An Oxford doctoral student in Biological Sciences, Nick Golding, has recently rediscovered a species of mosquito not seen in Britain since the 1940s.
Culex modestus is found throughout the continent and as far away as Russia, and can carry the potentially lethal Western Nile Virus.
The results of collaborative nationwide study between the Oxfordshire based Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the Health Protection agency yielded the unexpected discovery of established populations of the mosquito in marshes in Kent and South Essex.
Golding stated, “It’s unclear how long culex modestus has been breeding in the UK” but added, “It’s something to watch.” Its manner of migration is unknown, but other mosquitoes have been known to spread through international shipping.
The mosquito can transmit the Western Nile virus between birds and humans, and is thought to be responsible for other forms of disease. It does so by biting an infected bird, and then biting a human, acting as a ‘vector.’ The virus is not thought to be present in the UK at the moment, but it has caused almost one hundred deaths in various epidemics in southern Europe. An outbreak in the United States starting in 1999 has also caused more than one thousand deaths. Symptoms in serious cases include severe headaches, high fever and paralysis.
The team are now using satellite imaging to identify potential breeding habitats, before collecting specimens. Golding’s doctoral supervisor, Doctor Miles Nunn commented that the discovery “highlights the importance of expert long-term biological recording of UK wildlife by the scientific community.” The CEH maintain that Golding’s continued research into this insect and its habitats will prove invaluable for policy making and risk evaluation.
J.J. Castle, an Oxford medical student added, “The media often present research at Oxford as superfluous, but this discovery shows how scientific studies at Oxford can serve a useful purpose.”
