Invasive Aedes mosquitoes (Zika Mozzies) — capable of spreading Zika, dengue, and chikungunya — threaten to invade Southeast Queensland every year, aided by increasing national and global travel and a warming climate. But the threat doesn't stop there. Our own local species are already spreading dangerous viruses right here in our suburbs — including Ross River virus, and most recently Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV), detected in Brisbane mosquitoes for the very first time.

Current surveillance network can cover only a fraction of our suburbs, leaving large gaps in our ability to detect invasive mosquitoes and viruses before they spread.

Mozzie SHIELDS — Strengthening Health through Integrated Engagement and Learning in Disease Surveillance - is a partnership between You, QIMR Berghofer, Metro South Health, BSSSC and QUT. It aims to close that gap with two community-powered tools: the Zika Mozzie Seeker egg trap network to track invasive mosquitoes. and the new Mozzie Virus Trap network to trace viruses circulating in local mosquito populations.

Your community. Your shield!

We are recruiting Southeast Queensland residents to join our co-design workshops — where you help shape the tools, instructional materials, and community messaging that will power Mozzie SHIELDS.

We have real challenges we need your help with — like how to make our tools easy and appealing to set up at home, and how to share results in a way that informs and empowers communities to protect themselves from mozzie-borne threats.

Your ideas and lived experience matter!

Zika Mozzie Seeker (ZMS) is one of Australia's most successful community science programs — and it's as simple as setting up a trap in your backyard. Twice a year, registered volunteers receive a free DIY egg trap, collect mosquito eggs from their yard, and mail them to Queensland Health for molecular testing. Since 2017, Brisbane's community of Seekers has collected over 717,000 eggs across 172 suburbs — with zero Zika mozzies detected. Every participant helps keep that record intact.

ZMS is run by our partners at Metro South Health and is currently available to residents of the Metro South Health area. If that's you — we'd love for you to join!