Researchers from GHTM | IHMT NOVA have contributed to an international study transforming our understanding of the evolution of the urban mosquito Culex pipiens molestus, known for its preference for biting humans and its role in transmitting West Nile Virus.
The study, led by Princeton University and published in Science, analyzed 12,000 mosquito samples from over 150 institutions worldwide. Contrary to previous assumptions, the urban form of this mosquito did not emerge recently in European cities but has existed for more than 1,000 years, likely originating in ancient agricultural societies in Egypt or the Mediterranean region.
The research also found that hybridization between bird-preferring mosquitoes (pipiens form) and human-preferring mosquitoes (molestus form) is less common than previously thought, although it tends to occur in large urban centers, potentially increasing the risk of West Nile Virus transmission in densely populated areas.
GHTM | IHMT NOVA researchers involved include Carla Maia, Teresa Novo, Odete Afonso, and Paulo Almeida, from the VBD-GHTM research group. Paulo Almeida emphasizes:
“Our participation highlights GHTM | IHMT NOVA’s role in global research on vector-borne diseases, with direct impact on epidemiological surveillance and public health, particularly regarding West Nile Virus transmission.”
The study opens new perspectives on how urbanization influences mosquito genetics and virus transmission between species, reinforcing IHMT NOVA’s contribution to global public health and tropical disease research.
For the full article, see the publication in Science here.