Ross River virus (RRV) disease is the most common and widespread mosquito-borne disease in Australia, resulting in considerable health and economic cost to communities. While naturally occurring nontidal flood events may enhance mosquito abundance, little is known about the impact of such events on RRV transmission. This article critically reviews the existing evidence for an association between naturally occurring nontidal flood events and RRV transmission. A systematic literature search was conducted onRRVtransmission related to flooding and inundation from rain and riverine overflow. Overall, the evidence to support a positive association between flooding and RRV outbreaks is largely circumstantial, with the literature mostly reporting only coincidental occurrence between the two. However, for the Murray River, river flow and height (surrogates of flooding) were positively and significantly associated with RRV transmission. The association between nontidal flooding and RRV transmission has not been studied comprehensively. More frequent flood events arising from climate change may result in increased outbreaks of RRV disease. Understanding the link between flood events and RRV transmission is necessary if resources for mosquito spraying and public health warnings are to be used more effectively and efficiently.

Simulium (Simulium) lomkaoense sp. nov. is described from females, males, pupae, and larvae in Thailand. This new species is assigned to the Simulium malyschevi Dorogostaisky, Rubtsov & Vlasenko species-group of the subgenus Simulium, and appears to be closely related to Simulium baimaii Kuvangkadilok & Takaoka from Thailand in having a similar shape of the female and male genitalia, pupal gill with two inflated filaments, and simple wall-pocket-shaped cocoon. This new species is compared taxonomically with S. baimaii and other related species. It represents the third species of the S. malyschevi species-group known from Thailand.

A new species of the genus Neocheyletiella Baker, 1949 (Acariformes: Cheyletidae) is described from the zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata (Viellot, 1817) (Passeriformes: Estrildidae), from a laboratory colony at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. The setal additions in the ontogeny of the new species, Neocheyletiella parvisetosa Mertins & Bochkov, and the main differential characters of all 17 known species of the genus Neocheyletiella are provided in tabular format. Keys to females and males of Neocheyletiella spp. also are given.

While parasitic lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) have historically been an important model taxon for understanding host-parasite coevolution, very few molecular markers have been developed for phylogenetic analysis. The current markers are insufficient to resolve many of the deeper nodes in this group; therefore, sequences from additional genetic loci are necessary. Here, we design primers targeting several nuclear protein coding genes based on a complete genome and transcriptome of Pediculus humanus L. plus transcriptomes and modest coverage genomic data from five genera of avian feather lice. These primers were tested on 32 genera of avian feather lice (Ischnocera), including multiple species within some genera. All of the new primer combinations produced sequences for the majority of the genera and had similar or higher divergences than the most widely used nuclear protein-coding gene in lice, EF-1α. These results indicate that these new loci will be useful in resolving phylogenetic relationships among parasitic lice.

This study was conducted to determine the relative abundance, diversity, seasonal, and vertical distributions of potential mosquito vectors in the Amazon Basin, Peru. A total of 66,097 mosquitoes (50 mosquito species from 12 genera) were collected from May 2001 through March 2002 at a forested site near Iquitos, Peru. Mosquitoes were collected using Aotus nancymae Hershkovitz monkey-baited CDC light traps set for 12-h day and night periods at varying heights (e.g., ground and canopy) in the forest. Of the 12 genera, three accounted for 75% of all mosquitoes collected: Culex (33%), Aedes (23%), and Psorophora (18%). The most prevalent species collected were Aedes serratus (Theobald), Culex pedroi Sirivanakarn & Belkin, Psorophora albigenu (Peryassu), and a combination of Mansonia indubitans Dyar & Shannon and Mansonia titillans (Walker), which accounted for 56% of all mosquitoes captured. In general, mosquitoes were collected more often at night and on the ground. Exceptions include Coquillettidia venezuelensis (Theobald), which were collected in relatively even numbers at both day and night and most Mansonia and some species of Anopheles, which were collected more often in the canopy. Total mosquito populations had two peaks, June–July (Ma. indubitans/titillans and Cq. venezuelensis) and December–January (Ps. albigenu, Cx. pedroi, and Ae. serratus). Observations of the eight most collected mosquitoes indicated that behavioral shifts were not observed between collection months. These data provide a better understanding of the species diversity, population density, and seasonal distribution of potential mosquito vectors within the Amazon Basin region and allow for the development of appropriate vector and disease prevention strategies.

