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serologic evidence of widespread everglades virus activity in dogs, florida.everglades virus (evev), an alphavirus in the venezuelan equine encephalitis complex, circulates among rodents and vector mosquitoes in florida and occasionally infects humans. it causes febrile disease, sometimes accompanied by neurologic manifestations. although previous surveys showed high seroprevalence in humans, evev infections may be underdiagnosed because the disease is not severe enough to warrant a clinic visit or the undifferentiated presentations complicate diagnosis. documented evev ...200617326938
infection and dissemination of venezuelan equine encephalitis virus in the epidemic mosquito vector, aedes taeniorhynchus.the mosquito aedes taeniorhynchus is an important epidemic vector of venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (veev), but detailed studies of its infection are lacking. we compared infection by an epidemic veev strain to that by an enzootic strain using virus titrations, immunohistochemistry, and a virus expressing the green fluorescent protein. ae. taeniorhynchus was more susceptible to the epidemic strain, which initially infected the posterior midgut and occasionally the anterior midgut and cardi ...200717620651
reduced infection in mosquitoes exposed to blood meals containing previously frozen flaviviruses.the increased difficulty and expense of using live animals for delivering infectious blood meals in arthropod-borne virus vector competence experiments has resulted in an increase in the use of artificial feeding systems. compared to live hosts, artificial systems require higher viral titers to attain mosquito infection, thereby limiting the utility of such systems with low or moderate titer virus stocks. based on the report that freshly propagated virus is more infectious than previously frozen ...200717686541
malaria mosquito control using edible fish in western kenya: preliminary findings of a controlled study.biological control methods are once again being given much research focus for malaria vector control. this is largely due to the emerging threat of strong resistance to pesticides. larvivorous fish have been used for over 100 years in mosquito control and many species have proved effective. in the western kenyan highlands the larvivorous fish oreochromis niloticus l. (perciformes: cichlidae) (formerly tilapia nilotica) is commonly farmed and eaten but has not been previously tested in the field ...200717688686
effect of discriminative plant-sugar feeding on the survival and fecundity of anopheles gambiae.a previous study showed for anopheles gambiae s.s. a gradation of feeding preference on common plant species growing in a malaria holoendemic area in western kenya. the present follow-up study determines whether there is a relationship between the mosquito's preferences and its survival and fecundity.200717711580
drosophila melanogaster methoprene-tolerant (met) gene homologs from three mosquito species: members of pas transcriptional factor family.the methoprene-tolerant (met) gene in drosophila melanogaster has been shown to function in juvenile hormone (jh) action. met homologs were isolated from three mosquito species, culex pipiens, aedes aegypti and anopheles gambiae. sequence similarity was found to be high in bhlh and pas conserved domains, and the majority of the 7-9 introns in aamet and agmet are located in either identical or similar positions, indicating evolutionary relatedness. sequence comparison with met and the similar ger ...200717166512
experimental cutaneous bacillus anthracis infections in hairless hrs/j mice.previous studies of experimental bacillus anthracis cutaneous infections in mice have implicated hair follicles as a likely entry site. hairless hrs/j mice were used to investigate this possibility because of their non-functional hair follicles that lack penetrating hair shafts. these mice also have diminished macrophage function, increased susceptibility to listeria, and enhanced neutrophil responses. hrs/j and balb/c mice were found to be resistant to epicutaneous inoculation with bacillus ant ...200717244341
dengue virus type 2: replication and tropisms in orally infected aedes aegypti mosquitoes.to be transmitted by its mosquito vector, dengue virus (denv) must infect midgut epithelial cells, replicate and disseminate into the hemocoel, and finally infect the salivary glands, which is essential for transmission. the extrinsic incubation period (eip) is very relevant epidemiologically and is the time required from the ingestion of virus until it can be transmitted to the next vertebrate host. the eip is conditioned by the kinetics and tropisms of virus replication in its vector. here we ...200717263893
distinct roles of broad isoforms in regulation of the 20-hydroxyecdysone effector gene, vitellogenin, in the mosquito aedes aegypti.we investigated the role of the mosquito broad (br) gene in regulating the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20e) effector vitellogenin (vg) gene. injection of double-stranded rna corresponding to the br isoform z2 led to a significant decrease in expression of the vg gene at 8 and 24h post-blood meal. knockdown of z1 or z4 resulted in enhanced vg expression beyond its normal expression time. in vitro studies suggested that the effects of br require its direct binding to the vg promoter, as well as protein-pr ...200717303321
semiochemicals, traps/targets and mass trapping technology for mosquito management.technologies which utilize semiochemicals, traps/targets and mass trapping are relatively new for management of adult mosquito populations. to date most of the emphasis has been on developing barriers of attractant-baited and insecticide-impregnated targets. the most successful continuous use of this type of technology has been at stevens' landing, collier county, fl. recently, commercially available traps have been evaluated for their ability to reduce nuisance populations of mosquitoes. use of ...200717853609
efficacy studies of aquaprene (1.8% and 2.8% ai) sand granules and altosid xr-g (1.5% ai) sand granules against first and second instars of ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus as a preflood treatment in small field plots.an efficacy study was conducted to evaluate sand granule formulations of aquaprene (1.8% and 2.8% active ingredient [ai]) and altosid xr-g (1.5% ai) as a preflood application against ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus larvae in small field test plots. aquaprene sand granules (2.8% al) were applied at 2.5 and 5 lb/acre and the 1.8% ai formulation at 4.2 lb/acre. the 1.8% ai formulation was compared with altosid xr-g sand granules (1.5% ai) applied at 5 lb/acre. plots were flooded after 7 days, and 1st a ...200717847853
field tests of malathion and permethrin applied via a truck-mounted cold fogger to both open and vegetated habitats.field tests of formulated permethrin (permanone 30:30) and malathion applied by ground ultra-low volume equipment were conducted using caged, laboratory-reared, adult ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus. cages were placed in an open field and also in semi-dense scrub pine. two doses, a high and a medium dose of each compound, were applied as suggested by the label. regardless of application rate, neither chemical provided satisfactory control under the canopy. the average mortality count at the open sit ...200717536368
