RESUMO
Blood feeding patterns of mosquitoes are a key component in the dynamics of arboviral encephalitides transmission. In temperate Argentina, the members of the Culex pipiens complex include Cx. pipiens molestus, Cx. quinquefasciatus and their hybrids. To characterize their blood feeding patterns, adult resting mosquitoes were collected monthly during the warm season in urban and rural equestrian fields. The availability of birds and domestic mammals per site was characterized. The blood source and the complex member were successfully identified for 89 specimens using PCR. Blood of 19 vertebrate species was isolated including four mammals (most common feeds from dog, Canus lupus 19% of the blood meals; and horse, Equus caballus 18%) and 15 birds (picazuro pigeon, Patagioenas picazuro 11%; eared dove, Zenaida auriculata 10%; chicken, Gallus gallus 9%). The Forage Ratio (FR), calculated as the proportion of feeds taken from a given host species with respect to that host availability in the environment, suggested preference for dog by all members of the complex (FR ≥4.5). On the contrary, FR values suggested avoidance for horse by Cx. quinquefasciatus and the hybrid (FR ≤0.8), and a use proportional to its abundance by Cx. pipiens molestus (FR = 1.1-1.2 in urban and rural sites, respectively). FR values suggesting preference were obtained for avian species of the orders Passeriformes (7 species in total) and Columbiformes (5) by all members of the complex (FR ≥ 3.3), whereas values for monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus, Psiitaciformes) suggested avoidance by Cx. quinquefasciatus in urban sites (FR = 0.4) and by Cx. pipiens molestus in rural sites (FR = 0.3) but not in urban sites (FR = 1.4). A mammal-bird index (MBI, from -1 all avian to +1 all mammalian blood meals) was calculated for each member of the complex and urbanization category. Values were negative for Cx. quinquefasciatus (MBIurban = -0.60, MBIrural = -0.33) and positive for Cx. pipiens molestus (MBIurban = 0.20, MBIrural = 0.60), indicating a higher proportion of feeds taken on birds and mammals, respectively, regardless of the urbanization category. In temperate Argentina, the members of the Cx. pipiens complex fed both on horses and on birds, thus representing a real risk of transmission of arboviral encephalitides from avian enzootic cycles to horse epizootics.
Assuntos
Culex , Doenças do Cão , Encefalite por Arbovirus , Doenças dos Cavalos , Animais , Cavalos , Cães , Argentina/epidemiologia , Galinhas , Encefalite por Arbovirus/veterinária , Mamíferos , Comportamento AlimentarRESUMO
Flaviviruses as West Nile virus (WNV), Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV), Ilhéus virus (ILHV), and Rocio virus (ROCV) are previously reported in different Brazilian regions, but studies in Southern Brazil are still scarce. To improve the information regarding flaviviruses in Southern Brazil, horse serum samples were analyzed using RT-qPCR and a commercial ELISA-Ab against WNV followed by PRNT75. All 1000 samples analyzed by real-time RT-PCR resulted negative. The 465 subsampled samples were analyzed by a commercial ELISA-Ab against WNV, and the 18.5% (86/465) positive samples were further analyzed by PRNT75. In the PRNT75, 13/86 and 2/86 horses were positive for SLEV and WNV, respectively. It was observed that 5.8% (13/226) of the farms presented at least one positive animal for SLEV in PRNT75, whereas 0.9% (2/226) for WNV. Apart from the lower seroprevalences identified when compared to data previously reported in other Brazilian regions, our results suggest that public health professionals must be aware of the presence of these potential zoonotic pathogens.
Assuntos
Vírus da Encefalite de St. Louis/isolamento & purificação , Encefalite por Arbovirus/veterinária , Infecções por Flavivirus/veterinária , Doenças dos Cavalos/virologia , Vírus do Nilo Ocidental/isolamento & purificação , Animais , Anticorpos Antivirais/sangue , Brasil/epidemiologia , Vírus da Encefalite de St. Louis/genética , Vírus da Encefalite de St. Louis/imunologia , Encefalite por Arbovirus/sangue , Encefalite por Arbovirus/epidemiologia , Encefalite por Arbovirus/virologia , Infecções por Flavivirus/sangue , Infecções por Flavivirus/epidemiologia , Infecções por Flavivirus/virologia , Geografia , Doenças dos Cavalos/sangue , Doenças dos Cavalos/epidemiologia , Cavalos , RNA Viral/genética , Estudos Soroepidemiológicos , Vírus do Nilo Ocidental/genética , Vírus do Nilo Ocidental/imunologiaRESUMO
Sixty-three birds representing 13 species were inoculated with a strain of epidemic Venezuelan encephalitis (VE) virus from the 1971 Texas outbreak. More than 95% of the birds became infected. Mortality which could be attributed to infection with VE virus was very low. Viremia persisted 2-6 days. Peak viremia levels ranged from 10(3.2) to 10(8.2) suckling mouse intracranial 50% lethal doses per milliliter (SMICLD50/ml). Blood virus levels were highest in juvenile Louisiana Herones, adult Robins and adult Mockingbirds and were lowest in juvenile Common Egrets. Most bird species had blood virus levels about 10(5) SMICLD50/ml (high vector infection potential) for 2-3 days. Neutralizing antibody response was more uniform and frequent in herons (95%) than in passerines (56%). The role of birds in the epidemiology of Venezuelan is discussed.