Mosquitoes spread viruses faster than thought

Researchers say discoveries about virus development in mosquitoes might someday help stop disease transmission. Researchers at the University of Missouri have found viruses spread in the bodies of mosquitoes much quicker than previously thought. 

 "Previously, the common understanding was that when a mosquito has picked up a virus, it first needs some time to build up inside the mid-gut, or stomach, before infecting other tissues in the mosquito," said Alexander Franz, an assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine and the study’s corresponding author. "However, our observations show that this process occurs at a much faster pace; in fact, there is only a narrow window of 32 to 48 hours between the initial infection and the virus leaving the mosquito’s stomach.

 For this field of research, that revelation is eye opening." continue.