characterization of a juvenile hormone-regulated chymotrypsin-like serine protease gene in aedes aegypti mosquito.after female mosquitoes ingest blood from vertebrate hosts, exopeptidases and endopeptidases are required for digesting blood proteins in the midgut into amino acids, which female mosquitoes use to build yolk proteins. these proteases are not always present in the midgut, and their diverse expression patterns suggest that production of these enzymes is highly regulated in order to meet specific physiological demands at various stages. here we report identification of a serine-type protease, jha1 ...200718207080
phylogenetic evidence for extensive lateral acquisition of cellular genes by nucleocytoplasmic large dna viruses.nucleo-cytoplasmic large dna viruses (ncldv), a diverse group that infects a wide range of eukaryotic hosts, exhibit a large heterogeneity in genome size (between 100 kb and 1.2 mb) but have been suggested to form a monophyletic group on the basis of a small subset of approximately 30 conserved genes. ncldv were proposed to have evolved by simplification from cellular organism although some of the giant ncldv have clearly grown by gene accretion from a bacterial origin.200819036122
protection of hamsters by venezuelan equine encephalitis virus candidate vaccine v3526 against lethal challenge by mosquito bite and intraperitoneal injection.in an attempt to improve the current live, attenuated vaccine (tc-83) for venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (veev), specific mutations associated with attenuation of veev in rodent models were inserted into a full-length cdna clone of the trinidad donkey strain of veev by site-directed mutagenesis. because some viruses have been reported to be more pathogenic when introduced by mosquito bite than the same virus introduced by needle inoculation, there were concerns that the presence of mosquit ...200818256440
potential for north american mosquitoes to transmit rift valley fever virus.the rapid spread of west nile viral activity across north america since its discovery in 1999 illustrates the potential for an exotic arbovirus to be introduced and widely established across north america. rift valley fever virus (rvfv) has been responsible for large outbreaks in africa that have resulted in hundreds of thousands of human infections and major economic disruption due to loss of livestock and to trade restrictions. however, little is known about the potential for north american mo ...200819181056
venezuelan equine encephalitis virus in the mosquito vector aedes taeniorhynchus: infection initiated by a small number of susceptible epithelial cells and a population bottleneck.we evaluated infection of aedes taeniorhynchus mosquitoes, vectors of venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (veev), using radiolabeled virus and replicon particles expressing green (gfp) or cherry fluorescent protein (cfp). more epidemic veev bound to and infected mosquito midguts compared to an enzootic strain, and a small number of midgut cells was preferentially infected. chimeric replicons infected midgut cells at rates comparable to those of the structural gene donor. the numbers of midgut c ...200818023837
experimental infection of aedes sollicitans and aedes taeniorhynchus with two chimeric sindbis/eastern equine encephalitis virus vaccine candidates.two chimeric vaccine candidates for eastern equine encephalitis virus (eeev) were developed by inserting the structural protein genes of either a north american (na) or south american (sa) eeev into a sindbis virus (sinv) backbone. to assess the effect of chimerization on mosquito infectivity, experimental infections of two potential north american bridge vectors of eeev, aedes sollicitans and ae. taeniorhynchus, were attempted. both species were susceptible to oral infection with all viruses af ...200818187790
ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus: a probable vector of dirofilaria immitis in coastal areas of yucatan, mexico.mosquito collections were done on microfilaremic dogs, positive for dirofilaria immitis (leidy), for 15 consecutive nights in celestun, yucatan, southeastern mexico, during january 2007. in total, 275 mosquitoes (3 male and 272 female) of five species were collected: ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus (wiedemann), ochlerotatus sollicitans (walker), culex quinquefasciatus say, culex interrogator (dyar & knab), and aedes aegypti (l.). oc. taeniorhynchus was the species most frequently collected, and it h ...200818283960
genetic diversity and purifying selection in west nile virus populations are maintained during host switching.to investigate differential evolutionary rates and selective forces of wnv in hosts and vectors, we measured the genetic diversity that arose during alternating passage in mosquitoes and birds. within-host genetic diversity was monitored in each of three experimentally passed replicates, and the complete genome sequence of each wnv strain was determined after passage. the intrahost genetic diversity that arose during alternating passage was significantly greater than the diversity generated duri ...200818395240
arbovirus transmission by culex nigripalpus in florida, 2005.understanding the transmission patterns of west nile and st. louis encephalitis viruses (family flaviviridae, genus flavivirus, wnv and slev) could result in an increased ability to predict transmission risk to humans. to examine transmission patterns between vector and host, we trapped mosquitoes in three florida counties from june to november 2005 by using chicken-baited lard can mosquito traps. these traps were used to monitor for presence of wnv and slev in mosquitoes and subsequent transmis ...200818533444
persistent west nile virus transmission and the apparent displacement st. louis encephalitis virus in southeastern california, 2003-2006.west nile virus (family flaviviridae, genus flavivirus, wnv) invaded the colorado desert biome of southern california during summer 2003 and seemed to displace previously endemic st. louis encephalitis virus (family flaviviridae, genus flavivirus, slev, an antigenically similar flavivirus in the japanese encephalitis virus serocomplex). western equine encephalomyelitis virus (family togaviridae, genus alphavirus, weev), an antigenically distinct alphavirus, was detected during 2005 and 2006, ind ...200818533445
density-dependent competitive suppression of sylvatic dengue virus by endemic dengue virus in cultured mosquito cells.mosquito-borne dengue viruses are maintained in two discrete transmission cycles: a sylvatic cycle between nonhuman primates and sylvatic aedes mosquitoes, and an endemic cycle between humans and peridomestic aedes (primarily ae. aegypti and ae. albopictus). most sylvatic strains are genetically distinct from endemic strains, and human infections with sylvatic strains have been detected only rarely. interestingly, sylvatic strains replicate as well as endemic strains in ae. aegypti and experimen ...200818620509
canine vector-borne diseases in brazil.abstract: canine vector-borne diseases (cvbds) are highly prevalent in brazil and represent a challenge to veterinarians and public health workers, since some diseases are of great zoonotic potential. dogs are affected by many protozoa (e.g., babesia vogeli, leishmania infantum, and trypanosoma cruzi), bacteria (e.g., anaplasma platys and ehrlichia canis), and helminths (e.g., dirofilaria immitis and dipylidium caninum) that are transmitted by a diverse range of arthropod vectors, including tick ...200818691408
