Trapping the Tiger: Efficacy of the Novel BG-Sentinel 2 With Several Attractants and Carbon Dioxide for Collecting Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Southern France
Targeted trapping of mosquito disease vectors plays an important role in the surveillance and control of mosquito-borne diseases. The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), is an invasive species, which is spreading throughout the world, and is a potential vector of 24 arboviruses, particularly efficient in the transmission of chikungunya, dengue, and zika viruses. Using a 4 x 4 Latin square design, we assessed the efficacy of the new BG-Sentinel 2 mosquito trap using the attractants BG-lure and (R)-1-octen-3-ol cartridge, alone or in combination, and with and without carbon dioxide, for the field collection of Ae...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Roiz, D., Duperier, S., Roussel, M., Bousses, P., Fontenille, D., Simard, F., Paupy, C. Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research
Comparison of Mosquito Magnet and Biogents Sentinel Traps for Operational Surveillance of Container-Inhabiting Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae) Species
Container-inhabiting Aedes are among the most medically important mosquito vectors of diseases. They also impact health and quality of life by their persistent and severe biting. Monitoring of container-inhabiting Aedes species is challenging due to the need for specialized traps and lures. Biogents Sentinel (BGS) trap has become a standard for Aedes albopictus (Skuse) surveillance; however, it has substantial problems with durability, quality of construction, and sample exposure to the elements. The goal of this study was to develop a methodology for collecting medically important container-inhabiting Aedes species in num...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Rochlin, I., Kawalkowski, M., Ninivaggi, D. V. Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research
Evaluation of Human Attachment by Larval Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae)
The tick, Amblyomma maculatum Koch (Gulf Coast tick), has recently been shown to be an important disease vector of both medical and veterinary concern. Although much is known about the behavior and ecology of adults, little is known of the immatures. Larval feeding on humans has never been demonstrated (and thus, there are no collection records from humans). In this experiment, 10 larval A. maculatum, Amblyomma americanum (L.) (a positive control), and Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (a negative control), were applied to both forearms of 10 human volunteers (five male, five female). Ticks were placed in plastic caps and secur...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Portugal, J. S., Goddard, J. Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research
Detecting Burrowing Owl Bloodmeals in Pulex irritans (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)
Pulex irritans L. is a cosmopolitan flea species that infests a wide variety of hosts. In North America it generally parasitizes large wild mammals, but in the Pacific Northwest an association has emerged between P. irritans and the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea). While investigators have recognized this association for decades, it has not been clear if P. irritans feeds on burrowing owls, or if the owls serve exclusively as phoretic hosts. Here we describe using a real-time assay that was originally developed to identify bloodmeals in Ugandan cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis Bouché) to detect b...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Graham, C. B., Eisen, R. J., Belthoff, J. R. Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research
New Records of Ixodes affinis (Acari: Ixodidae) Parasitizing Avian Hosts in Southeastern Virginia
This study presents evidence of I. affinis parasitizing five new host passerine species. During 2012–2014, 1,888 birds were captured and examined for ticks, and 18 immature I. affinis were collected from 12 birds—six Carolina Wrens (Thyrothorus ludovicianus); two Brown Thrashers (Toxostoma rufum); and one American Robin (Turdus migratorius), Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), and White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). Of 15 larvae and 3 nymphs collected, one nymph tested positive for B. burgdorferi DNA. I. affinis was found co-feeding on birds with imm...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Heller, E. L., Wright, C. L., Nadolny, R. M., Hynes, W. L., Gaff, H. D., Walters, E. L. Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research
Specifying Pathogen Associations of Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae) in Western Tennessee
The objective was to determine pathogen associations within questing and host-collected A. maculatum, and identify ecological factors associated with pathogen infection that may increase the effectiveness of surveillance methods. Of 265 ticks tested, 60 (22.6%) were infected with R. parkeri, and 15 (5.7%) with Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae, a Rickettsia of unknown pathogenicity. Two deer-collected ticks tested positive for Ehrlichia ewingii. No ticks were positive for Anaplasma or Borrelia species. None of the ecological factors tested (collection month, collection source, sex, and habitat type) were associated with R. pa...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Mays, S. E., Houston, A. E., Trout Fryxell, R. T. Tags: Vector-Borne Diseases, Surveillance, Prevention Source Type: research
Temporal and Spatial Variability of Entomological Risk Indices for West Nile Virus Infection in Northern Colorado: 2006-2013
In this study, we present descriptive data from historical surveillance records spanning 2006–2013 to discern seasonal and yearly patterns of entomological risk for WNV infection. Also, we retrospectively test the hypothesis that entomological risk is correlated with human transmission risk and is heterogeneous within the City of Fort Collins. Four logistically relevant zones within the city were established and used to test this hypothesis. Zones in the eastern portion of the city consistently had significantly higher Culex abundance and VI compared with zones in the west, leading to higher entomological risk indica...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Fauver, J. R., Pecher, L., Schurich, J. A., Bolling, B. G., Calhoon, M., Grubaugh, N. D., Burkhalter, K. L., Eisen, L., Andre, B. G., Nasci, R. S., LeBailly, A., Ebel, G. D., Moore, C. G. Tags: Vector-Borne Diseases, Surveillance, Prevention Source Type: research
Seasonal Dynamics, Parity Rate, and Composition of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Occurring in the Vicinity of Wild and Domestic Ruminants in the Czech Republic
In the light of the emergence of bluetongue and Schmallenberg viruses in northern and central Europe, an extensive entomological survey within the framework of a bluetongue control program was undertaken from 2008 to 2013 in the Czech Republic to investigate Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) collected in close proximity of domestic livestock and semiwild ruminants. Insects were sampled using CDC black-light suction traps placed overnight near ruminants in farms or in forest game preserves to provide data on Culicoides fauna collected near these two groups of hosts inhabiting different environments. From a...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Radrova, J., Mrackova, M., Galkova, Z., Lamka, J., Racka, K., Bartak, P., Votypka, J. Tags: Vector-Borne Diseases, Surveillance, Prevention Source Type: research
Infection of Immature Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) by Membrane Feeding
A reduction in the use of animals in infectious disease research is desirable for animal welfare as well as for simplification and standardization of experiments. An artificial silicone-based membrane-feeding system was adapted for complete engorgement of adult and nymphal Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae), and for infecting nymphs with pathogenic, tick-borne bacteria. Six wild-type and genetically transformed strains of four species of bacteria were inoculated into sterile bovine blood and fed to ticks. Pathogens were consistently detected in replete nymphs by polymerase chain reaction. Adult ticks that ingested bac...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Oliver, J. D., Lynn, G. E., Burkhardt, N. Y., Price, L. D., Nelson, C. M., Kurtti, T. J., Munderloh, U. G. Tags: Vector/Pathogen/Host Interaction, Transmission Source Type: research
A Native Wolbachia Endosymbiont Does Not Limit Dengue Virus Infection in the Mosquito Aedes notoscriptus (Diptera: Culicidae)
The endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia pipientis infects many species of insects and has been transinfected into the mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.), the primary vector of dengue virus (DENV). Recently, it has been shown that Wolbachia blocks the replication and transmission of RNA viruses, such as DENV, in a number of mosquito species including Ae. aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Skuse), which is naturally infected with Wolbachia and considered a secondary vector for DENV. The mosquito species Aedes notoscriptus (Skuse) is highly prevalent in Australia, including in areas where DENV outbreaks have been recorded. The mosquito has...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Skelton, E., Rances, E., Frentiu, F. D., Kusmintarsih, E. S., Iturbe-Ormaetxe, I., Caragata, E. P., Woolfit, M., ONeill, S. L. Tags: Vector/Pathogen/Host Interaction, Transmission Source Type: research
The Influence of Insecticide Resistance, Age, Sex, and Blood Feeding Frequency on Thermal Tolerance of Wild and Laboratory Phenotypes of Anopheles funestus (Diptera: Culicidae)
Resistance to insecticides is a global phenomenon and is increasing at an unprecedented rate. How resistant and susceptible strains of malaria vectors might differ in terms of life history and basic biology is often overlooked, despite the potential importance of such information in light of changing climates. Here, we investigated the upper thermal limits (ULT50) of wild and laboratory strains of Anopheles funestus Giles mosquitoes, including resistance status, sex, age, and blood feeding status as potential factors influencing ULT50. No significant differences in ULT50 were observed between strains displaying different r...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Lyons, C. L., Oliver, S. V., Hunt, R. H., Coetzee, M. Tags: Vector Control, Pest Management, Resistance, Repellents Source Type: research
Behavioral and Toxicological Responses of Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) to the Insect Repellents DEET and IR3535
This study compares the behavioral and toxicological effects of both substances in fifth-instar nymphs of the blood-sucking bug Rhodnius prolixus Stål (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), one of the main vectors of American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). Repellency was quantified using filter paper discs as experimental arenas. Half the discs were treated with solution of repellent in acetone, and the other half with acetone alone. The lowest observed effect level was identical for both substances, 74 µg/cm2. Nymph age (between 1–3 h and 99 d from last ecdysis) had no influence on repellency. Topical application o...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Alzogaray, R. A. Tags: Vector Control, Pest Management, Resistance, Repellents Source Type: research
County-Scale Distribution of Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the Continental United States
The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, is the primary vector to humans in the eastern United States of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, as well as causative agents of anaplasmosis and babesiosis. Its close relative in the far western United States, the western blacklegged tick Ixodes pacificus Cooley and Kohls, is the primary vector to humans in that region of the Lyme disease and anaplasmosis agents. Since 1991, when standardized surveillance and reporting began, Lyme disease case counts have increased steadily in number and in geographical distribution in the eastern United States. Similar trends h...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Eisen, R. J., Eisen, L., Beard, C. B. Tags: Sampling, Distribution, Dispersal Source Type: research
Spatial Clustering of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and Its Impact on Entomological Surveillance Indicators
Spatial clustering of Aedes aegypti (L.) was assessed in 0.25-km2 sampling plots located in three different neighborhoods in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Monitoring was carried out with two oviposition traps (collecting either. eggs or adult mosquitoes) over a consecutive 80-wk period. Taylor power laws (TPL) were used to assess clustering in both adult and egg collections. The clustering level observed in both TPL models was sufficient to increase by two to three times the sampling effort required to achieve a desired precision of population estimates of egg and adults collections, respectively. The relationship bet...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Silva Lima, A., Honorio, N., Codeco, C. Tags: Sampling, Distribution, Dispersal Source Type: research
A Revised Checklist of Chigger Mites (Acari: Trombiculidae) From Thailand, with the Description of Three New Species
Chigger mites of Thailand were studied on the basis of larvae collected from 19 small mammal species (17 species of Rodentia, 1 species of Erinaceomorpha, and 1 species of Scandentia) and revision of published data. Samples of 38 trombiculid species were collected from 11 provinces. Three new species were described: Trombiculindus kosapani sp. nov., Helenicula naresuani sp. nov., and Walchia chavali sp. nov. Ten species were recorded in Thailand for the first time: Leptotrombidium sialkotense Vercammen-Grandjean and Langston, 1976; Leptotrombidium subangulare Wen and Xiang, 1984; Leptotrombidium tenompaki Stekolnikov, 2013...
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology - March 8, 2016 Category: Biology Authors: Chaisiri, K., Stekolnikov, A. A., Makepeace, B. L., Morand, S. Tags: Morphology, Systematics, Evolution Source Type: research
