News Briefs | October 12, 2022 | |
MVCAC Fall Meeting
November 1-3 (meeting 11/2-11/3)
Visalia Marriott
Plan on joining us for the 2022 Fall meeting in Visalia! The Delta Mosquito and Vector Control District is celebrating their 100 year anniversary, and are welcoming guests to come see their district on Tuesday November 1st (the day of arrivals for the fall meeting).
If you are interested, please indicate your interest on this google form: https://forms.gle/nR1nSLHcW7tXcv7U8.
There is also a possibility of a on your own group dinner, also included on the form.
Click here to login and view the draft agenda.
Click here to login and view the Fall Board Meeting Packet
Hotel Information:
Booking dates: October 28 – November 5, 2022
Deadline to book has passed
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REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
January 29 – February 1, 2023
Click here to view the draft agenda (updated 10/5/2022)
Hotel Information:
Room rate is $269/night plus taxes
Book your rooms here
Please note: Disneyland hotel will be abiding by the MVCAC policy of charging a first nights non refundable deposit upon making your reservation.
MVCAC will be getting discounted tickets for attendees, ticket sales will not open until October 9th and will be available on the same link as the booking link.
Exhibitor/Sponsor Information:
Click here to download the Exhibitor Prospectus
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MVCAC Annual Outrunning Mosquitoes 5k Fun Run/Walk |
Sunday January 29, 2023 | 2 PM | Start at Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim CA
Join us for our annual Outrunning Mosquitoes 5 K, this year around the Disneyland area! Family members welcome (must be signed up) and costumes encouraged! Adult entry fee includes a race shirt, drink ticket at the opening reception and coveted awards for various categories! Children will receive a souvenir.
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2023 MVCAC Conference Trustee Session announced!* |
Sunday January 29, 2023
10:00 AM-4:00 PM (Lunch included)
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Join MVCAC for a trustee session to start the 2023 MVCAC Annual Conference!
It is the goal of MVCAC and its member agencies to provide Trustees with a “value-added” experience while at Conference. The Trustee-only sessions are specifically designed to provide you with the information you need to know to help you become an exceptional member of your Board of Trustees. During the trustee session you will learn the best management practices of boards and gain some field experience, as staff take you out for some interactive site visits. The lessons learned and the topics presented during this session will make you the star of your Board.
Morning 10:00 to Noon
Session I:
Trustee Role in Vector Control – How to make the most of your time serving.
The session will begin with an informative and interactive educational presentation that will cover topics specific to mosquito and vector control agencies including laws and regulations, the unique characteristics of special districts in general, and a discussion on governance and the role Trustees play in the day-to-day operations within their agency.
Session II:
Vector 101 – An introductory look at what you need to know.
Join professional laboratory staff in this fascinating look at vectors, and what you need to know as a Trustee representing your jurisdiction. Biology and science can be intimidating, but this session will provide a fun and educational look at the science behind what happens daily in vector control districts. The session will give you a better understanding of vectors and vector control and the tools necessary to make more informed decisions.
BREAK/LUNCH: NOON – 1:00 PM
Join your fellow Trustees with an interesting lunch-time discussion with Steve Shepherd, Director of Operations at OCMVCD. Steve spent 20 years as the IPM Manager at the Disneyland Resort. Steve will regale you with some Disney stories, anecdotes, and his many adventures while managing pests at the Resort. This is a lunch you don’t want to miss!
Afternoon 1:00-4:00
Join us as we tour some of Orange County’s most famous locations, from Newport Beach’s Back Bay to Huntington Beach’s Bolsa Chica Nature Reserve and stops in-between. This tour will highlight some of the innovative tools used in the fight against mosquitoes, (including a live drone demonstration). These field visits will give you a look at some of the mosquito breeding hot spots that OC Vector staff control on a regular basis.
While this tour is of Orange County, vector control districts all face similar challenges and the site visits are intended to provide a general look at what district’s encounter on a regular basis.
