UMaine gets grant to study mosquito-borne viruses, tourism

ORONO, Maine – A team of University of Maine researchers is being awarded $1.5 million from the National Science Foundation to examine the spread of mosquito-transmitted diseases.

The five-year project will focus on relationships among the spread of mosquito-transmitted diseases, perceptions of mosquito-borne disease risk, and domestic and international tourism.

The project aims to understand the role of human mobility in the dispersal of mosquito-borne viruses.

The team also will look at how infectious disease outbreaks influence the travel decisions of individuals and marketing strategies of tourism businesses.

The team will use the introduction and spread of Zika and chikungunya as case studies to understand the dynamics of mosquito-borne disease transmission and tourism.