Influence of Forest Disturbance on La Crosse Virus Risk in Southwestern Virginia

Forest disturbance effects on La Crosse virus (LACV) are currently unknown. We determined the abundance of three LACV accessory vectors (Aedes albopictus, Ae. canadensis, and Ae. vexans) and the primary amplifying host (Eastern chipmunk; Tamias striatus), and tested for LACV prevalence in both vectors and chipmunks, across a gradient of experimental forest disturbance treatments in southwest Virginia. Forest disturbance significantly affected the abundance of LACV accessory vectors, with a higher abundance on disturbed sites for Ae. canadensis and Ae. vexans. However, there was no significant disturbance effect on chipmunk abundance. Forest disturbance significantly affected LACV prevalence in mosquito vectors, with most (80%) detections on unlogged control sites, which past work showed harbor the highest abundance of the two most common LACV vectors (the primary vector Aedes triseriatus, and Ae. japonicus). Interestingly, LACV nucleic acid was only detected in Ae. japonicus and Culex pipiens/restuans, with no detections in the primary vector, Ae. triseriatus. In contrast to the vector results, antibodies were only found in chipmunks on logged sites, but this result was not statistically significant. Overall, our results suggest that human LACV risk should generally decline with logging, and reveal the potential importance of accessory vectors in LACV maintenance in Appalachian forests.

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Meta-Transcriptomic Comparison of the RNA Viromes of the Mosquito Vectors Culex pipiens and Culex torrentium in Northern Europe

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v11111033 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 1033 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Pettersson ◽

Shi ◽

Eden ◽

Holmes ◽

Hesson

Keyword(s):

Culex Pipiens ◽

Evolutionary History ◽

Rna Viruses ◽

Mosquito Species ◽

Animal Health ◽

Mosquito Vectors ◽

South Central ◽

Global Movement ◽

History Of ◽

Local Habitat

Mosquitoes harbor an extensive diversity of ‘insect-specific’ RNA viruses in addition to those important to human and animal health. However, because most studies of the mosquito virome have been conducted at lower latitudes, little is known about the diversity and evolutionary history of RNA viruses sampled from mosquitoes in northerly regions. Here, we compared the RNA virome of two common northern mosquito species, Culex pipiens and Culex torrentium, collected in south-central Sweden. Following bulk RNA-sequencing (meta-transcriptomics) of 12 libraries, comprising 120 specimens of Cx. pipiens and 150 specimens of Cx. torrentium, we identified 40 viruses (representing 14 virus families) of which 28 were novel based on phylogenetic analysis of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) protein. Hence, we documented similar levels of virome diversity as in mosquitoes sampled from the more biodiverse lower latitudes. Many viruses were also related to those sampled on other continents, indicative of a widespread global movement and/or long host–virus co-evolution. Although the two mosquito species investigated have overlapping geographical distributions and share many viruses, several viruses were only found at a specific location at this scale of sampling, such that local habitat and geography may play an important role in shaping viral diversity in Culex mosquitoes.

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Genomic differentiation and intercontinental population structure of mosquito vectors Culex pipiens pipiens and Culex pipiens molestus

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-63305-z ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Andrey A. Yurchenko ◽

Reem A. Masri ◽

Natalia V. Khrabrova ◽

Anuarbek K. Sibataev ◽

Megan L. Fritz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Structure ◽

Culex Pipiens ◽

Mosquito Vectors ◽

Culex Pipiens Pipiens ◽

Culex Pipiens Molestus

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Peridomestic conditions affect La Crosse virus entomological risk by modifying the habitat use patterns of its mosquito vectors

Journal of Vector Ecology ◽

10.52707/1081-1710-46.1.34 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Tuamami T. Tamini ◽

Brian D. Byrd ◽

J. Alan Goggins ◽

Charles B. Sither ◽

Laura White ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Habitat Use ◽

La Crosse Virus ◽

Mosquito Vectors ◽

Use Patterns

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Gynandromorphic Specimens of Culex erythrothorax, Culex pipiens Complex, Culex tarsalis, and Culiseta incidens Collected in Northern San Joaquin Valley, California

Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association ◽

10.2987/20-6943.1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 36 (3) ◽

pp. 208-211

Author(s):

Sumiko R. De La Vega ◽

David J. Smith ◽

John A. Fritz ◽

Eddie F. Lucchesi ◽

Shaoming Huang

Keyword(s):

Genetic Control ◽

Culex Pipiens ◽

San Joaquin Valley ◽

Culex Tarsalis ◽

Mosquito Vectors ◽

Potential Implication ◽

Male And Female ◽

Culex Pipiens Complex ◽

Multiple Species ◽

Culiseta Incidens

ABSTRACT Gynandromorphic insects bear both male and female characteristics. In mosquitoes, gynandromorphy has been documented in multiple species and it can include many different combinations of sex-specific traits such as plumose or filiform antennae, short or elongated palpi, and male or female terminalia. Here we report 4 gynandromorphic specimens of Culex erythrothorax, Cx. pipiens complex, Cx. tarsalis, and Culiseta incidens collected in the Northern San Joaquin Valley of California. Each of the specimens exhibited heads with female characteristics of short palpi and filiform antennae while displaying fully developed external male terminalia including basistyles and dististyles. The potential implication of gynandromorphism in genetic control of mosquito vectors is discussed.

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Curcumin Derivatives as Potential Mosquito Larvicidal Agents against Two Mosquito Vectors, Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22168915 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (16) ◽

pp. 8915

Author(s):

Dimitris Matiadis ◽

Panagiota G. V. Liggri ◽

Eftichia Kritsi ◽

Niki Tzioumaki ◽

Panagiotis Zoumpoulakis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Culex Pipiens ◽

Mosquito Species ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Southern Europe ◽

Mosquito Vectors ◽

Vector Borne Diseases ◽

Curcumin Derivatives ◽

Structure Activity ◽

Vector Borne ◽

Curcumin Derivative

Vector-borne diseases have appeared or re-emerged in many Southern Europe countries making the transmission of infectious diseases by mosquitoes (vectors) one of the greatest worldwide health threats. Larvicides have been used extensively for the control of Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse, 1895) (Diptera: Culicidae) and Culex pipiens Linnaeus, 1758 (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes in urban and semi-urban environments, causing the increasing resistance of mosquitoes to commercial insecticides. In this study, 27 curcuminoids and monocarbonyl curcumin derivatives were synthesised and evaluated as potential larvicidal agents against Cx. pipiens and Ae. albopictus. Most of the compounds were more effective against larvae of both mosquito species. Four of the tested compounds, curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, curcumin-BF2 complex and a monocarbonyl tetramethoxy curcumin derivative exhibited high activity against both species. In Cx. pipiens the recorded LC50 values were 6.0, 9.4, 5.0 and 32.5 ppm, respectively, whereas in Ae. albopictus they exhibited LC50 values of 9.2, 36.0, 5.5 and 23.6 ppm, respectively. No conclusive structure activity relationship was evident from the results and the variety of descriptors values generated in silico provided some insight to this end.

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Highly Sensitive Virome Characterization of Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens Complex from Central Europe and the Caribbean Reveals Potential for Interspecies Viral Transmission

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens9090686 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 686

Author(s):

Jakob Thannesberger ◽

Nicolas Rascovan ◽

Anna Eisenmann ◽

Ingeborg Klymiuk ◽

Carina Zittra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aedes Aegypti ◽

