Search

This paper reports the use of near infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopy to detect the presence and quantity of eggs of the gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus in sheep faeces. Haemonchus contortus eggs were quantified in dried, finely ground sheep faeces and in moist, coarsely ground faeces using near infrared and mid-infrared bench top spectrometers and a portable near infrared spectrometer. When Haemonchus contortus eggs were presented without faecal medium, it was found that the wavelength region of 1880–2100 nm was most important for detection. Broad classes of chemical properties found in the near infrared region were identified for dried Haemonchus contortus eggs using a mid-infrared spectrometer. However, when Haemonchus contortus eggs were mixed into the complex matrix of sheep faeces, the development of a robust calibration model for egg detection proved to be challenging (R2

We report the first use of near-infrared spectroscopy for rapid, low-cost, noninvasive detection of Zika virus in Aedes aegypti., The accelerating global spread of arboviruses, such as Zika virus (ZIKV), highlights the need for more proactive mosquito surveillance. However, a major challenge during arbovirus outbreaks has been the lack of rapid and affordable tests for pathogen detection in mosquitoes. We show for the first time that near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a rapid, reagent-free, and cost-effective tool that can be used to noninvasively detect ZIKV in heads and thoraces of intact Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with prediction accuracies of 94.2 to 99.3% relative to quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). NIRS involves simply shining a beam of light on a mosquito to collect a diagnostic spectrum. We estimated in this study that NIRS is 18 times faster and 110 times cheaper than RT-qPCR. We anticipate that NIRS will be expanded upon for identifying potential arbovirus hotspots to guide the spatial prioritization of vector control.

The global approach to mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) is in need of critical re-evaluation. Although there have been dramatic reductions in malaria incidence since 2000, malaria elimination from high-transmission settings remains problematic. At the same time, arbovirus outbreaks have increased in their frequency and impact. The 2015-2016 Zika virus epidemic exposed the dire state of MBD control in many countries, calling for united global action. Despite international resolve to prevent future epidemics, current practices in MBD control are mostly reactive and of limited efficacy. In this Opinion article, we summarize the views of 25 international mosquito experts about the current state of MBD control and highlight the issues that must be addressed in order to tackle emerging threats on the horizon.