Research entomologist William K. Reisen is a faculty member of the UC Davis Center for Vectorborne Diseases (CVEC) and an adjunct professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology (PMI), School of Veterinary Medicine. CVEC is part of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and is closely affiliated with the UC Mosquito Research Program, Department of Entomology, School of Medicine, and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Expertise: Mosquito and vectorborne disease ecology Research focus:  Population  ecology of mosquitoes and their vertebrate hosts in relation to the epidemiology, surveillance and control of mosquito-borne pathogens Grants: He receives grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NASA, and the University of California Mosquito Research Program, and support from the Coachella Valley, Greater Los Angeles County, Kern, and Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control Districts (MVCD). Contact Information: E-mails: arbo123@pacbell.net and wkreisen@ucdavis.edu Office: CVEC Old Davis Road One Shields Ave. Davis, CA 95616 Phone: (530) 752-0124 Fax: (530) 754-6360 Education Professional Experience Professional Activities Honors Arbovirus Research Program (CVEC) Education B.S. in agriculture (entomology - plant pathology), University of Delaware, Newark M.S. in zoology from Clemson University, Clemson, S. C. His supporting field: Experimental Statistics. His thesis: “Some ecological relationships of the organic drift in Prater’s Creek, Pickens County, South Carolina.” Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla. Supporting fields: medical microbiology, ecology. Dissertation: “The ecology of larval black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in a south central Oklahoma stream.” Areas of academic concentration: entomology, plant and animal ecology, microbiology including plant pathology, experimental statistics (including computer science), and chemistry. Professional Experience 1967-1968: Research assistant, Clemson University; Duties: Monitoring organochloride insecticide residues in fish and aquatic insects. 1968: Teaching Assistant, Clemson University; Course taught: Animal Ecology; Research: Stream ecology and fish feeding behavior. 1969-1971: Captain, U.S. Air Force; Assignments: Epidemiological Laboratory, Lackland AFB, Texas, and 5 th Epidemiological Flight, Manila and 1st Medical Service Wing, Clark AB, Republic of the Philippines; Duties: Vector-borne disease surveillance and control programs on USAF Bases in Pacific Air Command. Temporary duty in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Okinawa, Thailand, Guam and Hawaii. 1971-1974: Teaching Assistant, University of Oklahoma, Norman. Courses taught: Introductory Zoology, Invertebrate Zoology, Entomology, Ecology, and Parasitology; Research: Simuliid demography, stream ecology, rodent and bat ectoparasites. 1974-1975: Research Associate, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore; Research: Blood feeding behavior and larval intraspecific competition in Anopheles stephensi. 1975-1980: Assistant Professor of International Medicine at the Pakistan Medical Research Centre, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Lahore, Pakistan; Research: Population ecology and bionomics of Pakistan mosquitoes and their relation to pathogen transmission; experimentation towards the application of genetical systems for mosquito control. 1980-1995: Research Entomologist and Director, Arbovirus Field Station, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley; Research: Population ecology, bionomics, genetics and vector competence of Culex tarsalis in relation to arbovirus ecology and control in California. 1995-present: Research Entomologist, Director, Arbovirus Field Station, Center for Vectoborne Disease Research, Adjunct Professor, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis; Research: Population ecology of Culex tarsalis and other mosquitoes and their vertebrate hosts in relation to the epidemiology, surveillance and control of arboviruses. Professional Activities Professional Society Memberships: American Mosquito Control Association, Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California, Entomological Society of America, Society for Vector Ecology, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Offices held in professional societies: 1988 - present: Co-editor or Subject Editor, Journal of Medical Entomology, Entomological Society of America. 1989 - 1994: American Committee on Medical Entomology, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 1989 - 1992: Vice President, President-elect and President, Society for Vector Ecology 1990 - 2001: Chairman, Disease Control Subcommittee, California Mosquito and Vector Control Association. 2001- present: Chairman, Vector and Vector-borne Disease Committee, Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California 1994 - present: Member and Chair, Vector Control Advisory Committee, California Department of Health Services. 2000 - present: Member, West Nile working group, California Department of Health Services 2001 - 2005: Member, West Nile Task Force, Kern County 1994 - 1998: Member, Exotic Genome Committee, American Mosquito Control Association. 1996-98: Secretary, Chairman elect and Chairman, Section D, Entomological Society of America 1999-2004: Chairman, Editorial Board, Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 1999: Member, Awards Committee, Society for Vector Ecology 2000-present: Assistant Editor, Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases 2001-2002: Chair, Nominations Committee, Society for Vector Ecology 2004: Chair, Publications Council, Entomological Society of America 2004: Member, Nomination committee, Society for Vector Ecology 2005: Member, Reeves’ Student award committee, Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California Honors Arthur T. Bragg Award for outstanding research in natural history, University of Oklahoma, 1974. Lifetime Award for Achievement in Medical Entomology, Society for Vector Ecology, 2001. Fellow, Entomological Society of America, 2003. Academic Federation Award for Excellence in Research, University of California, Davis, 2004. John N. Belkin Award for excellence in Vector Ecology, American Mosquito Control Association, 2006 Distinguished Service to the Profession of Medical Entomology from the Society of Vector Ecology at the 37th Annual Meeting, September 2006

