Abomey-Calavi (Bénin), Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kenya). 

The control of vector-borne diseases is a major public health challenge worldwide. Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly hard hit by malaria. The use of microorganisms in the biocontrol of mosquito populations and the pathogens they transmit is currently emerging as a promising alternative to overcome the difficulties encountered by more conventional approaches (insecticide resistance, poor access to healthcare, etc.). In 2020, we contributed to the launch of the Mosquito Microbiome Consortium, which aims to facilitate exchanges between researchers from the global South and North on the use of microorganisms to control mosquito populations. For the second time, we will be organizing a summer school for young researchers from Sub-Saharan African laboratories at the University of Ghana in 2024, thanks to financial support from the CNRS.

ANR-PRC SERIOUS (2022-2026) - Social and Environmental RIsk factors in the emergence of mOsquito-borne diseases in Urban areaS

Partners: LEM, EVS, ISA, IVPC

By taking the Asian tiger mosquito as a study model, the main objective of this project is to give a better understanding of the combined impact of anthropization and mosquito-human interactions as well as human behavior and beliefs on the emergence risk of mosquito-borne infectious diseases transmission in urban areas. It will provide a description and analysis of the social and environmental determinants of risk emergence of MBIDs, and possibly their interactions (e.g. interactions between co-occurring pollutants, mosquito species and human behaviors) paving the way to better detection and prevention approaches based on public participation.

ANSES  UTILE (2022-2024) - Exploration and use of environmental yeasts as a vector control agent against the tiger mosquito

Partners : LEM, EID

In the absence of vaccines and effective control methods to curb the proliferation of the tiger mosquito, new vector control strategies need to be developed. Several studies have demonstrated that supplementing CO2 with certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of yeast origin increases the attractiveness of traps to anthropophilic mosquitoes. In this context, we propose (i) to estimate the diversity of yeasts present in the environment of the tiger mosquito (ii) to characterize the attractive or repulsive power of yeast isolates and (iii) to identify the VOCs (kairomones) responsible for these behavioral changes in the insect.