The role of native and invasive mosquito species in the spread of emerging arboviruses in the Netherlands

Summary

West Nile virus and Usutu virus are mosquito-borne flaviviruses responsible for recurring disease outbreaks among humans and animals in Europe. This thesis explores how intrinsic and extrinsic factors affect the vector competence—the ability to transmit viruses—of native and invasive mosquitoes in the Netherlands. Specifically, we investigated the effects of temperature, virus isolate, mosquito species, and microbiome on the vector competence of the native species Culex pipiens pipiens and the invasive species Aedes japonicus. The research highlights the importance of area-specific vector competence studies to refine risk models and forecast future vector-borne disease outbreaks in the Netherlands as environmental conditions, mosquito populations and their viruses evolve.