Ministry for Primary Industries

Building eDNA Capability for Exotic Mosquitos Surveillance

Mosquitoes play a significant role as vectors to transmit human and livestock diseases. Mosquito surveillance is an important part of MPI’s biosecurity system. Early detections of exotic mosquito incursions enable more effective responses to eradicate disease vectors, and manage the risks associated with their presence.
MPI requires research services to develop and validate a metabarcoding eDNA library, and the eDNA diagnostic processes, for a list of high impact and high concern mosquito vector species for New Zealand. The project will help further grow MPI’s capabilities for rapid and efficient diagnosis for mosquito complexes, both cryptic and hybrid species in water samples collected in New Zealand. The outcome should enable better mosquito surveillance and diagnosis to support effective responses to minimise their impact to animal and human health.

Department/Business Unit: Biosecurity New Zealand