seasonal profiles of aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae) larval habitats in an urban area of costa rica with a history of mosquito control.dengue is the most important arboviral disease worldwide and the principal vector-borne disease in costa rica. control of aedes aegypti populations through source reduction is still considered the most effective way of prevention and control, although it has proven ineffective or unsustainable in many areas with a history of mosquito control. in this study, seasonal profiles and productivity of aedes aegypti were analyzed in the city of puntarenas, costa rica, where vector control has been pract ...200818697310
field evaluation of boric acid- and fipronil-based bait stations against adult mosquitoes.the effectiveness of boric acid (1%) and fipronil (0.1%) bait stations in reducing the number of laboratory-reared female aedes aegypti and ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus mosquitoes released in outdoor screened cages was evaluated. both toxicants significantly reduced landing rates of the 2 mosquito species on a human subject. however, no significant reduction in the number of adult mosquitoes caught by counterflow geometry (cfg) traps baited with co2 was observed in the boric acid- and fipronil-tr ...200818939695
detection of rna from a novel west nile-like virus and high prevalence of an insect-specific flavivirus in mosquitoes in the yucatan peninsula of mexico.as part of our ongoing surveillance efforts for west nile virus (wnv) in the yucatan peninsula of mexico, 96,687 mosquitoes collected from january through december 2007 were assayed by virus isolation in mammalian cells. three mosquito pools caused cytopathic effect. two isolates were orthobunyaviruses (cache valley virus and kairi virus) and the identity of the third infectious agent was not determined. a subset of mosquitoes was also tested by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (r ...200919141845
detection of novel sequences related to african swine fever virus in human serum and sewage.the family asfarviridae contains only a single virus species, african swine fever virus (asfv). asfv is a viral agent with significant economic impact due to its devastating effects on populations of domesticated pigs during outbreaks but has not been reported to infect humans. we report here the discovery of novel viral sequences in human serum and sewage which are clearly related to the asfarvirus family but highly divergent from asfv. detection of these sequences suggests that greater genetic ...200919812170
evolution of dna ligases of nucleo-cytoplasmic large dna viruses of eukaryotes: a case of hidden complexity.eukaryotic nucleo-cytoplasmic large dna viruses (ncldv) encode most if not all of the enzymes involved in their dna replication. it has been inferred that genes for these enzymes were already present in the last common ancestor of the ncldv. however, the details of the evolution of these genes that bear on the complexity of the putative ancestral ncldv and on the evolutionary relationships between viruses and their hosts are not well understood.200920021668
seasonal variation of potential flavivirus vectors in an urban biological reserve in northeastern brazil.although yellow fever (yf) has not been reported on the eastern coast of brazil since 1942, there was a reemergence of dengue fever in brazil in 1987 due to the reintroduction of aedes aegypti (l.). to assess areas of potential risk for transmission of vector-borne diseases, a surveillance system was placed in a large atlantic forest reserve in natal, rio grande do norte, brazil, where in 2004 unexplained epizootics were reported among marmosets. the etiologic agent causing the mortality in marm ...200919960696
geostatistical evaluation of integrated marsh management impact on mosquito vectors using before-after-control-impact (baci) design.in many parts of the world, salt marshes play a key ecological role as the interface between the marine and the terrestrial environments. salt marshes are also exceedingly important for public health as larval habitat for mosquitoes that are vectors of disease and significant biting pests. although grid ditching and pesticides have been effective in salt marsh mosquito control, marsh degradation and other environmental considerations compel a different approach. targeted habitat modification and ...200919549297
identification of two mosquitocidal bacillus cereus strains showing different host ranges.mosquitocidal bacteria, m413 and c32 have been isolated from sediment samples collected from woodland and ditch, respectively. gas chromatographic analysis of fatty acids methyl esters (gc-fame) and 16s rrna gene sequence alignment results showed these isolates belong to bacillus cereus. the sds-page analysis of sporulated cultures of both isolates showed two major bands very similar in size. interestingly, however, m413 is mainly toxic to 4th instars of ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus whereas c32 i ...200918854193
natural colonization and adaptation of a mosquito species in galapagos and its implications for disease threats to endemic wildlife.emerging infectious diseases of wildlife have been recognized as a major threat to global biodiversity. endemic species on isolated oceanic islands, such as the galápagos, are particularly at risk in the face of introduced pathogens and disease vectors. the black salt-marsh mosquito (aedes taeniorhynchus) is the only mosquito widely distributed across the galápagos archipelago. here we show that this mosquito naturally colonized the galápagos before the arrival of man, and since then it has evol ...200919502421
venezuelan equine encephalitis in panama: fatal endemic disease and genetic diversity of etiologic viral strains.venezuelan equine encephalitis (vee) is a reemerging, mosquito-borne viral disease of the neotropics that is severely debilitating and sometimes fatal to humans. periodic epidemics mediated by equine amplification have been recognized since the 1920s, but interepidemic disease is rarely recognized. we report here clinical findings and genetic characterization of 42 cases of endemic vee detected in panama from 1961-2004. recent clusters of cases occurred in darien (eastern panama) and panama prov ...200919564908
microsatellite markers characterized in the mosquito aedes taeniorhynchus (diptera, culicidae), a disease vector and major pest on the american coast and the galápagos islands.the black salt-marsh mosquito, aedes taeniorhynchus, plays an important role in the transmission of arboviruses such as west nile virus and other pathogens of concern for human and animal health in north and latin america. this mosquito is notably the only widely distributed mosquito species found in the galápagos islands, where its impact as disease vector has not yet been studied. the use of microsatellite markers can significantly improve our understanding of the population structure and dyna ...200919655436
evidence for regular ongoing introductions of mosquito disease vectors into the galapagos islands.wildlife on isolated oceanic islands is highly susceptible to the introduction of pathogens. the recent establishment in the galápagos islands of the mosquito culex quinquefasciatus, a vector for diseases such as avian malaria and west nile fever, is considered a serious risk factor for the archipelago's endemic fauna. here we present evidence from the monitoring of aeroplanes and genetic analysis that c. quinquefasciatus is regularly introduced via aircraft into the galápagos archipelago. genet ...200919675009