Arbovirus Research Program at CVEC

Mission.  The overall mission of the Arbovirus Research Program is to enhance our understanding of the epidemiology and ecology of the endemic and exotic mosquito-borne viruses in California and develop new tools and strategies for their surveillance and control. Research currently focuses on the endemic encephalitides, western equine encephalomyelitis and St. Louis encephalitis, and their interactions with the introduced virus, West Nile. To study virus natural history in California, study areas have been established at multiple habitats within Riverside, Los Angeles, Kern and Sacramento counties. Current sampling programs monitor mosquito abundance and viral infection rates, wild bird abundance and infection prevalence, and seroconversions in sentinel chickens. Host competence studies measure the response to vector and vertebrate hosts to viral infection. A major focus of research has been examining mechanisms that allow the persistence and effective amplification of encephalitis viruses in nature and developing tools that forecast the risk of domestic animal and human disease. Projects also evaluate the efficacy of standard and novel adult mosquito control strategies to interrupt virus transmission. Field and laboratory staff collaborate annually with the California Encephalitis Virus Surveillance Program by assisting with field sampling, diagnostics, new assay evaluation and development, surveillance data management, and web site development.

Support.  Research is supported by grants to WK Reisen from the National Institutes of Health, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NASA, and the University of California Mosquito Research Program, and support from the Coachella Valley, Greater Los Angeles County, Kern, and Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control Districts (MVCD)

Personnel.  Personnel are stationed at the BSL-3 containment laboratory (Ying Fang, Sandra Garcia, Maureen Dannen, Keira Simmons, Andrew Chow) and Center for Vectorborne Diseases (Bruce Eldridge, Chris Barker, Bborie Park) at UC Davis, the Arbovirus Field Station at Bakersfield (Vincent Martinez, Brian Carroll, Scott Halam, Katie Newlen, Daniel Jurich) and the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District at Indio (Hugh Lothrop, Marc Kensington, Pat Miller), the Greater Los Angeles (Jennifer Wilson) and the Sacramento/Yolo (Veronica Armijos, Sarah Wheeler, Carrie Nielsen) MVCDs.  

Collaboration.  Surveillance diagnostics are funded through the Mosquito and Vector Control Association and the California Department of Health Services are coordinated at the BSL-3 laboratory by Dr. William K. Reisen and Ying Fang in collaboration with Dr. Aaron Brault. In collaboration with Drs. Aaron Brault, Center for Vectorborne Diseases, and Laura Kramer, NY State Health Department, molecular studies focus on virus genetic diversity and evolution in relation to persistence. Studies on mosquito pathology with Dr. William Romoser, Ohio University, explore mechanisms of virus infection. Extensive collaboration with Drs. Daniel Cayan and Michael Dettinger and Mary Tyree of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at University of California, San Diego, are relating temporal and spatial change in mosquito abundance and virus activity measured California Encephalitis Virus Surveillance Program to climate variation at long and short term scales. Remote sensing data are included in collaboration with Forrest Melton and Brad Lobitz, NASA Ames. 