Spiders found in international cargo brought into North America are sometimes submitted to arachnologists for identification. Often, these spiders are presumed to be of medical importance because of size or a submitter's familiarity with a toxic spider genus from the continent of origin. Starting in 2006, requests were made for spiders found in international cargo brought into North America, in addition to the specimens from similar cargo shipments already in our museum collections. This was an ad hoc study that allowed us to focus on spiders of concern to the discoverer. Weidentified 135 spiders found in international cargo.Akey for the most common species is provided. The most frequently submitted spiders were the pantropical huntsman spider, Heteropoda venatoria (L.) (Sparassidae), and the redfaced banana spider, Cupiennius chiapanensis Medina Soriano (Ctenidae). Spiders of medical importance were rare. The most common cargo from which spiders were submitted was bananas with most specimens coming from Central America, Ecuador, or Colombia. Lack of experience with nonnative fauna caused several experienced American arachnologists to misidentify harmless ctenid spiders (C. chiapanensis, spotlegged banana spider, Cupiennius getazi Simon) as highly toxic Phoneutria spiders. These misidentifications could have led to costly, unwarranted prophylactic eradication measures, unnecessary employee health education, heightened employee anxiety and spoilage when perishable goods are left unloaded due to safety concerns.

House flies, Musca domestica L., and stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), (Diptera: Muscidae), common pests on equine facilities, were studied in the laboratory to determine the success and duration of larval development and oviposition preferences on six substrates commonly found on equine facilities. Substrates tested were hay soiled with urine and manure, fresh horse manure, pine shaving bedding soiled with urine and manure (<12 h old), pine shaving bedding soiled with urine and manure (aged >72 h in a manure pile), builders sand bedding soiled with urine and manure aged 3 d, and soil from an overgrazed pasture mixed with urine and manure of variable age. House fly larvae failed to develop into adults in hay, soil, and sand substrates. Stable flies preferred to oviposit on substrates with plant material and not on fresh manure. However, when eggs were added to the substrates, pupariation was maximal in fresh manure and the fresh pine shaving substrate. Stable flies developed in all six equine substrates, but development was less successful on the substrates with soil. In choice tests, fresh manure and the fresh pine shaving substrates were the most attractive for house fly oviposition. These substrates also yielded the greatest number of house fly puparia from artificially added eggs. An understanding of oviposition preferences and differential larval development of house flies and stable flies on these substrates may help develop options for reducing pest populations by effectively managing equine waste and selecting appropriate bedding materials.

Culicoides sonorensis Wirth and Jones transmits bluetongue virus and develops in a variety of polluted mud habitats. Egg desiccation tolerance was tested by obtaining eggs of known age, drying them, and placing them back on wet substrate. Eggs 4–10 h old failed to hatch after 12 h of drying at 75% relative humidity (RH). Older eggs (28–34 h) survived severe desiccation and >50% water weight loss. They regained their water within ≈2 h of rehydration. Relative to control eggs, average egg hatch was reduced by 36% after 12 h of drying, 79% after 24 h, 91% after 36 h, and 97% after 48 h. Some embryos (1%) survived and hatched after 60 h of drying and water losses of nearly 60%. Eggs in specific 25–40 h age categories did not differ in hatch after a 12-h desiccation stress; critical embryo age to survive drying is between 10 and 24 h. Humidity gradients relieved desiccation stress, and eggs appeared to regain water from saturated RH conditions. Individual, gravid C. sonorensis oviposited in 1-liter containers with an artificial mud bank. If they laid eggs, 73% deposited them singly in lines ranging up to 5–6 cm in length (meanderers), while 27% laid eggs in clumps (dumpers). Eggs were positioned an average of 45 ± 12 mm back from waterline. Younger eggs, if laid in early evening, may not experience severe desiccation. Embryo recovery from such severe desiccation could be adaptive in ephemeral habitats where the species may have evolved.

