Entomology

Vector-borne diseases—diseases transmitted by animals like mosquitoes, sand flies or ticks—are among the most pressing threats to the medical readiness of Service Members and have a significant, detrimental impact to global health. The Department of Entomology researches all aspects of these diseases, including how they are transmitted, where they are found and how to prevent them. Entomology also conducts epidemiologic studies on various rodent-borne diseases.

The department is divided into five sections covering the breadth of vector biology and arthropod-borne disease research. The sections represent three research and two research support programs:

Vector Biology and Control
Malaria Research
Diagnostic and Reemerging Diseases Research
Insectary
Mites and Rodents

The Department of Entomology maintains a variety of in-house arthropod vector colonies including:

These include 11 lines of infected and uninfected Leptotrombidium mites for scrub typhus research
Seven lines of Anopheline mosquitoes for malaria research
Two species of Aedes mosquitoes for flavivirus research
One species of Toxorhynchites mosquitoes for viral transmission studies.

Mosquito colonies are also used to evaluate resistance to insecticides and test repellents. The Entomology Department is the only DOD laboratory capable of producing all four species of malaria parasite that infect humans as well as numerous species of malaria that infect animals in support of vaccine challenge studies, drug-testing in animal models and research on anti-liver stage drugs. The department also has the only DOD colony of Orientia tsutsugamushi-infected chiggers mites.

Entomology conducts all aspects of medically important arthropod and rodent research, primarily in Thailand, providing pathogen surveillance and vector identification support to U.S. military in the Indopacific region, primarily to U.S. Forces Korea.

Preserved Anopheles (Cellia) dirus mosquitoes pinned onto a sample board by the Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit.

Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus mosquitoes speciments pinned to a board by the Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit

Entomology scientist in green scrubs holding a plastic container of mosquitoes replacing its food source.

Insectary staff in mosquito costumes in front of a group of school children.

Sand flies being fed with blood, which they require to grow and reproduce.

USAMD-AFRIMS scientist working alongside Australian Defence Forces researchers sets up a mosquito trap during an ADF field exercise.

A female Aedes aegypti mosquito while she was in the process of acquiring a blood meal from her human host.

pinned mosquitos with tags describing what they are

Under a magnification of 100X, this scanning electron microscopic (SEM) image, revealed some of the ultrastructural morphology exhibited by a grouping of ham mites, Tyrophagus putrescentiae. See PHIL 16855, for a light photomicrograph of a single female ham mite. The ham mite is an agricultural pest, at times, infesting high moisture grain, semi-moist pet foods, cheeses, and dried meats. It is also referred to as the cheese mite, mold mite or copra mite. Their presence is ubiquitous, and with their high rate of reproductive behavior, they are very difficult to control.

Select Publications:

Diseases & Vectors

Chiggers

Chikungunya

Dengue

Malaria

Mosquitos

Rodents

Scrub Typhus

Ticks

Zika

Partnerships and Collaborations:
Entomology works with partners across Southeast Asia and around the world including partner militaries, U.S. government and DOD agencies, non- and intergovernmental organizations, academic universities and industry laboratories including:

Mahidol University
Kasetsart University
Mahidol-Oxford Research Unit
National Institutes of Health
North Carolina State University
University of South Florida
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Among others

If you're interested in reaching out or learning more, contact us!