epistatic roles of e2 glycoprotein mutations in adaption of chikungunya virus to aedes albopictus and ae. aegypti mosquitoes.between 2005 and 2007 chikungunya virus (chikv) caused its largest outbreak/epidemic in documented history. an unusual feature of this epidemic is the involvement of ae. albopictus as a principal vector. previously we have demonstrated that a single mutation e1-a226v significantly changed the ability of the virus to infect and be transmitted by this vector when expressed in the background of well characterized chikv strains lr2006 opy1 and 37997. however, in the current study we demonstrate that ...200919718263
seasonal and diel patterns of biting midges (ceratopogonidae) and mosquitoes (culicidae) on the parris island marine corps recruit depot.the marine corps recruit depot on parris island, sc, is surrounded by tidal salt marshes, which are breeding habitats for many pestiferous biting flies. knowledge of biting fly behavior patterns is needed to develop effective pest management strategies in urban areas adjacent to salt marshes. we measured biting midge (ceratopogonidae) and mosquito (culicidae) seasonal abundance and diel activity patterns on parris island using co(2)-baited suction traps from november 2001 - november 2004. of the ...200920836813
genetic variability and heterogeneity of venezuelan equine encephalitis virus vector ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus (diptera: culicidae) populations of the colombian atlantic coast, based on microsatellite loci.in colombia, the mosquito ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus has been identified as an efficient vector of the epidemic-epizootic venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. we evaluated the genetic variability and heterogeneity of this mosquito in colombian populations using eight microsatellite dna loci. two hundred and ten mosquito specimens collected from seven populations of the colombian atlantic coast (san bernardo del viento, coveñas, cartagena, barranquilla, ciénaga, dibulla, and riohacha) were anal ...200919866436
isoenzyme polymorphism and genetic structure of ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus (diptera: culicidae) in populations from the colombian atlantic coast. 200919452273
personal protection afforded by controlled-release topical repellents and permethrin-treated clothing against natural populations of aedes taeniorhynchus.field tests evaluated repellent formulations containing deet in combination with permethrin-impregnated or untreated military uniforms against aedes taeniorhynchus. no significant difference was determined between repellents in duration of protection whether or not permethrin-treated clothing was worn, but there were differences in efficacy relative to site of application. the head was the site of shorter duration of protection regardless of repellent tested. on repellent-treated skin, 12-30% of ...20092708993
evaluation of temephos formulations against aedes taeniorhynchus larvae.four commercially available temephos formulations (abate 4e, clarke 1% skeeter abate [1% sa], abate 2-bg, and abate 5-bg) were evaluated against 3rd instars of aedes taeniorhynchus in laboratory beaker tests and small field test plots. abate 4e liquid formulation was effective in both the laboratory and plot tests. 1% sa and abate 5-bg were more effective in the small field test plots than abate 2-bg.200919653508
poxvirus protein evolution: family wide assessment of possible horizontal gene transfer events.to investigate the evolutionary origins of proteins encoded by the poxviridae family of viruses, we examined all poxvirus protein coding genes using a method of characterizing and visualizing the similarity between these proteins and taxonomic subsets of proteins in genbank. our analysis divides poxvirus proteins into categories based on their relative degree of similarity to two different taxonomic subsets of proteins such as all eukaryote vs. all virus (except poxvirus) proteins. as an example ...200919464330
[predatory capacity of gambusia puncticulata poey, 1855 (cyprinodontiformes: poeciliidae) on larvae of aedes taeniorhynchus wiedeman, 1821 (diptera: culicidae) in natural conditions]. 20093072607
transcellular and paracellular pathways of transepithelial fluid secretion in malpighian (renal) tubules of the yellow fever mosquito aedes aegypti.isolated malpighian tubules of the yellow fever mosquito secrete nacl and kcl from the peritubular bath to the tubule lumen via active transport of na(+) and k(+) by principal cells. lumen-positive transepithelial voltages are the result. the counter-ion cl(-) follows passively by electrodiffusion through the paracellular pathway. water follows by osmosis, but specific routes for water across the epithelium are unknown. remarkably, the transepithelial secretion of nacl, kcl and water is driven b ...201020946239
physiological and pharmacological characterizations of the larval anopheles albimanus rectum support a change in protein distribution and/or function in varying salinities.ion regulation is a biological process crucial to the survival of mosquito larvae and a major organ responsible for this regulation is the rectum. the recta of anopheline larvae are distinct from other subfamilies of mosquitoes in several ways, yet have not yet been characterized extensively. here we characterize the two major cell types of the anopheline rectum, dar and non-dar cells, using histological, physiological, and pharmacological analyses. proton flux was measured at the basal membrane ...201020460167
the association between meteorological variables and the abundance of aedes taeniorhynchus in the florida keys.the black salt marsh mosquito, aedes taeniorhynchus, is a serious nuisance pest and a potential vector of a number of arboviruses. this study examined the effect of wind direction, wind speed, temperature, and time of year on the abundance of ae. taeniorhynchus collected in co₂ -baited light traps at 12 sites in the florida keys during 2004. the dependent variable analyzed was the natural log of weekly mosquito abundance. the previous week's wind speed and wind direction, and the current week's ...201021175941
mosquito vector abundance immediately before and after tropical storms alma and arthur, northern belize, 2008.to monitor adult mosquito abundance in northern belize before/after the first tropical storm of the wet season to estimate the time required for development/recovery of potential vector populations; determine which species predominate post-storm; and compare the effectiveness of two types of mosquito traps-octenol-baited mosquito magnets® and u.s. centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) light traps (with/without octenol).201020857016
aerial ultra-low-volume application of naled: impact on nontarget imperiled butterfly larvae (cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) and efficacy against adult mosquitoes (aedes taeniorhynchus).we assessed the exposure and acute toxicity of naled, applied aerially as an ultra-low-volume spray for mosquito control, on late instar larvae of the miami blue (cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) (comstock and huntington 1943) (lepidoptera: lycaenidae), an imperiled south florida butterfly. we concurrently evaluated the control efficacy against caged adult female salt-marsh mosquitoes (aedes taeniorhynchus) (wiedemann 1821) (diptera: culicidae). this 3-yr study was conducted in north key largo ( ...201022182563
seasonal effects and fine-scale population dynamics of aedes taeniorhynchus, a major disease vector in the galapagos islands.characterization of the fine-scale population dynamics of the mosquito aedes taeniorhynchus is needed to improve our understanding of its role as a disease vector in the galapagos islands. we used microsatellite data to assess the genetic structure of coastal and highland mosquito populations and patterns of gene flow between the two habitats through time on santa cruz island. in addition, we assessed possible associations of mosquito abundance and genetic diversity with environmental variables. ...201020875066
ineffectiveness of mass trapping for mosquito control in st. andrews state park, panama city beach, florida.abstract. mass trapping with multiple co2- and octenol-supplemented mosquito magnet x traps (mm-x), operated 24 h/day, 7 days/wk, from march through november 2008, at st. andrews state park on northwest florida's gulf coast, did not significantly reduce mosquito numbers compared to nontreated control sites. anopheles crucians, aedes taeniorhynchus, culex salinarius, and culex erraticus were the predominant species. culex coronator was also collected for the first time in the park. failure to red ...201020402350
ecological correlates of microfilariae prevalence in endangered galápagos birds.this study assesses the ecological factors associated with microfilariae prevalence in wild populations of endangered flightless cormorants (phalacrocorax harrisi) and galápagos penguins (spheniscus mendiculus). prevalence values were tested for correlation with a large number of environmental variables, as modeled from weather station data and measured by satellite-borne sensors. predictions were made based on the expected effects of climatic and landscape variables on sustained populations of ...201019954259
encephalitic alphaviruses.this review will cover zoonotic, encephalitic alphaviruses in the family togaviridae. encephalitic alphaviruses, i.e. western- (weev), eastern- (eeev), venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (veev) and, more rarely, ross river virus, chikungunya virus and highlands j virus (hjv), are neuroinvasive and may cause neurological symptoms ranging from mild (e.g., febrile illness) to severe (e.g., encephalitis) in humans and equines. among the naturally occurring alphaviruses, weev, eeev and veev have wi ...201019775836
mosquito fauna of wilderness islands within the national key deer refuge and the great white heron national wildlife refuge, monroe county, florida.dry ice-baited light traps, counts of mosquitoes biting and landing on technicians, and larval surveillance were used to determine mosquito species abundance on annette key, little knockem-down key, little pine key, raccoon key, and the water keys, all of which are located offshore, within the national key deer refuge and great white heron national wildlife refuge in monroe county, fl. due to the close proximity of these wilderness islands to the inhabited islands of the florida keys, it is impo ...201020649123
vector-host interactions governing epidemiology of west nile virus in southern california.southern california remains an important focus of west nile virus (wnv) activity, with persistently elevated incidence after invasion by the virus in 2003 and subsequent amplification to epidemic levels in 2004. eco-epidemiological studies of vectors-hosts-pathogen interactions are of paramount importance for better understanding of the transmission dynamics of wnv and other emerging mosquito-borne arboviruses. we investigated vector-host interactions and host-feeding patterns of 531 blood-engor ...201021118934
mosquito vectors of west nile virus during an epizootic outbreak in puerto rico.the purpose of this investigation was to identify the mosquito (diptera: culicidae) vectors of west nile virus (wnv; family flaviviridae, genus flavivirus) during an epizootic wnv outbreak in eastern puerto rico in 2007. in june 2006, 12 sentinel chicken pens with five chickens per pen were deployed in six types of habitats: herbaceous wetlands, mangrove forests, deciduous forests, evergreen forests, rural areas, and urban areas. once wnv seroconversion in chickens was detected in june 2007, we ...201021175071
larval environmental temperature and the susceptibility of aedes albopictus skuse (diptera: culicidae) to chikungunya virus.a key feature in the recent widespread epidemic of the mosquito-borne alphavirus chikungunya virus (chikv) was the important role of aedes albopictus, formerly regarded as a secondary vector, compared to the presumed primary vector aedes aegypti. ae. albopictus, a container-inhabiting mosquito, is an invasive species that occurs over a wide geographic range spanning tropical and temperate latitudes. in this study we examine the effects of a broad range of larval rearing temperatures on chikv inf ...201019725768
blood feeding patterns of mosquitoes: random or structured?abstract:201020205866
emergence of zoonotic arboviruses by animal trade and migration.abstract: arboviruses are transmitted in nature exclusively or to a major extend by arthropods. they belong to the most important viruses invading new areas in the world and their occurrence is strongly influenced by climatic changes due to the life cycle of the transmitting vectors. several arboviruses have emerged in new regions of the world during the last years, like west nile virus (wnv) in the americas, usutu virus (usuv) in central europe, or rift valley fever virus (rvfv) in the arabian ...201020377873
suppressing aedes albopictus, an emerging vector of dengue and chikungunya viruses, by a novel combination of a monomolecular film and an insect-growth regulator.the asian tiger mosquito aedes albopictus (skuse) is rapidly increasing its global range and importance in transmission of chikungunya and dengue viruses. we tested pellet formulations of a monomolecular film (agnique) and (s)-methoprene (altosid) under laboratory and field conditions. in the laboratory, agnique provided 80% control for 20 days, whereas altosid, in combination with agnique, provided 80% control for > 60 days. during field trials, the 1:1 pellet ratio of combined products provide ...201020439963
vector competence of culex (melanoconion) taeniopus for equine-virulent subtype ie strains of venezuelan equine encephalitis virus.the mosquito culex (melanoconion) taeniopus is a proven vector of enzootic venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (veev) subtype ie in central america. it has been shown to be highly susceptible to infection by this subtype, and conversely to be highly refractory to infection by other veev subtypes. during the 1990s in southern coastal mexico, two vee epizootics in horses were attributed to subtype ie veev. these outbreaks were associated with veev strains with an altered infection phenotype for t ...201020519599
biting midges of the genus culicoides in south carolina zoos.biting midges of the genus culicoides (diptera: ceratopogonidae) were collected during the summer of 2007 at the greenville and riverbanks zoos in south carolina with centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) traps equipped with ultraviolet or incandescent lights and baited with carbon dioxide. sixteen species of culicoides were collected, four of which represented more than 80%. they were culicoides guttipennis (coquillett), culicoides mulrenanni beck, culicoides obsoletus (meigen), and ...201020569132
incrimination of the mosquito, aedes taeniorhynchus, as the primary vector of heartworm, dirofilaria immitis, in coastal yucatan, mexico.mosquito collections were carried out on microfilaraemic dogs, positive for dirofilaria sp., for 18 consecutive nights in the coastal town of celestún, yucatan, southeast mexico, during the rainy season (august) of 2007. a total of 292 female mosquitoes representing 12 species of dipteran culicidae were collected: anopheles albimanus (wiedemann); anopheles crucians (wiedemann); anopheles pseudopunctipennis (theobald); culex coronator (dyar & knab); culex interrogator (dyar & knab); culex nigripa ...201020572932
host-seeking activity and avian host preferences of mosquitoes associated with west nile virus transmission in the northeastern u.s.a.mosquito host-seeking activity was studied using a custom-designed trap to explore: (1) at which time interval of the night adult mosquito abatement would be most effective, and (2) if there exists an avian-specific host-seeking preference. overnight trials using traps baited with dry ice showed that aedes taeniorhynchus (wiedemann) was most active at dusk and was then captured throughout the night. in contrast, culex spp. (cx. pipiens (linnaeus) and cx. restuans (theobald) delayed most activity ...201020618650
pyrethroid resistance in aedes aegypti from grand cayman.the grand cayman population of aedes aegypti is highly resistant to ddt and pyrethroid insecticides. glutathione transferase, cytochrome p450, and esterase levels were increased in the grand cayman population relative to a susceptible laboratory strain, but synergist studies did not implicate elevated insecticide detoxification as a major cause of resistance. the role of target site resistance was therefore investigated. two substitutions in the voltage-gated sodium channel were identified, v101 ...201020682868
present and future arboviral threats.arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are important causes of human disease nearly worldwide. all arboviruses circulate among wild animals, and many cause disease after spillover transmission to humans and agriculturally important domestic animals that are incidental or dead-end hosts. viruses such as dengue (denv) and chikungunya (chikv) that have lost the requirement for enzootic amplification now produce extensive epidemics in tropical urban centers. many arboviruses recently have increased i ...201019857523
110 years of avipoxvirus in the galapagos islands.the role of disease in regulating populations is controversial, partly owing to the absence of good disease records in historic wildlife populations. we examined birds collected in the galapagos islands between 1891 and 1906 that are currently held at the california academy of sciences and the zoologisches staatssammlung muenchen, including 3973 specimens representing species from two well-studied families of endemic passerine birds: finches and mockingbirds. beginning with samples collected in ...201121249151
isolation of novel bacillus species showing high mosquitocidal activity against several mosquito species.two novel mosquitocidal bacteria, vb17 and vb24, identified as new bacillus species were isolated from dead mosquito larvae obtained in florida aquatic habitats. gas chromatographic analysis of fatty acid methyl esters (gc-fame) and 16s rrna sequencing indicated that vb24 is closely related to bacillus sphaericus whereas vb17 does not have a close relationship with either bacillus thuringiensis or b. sphaericus. both isolates were significantly more active than b. sphaericus 2362 against aedes t ...201121276795
mosquito infestation and dengue virus infection in aedes aegypti females in schools in merida, mexico.we determined abundance of aedes aegypti mosquitoes and presence of dengue virus (denv) in females collected from schools in mérida, méxico, during 2008 and 2009. backpack aspiration from 24 schools produced 468 females of ae. aegypti and 1,676 females of another human biter, culex quinquefasciatus. ae. aegypti females were collected most commonly from classrooms followed by offices and bathrooms. of these females, 24.7% were freshly fed. examination of 118 pools of ae. aegypti females (total of ...201121363990
the midgut transcriptome of phlebotomus (larroussius) perniciosus, a vector of leishmania infantum: comparison of sugar fed and blood fed sand flies.abstract:201121569254
laboratory selection for an accelerated mosquito sexual development rate.abstract: background: separating males and females at the early adult stage did not ensure the virginity of females of anopheles arabiensis (dongola laboratory strain), whereas two years earlier this method had been successful. in most mosquito species, newly emerged males and females are not able to mate successfully. for anopheline species, a period of 24 h post-emergence is generally required for the completion of sexual maturation, which in males includes a 180degrees rotation of the genital ...201121595988
implications of plasmodium parasite infected mosquitoes on an insular avifauna: the case of socorro island, méxico.avian malaria (plasmodium spp.) has been implicated in the decline of avian populations in the hawaiian islands and it is generally agreed that geographically isolated and immunologically naïve bird populations are particularly vulnerable to the pathogenic effects of invasive malaria parasites. in order to assess the potential disease risk of malaria to the avifauna of socorro island, méxico, we surveyed for plasmodium isolates from 1,300 resident field-caught mosquitoes. most of them were ident ...201121635660
mosquito (diptera: culicidae) bloodmeal sources during a period of west nile virus transmission in puerto rico.host bloodmeals of indigenous caribbean mosquitoes have not been studied previously. we identified vertebrate dna in 90 blood-engorged mosquitoes belonging to four genera (aedes, culex, deinocerites, and uranotaenia) and 12 species that were collected in puerto rico within a geographic and temporal focus of west nile virus transmission in 2007. it was found that 62 (68.8%) bloodmeals were from reptiles, 18 (20.0%) from birds, and 10 (11.1%) from mammals. only one bloodmeal of 18 derived from cul ...201121661334
endemic venezuelan equine encephalitis in the americas: hidden under the dengue umbrella.venezuelan equine encephalitis (vee) is an emerging infectious disease in latin america. outbreaks have been recorded for decades in countries with enzootic circulation, and the recent implementation of surveillance systems has allowed the detection of additional human cases in countries and areas with previously unknown vee activity. clinically, vee is indistinguishable from dengue and other arboviral diseases and confirmatory diagnosis requires the use of specialized laboratory tests that are ...201121765860
susceptibility of mosquito and lepidopteran cell lines to the mosquito iridescent virus (iiv-3) from aedes taeniorhynchus.mosquito iridescent viruses (miv) are members of the genus chloriridovirus that currently contains only the type iiv-3 from aedestaeniorhynchus. the complete genome of invertebrate iridescent virus -3 (iiv-3) has been sequenced and the availability of a tissue culture system would facilitate functional genomic studies. this investigation, using quantitative pcr and electron microscopy, has determined that the mosquito cell lines aedes aegypti (aag2), aedes albopictus (c6/36) and anopheles gambia ...201121741386
the fat body transcriptomes of the yellow fever mosquito aedes aegypti, pre- and post- blood meal.the fat body is the main organ of intermediary metabolism in insects and the principal source of hemolymph proteins. as part of our ongoing efforts to understand mosquito fat body physiology and to identify novel targets for insect control, we have conducted a transcriptome analysis of the fat body of aedes aegypti before and in response to blood feeding.201121818341
Population Dynamics of Aedes aegypti and Dengue as Influenced by Weather and Human Behavior in San Juan, Puerto Rico.Previous studies on the influence of weather on Aedes aegypti dynamics in Puerto Rico suggested that rainfall was a significant driver of immature mosquito populations and dengue incidence, but mostly in the drier areas of the island. We conducted a longitudinal study of Ae. aegypti in two neighborhoods of the metropolitan area of San Juan city, Puerto Rico where rainfall is more uniformly distributed throughout the year. We assessed the impacts of rainfall, temperature, and human activities on ...201122206021
candidate vectors and rodent hosts of venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, chiapas, 2006-2007.enzootic venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (veev) has been known to occur in mexico since the 1960s. the first natural equine epizootic was recognized in chiapas in 1993 and since then, numerous studies have characterized the etiologic strains, including reverse genetic studies that incriminated a specific mutation that enhanced infection of epizootic mosquito vectors. the aim of this study was to determine the mosquito and rodent species involved in enzootic maintenance of subtype ie veev in ...201122144461
west nile virus vector competency of culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes in the galapagos islands.the mosquito-transmitted pathogen west nile virus (wnv) is not yet present in the galápagos archipelago of ecuador. however, concern exists for fragile endemic island fauna after population decreases in several north american bird species and pathology in certain reptiles. we examined wnv vector competency of a galápagos strain of mosquito (culex quinquefasciatus say). field specimens were tested for their capacity to transmit the wn02-1956 strain of wnv after incubation at 27°c or 30°c. rates o ...201121896799
West Nile virus genetic diversity is maintained during transmission by Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus mosquitoes.Due to error-prone replication, RNA viruses exist within hosts as a heterogeneous population of non-identical, but related viral variants. These populations may undergo bottlenecks during transmission that stochastically reduce variability leading to fitness declines. Such bottlenecks have been documented for several single-host RNA viruses, but their role in the population biology of obligate two-host viruses such as arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) in vivo is unclear, but of central impor ...201121935412
experimental transmission of mayaro virus by aedes aegypti.outbreaks of mayaro fever have been associated with a sylvatic cycle of mayaro virus (mayv) transmission in south america. to evaluate the potential for a common urban mosquito to transmit mayv, laboratory vector competence studies were performed with aedes aegypti from iquitos, peru. oral infection in ae. aegypti ranged from 0% (0/31) to 84% (31/37), with blood meal virus titers between 3.4 log(10) and 7.3 log(10) plaque-forming units (pfu)/ml. transmission of mayv by 70% (21/30) of infected mo ...201121976583
conditioning individual mosquitoes to an odor: sex, source, and time.olfactory conditioning of mosquitoes may have important implications for vector-pathogen-host dynamics. if mosquitoes learn about specific host attributes associated with pathogen infection, it may help to explain the heterogeneity of biting and disease patterns observed in the field. sugar-feeding is a requirement for survival in both male and female mosquitoes. it provides a starting point for learning research in mosquitoes that avoids the confounding factors associated with the observer bein ...201121887384
genetic analysis of scattered populations of the indian eri silkworm, samia cynthia ricini donovan: differentiation of subpopulations.deforestation and exploitation has led to the fragmentation of habitats and scattering of populations of the economically important eri silkworm, samia cynthia ricini, in north-east india. genetic analysis of 15 eri populations, using issr markers, showed 98% inter-population, and 23% to 58% intra-population polymorphism. nei's genetic distance between populations increased significantly with altitude (r(2) = 0.71) and geographic distance (r(2) = 0.78). on the dendrogram, the lower and upper ass ...201121931526
the giant cafeteria roenbergensis virus that infects a widespread marine phagocytic protist is a new member of the fourth domain of life.a recent work has provided strong arguments in favor of a fourth domain of life composed of nucleo-cytoplasmic large dna viruses (ncldvs). this hypothesis was supported by phylogenetic and phyletic analyses based on a common set of proteins conserved in eukarya, archaea, bacteria, and viruses, and implicated in the functions of information storage and processing. recently, the genome of a new ncldv, cafeteria roenbergensis virus (crov), was released. the present work aimed to determine if crov s ...201121559486
adaptation, isolation by distance and human-mediated transport determine patterns of gene flow among populations of the disease vector aedes taeniorhynchus in the galapagos islands.the black salt-marsh mosquito (aedes taeniorhynchus) is the only native mosquito in the galapagos islands and potentially a major disease vector for galapagos wildlife. little is known about its population structure, or how its dynamics may be influenced by human presence in the archipelago. we used microsatellite data to assess the structure and patterns of a. taeniorhynchus gene flow among and within islands, to identify potential barriers to mosquito dispersal, and to investigate human-aided ...201121968211
susceptibility of adult mosquitoes to insecticides in aqueous sucrose baits.mosquitoes characteristically feed on plant-derived carbohydrates and honeydew just after emergence and intermittently during their lives. development of toxic baits focusing on this carbohydrate-seeking behavior may potentially contribute to localized control. in the present study, ten insecticides were fed to female culex quinquefasciatus, anopheles quadrimaculatus, and aedes taeniorhynchus in a 10% sucrose solution. active ingredients representative of five classes of insecticides (pyrethroid ...201121635642
identification and transcription profiling of trypsin in aedes taeniorhynchus (diptera: culicidae): developmental regulation, blood feeding, and permethrin exposure.the cdna of a trypsin gene from aedes (ochlerotatus) taeniorhynchus (weidemann) was cloned and sequenced. the full-length mrna sequence (890 bp) for trypsin from ae. taeniorhynchus (aettryp1) was obtained, which encodes an open reading frame of 765 bp (i.e., 255 amino acids). to detect whether aettryp is developmentally regulated, a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to examine aettrypl mrna expression levels in different developmental stages of ae. taeniorhynchus. aettryp ...201121661315
