The MARC Scientist, members of QIMR Berghofer Mosquito Control Laboratory, and collaborating Australian health and vector surveillance agencies have developed a new next-generation sequencing approach that could significantly enhance mosquito-borne disease surveillance across Australia and globally.
Published in Molecular Ecology Resources, the study describes an “all-in-one” metabarcoding workflow capable of simultaneously identifying mosquito species, the viruses they carry, and the vertebrate hosts they have fed on from a single bulk mosquito sample.
The researchers say the method provides a scalable and cost-effective alternative to conventional surveillance approaches, which often require separate workflows for mosquito identification, virus detection, and blood meal analysis. By integrating these components into a single assay, the platform could support earlier detection of emerging arboviruses and improve understanding of transmission risk in both urban and regional environments.
The study, titled “An All-in-One Metabarcoding Approach to Mosquito and Arbovirus Xenosurveillance”, highlights the growing role of next-generation sequencing technologies in public health surveillance and vector-borne disease preparedness.
