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Professional Services

hands with tweezers holding mosquito

 

Professional services include topical training courses, mosquito identification services, and arbovirus testing. For Registered Environmental Health Specialists, training courses focus on case residence site assessments, mosquito identification, and methods to mitigate local mosquito-borne disease risk. For other allied health professionals, Continuing Education offerings focus on professional education relating to the transmission, epidemiology, and laboratory diagnosis of La Crosse virus and other vector-borne diseases.

The accurate identification of mosquito species is critical when evaluating disease risk and monitoring mosquito population trends. In addition to mosquito identification training courses, the Mosquito and Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Facility can identify mosquito specimens for professional agencies. The facility also has a limited ability to test mosquito samples for certain arboviruses. For more information contact Dr. Brian Byrd.

Arbovirus Testing

The Mosquito and Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Facility has the ability to test mosquito samples for certain arboviruses. The laboratory uses the Rapid Analyte Measurement Platform (RAMP) to detect the presence of West Nile virus in mosquitoes. This assay uses immunofluorescence technology to detect viral antigens. A confirmatory PCR test is also available.

For container-inhabiting mosquitoes, arbovirus testing is principally conducted with virus isolation techniques by cell-culture. Nucleic acid assays are then used to confirm the identity of the isolate.

For more information contact Dr. Brian Byrd.

Mosquito on a pin

 

Mosquito Identification Services

The accurate identification of mosquito species is critical when evaluating disease risk and monitoring mosquito population trends. Upon request, the Mosquito and Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Facility can identify mosquito specimens for professional agencies. This service is generally available free of charge for public health agencies in western North Carolina (i.e., Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Swain, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians).

In addition, mosquito identification services are available for Professional Mosquito Control Organizations. For more information contact Dr. Brian Byrd.

Training Courses

There are no upcoming training courses at this time.

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