This tour will require some walking. It is recommended that participants wear good walking shoes, long pants, and have a hat and sunglasses.
*In the event of inclement weather, the tour may be limited or curtailed.
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2023 MVCAC Conference Plenary Session Announced! | Join us on Monday morning January 30th to kick off the 91st Annual MVCAC Conference with two dynamic Plenary speakers! | |
Bill Donahue, Ph.D
President/Laboratory Director
Sierra Research Laboratories, Inc.
Speaking on: A Sterile Insect Technique Success Story: The History of the Primary Screw Worm Fly and the Cattle Industry
Dr. Bill Donahue received his B.A. in Biological Science from San Jose State University and his Ph.D. in Entomology from Texas A&M University. He started working for Zoëcon Corporation in Palo Alto, CA, the inventors of insect growth regulators and continued to work for Zoëcon in Dallas, TX developing novel types of insect control products based on insect physiology and biochemistry. Bill is now the Sr. Scientist and owner of Sierra Research Laboratories (SRL) in Modesto, California. SRL is an independent contract research laboratory specializing in testing new chemicals and devises for pest control in the fields of horticultural, medical, urban and veterinary entomology. Bill’s career has spanned 43 years and even though “retired” continues to be active in the field of entomology.
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Dr. Anthony A James PhD
Donald Bren and Distinguished Professor
Depts of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry
University of California, Irvine
Speaking on: Genetic approaches to controlling mosquitoes and mosquito-borne pathogens
Dr. Anthony A. James PhD, FAAAS, FAAM, FASTMH, FESA, FRES, is Donald Bren and Distinguished Professor of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics (School of Medicine) and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry (School of Biological Sciences) at the University of California, Irvine. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences USA. His research group uses genetics as the basis for synthetic approaches to prevent transmission of mosquito-borne diseases. Contributions include the development of mosquito transgenesis procedures, engineered genes that interfere with malaria parasite or dengue virus development in mosquitoes, a population-suppression strain based on flightless female mosquitoes and gene-drive systems to spread beneficial genes quickly through mosquito populations.
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Plenary Session Title: Autocidal approaches for suppressing populations of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus in California
Stephen Dobson, Ph.D, MosquitoMate, Inc.
Dr. Dobson is a Professor at the University of Kentucky, Department of Entomology and CEO of MosquitoMate, Inc., and a key focus of his work relates to developing novel tools to control medically important mosquitoes. Following receipt of his bachelor’s degree in Entomology from Clemson University, he served as a volunteer teacher in American Samoa, where he witnessed first-hand the effects of mosquito borne pathogens. Stephen completed an Entomology PhD at Berkeley, followed by a post doctorate at the Yale University Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. In 1998, he began at the University of Kentucky (UKY) as a Medical Entomologist, and he has worked steadily toward developing the Wolbachia pesticide approach against mosquitoes. His research has received funding support from NIFA, NIH, NSF and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2011, Stephen founded MosquitoMate, Inc. as a spinoff company, based on UKY-patented Wolbachia technology, which has subsequently received additional funding support from NIH and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. The Wolbachia pesticide approach has received experimental permits from the US EPA, and with multiple years of field trials completed, MosquitoMate has recently received commercial registration for one Wolbachia-based product, while additional products are in the development pipeline. Stephen has served as President of the American Committee of Medical Entomology, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. He has served on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Medical Entomology and is an active member of the Entomological Society of America, including the Medical, Urban and Veterinary Entomology Section. He is an active member of the American Mosquito Control Association, Society of Vector Ecology and the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California.
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Lab Technologies Workshop: Insect Photography on
February 1, 2023, 1-4 PM
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Want to take better pictures of insects but don’t know what to do? Bring your cameras to the workshop hosted by the MVCAC Laboratory Technologies Committee and Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control (OCMVCD). Workshop topics will include the fundamentals of photography and how to take pictures of insects. There will be time for hands on experiences with live insects and demo camera equipment. Representatives from Olympus will be demonstrating their gear. Space will be limited. All camera types are welcome!
