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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · 2d

Away we go for another fieldwork season. Stay tuned for updates on mosquito wrangling in the swamps and stormwater drains of Sydney as the weather warms up! 🦟

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Jun 14

Australia was declared free of malaria in the 1980s but cases of locally acquired disease are occasionally recorded in Torres Strait. Why? My latest for @aunz.theconversation.com https://theconversation.com/malaria-has-returned-to-the-torres-strait-what-does-this-mean-for-mainland-australia-258289

Malaria has returned to the Torres Strait. What does this mean for mainland Australia?

Two cases of locally acquired malaria have been reported in the Torres Strait. Here’s what you need to know.

theconversation.com

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Jun 14

Planning a trip to Bali (or other tropical destinations) in the upcoming school holidays? Revisit my @aunz.theconversation.com article about mosquito risk https://theconversation.com/heading-to-bali-or-somewhere-tropical-these-holidays-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-dengue-fever-233670

Heading to Bali or somewhere tropical these holidays? Here’s what you need to know about dengue fever

If you’re traveling to a tropical destination to escape the Australian winter, make sure to take steps to protect yourself from mosquito-borne disease such as dengue.

theconversation.com

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Jun 14

You can pick up our award winning guide to Australian mosquitoes for only $30 (discounted from $50) at the @csiropublishing.bsky.social stocktake sale https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/6391/ 🦟

CSIRO Publishing @csiropublishing.bsky.social · Jun 13

Have you checked out our Stocktake Sale? 👀

It's our biggest one yet! Get up to 70% off over 100 titles.

Browse the catalogue: www.publish.csiro.au/catalogues/Stocktake

A two panel meme. At the top, text reads "A cart load of books from CSIRO Publishing 🙂" next to a photo of a tawny frogmouth with its beak slightly ajar, as if its saying "Ooh". Below, text reads "A cart load of books from CSIRO Publishing with up to 70% off 😍" next to the same tawny frogmouth, its beak now open wide in excitement.

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Apr 11

Deep in the estuarine wetlands along the Tweed River. Good time to be out and in the mangroves and saltmarsh but no shortage of mosquitoes in a few places! 🦟

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Reposted by Cameron Webb

Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 27

Mosquito activity has dropped over the past week but don’t be complacent as Barmah Forest virus has been detected in mosquitoes around Sydney in recent weeks https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/council/news/media-releases/residents-warned-barmah-forest-virus-risk-0

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 27

Sending some good vibes from down here Don 🦟

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 27

Mosquito activity has dropped over the past week but don’t be complacent as Barmah Forest virus has been detected in mosquitoes around Sydney in recent weeks https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/council/news/media-releases/residents-warned-barmah-forest-virus-risk-0

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Reposted by Cameron Webb

NPR @npr.org · Mar 22

The Trump administration's efforts to end DEI programs is hitting some unexpected targets, including a nationwide effort planting shade trees in neighborhoods to reduce extreme heat.

Is planting trees 'DEI'? Trump administration cuts nationwide tree-planting effort

The Trump administration's efforts to end DEI programs is hitting some unexpected targets, including a nationwide effort planting shade trees in neighborhoods to reduce extreme heat.

www.npr.org

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Reposted by Cameron Webb

Don Yee @mosquitolab.bsky.social · Mar 20

🦟🧪Our paper on larval competition between Aedes aegypti and Aedes mediovittatus, a Caribbean endemic, is out! In it, we show that the endemic appears to be the superior competitor, and this may explain why Ae. aegypti is restricted to cities on the island. academic.oup.com/jme/article-...

Larval competition between the invasive Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and the Caribbean endemic Aedes mediovittatus (Diptera: Culicidae) from Puerto Rico, USA

Abstract. Competition between mosquito species during the larval phase is a well-established mechanism structuring container mosquito communities, with inv

academic.oup.com

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 18

Thanks for sharing! 🦟

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Reposted by Cameron Webb

Grant Jacobs BioinfoTools/NotJustDNA 🔬🧬🖥️✍️📚 @notjustdna.bsky.social · Mar 18

Good thread on the Japanese encephalitis risk in Australia ⬇️

Also, lifting this up from the replies, there is free vaccination for those in at-risk settings www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/j...

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Reposted by Cameron Webb

The Global Vector Hub @globalvectorhub.bsky.social · Mar 18

#Australia 🇦🇺: " #JapaneseEncephalitis has claimed a second life in #NSW and been detected in #Brisbane. What is it?"🦟
by @mozziebites.bsky.social & Andrew van den Hurk @theconversation.com
theconversation.com/japanese-enc...