Central Europe ◽

Culex Pipiens ◽

Genetic Recombination ◽

Mosquito Vectors ◽

Dna Viruses ◽

Culex Pipiens Complex ◽

Virus Diversity ◽

Highly Sensitive ◽

The Caribbean

Mosquitoes are the most important vectors for arthropod-borne viral diseases. Mixed viral infections of mosquitoes allow genetic recombination or reassortment of diverse viruses, turning mosquitoes into potential virologic mixing bowls. In this study, we field-collected mosquitoes of different species (Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens complex), from different geographic locations and environments (central Europe and the Caribbean) for highly sensitive next-generation sequencing-based virome characterization. We found a rich virus community associated with a great diversity of host species. Among those, we detected a large diversity of novel virus sequences that we could predominately assign to circular Rep-encoding single-stranded (CRESS) DNA viruses, including the full-length genome of a yet undescribed Gemykrogvirus species. Moreover, we report for the first time the detection of a potentially zoonotic CRESS-DNA virus (Cyclovirus VN) in mosquito vectors. This study expands the knowledge on virus diversity in medically important mosquito vectors, especially for CRESS-DNA viruses that have previously been shown to easily recombine and jump the species barrier.

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Identification and Discrimination of the Developmental Stages of Two Mosquito Vectors, Aedes caspius and Culex pipiens by Using Cuticular Hydrocarbons Analysis

Journal of Entomology ◽

10.3923/je.2019.98.107 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 98-107

Author(s):

Essam Abdel-Salam Shaalan ◽

Mohamed A. El-Kersh ◽

Zeinab Abdelmoaty

Keyword(s):

Cuticular Hydrocarbons ◽

Culex Pipiens ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Mosquito Vectors ◽

Aedes Caspius

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Culex pipiens s.l. and Culex torrentium (Culicidae) in Wrocław area (Poland): occurrence and breeding site preferences of mosquito vectors

Parasitology Research ◽

10.1007/s00436-014-4193-1 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 114 (1) ◽

pp. 289-295 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Thomas Weitzel ◽

Piotr Jawień ◽

Katarzyna Rydzanicz ◽

Elzbieta Lonc ◽

Norbert Becker

Keyword(s):

Culex Pipiens ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Mosquito Vectors ◽

Site Preferences ◽

Culex Pipiens S.L

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Mosquito vectors of Dirofilaria immitis in southwestern Ontario

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z84-035 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 62 (2) ◽

pp. 212-216 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

J. Ernst ◽

J. O. D. Slocombe

Keyword(s):

Culex Pipiens ◽

Dirofilaria Immitis ◽

Aedes Triseriatus ◽

Infective Stage ◽

Mosquito Vectors ◽

Aedes Vexans ◽

First Report ◽

Infective Larvae ◽

Large Numbers ◽

Third Stage

Over 3000 mosquitoes were collected in southwestern Ontario in 1980 and 1981, using a stable trap housing a dog naturally infected with Dirofilaria immitis. The following were collected: 26 Anopheles punctipennis (100% blood fed), 36 Aedes triseriatus (94.4.% blood fed), 38 Aedes sticticus (100% blood fed), 44 Aedes dorsalis (97.7% blood fed), 73 Anopheles walkeri (100% blood fed). 161 Aedes stimulans–fitehii (97.5% blood fed). 510 Aedes trivittatus (80.8% blood fed), 569 Mansonia perturbans (93.3% blood fed), 739 Aedes vexans (95.4% blood fed) and 1114 Culex pipiens–restuans (61.6% blood fed). After holding the blood-fed mosquitoes at 26 °C for 2 weeks, 1708 were identified and dissected, and the mouthparts were observed for infective third-stage larvae of Dirofilaria immitis. Infective larvae were found in 26 Aedes sticticus (96.3% positive), 33 Aedes dorsalis (89.2% positive), 406 Aedes vexans (88.8% positive), 177 Aedes trivittatus (68.9% positive), 38 Culex pipiens–restuans (7.4% positive), and 4 Aedes stimulans–fitehii (4.1% positive). Aedes vexans and Aedes trivittatus were considered the major vectors because they were collected in large numbers, fed readily on dogs, and allowed development of D. immitis to the infective stage. This is the first report of Aedes dorsalis allowing development of D. immitis to the infective stage.

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