About the speaker: Dr. Megan Asche is an entomologist and macro photographer from Blaine, WA. She is an alumna of Washington State University and works for the USDA as an insect identifier. Megan has been an active member of the Entomological Society of American (ESA) since 2015. Currently, she holds multiple positions within the association, including:
- Editor of the photography showcase “Through the Loupe” for American Entomologist magazine
- Board member for American Entomologist magazine
- ESA’s “World of Insects” Calendar committee member
Registration is open to the first 35 participants. Attendees will be bussed to and from the Disneyland Hotel and the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District in Garden Grove. Snacks will also be provided. Registration available on the conference registration form.
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COVID-19:
Currently, there are no health mandates regarding COVID-19 in effect in California or Orange County regarding indoor events. The MVCAC Conference will follow any COVID health mandates that are in affect in Orange County (or California if it supersedes county orders) during the time of our conference. To see Orange County’s current COVID-19 information, please follow here.
You may also follow information from CDPH here.
If any changes occur, we will inform members as we learn the information.
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Save the Date!
MVCAC Planning Meeting
December 5-7 (meeting 12/6-12/7)
Oakland Waterfront Hotel
Hotel Booking Information:
Click here to book your hotel rooms
If you need additional assistance, please contact the hotel at 877-803-7534
If the group rate is no longer available, prevailing rates may be offered for some or all of your dates.
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Biology of Vector-borne Diseases six-day course
From The University of Idaho (UI) IHHE
Dear members of the Institute for Health in the Human Ecosystem (IHHE),
The University of Idaho (UI) IHHE is hosting its annual Biology of Vector-borne Diseases six-day course, Monday through Saturday, June 12-17, 2023, on the UI campus in Moscow, Idaho. This course provides accessible, condensed training and “knowledge networking” for advanced graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, new faculty, and current professionals to ensure competency in basic biology and cutting-edge knowledge for U.S. and global vector-borne diseases of plants, animals, and humans.
With the support of 30+ internationally recognized faculty, we seek to train the next generation of scientists and professionals to think about vector-borne diseases as interconnected pathosystems and help them to develop effective solutions to current and emerging vector-borne disease threats in complex human ecosystems.
Applications will be reviewed starting December 1, 2022, and applicants will be notified of their acceptance for the course in spring 2023. Please email chhe@uidaho.edu with any questions
Please would you/your organization to share our event information
A link to our event is: https://www.uidaho.edu/research/entities/ihhe/education/vector-borne-diseases
Apply here: https://www.uidaho.edu/research/entities/ihhe/education/vector-borne-diseases/application
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Share Your Post COVID-19 Exposure Methods With Us |
MVCAC is looking for member districts to share with us their post COVID exposure methods and logistics. Please email the methods you have in place to mvcac@mvcac.org and we will add them to the COVID-19 page on the MVCAC website.
Thank you!
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MVCAC Member Resources Re: COVID-19 |
MVCAC will be assembling and posting some information and templates of what some Districts have created and shared as they manage their operations. Items like sample document for field staff to carry in addition to their ID to validate status/purpose and actions related to seasonal hires. It will be posted as it becomes available to a new members-only page on the MVCAC website.
Click the button below to login and view.
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Grandmother Mosquito: A new education tool for OCMVCD
Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District (OCMVCD/District) considers education an essential function of vector control. The challenge is in making a lasting impression. The District values all the interactions and educational opportunities with the public, both online and in-person. The challenge is how to keep mosquito control in people’s minds, beyond a fleeting interaction.
