Home Page

This site contains information about the research and publications of the Laboratory of Systematics and Ecology of Culicidae in the University of Sao Paulo.

Our group is working towards a better understanding of mosquito fauna by considering aspects of taxonomy as well as the biology and ecology of species with epidemiological importance.       

Within this current approach, we are particularly interested in studying the  molecular taxonomy and filogeny of Culicidae, and modelling the potential spatial distribution of mosquito vectors.

Our door is always open for those interested in learning and research

Garden of the School of Public Health

Our group is certified by CNPq (Brazilian Council of Science and Technology)

Clique aqui para Português

Laboratory of Systematics and Ecology of Culicidae (LASEC)

Please contact us for further information:

Address:

Departamento de Epidemiologia, Sala 200,

Avenida Dr. Arnaldo, 715, CEP 01246-904

Pacaembu, São Paulo-SP, Brasil, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo

 

Phone:

55-11-3061-7731

 

Fax:

55-11-3081-2108

 

E-mail:

Please, go to Team section

School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo

The Medical Entomology history has been studied since 1877 when Patrick Manson and others hypothesized the transmission of an infectious agent by mosquito vectors. Nowadays, after more than a century of existence, the bibliography includes major global contributions to the knowledge about the coexistence among man, arthropod vectors, and their environments. The advent of World War II brought the development of insecticides, which would solve at least some of these endemic diseases. However, the failure of campaigns to control mosquito and eradicate malaria, because of the emergence of insecticide-resistant Anopheles and chemotherapy-resistant parasites, indicated the need for other means of control. Obviously, there is a need for knowledge about the biology, ecology, and taxonomy of species that act as biological vectors for controlling these diseases effectively.

It is undeniable that the problem posed by diseases transmitted by arthropods lies as one of the biggest interests of the public health worldwide. About Malaria in Brazil, its occurrence exceeds 500,000 cases annually. However, there is a lack of available knowledge on the main group of insect vectors in Brazil. In this context, our group do research in systematics and ecology of Culicidae aiming species of epidemiological importance. Within this current approach, we are interested in studying the molecular taxonomy and filogeny of genera Wyeomyia, Culex and Anopheles employing both morphological characters and sequences of nucleotides for making decisions on the complexes of cryptic species and delimitation of taxa. Moreover, we develop studies on biodiversity and distribution of mosquito species in the Atlantic Forest and in the Brazilian Amazon. There have been studies in the Atlantic Forest at the USP field station located in Pariquera Açu, Vale do Ribeira, southeastern state of São Paulo. Studies on biodiversity and composition of mosquito species in the Amazon have been developed by researchers from the National Institute of Amazon Research (INPA), in collaboration with the School of Public Health-USP and Institute Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro.

A little history

The Great Mentors

Click the images above to learn more