Dog Heartworm Research

The Mosquito Biology Project is also investigating the vector competence of mosquitoes involved in the transmission of dog heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis.  The relationship between D. immitis and its mosquito vectors is complex.  Two species of mosquitoes of particular interest are Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus.  Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, is widely but sporadically distributed throughout Texas.  It is a highly domesticated mosquito that can complete its entire life cycle within the confines of a single human dwelling.  Since its introdution into the United States in the mid-1980s, Ae. albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, has become a major pest species in the urban areas of Texas.  We are studying the biology, natural history, and behavior of these mosquito species, especially as these factors relate to their ability to transmit heartworms to dogs and cats in Texas.