August 12, 2004 - 5:00pm
Most people try to avoid mosquitoes all summer, but not Nadia Plamondon.
That’s because the fourth-year Malaspina University-College student is working in a research lab on the Nanaimo campus studying the ecology of mosquitoes that could potentially carry the West Nile virus.
"Nadia is part of a large national network of research scientists who are collaborating on a four-year study related to animals and infectious diseases, including West Nile," explained Dr. Craig Stephen, Director of the Centre for Coastal Health at Malaspina University-College.
The network includes "leaders in the field" across Canada, including researchers at Malaspina, the University of B.C., University of Saskatchewan, University of Guelph, and Centre for Disease Control and Health Canada labs in Ottawa and Winnipeg.
Stephen established the scientific network earlier this year when the Centre for Coastal Health (CCH) received a $500,000 grant from the Michael Smith Health Research Foundation. The CCH is a non-profit society that assists government agencies and the private sector on risk management issues.
"This is significant because it’s the first time the Foundation has awarded a grant to a non-university or non-hospital organization," said Stephen.
Some of the grant, plus additional funding from the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA), were used to re-hire Plamondon in March to continue research she began last summer. During July and August last year, she collected mosquito larvae between Duncan and Fanny Bay, including Port Alberni and the west coast of Vancouver Island, and raised larvae to adult size in the lab at Malaspina. Plamondon identified six species, including one that had never been discovered on Vancouver Island before. This summer, she’s building on that research by studying mosquitoes during their entire breeding season, from spring to early fall. Several environmental health officers employed by VIHA are helping Plamondon collect mosquito larvae samples.
"Nadia’s work is ground breaking for several reasons," said Stephen. "She has already filled a huge gap in what we knew about mosquitoes in Canada, and has expanded our local knowledge. A permanent collection of various species found on Vancouver Island - the first of its kind - is housed in the biology department at Malaspina."
Although to date there have been no reported cases of West Nile in B.C., Stephen said the point of the local research is to be pro-active.
"Nadia’s research will help the Vancouver Island Health Authority monitor public health risk," he said. "We know that mosquitoes able to carry the West Nile Virus do occur on Vancouver Island. If and when West Nile becomes a problem in B.C. and on Vancouver Island, decisions will need to be made about mosquito control."
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