The risk for mosquito-borne diseases is increasing with climate change and other environmental factors. This includes the  proliferation of trash, which makes an ideal breeding ground for the Aedes aegypti mosquito that spreads dengue and other dangerous illnesses. 

Stanford Assistant Professor of Medicine Joelle Rosser has been investigating ways to understand the risk that trash poses to communities. In a new publication in Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Rosser and her Stanford and Kenyan colleagues outline an innovative new approach: surveying trash with drones. 

Rosser and a team of interdisciplinary colleagues developed a system by which to classify trash identified by drones, assessing it for its potential as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. They believe this system can be used to help communities and researchers identify and mitigate risk for mosquito-borne disease. 

Learn more about this exciting new surveillance strategy in this video conversation with Dr. Rosser and read the publication here.