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Jobe NB, Franz NM, Johnston MA, Malone AB, Ruberto I, Townsend J, Will JB, Yule KM, Paaijmans KP. The Mosquito Fauna of Arizona: Species Composition and Public Health Implications. INSECTS 2024; 15:432. [PMID: 38921147 PMCID: PMC11203593 DOI: 10.3390/insects15060432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Arizona is home to many mosquito species, some of which are known vectors of infectious diseases that harm both humans and animals. Here, we provide an overview of the 56 mosquito species that have been identified in the State to date, but also discuss their known feeding preference and the diseases they can (potentially) transmit to humans and animals. This list is unlikely to be complete for several reasons: (i) Arizona's mosquitoes are not systematically surveyed in many areas, (ii) surveillance efforts often target specific species of interest, and (iii) doubts have been raised by one or more scientists about the accuracy of some collection records, which has been noted in this article. There needs to be an integrated and multifaceted surveillance approach that involves entomologists and epidemiologists, but also social scientists, wildlife ecologists, ornithologists, representatives from the agricultural department, and irrigation and drainage districts. This will allow public health officials to (i) monitor changes in current mosquito species diversity and abundance, (ii) monitor the introduction of new or invasive species, (iii) identify locations or specific populations that are more at risk for mosquito-borne diseases, and (iv) effectively guide vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ndey Bassin Jobe
- The Center for Evolution & Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; (N.B.J.); (A.B.M.)
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA;
| | - Nico M. Franz
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA;
| | - Murray A. Johnston
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA;
| | - Adele B. Malone
- The Center for Evolution & Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; (N.B.J.); (A.B.M.)
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA;
- Vector Control Division, Maricopa County Environmental Services Department, Phoenix, AZ 85009, USA; (J.T.); (J.B.W.)
| | - Irene Ruberto
- Arizona Department of Health Services, Phoenix, AZ 85007, USA;
| | - John Townsend
- Vector Control Division, Maricopa County Environmental Services Department, Phoenix, AZ 85009, USA; (J.T.); (J.B.W.)
| | - James B. Will
- Vector Control Division, Maricopa County Environmental Services Department, Phoenix, AZ 85009, USA; (J.T.); (J.B.W.)
| | - Kelsey M. Yule
- Biodiversity Knowledge Integration Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA;
| | - Krijn P. Paaijmans
- The Center for Evolution & Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; (N.B.J.); (A.B.M.)
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA;
- Simon A. Levin Mathematical, Computational and Modeling Sciences Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
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Maichak C, Hiney K, Loss SR, Talley JL, Noden BH. Effects of woody plant encroachment by eastern redcedar on mosquito communities in Oklahoma. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2022; 47:179-187. [PMID: 36314672 DOI: 10.52707/1081-1710-47.2.179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Woody plant encroachment into grasslands is occurring worldwide, affecting ecosystems in ways that likely influence mosquito-borne disease transmission. In the U.S. Great Plains, encroachment by eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) (ERC) may be expanding conducive habitat for mosquitoes and their hosts, but few studies have evaluated associations between ERC encroachment and West Nile virus (WNV). To test the hypotheses that mosquito abundance and WNV-infected mosquitoes increase with increasing ERC cover, we collected mosquitoes in 32 sites in Oklahoma reflecting various ERC encroachment stages. We found support for our first hypothesis, as mean abundance of Aedes albopictus increased significantly with ERC cover. However, Psorophora columbiae and Anopheles quadrimaculatus abundance decreased with increasing ERC. There was no significant association with ERC for other mosquito species. We could not test our second hypothesis due to low WNV prevalence, but the only detected WNV-infected pool of mosquitoes (Cx. tarsalis) was collected in ERC. Our results suggest ERC encroachment increases abundance of at least one medically important mosquito species, but further research is needed to clarify how encroachment affects ecology of the entire WNV disease system through changes to vector and host communities, vector-host interactions, and thus disease transmission and prevalence. Understanding relationships between woody plant encroachment and the nidus of infection for mosquito-borne diseases will be crucial for targeting public health efforts, including land management activities that limit and/or eradicate woody plant encroachment, particularly in areas with high levels of disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney Maichak
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078-3033
| | - Kris Hiney
- Department of Animal & Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078-3033
| | - Scott R Loss
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology & Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078-3033
| | - Justin L Talley
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078-3033
| | - Bruce H Noden
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078-3033,
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Scavo NA, Zecca IB, Sobotyk C, Saleh MN, Lane SK, Olson MF, Hamer SA, Verocai GG, Hamer GL. High prevalence of canine heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis, in pet dogs in south Texas, USA, with evidence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes contributing to transmission. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:407. [PMID: 36329477 PMCID: PMC9635171 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05514-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The canine heartworm Dirofilaria immitis, a filarioid nematode of dogs and other carnivores, is widespread in the USA and the world. Over 20 different mosquito species serve as intermediate hosts of D. immitis, but their contribution to transmission varies according to factors like host feeding patterns, geographic locations and climatic conditions. The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, is a competent vector of D. immitis but is often dismissed as a vector of veterinary relevance given its anthropophilic feeding behavior. We evaluated the prevalence of D. immitis in pet dogs along the USA-Mexico border and assessed whether Ae. aegypti in the area are naturally infected with heartworm and are potentially acting as a vector. Methods A total of 200 whole blood samples collected from pet dogs in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in south Texas from 2016 to 2019 were included in this study. Canine serum samples for D. immitis were tested using the DiroCHEK® Canine Heartworm Antigen Test Kit pre- and post-immune complex dissociations (ICD) and blood samples were tested using high-resolution melt (HRM) quantitative PCR (qPCR) and a probe-based qPCR. Additionally, mosquito specimens were collected and identified, and Ae. aegypti heads, abdomens and pools were tested using conventional PCR (cPCR) and HRM qPCR. Results Overall, heartworm prevalence in dogs aged > 6 months was 40.8% (64/157) when the results from all testing modalities were considered. Heartworm antigen was detected in 33.5% and 40.7% of the dogs using DiroCHEK® pre- and post-ICD, respectively. By molecular screening, 20.1% of dogs tested positive with probe-based qPCR, while only one tested positive with HRM qPCR. Of the Ae. aegypti abdomens from blood-fed Ae. aeygpti tested, 20 (21.7%) from mosquitoes that fed on dogs and four (7%) from those that fed on humans tested positive for heartworm. Among Ae. aegypti heads from blood-fed Ae. aeygpti, two (1.1%) were positive based on cPCR and four (2.5%) were positive based on HRM qPCR. No D. immitis DNA was detected in the 208 pools of whole bodies (358 individuals) of Ae. aegypti gravid females. Conclusions Our study highlights a high prevalence of heartworm in dogs in south Texas and provides evidence that Ae. aegypti could be contributing to heartworm transmission in canine populations in this region. Graphical Abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A. Scavo
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
| | - Italo B. Zecca
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
| | - Caroline Sobotyk
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA ,grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Meriam N. Saleh
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
| | - Sarah K. Lane
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
| | - Mark F. Olson
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
| | - Sarah A. Hamer
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
| | - Guilherme G. Verocai
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
| | - Gabriel L. Hamer
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
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Couper LI, Mordecai EA. Ecological drivers of dog heartworm transmission in California. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:388. [PMID: 36274157 PMCID: PMC9590206 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05526-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Effectively controlling heartworm disease-a major parasitic disease threatening animal health in the US and globally-requires understanding the local ecology of mosquito vectors involved in transmission. However, the key vector species in a given region are often unknown and challenging to identify. Here we investigate (i) the key vector species associated with transmission of the parasite, Dirofilaria immitis, in California and (ii) the climate and land cover drivers of vector presence. METHODS To identify key mosquito vectors involved in transmission, we incorporated long-term, finely resolved mosquito surveillance data and dog heartworm case data in a statistical modeling approach (fixed-effects regression) that rigorously controls for other unobserved drivers of heartworm cases. We then used a flexible machine learning approach (gradient boosted machines) to identify the climate and land cover variables associated with the presence of each species. RESULTS We found significant, regionally specific, positive associations between dog heartworm cases and the abundance of four vector species: Aedes aegypti (Central California), Ae. albopictus (Southern California), Ae. sierrensis (Central California), and Culiseta incidens (Northern and Central California). The proportion of developed land cover was one of the most important ecological variables predicting the presence or absence of the putative vector species. CONCLUSION Our results implicate three previously under-recognized vectors of dog heartworm transmission in California and indicate the land cover types in which each putative vector species is commonly found. Efforts to target these species could prioritize surveillance in these land cover types (e.g. near human dwellings in less urbanized settings for Ae. albopictus and Cs. incidens) but further investigation on the natural infection prevalence and host-biting rates of these species, as well as the other local vectors, is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa I. Couper
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
| | - Erin A. Mordecai
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
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Worsley-Tonks KEL, Gehrt SD, Anchor C, Escobar LE, Craft ME. Infection risk varies within urbanized landscapes: the case of coyotes and heartworm. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:464. [PMID: 34503566 PMCID: PMC8427890 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04958-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urbanization can have profound effects on ecological interactions. For host-pathogen interactions, differences have been detected between urban and non-urban landscapes. However, host-pathogen interactions may also differ within highly heterogeneous, urbanized landscapes. METHODS We investigated differences in infection risk (i.e., probability of infection) within urbanized landscapes using the coyote (Canis latrans) and mosquito-borne nematode, Dirofilaria immitis (the causative agent for canine heartworm), as a case study. We focused on a coyote population in Chicago for which extensive behavioral and heartworm infection data has been collected between 2001 and 2016. Our objectives were to: (i) determine how onset and duration of the heartworm transmission season varied over the 16-year period and across the urban-suburban gradient; and (ii) investigate how heartworm infection risk in coyotes varied over the years, across the urban-suburban gradient, by coyote characteristics (e.g., age, sex, resident status), and coyote use of the urbanized landscape (e.g., use of urban areas, mosquito habitats). RESULTS While onset of the heartworm transmission season differed neither by year nor across the urban-suburban gradient, it was longer closer to the core of Chicago. Of the 315 coyotes sampled, 31.1% were infected with D. immitis. Older coyotes and coyotes sampled in later years (i.e., 2012-2016) were more likely to have heartworm. While coyote location in the urban-suburban gradient was not a significant predictor of infection, the proportion of urban land in coyote home ranges was. Importantly, the size and direction of this association varied by age class. For adults and pups, infection risk declined with urbanization, whereas for subadults it increased. Further, models had a higher predictive power when focusing on resident coyotes (and excluding transient coyotes). The proportion of mosquito habitat in coyote home ranges was not a significant predictor of infection. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that urbanization may affect host exposure to vectors of D. immitis, that risk of infection can vary within urbanized landscapes, and that urbanization-wildlife infection associations may only be detected for animals with certain characteristics (e.g., age class and resident status).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stanley D Gehrt
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.,Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation, Dundee Township, IL, USA
| | - Chris Anchor
- Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Hoffman Estates, IL, 60120, USA
| | - Luis E Escobar
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA
| | - Meggan E Craft
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA.,Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
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Kirik H, Burtin V, Tummeleht L, Kurina O. Friends in All the Green Spaces: Weather Dependent Changes in Urban Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Abundance and Diversity. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12040352. [PMID: 33920956 PMCID: PMC8071238 DOI: 10.3390/insects12040352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Many female mosquitoes require vertebrate blood for egg production. Cities are becoming increasingly important points of contact between mosquitoes and their prey, as large-scale urbanization continues. Human settlements represent unique but fragmented habitats that are permanently warmer than rural areas. Because of this, there is a growing demand to better understand urban mosquito populations and the factors affecting them in various circumstances. The aim of this study was to investigate the weather conditions influencing mosquito species and abundance in a Northern European town. Thus, a three-year-long mosquito collection effort was undertaken in Estonia. Results indicated that the number of active mosquitoes decreased with wind and higher temperatures. Interestingly, there was a significant negative correlation between temperature and humidity. Furthermore, while mosquitoes belonging to the Culex pipiens/Culex torrentium group were consistently abundant during the end of the warm season, other dominant species varied considerably between the months and the three study years. Overall, springtime hydrological conditions seemed to greatly influence the mosquito season. Urbanization could generate both higher temperatures and drier environments, resulting in fewer mosquitoes in some areas. This study also revealed the mosquito species most likely to contribute to disease transmission in Estonian towns. Abstract Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are universally recognized as troublesome pests and vectors of various pathogens and parasites. Understandably, the species makeup and diversity of individual populations depends on local and broad scale environmental trends, especially on temperature and hydrological variations. Anthropogenic landscapes make for unique habitats, but their effect on insects likely varies across climatic regions. The aim of this study was to investigate the diversity and seasonal patterns of urban mosquitoes in the boreal region. Specimens were collected with an insect net from May to September during three years and determined to species or species group level. Weather information was added to each data point and results analyzed using multivariate regression models. Fieldwork yielded 1890 mosquitoes from four genera. Both abundance and the effective number of species (ENS) significantly decreased during the study period. The number of collected mosquitoes had a negative correlation with wind speed and temperature, latter of which exhibited a negative association with humidity. Species succession followed predictable patterns, but with some variation between years. Still, Culex pipiens/Culex torrentium were the most abundant throughout the study. Importantly, all dominant species were known disease vectors. Our work showed that higher temperatures could result in fewer mosquitoes in boreal towns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heli Kirik
- Inst of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwaldi 5D, 51006 Tartu, Estonia;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +372-5649-6490
| | | | - Lea Tummeleht
- Inst of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwaldi 62, 51006 Tartu, Estonia;
| | - Olavi Kurina
- Inst of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwaldi 5D, 51006 Tartu, Estonia;
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Mosquito-borne parasites in the Great Plains: searching for vectors of nematodes and avian malaria parasites. Acta Trop 2021; 213:105735. [PMID: 33159896 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases in the United States have recently increased as a result of the changing nature of vectors, hosts, reservoirs, parasite/pathogens, and the ecological and environmental conditions. While most focus has been on mosquito-borne pathogens affecting humans, little is known regarding parasites of companion animal, livestock and wildlife and their potential mosquito hosts in the United States. This study assessed the prevalence of mature infections of Dirofilaria immitis and avian malaria parasites (Haemosporida) within urban mosquito (Diptera, Culicidae) communities in Oklahoma. 2,620 pools consisting of 12,686 mosquitoes from 13 species collected over two summers were tested for the presence of filarioid and haemosporidian DNA. Dirofilaria immitis-infected mosquitoes were detected only in Aedes albopictus (MIR=0.18-0.22) and Culex pipiens complex (MIR=0.12) collected in cities in central and southern Oklahoma. Two other filarioid nematode species with 91-92% similarity with Onchocerca spp. and Mansonella spp. were also detected. Haemosporidian DNA was detected in 13 mosquito pools (0.9% of pools tested) from seven mosquito species out of 13 species tested. Plasmodium DNA in four species (Cx. coronator, Cx. pipiens complex, Cx. tarsalis, and Psorophora columbiae) had high homology with published sequences of avian Plasmodium species while DNA in four other species (Cx. nigripalpus, Ps. columbiae, Anopheles quadrimaculatus, and An. punctipennis) were closely related to Plasmodium species from deer. One pool of Cx. tarsalis was positive with a 100% sequence identity of Haemoproteus sacharovi. This study provides a baseline concerning the diversity of parasites in different mosquito species present in the southern Great Plains. These studies provide important information for understanding the factors of transmission involving the mosquito community, potential hosts, and different mosquito-borne parasites in this important region involved in livestock management and wildlife conservation.
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Potential mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) vectors of Dirofilaria immitis from residential entryways in Northeast Arkansas. Vet Parasitol 2020; 282:109105. [PMID: 32417600 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The nematode Dirofilaria immitis causes serious disease of canines in the United States. Transmitted by a variety of mosquito species, several studies have examined the prevalence of D. immitis in mosquitoes. However, no prevalence studies have focused on diurnal mosquitoes that could potentially enter homes. Mosquitoes were collected under doorway awnings at four residences to identify the diurnal blood-feeding mosquito species and prevalence of potential vectors harboring D. immitis in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Mosquitoes were collected from May to December 2016 using pheromone traps and aerial nets. Each mosquito was individually dissected and observed for larvae in the head, thorax, and abdomen to identify infective and non-infective larvae. Ten mosquito species from five genera were identified. Larvae, presumed to be D. immitis, were observed in five mosquito species, including Aedes albopictus, Anopheles quadrimaculatus, Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus, Culiseta inornata, and Psorophora columbiae and four genera, including Anopheles spp., Culex spp., Culiseta spp., and Psorophora spp. The diurnal mosquito, Ae. albopictus composed 3.4% of the total mosquitoes collected. An. quadrimaculatus and Anopheles spp. were the most abundant mosquitoes, composing 59.7 and 19.6% of the total mosquitoes collected, respectively. Of the 536 mosquitoes dissected, 60 (11.2%) were observed with D. immitis, and 33 (55.0%) of the heartworm-positive mosquitoes harbored infective (L3) larvae in the head or proboscis upon dissection. The high proportion of infective D. immitis larvae found in the mosquitoes aggregating under doorway awnings may increase the exposure of indoor dogs and cats to heartworm disease in northeast Arkansas.
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Spence Beaulieu MR, Reiskind MH. Comparative Vector Efficiency of Two Prevalent Mosquito Species for Dog Heartworm in North Carolina. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 57:608-614. [PMID: 31687760 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The dog heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy) (Spirurida: Onchocercidae), is a devastating parasite of domestic and wild canines vectored by a multitude of mosquito species. Although many species are implicated as vectors, not all contribute equally to disease transmission, with demonstrated variation in vector efficiency between and within species. We investigated the vector efficiency of mosquitoes derived from wild-caught North Carolina populations of two known heartworm vectors: a native species, Aedes triseriatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae), and an invasive species, Aedes albopictus (Skuse). We compared the parasite developmental times within the mosquito, mosquito longevity and fecundity, and the vector efficiency index between the two species. We found that the tested composite North Carolina population of Ae. triseriatus was an efficient vector of D. immitis under laboratory conditions, whereas the local composite population of Ae. albopictus was a competent but relatively poor vector. Compared with Ae. triseriatus, Ae. albopictus showed a longer time for parasite development, lower infection rates, and lower vector efficiency. Additionally, Ae. albopictus was the sole species to exhibit significant parasite-induced mortality. These results are in contrast to prior studies of populations of Ae. albopictus from locations outside of North Carolina, which have implicated the species as a highly competent heartworm vector. The variation seen for different strains of the same species emphasizes the heritable nature of D. immitis vector competence and highlights the need for local infection studies for accurate transmission risk assessment in a particular locale.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael H Reiskind
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
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Mosquito diversity and dog heartworm prevalence in suburban areas. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:12. [PMID: 31924253 PMCID: PMC6953185 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3874-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Urbanization is occurring rapidly on a global scale and is altering mosquito communities, creating assemblages that are characteristically less diverse. Despite high rates of urbanization and ample examples of vector-borne diseases transmitted by multiple species, the effects of urbanization-driven mosquito diversity losses on disease transmission has not been well explored. We investigated this question using the dog heartworm, a filarial parasite vectored by numerous mosquito species. Methods We trapped host-seeking mosquitoes in undeveloped areas and neighborhoods of different ages in Wake County, North Carolina, USA, analyzing captured mosquitoes for heartworm DNA. We compared within-mosquito heartworm infection across land-use types by Kruskal–Wallis and likelihood ratio tests. Using zip code level data acquired from dogs in a local shelter, we performed linear regressions of within-host heartworm prevalence by within-mosquito heartworm prevalence as well as by three mosquito diversity measures. We also determined the best predictor of host-level prevalence among models including within-mosquito infection, mosquito diversity and abundance, and socioeconomic status as variables. Results Suburban areas had lower within-mosquito heartworm prevalence and lower likelihood of heartworm-positive mosquitoes than did undeveloped field sites, although no differences were seen between suburban and undeveloped wooded sites. No relationships were noted between within-mosquito and within-host heartworm prevalence. However, mosquito diversity metrics were positively correlated with host heartworm prevalence. Model selection revealed within-host prevalence was best predicted by a positive relationship with mosquito Shannon–Wiener diversity and a negative relationship with household income. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that decreases in mosquito diversity due to urbanization alter vector-borne disease risk. With regard to dog heartworm disease, this loss of mosquito diversity is associated with decreased heartworm prevalence within both the vector and the host. Although the response is likely different for diseases transmitted by one or few species, mosquito diversity losses leading to decreased transmission could be generalizable to other pathogens with multiple vectors. This study contributes to better understanding of the effects of urbanization and the role of vector diversity in multi-vectored pathosystems.![]()
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Pluemer M, Dubay S, Drake D, Crimmins S, Veverka T, Hovanec H, Torkelson M, Mueller M. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and coyotes (Canis latrans) in an urban landscape: prevalence and risk factors for disease. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juz022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Urbanized areas contain fragmented landscapes and abundant resources, resulting in concentrated and increased wildlife populations in relatively close contact with other wildlife species, humans, and their domestic pets, thereby posing novel disease risks and facilitating inter-specific disease transmission. We trapped and radio-collared 15 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and 14 coyotes (Canis latrans) in the urban landscape of Madison, Wisconsin, to determine the prevalence of disease among these canids and to examine how these canids were using the landscape. Using Fisher’s exact probability tests, we found that coyotes had a significantly higher seroprevalence of Lyme disease (P = 0.002) and a higher prevalence of canine heartworm disease (P = 0.02) than foxes. Red foxes did not select specific habitat types in the urban landscape, but coyotes selected for forest and grass cover types, and avoided developed sites. Understanding the prevalence of disease in urban canid populations is important because diseases affecting urban canids cause morbidity and mortality and are transmissible to domestic dogs, and vice versa. Additionally, urban canids may serve as sentinels for zoonotic diseases such as Lyme disease and leptospirosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Pluemer
- College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, 800 Reserve Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481, USA
| | - Shelli Dubay
- College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, 800 Reserve Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481, USA
| | - David Drake
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Shawn Crimmins
- College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, 800 Reserve Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481, USA
| | - Tessa Veverka
- College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, 800 Reserve Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481, USA
| | - Holly Hovanec
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2005 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Miranda Torkelson
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2005 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Marcus Mueller
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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Bradt D, Wormington JD, Long JM, Hoback WW, Noden BH. Differences in Mosquito Communities in Six Cities in Oklahoma. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 56:1395-1403. [PMID: 30950499 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases in the United States have recently increased as a result of the changing nature of vectors, hosts, reservoirs, pathogens, and the ecological and environmental conditions. Current information on vector habitats and how mosquito community composition varies across space and time is vital to successful vector-borne disease management. This study characterizes mosquito communities in urban areas of Oklahoma, United States, an ecologically diverse region in the southern Great Plains. Between May and September 2016, 11,996 female mosquitoes of 34 species were collected over 798 trap nights using three different trap types in six Oklahoma cities. The most abundant species trapped were Culex pipiens L. complex (32.4%) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) (12.0%). Significant differences among mosquito communities were detected using analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) between the early (May-July) and late (August-September) season. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) further highlighted the cities of Altus and Idabel as relatively unique mosquito communities, mostly due to the presence of Aedes aegypti (L.) and salt-marsh species and absence of Aedes triseriatus (Say) in Altus and an abundance of Ae. albopictus in Idabel. These data underscore the importance of assessing mosquito communities in urban environments found in multiple ecoregions of Oklahoma to allow customized vector management targeting the unique assemblage of species found in each city.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bradt
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
| | | | - James M Long
- U.S. Geological Survey, Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
| | - W Wyatt Hoback
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
| | - Bruce H Noden
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
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Shaikevich E, Bogacheva A, Ganushkina L. Dirofilaria and Wolbachia in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in central European Russia and on the Black Sea coast. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 26:2. [PMID: 30644356 PMCID: PMC6333102 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2019002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Dirofilariasis is endemic in Russia, as well as in many other European countries. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of mosquitoes to transfer Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens in regions with temperate and subtropical climates. The possible impact of the symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia on Dirofilaria transmission was also investigated. 5333 female mosquitoes were collected at 11 points in central European Russia and on the Black Sea coast during the period 2013–2017. Out of 20 mosquito species examined, 14 were infected with D. repens and 13 with D. immitis. Both species of Dirofilaria were found in different climatic regions. The total Dirofilaria spp. estimated infection rate (EIR) in the central part of Russia varied from 3.1% to 3.7% and, in the southern region, from 1.1% to 3.0%. The highest estimated infection rate was found in Anopheles messeae, the lowest in Culex pipiens. The greatest epidemiological danger was represented by Aedes aegypti, Ae. geniculatus, An. messeae and Ae. communis. Six out of 20 mosquito species were infected with Wolbachia. Pools of Aedes albopictus, Cx. pipiens and Coquillettidia richiardii were simultaneously infected with Dirofilaria and Wolbachia. After checking mosquitoes individually, it was found that there was no development of Dirofilaria to the infective larval stage in specimens infected with Wolbachia. Twenty-two Dirofilaria-infective pools were Wolbachia-free and only two mosquito pools were Wolbachia-infected. The potential for transmission of Dirofilaria in mosquito species naturally uninfected with the symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia is higher than in species infected with the bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Shaikevich
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | | | - Ludmila Ganushkina
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector-Borne Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow 119435, Russia
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Bradt D, Coburn L, Bradley KK, Noden BH. First Record of Aedes japonicus japonicus in Oklahoma, 2017. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MOSQUITO CONTROL ASSOCIATION 2018; 34:38-41. [PMID: 31442116 DOI: 10.2987/17-6690.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In spring 2017, mosquito larvae were collected from 25 sites across eastern Oklahoma as part of a Zika virus vector surveillance effort. Aedes japonicus japonicus larvae were collected from horse troughs at 2 sites in Ottawa County, OK. Identification was made using 1 larva stored in 70% ethanol and 3 adult females reared from the larvae. Another invasive mosquito species, Culex coronator, was detected at 2 different sites, adding 2 additional counties to the 9 where the species had been previously reported. The presence of these invasive species in Oklahoma may have an impact on future regional arbovirus concerns.
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Herrin BH, Peregrine AS, Goring J, Beall MJ, Little SE. Canine infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, Dirofilaria immitis, Anaplasma spp. and Ehrlichia spp. in Canada, 2013-2014. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:244. [PMID: 28526093 PMCID: PMC5437676 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2184-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 10/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Canine test results generated by veterinarians throughout Canada from 2013-2014 were evaluated to assess the geographical distribution of canine infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, Dirofilaria immitis, Ehrlichia spp., and Anaplasma spp. METHODS The percent positive test results of 115,636 SNAP® 4Dx® Plus tests from dogs tested were collated by province and municipality to determine the distribution of these vector-borne infections in Canada. RESULTS A total of 2,844/115,636 (2.5%) dogs tested positive for antibody to B. burgdorferi. In contrast, positive test results for D. immitis antigen and antibodies to Ehrlichia spp. and Anaplasma spp. were low, with less than 0.5% of dogs testing positive for any one of these three agents nationwide. Provincial seroprevalence for antibodies to B. burgdorferi ranged from 0.5% (Saskatchewan)-15.7% (Nova Scotia); the areas of highest percent positive test results were in proximity to regions in the USA considered endemic for Lyme borreliosis, including Nova Scotia (15.7%) and Eastern Ontario (5.1%). These high endemic foci, which had significantly higher percent positive test results than the rest of the nation (P < 0.0001), were surrounded by areas of moderate to low seroprevalence in New Brunswick (3.7%), Quebec (2.8%), and the rest of Ontario (0.9%), as well as northward and westward through Manitoba (2.4%) and Saskatchewan (0.5%). Insufficient results were available from the westernmost provinces, including Alberta and British Columbia, to allow analysis. CONCLUSION Increased surveillance of these vector-borne disease agents, especially B. burgdorferi, is important as climate, vector range, and habitat continues to change throughout Canada. Using dogs as sentinels for these pathogens can aid in recognition of the public and veterinary health threat that each pose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian H Herrin
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.
| | - Andrew S Peregrine
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - Susan E Little
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
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Bradt DL, Bradley KK, Hoback WW, Noden BH. New Records of Aedes aegypti In Southern Oklahoma, 2016. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MOSQUITO CONTROL ASSOCIATION 2017; 33:56-59. [PMID: 28388329 DOI: 10.2987/16-6627.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is an important subtropical vector species and is predicted to have a limited year-round distribution in the southern United States. Collection of the species has not been officially verified in Oklahoma since 1940. Adult mosquitoes were collected in 42 sites across 7 different cities in Oklahoma using 3 different mosquito traps between May and September 2016. Between July and September 2016, 88 Ae. aegypti adults were collected at 18 different sites in 4 different cities across southern Oklahoma. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mini light traps baited with CO2 attracted the highest numbers of Ae. aegypti individuals compared to Biogents (BG)-Sentinel® traps baited with Biogents (BG)-lure and octenol and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gravid traps baited with Bermuda grass-infused water. The discovery of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes within urban/exurban areas in Oklahoma is important from an ecological as well as a public health perspective.
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Șuleșco T, von Thien H, Toderaș L, Toderaș I, Lühken R, Tannich E. Circulation of Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis in Moldova. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:627. [PMID: 27912786 PMCID: PMC5135815 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1916-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over the last two decades, a significant spread of dirofilariasis has been observed in eastern and central Europe. However, data on the circulation of Dirofilaria spp. in Moldova were absent although direct neighbor states reported high incidence rates of human dirofilariasis. METHODS Daily mean temperature data were used to calculate Dirofilaria spp. development units, which were used to estimate the potential for complete extrinsic development in the mosquitoes (= sum of potential Dirofilaria spp. transmission days). In addition, 4,481 adult female mosquitoes were collected from 25 trapping sites. From 2010 to 2015, sampling was conducted with Centers for Disease Control miniature light traps, indoor resting mosquito collections as well as human landing catches in urban, rural and natural areas. Mosquitoes were analyzed for the presence of D. repens and D. immitis DNA using a duplex real-time PCR assay targeting nucleotide differences within the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (D. repens) and 16S rRNA gene fragment (D. immitis). RESULTS The average of the yearly sum of potential Dirofilaria spp. transmission days between 2010 and 2015 ranged from 90 to 140 days with an increasing gradient from the North to the South of Moldova. Positive mosquito pools for D. repens were found countrywide at 13 of the 25 trapping sites and in 17 of the 22 screened mosquito taxa (26.51% of all 347 tested pools), while D. immitis was detected only at 4 of the trapping sites (Center and South) in 4 different mosquito species (8.65% of all 347 tested pools). Highest infection rates (EIR) per 100 specimens for both Dirofilaria species were found in An. maculipennis (s.l.) (D. repens: EIR = 4.91; D. immitis: EIR = 2.01), whereas the most frequent mosquito taxon Cx. pipiens (s.l.)/torrentium had significantly lower infections rates (D. repens: EIR = 0.88; D. immitis: EIR = 0.47). CONCLUSIONS The temperature conditions in Moldova are suitable for transmission of Dirofilaria spp. within the entire country, which is supported by a wide distribution of Dirofilaria spp.-positive mosquitoes with high infection rates. The low number of reported human cases most likely does not reflect the current epidemiological situation of dirofilariasis in Moldova.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Șuleșco
- Institute of Zoology, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Chisinau, Moldova
| | - Heidrun von Thien
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lidia Toderaș
- Institute of Zoology, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Chisinau, Moldova
| | - Ion Toderaș
- Institute of Zoology, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Chisinau, Moldova
| | - Renke Lühken
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Egbert Tannich
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Luebeck-Borstel, Hamburg, Germany
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Noden BH, Coburn L, Wright R, Bradley K. An Updated Checklist of the Mosquitoes of Oklahoma Including New State Records and West Nile Virus Vectors, 2003-06. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MOSQUITO CONTROL ASSOCIATION 2015; 31:336-345. [PMID: 26675455 DOI: 10.2987/moco-31-04-336-345.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The mosquito fauna of Oklahoma has not been evaluated since 1965 and no report has been published concerning species associated with urban areas in the state. Mosquito collections were conducted as part of the West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance program between April and November from 2003 to 2006, using standard collection methods. A total of 74,756 adults were collected in 26 urban centers in 16 counties of Oklahoma. Altogether, 40 species were recorded during this study period, bringing the total mosquito species recorded in Oklahoma to 62 species in 9 different genera and 18 subgenera. An updated checklist of Oklahoma mosquito fauna is included with a comparison to historical records. New state records include 3 species: Aedes muelleri, Anopheles perplexens, and Culex coronator. In addition to updating the checklist, 12 species of mosquitoes were tested for WNV. Pools of Culex pipiens complex represented the highest proportion testing positive for WNV (134/766, 17.5%), followed by Cx. tarsalis (13/192, 6.8%) and Aedes albopictus (5/215, 2.3%). West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes were detected earliest in June 2005 and latest in November 2004. Infected Cx. pipiens complex testing positive for WNV were more prevalent in the eastern and central areas of Oklahoma, whereas positive Cx. tarsalis were found mainly in the western areas of the state. This distinct geographical difference needs to be monitored and followed up to ensure optimal mosquito control efforts in Oklahoma communities with mosquito control capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce H Noden
- 1 Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74075
| | - Lisa Coburn
- 1 Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74075
| | - Russell Wright
- 1 Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74075
| | - Kristy Bradley
- 2 Oklahoma Department of Health, Oklahoma City, OK 73117
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LaDeau SL, Allan BF, Leisnham PT, Levy MZ. The ecological foundations of transmission potential and vector-borne disease in urban landscapes. Funct Ecol 2015; 29:889-901. [PMID: 26549921 PMCID: PMC4631442 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Urban transmission of arthropod-vectored disease has increased in recent decades. Understanding and managing transmission potential in urban landscapes requires integration of sociological and ecological processes that regulate vector population dynamics, feeding behavior, and vector-pathogen interactions in these unique ecosystems. Vectorial capacity is a key metric for generating predictive understanding about transmission potential in systems with obligate vector transmission. This review evaluates how urban conditions, specifically habitat suitability and local temperature regimes, and the heterogeneity of urban landscapes can influence the biologically-relevant parameters that define vectorial capacity: vector density, survivorship, biting rate, extrinsic incubation period, and vector competence.Urban landscapes represent unique mosaics of habitat. Incidence of vector-borne disease in urban host populations is rarely, if ever, evenly distributed across an urban area. The persistence and quality of vector habitat can vary significantly across socio-economic boundaries to influence vector species composition and abundance, often generating socio-economically distinct gradients of transmission potential across neighborhoods.Urban regions often experience unique temperature regimes, broadly termed urban heat islands (UHI). Arthropod vectors are ectothermic organisms and their growth, survival, and behavior are highly sensitive to environmental temperatures. Vector response to UHI conditions is dependent on regional temperature profiles relative to the vector's thermal performance range. In temperate climates UHI can facilitate increased vector development rates while having countervailing influence on survival and feeding behavior. Understanding how urban heat island (UHI) conditions alter thermal and moisture constraints across the vector life cycle to influence transmission processes is an important direction for both empirical and modeling research.There remain persistent gaps in understanding of vital rates and drivers in mosquito-vectored disease systems, and vast holes in understanding for other arthropod vectored diseases. Empirical studies are needed to better understand the physiological constraints and socio-ecological processes that generate heterogeneity in critical transmission parameters, including vector survival and fitness. Likewise, laboratory experiments and transmission models must evaluate vector response to realistic field conditions, including variability in sociological and environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian F. Allan
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Paul T. Leisnham
- Concentration in Ecosystem Health and Natural Resource Management, Department of Environmental Science & Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Michael Z. Levy
- Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Noden BH, Coburn L, Wright R, Bradley K. Updated Distribution of Aedes albopictus in Oklahoma, and Implications in Arbovirus Transmission. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MOSQUITO CONTROL ASSOCIATION 2015; 31:93-96. [PMID: 25843181 DOI: 10.2987/14-6446r.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
A series of statewide surveys were conducted in Oklahoma in the summers between 1991 and 2004 to identify the distribution of Aedes albopictus. Adult mosquitoes were identified in 63 counties, bringing the currently known distribution of Ae. albopictus in the state to 69 of 77 counties. The widespread presence of Ae. albopictus in Oklahoma has important current and future public and veterinary health implications for surveillance and control efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce H Noden
- 1 Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74075
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