D3028: (2nd Place) Investigation of the genetic structure, the insecticide resistance profile, and the presence of insecticide resistance genes in Aedes albopictus from Hawaii

During the last decade, the Pacific Islands region including Hawai’i suffered from increasing arboviral disease outbreaks. Along with Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus mosquitoes have been identified as a vector responsible for dengue outbreaks in the region. Control of highly invasive mosquito species like Ae. albopictus are particularly challenging due to their relatively short flight ranges combined with potential for long range dispersal aided by human-mediated traffic. To understand genetic relationships between Ae. albopictus populations of Hawai’i and other regions and evolutionary forces shaping the population divergence amongst them, we investigated the population structure of Ae. albopictus using whole genome sequencing approach. We sequenced Ae. albopictus samples from the Pacific islands including Hawai'i, the Republic of Marshall Islands, and Guam and examined genetic relationships between populations. We also conducted CDC bottle bioassays on two different Ae. albopictus population in the Big Island of Hawai’i and examined their association with mutations present in the voltage gated sodium channel. The results of this research will be critical in developing data-driven tools for population dispersal modeling and devise effective control strategies and emergency response plans for potential arboviral disease outbreaks in Hawai’i.