Connecting People from Laboratory to the Field - How Laboratory Research can be Utilized by Those Monitoring Mosquitoes in the Field

Mosquito-borne viruses continue to place a large burden on human and animal health.  The 2012 outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) was one of the largest arboviral neuroinvasive disease outbreaks ever recorded in the United States, with Texas leading the nation in the number of human cases and fatalities.  For over the past decade, improvements in the surveillance and management of WNV has been possible through basic and applied research.  This presentation will highlight the synergistic relationship between researchers and public health agencies that have led to an increased understanding of mosquitoes and the WNV system to improve intervention programs.   Despite the progress, collaborations between researchers and public health agencies remain important and critical needs for improvements will be discussed.