Global health R&D at work in Florida
University of Florida (UF) scientists are studying how mosquito species in Florida spread both the Zika and chikungunya viruses. While the former is well known for causing the 2015 epidemic, the latter virus, which occurs mostly in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America, arrived in the Caribbean several years ago, and since then, hundreds of cases have been diagnosed in Florida, including a dozen locally transmitted cases. The virus causes fever, headaches, muscle and joint pain, and, in some cases, chronic rheumatoid arthritis. These studies will help scientists model disease transmission to better control future outbreaks. UF also houses and coleads the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, which helps advance research programs across the region to inform the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases.