Culex quinquefasciatus: status as a threat to island avifauna and options for genetic control

摘要: The avifauna endemic to islands is particularly susceptible population declines and extinctions resulting from the introduction of non-native pathogens. Three pathogens concern are avian malaria parasites, poxviruses, West Nile virus—each which can be transmitted by Culex quinquefasciatus, a highly adaptive invasive mosquito. quinquefasciatus has dramatically expanded its range in recent centuries now established throughout much tropics sub-tropics, including on many that remote mainland landmasses where this geographic separation historically protected island species mosquito-borne diseases. potential for ecological disruption Cx. been striking Hawaiian Islands, transmission poxvirus led extinction several bird species, with more at risk. With present insular communities global trade tourism increasing links between these areas, both each other mainlands, there growing patterns decline Hawai‘i may played out ecosystems. implementation traditional methods control, larval source management, often impractical large scale when breeding sites numerous difficult locate—typical issues associated removal. One alternative approach would utilisation genetic control methods, have successfully developed mosquitos such as Aedes aegypti vector Anopheles gambiae. However, development similar tools comparatively limited. Here we review threat poses discuss specific examples at-risk populations Hawai‘i, New Zealand Galapagos. We also major options deployment against current state field focus radiation-based sterilisation, transgenic transinfections using bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia.