Identification of reptilian and amphibian blood meals from mosquitoes in an eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus focus in central Alabama.
Abstract: Uranotaenia sapphirina, Culex erraticus, and Cx. peccator were collected in an enzootic eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus focus in central Alabama (Tuskegee National Forest) from 2001 to 2003 and analyzed for virus as well as host selection. EEE virus was detected in each species every year except 2003, when pools of Cx. peccator were negative. Most (97%) of the 130 Cx. peccator blood meals identified were from ectothermic hosts; 3% were from birds. Among blood meals from reptiles (approximately 75% of the total), 81% were from Agkistrodon piscivorus (cottonmouth); all amphibian blood meals (approximately 25%) were from Rana spp. with > 50% taken from the bullfrog R. catesbeiana. Host identifications were made from 131 of 197 Cx. erraticus, but only 3 (2%) were derived from ectothermic species. Identification of Ur. sapphirina blood meals proved difficult and only 2 of 35 hosts were determined. Both were from R. catesbeiana. Ectothermic species are possible EEE virus reservoirs in the southeastern United States where species such as Cx. peccator and Ur. sapphirina occur with large, diverse reptilian, amphibian, and avian populations such as those at the Tuskegee site.
Publication Date: 2004-09-24 PubMed ID: 15381805PubMed Central: PMC1351276
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article reports on a study conducted between 2001 and 2003 in central Alabama (Tuskegee National Forest) investigating the presence of the Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus in three species of mosquitoes and the hosts from which they draw their meals. The study found that reptiles and amphibians could potentially act as reservoirs for the EEE virus in the area.
Objective and Method
- The researchers collected and studied three species of mosquitoes; Uranotaenia sapphirina, Culex erraticus, and Cx. peccator from an EEE virus focus in central Alabama.
- The mosquitoes were analyzed for the presence of the EEE virus as well as to understand their host selection, i.e., from where they draw their blood meals.
Findings
- The EEE virus was detected in all the three species of mosquitoes each year from 2001 to 2003, except in 2003 when samples from the Cx. peccator species were found negative.
- Around 97% of the 130 Cx. peccator blood meals identified were from ectothermic (cold-blooded) hosts; with only 3% being from birds.
- Of these blood meals procured from reptiles (which comprised roughly 75% of the total), 81% were from a species of snake called Agkistrodon piscivorus (commonly known as the cottonmouth).
- All amphibian blood meals (which comprised approximately 25% of the total) were identified as being from Rana spp., with over half being from the bullfrog R. catesbeiana.
- The researchers were able to identify the source of 131 out of 197 Cx. erraticus meals, but only 3 (2%) were from ectothermic species.
- Identifying the sources of blood meals from the Ur. sapphirina species proved difficult, and the researchers could only identify 2 out of 35 hosts – both from R. catesbeiana.
Conclusions
- From their findings, the researchers conclude that ectothermic species (or cold-blooded animals) such as reptiles and amphibians could possibly act as reservoirs (carriers) of the EEE virus in places like southeastern United States.
- This could particularly be the case in areas where mosquito species such as Cx. peccator and Ur. sapphirina are found in large numbers, along with diverse reptilian, amphibian, and bird species – such as those found at the study site in Tuskegee.
Cite This Article
APA
Cupp EW, Zhang D, Yue X, Cupp MS, Guyer C, Sprenger TR, Unnasch TR.
(2004).
Identification of reptilian and amphibian blood meals from mosquitoes in an eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus focus in central Alabama.
Am J Trop Med Hyg, 71(3), 272-276.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849-5413, USA. ecupp@acesag.auburn.edu
MeSH Terms
- Alabama
- Amphibians / blood
- Amphibians / virology
- Animals
- Blood / virology
- Culicidae / virology
- Disease Reservoirs
- Encephalitis Virus, Eastern Equine / isolation & purification
- Encephalomyelitis, Eastern Equine / transmission
- Feeding Behavior
- Insect Vectors / virology
- Reptiles / blood
- Reptiles / virology
Grant Funding
- R01 AI049724 / NIAID NIH HHS
- R01-AI-49724 / NIAID NIH HHS
References
This article includes 25 references
- Cupp EW, Klingler K, Hassan HK, Viguers LM, Unnasch TR. Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus transmission in central Alabama.. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2003;68:495–500.