Publications.   Recently published papers:     

2006 ~ 2005 ~ 2004

2006

203. Reisen, WK, Y Fang and VM Martinez. Vector competence of Culiseta incidens and Culex thriambus for West Nile Virus. J. Amer. Mosq. Control. Assoc. [in review]

202. Fang, Y and WK Reisen. Previous infection West Nile or St Louis encephalitis viruses provides cross protection during reinfection in House finches. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. [in press]

201. Mahmood, M., RE Chiles, Y Fang, EN Green and WK Reisen. Dose, age and genotype effect Culex tarsalis [Diptera: Culicidae] vector competence for Western equine encephalomyelitis virus. J. Amer. Mosq. Control Assoc. [in press]

200. Reisen, WK, VM Martinez, Y Fang, S Garcia, S Ashtari, SS. Wheeler and BD Carroll. Role of California (Callipepla californica) and Gambel’s (Callipepla gambelii) quail in the epidemiology of western equine encephalomyelitis, St. Louis encephalitis and West Nile viruses in California, Vector-borne and Zoonotic Dis. [in press]

199. Reisen, WK, CM Barker, R Carney, HD Lothrop, SS Wheeler, JL Wilson, MB Madon, R Takahashi, B Carroll, S Garcia, T Fang, M Shafii, S Ashtari, V Kramer, C Glaser, and Jean. Role of Corvids in the epidemiology of West Nile virus in Southern California. J. Med. Entomol. 43: 356-367

198. Reisen, WK, Y Fang, H Lothrop, V Martinez, J Wilson, P O’Connor, R Carney, B Cahoon-Young, M Shafii and AC Brault. Overwintering of West Nile virus in southern California. J. Med. Entomol. 43: 344-355.

197. Reisen, WK, Y Fang, and VM Martinez. Effects of temperature on the transmission of West Nile virus by Culex tarsalis (Diptera: Culicidae). J. Med. Entomol. 43: 309-317

2005

196. Hull, J., A. Hull, WK Reisen, Y Fang, H Ernest. Variation in West Nile Virus Antibody Prevalence of Migrating and Wintering Hawks in Central California. Condor

195. Trevejo, RT, WK Reisen, G Yoshimura and WC Reeves. Detection of chicken antibodies to mosquito salivary gland antigens by enzyme immunoassay. J. Am. Mosq. Contr. Assoc. 21: 39-48.

194. Reisen, WK, SS Wheeler, S Yamamoto, Y Fang and S Garcia. Nesting ardeid colonies are not a focus of elevated West Nile virus activity in Southern California. Vector-borne Zoonotic Dis. 5: 258-266.

193. Reisen, WK, Y. Fang, and V.M. Martinez. Avian host and mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) vector competence determine the efficiency of West Nile and St. Louis encephalitis virus transmission.  J. Med. Entomol. 42: 367-375.

192.  Mahmood F, WK Reisen, RE Chiles and Y Fang. Western equine encephalomyelitis virus infection affects the life table characteristics of Culex tarsalis (Diptera: Culicidae). J. Med. Entomol. 41: 982-985.

2004

191. Reisen,W., H Lothrop, R Chiles, M Madon, C Cossen, L Woods, S Husted, V Kramer, J Edman. Invasion of California by West Nile Virus. Emerg. Inf. Dis. 10: 1369 - 1378.

190. Mahmood,F., RE Chiles, Y Fang, CM Barker and WK Reisen. Role of nestling mourning doves and house finches as amplifying hosts of St. Louis encephalitis virus. J. Med. Entomol. 41: 965-972.

189. Reisen WK, Chiles RE, Martinez VM, Green EN, Fang Y. Encephalitis virus persistence in California birds: experimental infections in mourning doves (Zenaidura macroura ). J Med Entomol 41: 462-466.

188.  Reisen WK, Chiles RE, Martinez VM, Y Fang, E Green, S Clark. Effect of dose on house finch infection with Western equine encephalomyelitis and St. Louis encephalitis viruses. J Med Entomol. 41: 978-981

187. Mahmood F, Fang Y, Green EN, Clark S, Reisen WK. Evaluation of methods for studying the vector competence of Culex tarsalis for western equine encephalomyelitis virus. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 20: 277-282.

186. Chiles RE, Green EN, Fang Y, Goddard L, Roth A, Reisen WK, Scott TW.  Blinded laboratory comparison of in situ enzyme immunoassay, the VecTest wicking assay and a reverse transcription-polymeras chain reaction assay to detect mosquitoes infected with West Nile and St. Louis encephalitis viruses. J Med Entomol 41: 539-544.

185.   Nelson, DM, IA Gardner, RE Chiles, UB Balasuriya, BF Eldridge, TW Scott, WK Reisen and NJ Maclachan. Prevalence of antibodies against Saint Louis encephalitis and Jamestown Canyon viruses in California horses.  Comp. Immunol. Microbiol. Inf. Dis. 27: 209-215.