Mosquitoes, Communities, and Public Health in Texas


Book Description

Mosquitoes, Communities, and Public Health in Texas focuses on 87 known species of mosquitoes found throughout Texas. It includes information on the ecology, medical and public health importance, and biological diversity of each species. In addition, it provides detailed identification keys for both larval and adult stages of all mosquito genera and species known to occur in Texas, along a review of surveillance and control strategies. The expansion of invasive mosquitoes from other regions (including Mexico), together with climate change occurrences increase the likelihood for an increase in diseases, such as West Nile Virus, Yellow Fever, Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika. This unique work is the first unified reference and resource rich in mosquito information for medical entomologists, mosquito and vector control professionals, pest management professionals, biologists, environmentalists, wildlife professionals, government regulators, instructors of medical entomology and public health professionals who have disease or vector responsibilities, mosquito taxonomists, epidemiologists, entomology students, academia, pest control industry, and libraries, etc., with utility for medical, veterinary and health professionals. - Brings into one volume the previously fragmented or unavailable information on the species of mosquitoes found in Texas and neighboring states of Mexico - Provides a variety of audiences with key data on mosquito biology, distribution and how to identify each - Includes a geographic distribution map, habitat associations, and medical importance on Zika, West Nile virus, Dengue and Chikungunya for each species




The Mosquito


Book Description

**The instant New York Times bestseller.** *An international bestseller.* Finalist for the Lane Anderson Award Finalist for the RBC Taylor Award “Hugely impressive, a major work.”—NPR A pioneering and groundbreaking work of narrative nonfiction that offers a dramatic new perspective on the history of humankind, showing how through millennia, the mosquito has been the single most powerful force in determining humanity’s fate Why was gin and tonic the cocktail of choice for British colonists in India and Africa? What does Starbucks have to thank for its global domination? What has protected the lives of popes for millennia? Why did Scotland surrender its sovereignty to England? What was George Washington's secret weapon during the American Revolution? The answer to all these questions, and many more, is the mosquito. Across our planet since the dawn of humankind, this nefarious pest, roughly the size and weight of a grape seed, has been at the frontlines of history as the grim reaper, the harvester of human populations, and the ultimate agent of historical change. As the mosquito transformed the landscapes of civilization, humans were unwittingly required to respond to its piercing impact and universal projection of power. The mosquito has determined the fates of empires and nations, razed and crippled economies, and decided the outcome of pivotal wars, killing nearly half of humanity along the way. She (only females bite) has dispatched an estimated 52 billion people from a total of 108 billion throughout our relatively brief existence. As the greatest purveyor of extermination we have ever known, she has played a greater role in shaping our human story than any other living thing with which we share our global village. Imagine for a moment a world without deadly mosquitoes, or any mosquitoes, for that matter? Our history and the world we know, or think we know, would be completely unrecognizable. Driven by surprising insights and fast-paced storytelling, The Mosquito is the extraordinary untold story of the mosquito’s reign through human history and her indelible impact on our modern world order.




Mosquito Empires


Book Description

This book explores the links among ecology, disease, and international politics in the context of the Greater Caribbean - the landscapes lying between Surinam and the Chesapeake - in the seventeenth through early twentieth centuries. Ecological changes made these landscapes especially suitable for the vector mosquitoes of yellow fever and malaria, and these diseases wrought systematic havoc among armies and would-be settlers. Because yellow fever confers immunity on survivors of the disease, and because malaria confers resistance, these diseases played partisan roles in the struggles for empire and revolution, attacking some populations more severely than others. In particular, yellow fever and malaria attacked newcomers to the region, which helped keep the Spanish Empire Spanish in the face of predatory rivals in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. In the late eighteenth and through the nineteenth century, these diseases helped revolutions to succeed by decimating forces sent out from Europe to prevent them.




Identification and Geographical Distribution of the Mosquitoes of North America, North of Mexico


Book Description

"This is the identification manual for North American mosquitoes."--Choice "The essential resource for anyone concerned with mosquito control or biology."--American Reference Books Annual "A valuable resource. . . . This book is the collective product of two very competent scientists."--Journal of Medical Entomology "For the dedicated mosquito worshipper! This book is undoubtedly a must and with its beautifully illustrated keys sets a high standard to follow."--Parasitology Because of the occurrence of mosquito-borne diseases and the widespread distribution of mosquitoes as pests to humans, professionals must know how to identify them. With its wealth of information, this book is the only one of its kind available for specialists working on mosquito-borne diseases and in mosquito control units, and for introductory and advanced students who study entomology. This book updates the successful guide to North American mosquitoes published by the American Mosquito Control Association in 1981. It includes 12 new species that have since been added to the North American mosquito fauna, revised distribution maps of all species, and revised and completely illustrated identification keys for the adult females and fourth instar larvae of all 174 species and subspecies known to occur in North America, north of Mexico. Including 9 exotic species that have been introduced and today successfully thrive in North America, this book's usefulness to mosquito control programs cannot be overestimated.




Genetic Control of Malaria and Dengue


Book Description

Genetic Control of Malaria and Dengue focuses on the knowledge, technology, regulation and ethics of using genetically modified mosquitoes to interrupt the transmission of important vector-borne diseases including Malaria. It contains coverage of the current state of knowledge of vector-borne diseases and how they are currently controlled; vaccine, drug and insecticide development; various strategies for altering the genome of mosquitoes in beneficial ways; and the regulatory, ethical and social environment concerning these strategies. For more than five decades, the prospect of using genetically-modified mosquitoes to control vector-borne disease transmission has been a purely hypothetical scenario. We simply did not have the technology or basic knowledge to be able to do it. With the explosion of field trials and potential interventions in development, Genetic Control of Malaria and Dengue provides a comprehensive overview of research in genetics, microbiology, virology, and ecology involved in the development and implementation of genetic modification programs for virus and disease control. This book is meant to provide a practical guide to researchers, regulators and the general public about how this technology actually works, how it can be improved, and what is still unknown. - Includes coverage of vectorial capacity, critical to understanding vector-borne disease transmission - Provides a summary of the concepts of both population suppression and population replacement - Contains pivotal coverage of ethical and ecological ramifications of genetics-based control strategies




Mosquitoes of the World


Book Description

The most complete reference work on mosquitoes ever produced, Mosquitoes of the World is an unmatched resource for entomologists, public health professionals, epidemiologists, and reference libraries.




An Introduction to R for Spatial Analysis and Mapping


Book Description

"In an age of big data, data journalism and with a wealth of quantitative information around us, it is not enough for students to be taught only 100 year old statistical methods using ′out of the box′ software. They need to have 21st-century analytical skills too. This is an excellent and student-friendly text from two of the world leaders in the teaching and development of spatial analysis. It shows clearly why the open source software R is not just an alternative to commercial GIS, it may actually be the better choice for mapping, analysis and for replicable research. Providing practical tips as well as fully working code, this is a practical ′how to′ guide ideal for undergraduates as well as those using R for the first time. It will be required reading on my own courses." - Richard Harris, Professor of Quantitative Social Science, University of Bristol R is a powerful open source computing tool that supports geographical analysis and mapping for the many geography and ‘non-geography’ students and researchers interested in spatial analysis and mapping. This book provides an introduction to the use of R for spatial statistical analysis, geocomputation and the analysis of geographical information for researchers collecting and using data with location attached, largely through increased GPS functionality. Brunsdon and Comber take readers from ‘zero to hero’ in spatial analysis and mapping through functions they have developed and compiled into R packages. This enables practical R applications in GIS, spatial analyses, spatial statistics, mapping, and web-scraping. Each chapter includes: Example data and commands for exploring it Scripts and coding to exemplify specific functionality Advice for developing greater understanding - through functions such as locator(), View(), and alternative coding to achieve the same ends Self-contained exercises for students to work through Embedded code within the descriptive text. This is a definitive ′how to′ that takes students - of any discipline - from coding to actual applications and uses of R.




Mosquitoes and Their Control


Book Description

Mosquitoes and Their Control presents a wealth of information on the bionomics, systematics, ecology, research techniques and control of both nuisance and disease vector mosquitoes in an easily readable style, providing practical guidelines and important information for professionals and laymen alike. Ninety-two European species and more than 100 globally important vector and nuisance species are included in the book. Most of them, including all European species, are described in the fully illustrated identification keys, followed by a detailed description of the morphology, biology, distribution and medical importance of each species, including over 700 detailed drawings. Mosquitoes and Their Control includes: systematics and biology, medical significance, research techniques, illustrated identification keys for larval and adult mosquito general, morphology, ecology, and distribution of the species identified in the keys, biological, chemical, physical and genetic control of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes and Their Control is a valuable tool for vector ecologists, entomologists, and all those involved with mosquito control, biology, ecology, and systematics world-wide. It will especially benefit those professionals, scientists and students dealing with mosquitoes and their control on a day-to-day basis. Society as a whole stands to gain from improved, environmentally responsible mosquito management programs designed on the basis of a broader understanding of mosquitoes and their control, as provided in this enlightening book.




Delivering Superior Health and Wellness Management with IoT and Analytics


Book Description

This in-depth book addresses a key void in the literature surrounding the Internet of Things (IoT) and health. By systematically evaluating the benefits of mobile, wireless, and sensor-based IoT technologies when used in health and wellness contexts, the book sheds light on the next frontier for healthcare delivery. These technologies generate data with significant potential to enable superior care delivery, self-empowerment, and wellness management. Collecting valuable insights and recommendations in one accessible volume, chapter authors identify key areas in health and wellness where IoT can be used, highlighting the benefits, barriers, and facilitators of these technologies as well as suggesting areas for improvement in current policy and regulations. Four overarching themes provide a suitable setting to examine the critical insights presented in the 31 chapters: Mobile- and sensor-based solutions Opportunities to incorporate critical aspects of analytics to provide superior insights and thus support better decision-making Critical issues around aspects of IoT in healthcare contexts Applications of portals in healthcare contexts A comprehensive overview that introduces the critical issues regarding the role of IoT technologies for health, Delivering Superior Health and Wellness Management with IoT and Analytics paves the way for scholars, practitioners, students, and other stakeholders to understand how to substantially improve health and wellness management on a global scale.




Mosquitoes of the Southeastern United States


Book Description

, , , Mosquitoes of the Southeastern United States is a full-color, highly-illustrated guide to the 64 known species of mosquitoes in 11 genera that populate the South's main geographical area--from the Gulf Coastal states to the Carolinas. , ,