Japanese encephalitis has claimed a second life in NSW and been detected in Brisbane. What is it?

Japanese encephalitis spreads via mosquitoes. It has been detected in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs and claimed two lives in NSW. Here’s what you need to know about it.

theconversation.com

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 16

You should be eligible for a JE vaccination given you work in a high mosquito activity area https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/jev/Pages/vaccination.aspx

Japanese encephalitis virus - Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) vaccination

Vaccination is recommended for those at highest risk. Once fully vaccinated, it can take between 2 to 4 weeks for your body to develop a protective immune response to the disease, so if you’re eligibl...

www.health.nsw.gov.au

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 16

Broadscale mosquito control may not be a practical option to reduce the risk of Japanese encephalitis virus but how the community accesses Japanese encephalitis vaccination will need to be reviewed for coming seasons. Surveillance of mosquitoes and arboviruses in urban areas must continue!

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 16

The detection of Japanese encephalitis in a coastal location AND a heavily populated urban environment should shift the way we assess public health risks and responses of health authorities. This not only includes SE QLD but also northern NSW...

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 16

In 2024-2025, JEV has been active despite low mosquito and waterbirds. General consensus was that MVEV (and consequently Japanese encephalitis virus) didn't pose a risk to coastal regions (including metropolitan areas) due to lower mosquito and waterbird populations in local environment...

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 16

Its generally thought that Japanese encephalitis virus appeared and spread so widely in 2021-202 due to the flooding brought on by arrival of La Nina conditions across Murray Darling Basin; this brought a boom in waterbird and mosquito activity. This theory aligns with what we know of MVEV...

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 16

Japanese encephalitis virus is a flavivirus and, notwithstanding dengue, there are two similar endemic viruses that inform much of what we know about likely transmission cycles: Murray Valley encephalitis and Kunjin viruses; MVEV causes serious disease with potential fatal outcomes...

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 16

Why is the discovery of Japanese encephalitis virus in mosquitoes collected from suburban Brisbane such a concern? It really upends our understanding of a group of mosquito-borne pathogens with life threatening consequences and how authorities around Australia should respond...

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Reposted by Cameron Webb

Rhea Liang @liangrhea.bsky.social · Mar 16

Okay SE QLD peeps, this is important. Japanese encephalitis can be fatal, and few of us will have any immunity to it. PLEASE take measures to avoid mozzie bites, and that includes cleaning up standing water after #Cyclone Alfred. Tip out pots, drain blocked gutters etc.

Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 15

This is concerning. Japanese encephalitis virus detected in mosquitoes collected in suburban Brisbane. Disease caused by this virus is rare but can be life-threatening https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-16/japanese-encephalitis-virus-found-in-mosquitoes-in-brisbane/105056958

Japanese encephalitis virus detected in Brisbane for the first time

Queenslanders are being warned against getting bitten by mosquitoes after the Japanese encephalitis virus was found in Brisbane.

www.abc.net.au

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 16

General consensus is that Culex annulirostris is the main vector but, to be honest, there is a lot to do to better understand the role of other mosquitoes. This is especially the case in coastal environments where more diverse vectors are found compared to inland regions

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 15

I flagged the concerns around post-flooding mosquito activity in this recent @aunz.theconversation.com article, not expecting JEV to be detected in Brisbane https://theconversation.com/first-wind-then-rain-next-come-the-mozzies-heres-how-to-reduce-your-risk-of-bites-and-infections-251260

First wind, then rain. Next come the mozzies – here’s how to reduce your risk of bites and infections

Flood waters boost mosquito numbers. Disease outbreaks don’t always follow but it’s important to remove stagnant water from your property to reduce the disease risk.

theconversation.com

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 15

This is concerning. Japanese encephalitis virus detected in mosquitoes collected in suburban Brisbane. Disease caused by this virus is rare but can be life-threatening https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-16/japanese-encephalitis-virus-found-in-mosquitoes-in-brisbane/105056958

Japanese encephalitis virus detected in Brisbane for the first time

Queenslanders are being warned against getting bitten by mosquitoes after the Japanese encephalitis virus was found in Brisbane.

www.abc.net.au

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Cameron Webb @mozziebites.bsky.social · Mar 14

Sure is. Prior to the arrival of JEV in 2021-2022, it had been almost 50 years since someone died after a local mosquito bite in NSW.

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