- Hassan HK, Cupp EW, Hill GE, Katholi CR, Klingler K, Unnasch TR. Avian host preference by vectors of eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus.. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2003;69:641–647.
- Morris CD. Eastern equine encephalomyelitis.. The Arboviruses: Epidemiology and Ecology 1988;1–20.
- Scott TW, Weaver SC. Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus: epidemiology and evolution of mosquito transmission.. Adv Virus Res 1989;37:277–328.
- Karstad L. Reptiles as possible reservoir hosts for eastern encephalitis virus.. Trans 26th North Am Wildlife Conf 1961;26:186–202.
- Hayes RO, Daniels JB, Maxfield HK, Wheeler RE. Field and laboratory studies on eastern encephalitis in warm- and cold-blooded vertebrates.. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1964;13:595–606.
- Edman JD. Host-feeding patterns of Florida mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). VI. Culex (Melanoconion). J Med Entomol 1979;15:521–525.
- Irby WS, Apperson CS. Hosts of mosquitoes in the coastal plain of North Carolina.. J Med Entomol 1988;25:85–93.
- Lee JH, Hassan H, Hill G, Cupp EW, Higazi TB, Mitchell CJ, Godsey MS, Unnasch TR. Identification of mosquito avian-derived blood meals by polymerase chain reaction-heteroduplex analysis.. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2002;66:599–604.
- Mount RH. The Reptiles and Amphibians of Alabama.. Agricultural Experiment Station Publication, Auburn University, AL 1975;347 pages.
- Edman JD, Evans FDS, Williams JA. Development of a diurnal resting box to collect Culiseta melanura (Coquillett). Am J Trop Med Hyg 1968;17:451–456.
- Nasci RS. A lightweight battery-powered aspirator for collecting resting mosquitoes in the field.. Mosq News 1981;41:808–811.
- Armstrong P, Borovsky D, Shope RE, Morris CD, Mitchell CJ, Karabatsos N, Komar N, Spielman A. Sensitive and specific colorimetric dot assay to detect eastern equine encephalomyelitis viral RNA in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) after polymerase chain reaction amplification.. J Med Entomol 1995;32:42–52.
- Nasci R, Mitchell CJ. Arbovirus titer variation in field-collected mosquitoes.. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 1996;12:167–171.
- Carpenter SJ, LaCasse WJ. Mosquitoes of North America. University of California Press 1955.
- Pecor JE, Mallampalli VL, Harbach RE, Peyton EL. Catalog and illustrated review of the subgenus Melanoconion of Culex (Diptera: Culicidae). Contrib Am Entomol Inst 1992;27:1–228.
- Remington CL. The feeding habits of Uranotaenia lowii.. Entomol News 1945;56:32–37.
- Ernst CH, Barbour RW. Snakes of Eastern North America. George Mason University Press 1989.
- Stamm DD. Studies on the ecology of equine encephalomyelitis.. Am J Public Health 1958;48:328–335.
- Cupp EW, Tennessen KJ, Oldland WK, Hassan HK, Hill GE, Katholi CR, Unnasch TR. Mosquito and arbovirus activity during 1997–2002 in a wetland in northeastern Mississippi.. J Med Entomol 2004;41:495–501.
- Breeland SG, Snow WE, Pickard E. Mosquitoes of the Tennessee Valley.. Tenn Acad Sci 1961;36:249–319.
- Shope RE, Homobono Paes de Andrade A, Bensabath G, Causey OR, Humphrey PS. The epidemiology of EEE, WEE, SLE, and Turlock viruses, with special reference to birds in a tropical rain forest near Belem, Brazil.. Am J Epidemiol 1966;84:467–477.
- Craighead JE, Shelokov A, Peralta PH. The lizard: a possible host for eastern equine encephalitis virus in Panama.. Am J Hyg 1962;76:82–87.
- Berezin VV. Characteristics of the ecology of the eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus in the Republic of Cuba.. Vopr Virusol 1977;1:62–70.
- Christensen HA, de Vasquez AM, Boreham MM. Host-feeding patterns of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from central Panama.. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1996;55:202–208.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
