‘Godfather’ of FNQ mosquito research to take on global science role in Panama

A scientist regarded as the ‘godfather’ of mosquito research in the Far North is taking on a new job in Central America. He has one major concern, though, after he leaves.

• Mozzie program doesn’t like hot weather
• More awareness of Zika virus needed
• Eliminate Dengue team returning
• Dangerous mozzie detected at Cairns Port

THE ‘godfather’ of mosquito research in the Far North has urged his colleagues to step-up their fight against a dangerous mozzie species, after he leaves to take on a new role in Central America.

James Cook University’s Professor Scott Ritchie is departing Cairns for Panama, starting work in August as the director of field entomology for the World Mosquito Program, formerly known as the Eliminate Dengue project.

Prof Ritchie was the principal investigator for the program, which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, when it started in 2005.

James Cook University professor, Scott Ritchie, is leaving Far North Queensland to take up a new job in Panama. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS

The program involves releasing dengue mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria into the wild, to prevent the blood-suckers from being able to transmit the dengue fever virus to humans.

Since the program was first trialled in Cairns in the late-2000s, it has had enormous success dramatically lowering rates of dengue fever across the Far North.

The program is now in operation in 12 countries.

Prof Ritchie said he was proud to still be involved in a program that has started locally, and then scaled up to become a global operation.

He said despite the success of mosquito research control in the Far North, there still needed to be steady private and public sector investment in the field.

“It’s like having a great yacht,” he said.

“You don’t want it sitting in the dock, being unused. It sort of falls apart, to some extent.”

He pinpointed the threat of Asian tiger mosquitoes in the Torres Strait, as an area where authorities needed to remain focused.

The mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) are regarded as worse than dengue mosquitoes, as they have the ability to survive colder climates and therefore carrying mosquito-borne diseases further south on Australia’s mainland.

“Other than Queensland Health doing a good survey program up at Thursday and Horn islands, there really isn’t anything being done up there at all,” he said.

“There’s been a couple of dengue outbreaks up there, and there's also a risk of chikungunya virus which could get into the Torres Strait and cause problems. Albopictus could get to the mainland and displace our Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes.”

BACKGROUND

Prof Scott Ritchie worked as Queensland Health’s tropical public health unit’s director of medical entomology from 1994-2011, helping develop the world-recognised dengue fever management plan for northern Queensland.

He also helped develop JCU’s mosquito-borne disease research capabilities, and contributed his knowledge of dengue mosquitoes, to mozzie control projects across the globe.

Originally published as ‘Godfather’ of FNQ mosquito research to take on global science role in Panama