first record of anopheles albimanus from st kitts.previous mosquito surveys performed in the federation of st kitts and nevis identified anopheles albimanus in nevis but there is no recorded occurrence of this mosquito in st kitts. to determine the presence of this and other species in st kitts and nevis, a mosquito survey was conducted.201122519234
co-occurrence patterns of the dengue vector aedes aegypti and aedes mediovitattus, a dengue competent mosquito in puerto rico.aedes aegypti is implicated in dengue transmission in tropical and subtropical urban areas around the world. ae. aegypti populations are controlled through integrative vector management. however, the efficacy of vector control may be undermined by the presence of alternative, competent species. in puerto rico, a native mosquito, ae. mediovittatus, is a competent dengue vector in laboratory settings and spatially overlaps with ae. aegypti. it has been proposed that ae. mediovittatus may act as a ...201121989642
population genetic structure of aedes polynesiensis in the society islands of french polynesia: implications for control using a wolbachia-based autocidal strategy.aedes polynesiensis is the primary vector of wuchereria bancrofti in the south pacific and an important vector of dengue virus. an improved understanding of the mosquito population genetics is needed for insight into the population dynamics and dispersal, which can aid in understanding the epidemiology of disease transmission and control of the vector. in light of the potential release of a wolbachia infected strain for vector control, our objectives were to investigate the microgeographical and ...201222531297
ovary ecdysteroidogenic hormone activates egg maturation in the mosquito georgecraigius atropalpus after adult eclosion or a blood meal.the rockpool mosquito, georgecraigius atropalpus, is a facultatively autogenous species that produces its first egg clutch without a blood meal shortly after emergence. several days after depositing this clutch, females must take a blood meal to produce a second egg clutch. decapitation of females shortly after emergence or blood ingestion prevents egg maturation. here, we report that a single injected dose of the neuropeptide ovary ecdysteroidogenic hormone (oeh) fully restored egg maturation i ...201222811249
quantification of intrahost bottlenecks of west nile virus in culex pipiens mosquitoes using an artificial mutant swarm.mosquito-borne viruses are predominantly rna viruses which exist within hosts as diverse mutant swarms. defining the way in which stochastic forces within mosquito vectors shape these swarms is critical to advancing our understanding of the evolutionary and adaptive potential of these pathogens. there are multiple barriers within a mosquito which a viral swarm must traverse in order to ultimately be transmitted. here, using artificial mutant swarms composed of neutral variants of west nile virus ...201222326536
north american wetlands and mosquito control.wetlands are valuable habitats that provide important social, economic, and ecological services such as flood control, water quality improvement, carbon sequestration, pollutant removal, and primary/secondary production export to terrestrial and aquatic food chains. there is disagreement about the need for mosquito control in wetlands and about the techniques utilized for mosquito abatement and their impacts upon wetlands ecosystems. mosquito control in wetlands is a complex issue influenced by ...201223222252
giant viruses coexisted with the cellular ancestors and represent a distinct supergroup along with superkingdoms archaea, bacteria and eukarya.the discovery of giant viruses with genome and physical size comparable to cellular organisms, remnants of protein translation machinery and virus-specific parasites (virophages) have raised intriguing questions about their origin. evidence advocates for their inclusion into global phylogenomic studies and their consideration as a distinct and ancient form of life.201222920653
twenty-four years in the mud: what have we learned about the natural history and ecology of the mangrove rivulus, kryptolebias marmoratus?although first described in 1880, kryptolebias marmoratus avoided scientific scrutiny until 1961, when it was identified as the only known selfing hermaphroditic vertebrate. the subsequent intense interest in this fish as a laboratory animal, continuing to this day, might explain the paucity of wild collections, but our collective knowledge now suggests that the inherent difficulty of wild collection is more a matter of "looking in all the wrong places." long thought to be rare in the mangroves, ...201222576816
the impact of industrial anthropization on mosquito (diptera, culicidae) communities in mangrove areas of guanabara bay (rio de janeiro, brazil).the effects of industrial anthropization on species composition and community diversity of culicidae (diptera) were studied in a mangrove area impacted by industrial activities as compared to a preserved area, both around guanabara bay in the state of rio de janeiro, brazil. diversity, equitability, and species richness in culicidae community differed between the studied areas. indicator species analysis and correspondence analysis were carried out and indicated that the sabethini, especially wy ...201223950012
field evaluation of the off! clip-on mosquito repellent (metofluthrin) against aedes albopictus and aedes taeniorhynchus (diptera: culicidae) in northeastern florida.repellent efficacy of the off! clip-on mosquito repellent device (s. c. johnson and son, inc., racine, wi) containing metofluthrin was evaluated on six human volunteers against the container-breeding mosquito aedes albopictus (skuse) and the salt marsh mosquito aedes taeniorhynchus (wiedemann) at two field locations in northeastern florida. the device repelled mosquitoes by releasing a vaporized form of the pyrethroid insecticide metofluthrin ([ai] 31.2%) and provided 70% protection from ae. alb ...201222679874
genetic and anatomic determinants of enzootic venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection of culex (melanoconion) taeniopus.venezuelan equine encephalitis (vee) is a re-emerging, mosquito-borne viral disease with the potential to cause fatal encephalitis in both humans and equids. recently, detection of endemic vee caused by enzootic strains has escalated in mexico, peru, bolivia, colombia and ecuador, emphasizing the importance of understanding the enzootic transmission cycle of the etiologic agent, vee virus (veev). the majority of work examining the viral determinants of vector infection has been performed in the ...201222509419
effect of water quality on the efficacy of water-base suspensions of arosurf msf against larvae of aedes taeniorhynchus: bioassay evaluations. 20123504951
global climate change and its potential impact on disease transmission by salinity-tolerant mosquito vectors in coastal zones.global climate change can potentially increase the transmission of mosquito vector-borne diseases such as malaria, lymphatic filariasis, and dengue in many parts of the world. these predictions are based on the effects of changing temperature, rainfall, and humidity on mosquito breeding and survival, the more rapid development of ingested pathogens in mosquitoes and the more frequent blood feeds at moderately higher ambient temperatures. an expansion of saline and brackish water bodies (water wi ...201222723781
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