Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit
Within a One-Health framework, WRBU provides multiple knowledge products to assess the risk of vector-borne disease exposure.
WRBU practices a One-Health approach to fighting the spread of vector-borne diseases.
An example of a recent VHR that was developed to report the arrival of an invasive vector species in the Americas for the first time: Aedes vittatus (vector of YFV, DENV and ZIKV).
Diagnostic morphological characters for adult and immature vector species are provided via species profiles on the WRBU website.
WRBU species profiles also include curated lists of reference DNA barcodes and whole genome sequence data.
The Lucid Identification Key interface allows users to choose from multiple morphological characters, each represented by high-resolution images of exemplar specimens.
Some of the Lucid keys are now available for free as mobile applications. Download these tools from the link below.
The Mosquito Barcoding Initiative was established by Dr. Yvonne Linton (Research Director, WRBU) with the goal of establishing a DNA barcode reference library for all known mosquito taxa.
The newly designed WRBU website allows users to search by taxa (Genus, species) but also by country and associated pathogens.
Example image from e-voucher file for Anopheles ludlowae displaying diagnostic wing pattern. This specimen was sourced from the United States National Museum (USNM) Culicidae collection, under management by WRBU.
The VectorMap database contains nearly 1 million well-curated collection records for mosquitoes, sand flies, biting midges, ticks, fleas and mites. VectorMap is a unique resource for collection records, distribution models, and geospatial data of arthropods of biomedical importance, designed to inform risk assessments of vector-borne diseases. Comprising ~0.7 million collection records and over 500 ecological niche and disease risk models, VectorMap also hosts environmental and climate data related to vector ecology.
An engorged Ix. ricinus female. By Richard Bartz - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6617652
Data are routinely added to VectorMap from ongoing biosurveillance, digitization of museum holdings, and scientific literature. The same rigorous curation principles practiced as part of managing the National Arthropod Collections are applied to data curation. Collection data are not only evaluated for taxonomic and geospatial accuracy and precision, but contain over 90 fields of additional information, such as identification and pathogen screening methodologies. Users can access trustworthy data that can be easily evaluated for use based on individual user needs.