The idea of a children’s book seemed perfect for keeping mosquito control in people’s working memory. Children love books and for many families, shared reading is a nightly ritual. A typical habit of many children is to reread books over and over. As children hear stories, they internalize the message of the story. Parents who read with their child also learn as they read.
| Submit your district for the next Spotlight On |
Does your agency have a success story, a staff member you would like to publicly recognize, or an innovation by your agency that you would like to highlight? "Spotlight On" on the MVCAC website is one way to share your story! Each submission which meets the specified criteria will be reviewed and posted on the MVCAC website on the Spotlight On page and highlighted on the homepage in the rotating feature box. Each story will remain posted for 1-2 months before being moved to a publicly archived page.
Interested? Click here to fill out an application!
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HR resources for districts to use and to upload information into |
District Managers - Please upload your HR resources and information into this Google Drive along with using it for your own district.
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MVCAC News Briefs - Zika Updates |
Please note: The items contained below are not the views or opinions of MVCAC but they are what is being reported in the media. The goal of MVCAC providing this information is to keep MVCAC members informed of all news articles that are being presented regarding Zika.
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MVCAC News Briefs - Other Outbreaks |
Please note: The items contained below are not the views or opinions of MVCAC but they are what is being reported in the media. The goal of MVCAC providing this information is to keep MVCAC members informed of all news articles that are being presented regarding other outbreaks.
October 7, 2022: 1st dead bird positive for West Nile virus in North Bay this year found in Petaluma - North Bay News
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The impact of transgenesis on mosquito fitness: A review
Posted by Vector and Vector-borne Disease Committee
October 11, 2022
Padukka Vidanelage Desha Dilani1, Ranil Samantha Dassanayake1, Brij Kishore Tyagi2 and Yasanthi Illika Nilmini Silva Gunawardene3
1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
2Sponsored Research & Industrial Centre, VIT University, Vellore (TN), India
3Molecular Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama, Sri Lanka
REVIEW article. Front. Insect Sci., 30 September 2022. Sec. Insect Physiology
https://doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2022.957570
Author’s abstract. Transgenic mosquitoes developed by genetic manipulation, offer a promising strategy for the sustainable and effective control of mosquito-borne diseases. This strategy relies on the mass release of transgenic mosquitoes into the wild, where their transgene is expected to persist in the natural environment, either permanently or transiently, within the mosquito population. In such circumstances, the fitness of transgenic mosquitoes is an important factor in determining their survival in the wild. The impact of transgene expression, insertional mutagenesis, inbreeding depression related to laboratory adaptation, and the hitchhiking effect involved in developing homozygous mosquito lines can all have an effect on the fitness of transgenic mosquitoes. Therefore, real-time estimation of transgene-associated fitness cost is imperative for modeling and planning transgenic mosquito release programs. This can be achieved by directly comparing fitness parameters in individuals homozygous or hemizygous for the transgene and their wild-type counterparts, or by cage invasion experiments to monitor the frequency of the transgenic allele over multiple generations. Recent advancements such as site-specific integration systems and gene drives, provide platforms to address fitness issues in transgenic mosquitoes. More research on the fitness of transgenic individuals is required to develop transgenic mosquitoes with a low fitness cost.
Note: This review paper addresses the fitness of released mosquitoes and should be of interest to those agencies that are using releases for invasive Aedes control, even though some of the genetic methods may not be similar to what is being used locally.
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Do you have important news to share about your district or mosquito and vector issues? |
If you would like your news to be included in the MVCAC News Briefs, please send press releases and/or links to relevant news articles to mvcac@mvcac.org
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Interested in a career in mosquito and vector control? Check out the MVCAC Jobs Board at www.mvcac.org
Have a Job or RFP to post to MVCAC.org?
Requests to post job listings (no more than 500 words in length) may be submitted by MVCAC members via this web form (Note: you will need to login to access this form). Non-Members are asked to submit listings to the webmaster at mvcac@mvcac.org.
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MVCAC Sustaining Member Corner |
Note: MVCAC does not endorse the products below, but we do support our Sustaining Members
Central Life Sciences has announced the release of Aqua Zenivex™ E20, a reduced-risk adulticide for mosquito control professionals.
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