Detail

Keywords

Entomology; Molecular Biology; Parasitology; Phylogeny; Phylogeography; Zoonoses

Research group(s)

• Molecular parasitology
  Head: Julia Walochnik
  Research Area: Acanthamoeba infections, amoebae as hosts for bacteria, vector-borne parasites, molecular phylogeny
  Members:
  Iwona Lesiak-Markowicz
  Martina Köhsler
  Rounik Mazumdar
  Alvie Loufouma Mbouaka
  Julia Walochnik
  Edwin Kniha

Research interests

My current research interests include the clarification of the current and prospective distribution of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in Austria and their relevance as vectors of the protozoan parasites Leishmania spp. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), the causative agents of leishmaniasis. Furthermore, I am interested in up-to-date topics and questions of medical entomology.

Techniques, methods & infrastructure

My expertise comprises morphological and molecular identification of medically relevant arthropods, light- and fluorescence microscopy. PCR and in-house Sanger sequencing.

Phylogenetic analysis including sophisticated handling of various softwares (ClustalX, GeneDoc, MEGAX, BEAST, DNAsp, Popart).

Grants

• Vector-borne diseases in the Einsatzgebieten des Österreichischen Bundesheeres: Kosovo und Bosnien und Herzegowina (BIH) (2021)
  Source of Funding: FFG (Austrian Research Promotion Agency), FFG FORTE
  Principal Investigator
• Phylogeography of Austrian sand fly populations - where do they come from and where will they go? (2019)
  Source of Funding: OeAW (Austrian Academy of Sciences), DOC-fellowship
  Principal Investigator

Selected publications

1. Kniha, E. et al., 2019. Phlebovirus seroprevalence in Austrian Army personnel returning from missions abroad. Parasites & Vectors, 12(1). Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13071-019-3674-6.
2. Kniha, E. et al., 2020. Leishmania spp. seropositivity in Austrian soldiers returning from the Kosovo. Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 132(1-2), pp.47. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00508-019-01598-5
3. Kniha, E. et al., 2020. Integrative Approach to Phlebotomus mascittii Grassi, 1908: First Record in Vienna with New Morphological and Molecular Insights. Pathogens, 9(12), p.1032. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens9121032.
4. Kniha, E. et al., 2021. Phlebotomus (Adlerius) simici NITZULESCU, 1931: first record in Austria and phylogenetic relationship with other Adlerius species. Parasites & Vectors, 14(1). Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04482-8.
5. Kniha, E. et al., 2021. Ecology, seasonality and host preferences of Austrian Phlebotomus (Transphlebotomus) mascittii Grassi, 1908, populations. Parasites & Vectors, 14(1). Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04787-2.