The success and effects of a biological invasion can be dependent on species interactions with resident competitors and predators. Indirect interactions between competition and predation, such as keystone predation, can influence both invasion success and the impact of an invasive species on resident competitors. The invasive mosquito Aedes japonicus japonicus (Theobald) has been established within the North American range of the indigenous competitor Aedes triseriatus (Say) and indigenous mosquito predator Toxorhynchites rutilus (Coquillett). The effects of Tx. rutilus predation on competition between Ae. j. japonicus and Ae. triseriatus were tested in laboratory microcosms. Consistent with a prior study, there was minimal evidence of competitive asymmetry between Ae. j. japonicus and Ae. triseriatus, with similar effects of intraspecific versus interspecific interactions on both species. Tx. rutilus predation caused high mortality of both Ae. j. japonicus and Ae. triseriatus, and minimized the effects of density-dependent competition. Ae. japonicus females that survived predation had larger adult body sizes than those in treatments without predators. Ae. triseriatus females that survived Tx. rutilus predation were larger and developed quicker than individuals in treatments without predators. Intraspecific competition and predation negatively affected the finite rate of population increase for Ae. j. japonicus, but only affected individual fitness correlates for Ae. triseriatus, indicating that the overall population performance of the invader ismoresensitive to these interactions than the native species. Based on these results, we predict that predation is likely to be an important barrier to the establishment and spread of Ae. j. japonicus in tree holes in North America.

This study describes for the first time the necrophagous insects attracted to carcasses of the European rabbit in the mountains of Al-Baha Province of southwestern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Twenty-four rabbit carcasses were exposed in 2010 during spring (March, April, and May), summer (June, July, and August), and autumn (September, October, and November). The calliphorid fly species, Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, Chrysomya marginalis (Wiedemann), Chrysomya chloropyga (Wiedemann), Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann), and Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann), the sarcophagid Liosarcophaga babiyari (Lehrer), and muscoid flies Musca domestica (L.) and Musca stabulans Fallén were attracted to the carcasses. Seven species of Coleoptera, the dermestid Dermestes maculatus (De Geer), three species of hister beetles, Saprinus moyses Marseul, Saprinus ruber gemminigeri, and Saprinus chalcites (Illiger), the tenebrionid Himatismus sp., the clerid species, Necrobia ruficollis (F.), and the staphylinid beetle Creophilous maxillosus (L.) were also attracted to the rabbit carcasses. One species of adult pteromalid fly pupal parasitoid Nasonia sp. was also collected. The dominant larvae on all the rabbit carcasses were Ch. albiceps, L. cuprina, and Li. babiyari. Insect activity caused rabbit carcasses to decompose faster during summer (21.38 ± 0.49 d) compared with spring (27.5 ± 0.73 d) and autumn (30.38 ± 0.50 d). This study indicates that in this region of KSA, Ch. albiceps, L. cuprina, and Li. babiyari are species useful for estimating minimal postmortem intervals.

Ochlerotatus albifasciatus (Macquart) (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae develop synchronously after rainfall events in ephemeral or temporary pools, where they occasionally attain very high abundance. The aims of the current study were to analyze the response of life history parameters such as daily larval mortality, time to pupation, and adult size of Oc. albifasciatus to increasing larval density under controlled conditions, and to analyze the relationships of daily larval mortality with density and environmental variables (drying rate, temperature, and season) in urban rain pools in Buenos Aires, Argentina. An exponential increase in mortality was observed at high larval densities under controlled conditions. Development times and adult size (wing length) differed between males and females, and were also affected by density. Development times extended for 0.36 d for each order of magnitude of increase in larval density, and wing length decreased 0.0021 mm per additional larva in 600 cm². Larval density in the field varied from <1 larva per square meter to nearly 1100 larvae per square meter. Daily larval mortality values in the field were variable (0.02–0.91), positively related to the drying rate, and exhibited seasonal differences. No significant relation with larval density or temperature was found in the field. It remains to be established whether the density-independent mortality observed in this study is a generalized pattern of Oc. albifasciatus populations in Buenos Aires Province or a pattern restricted only to urban habitats.

The objective of this study was to compare the behavioral responses (contact irritancy and noncontact spatial repellency) between susceptible and resistant populations of Aedes aegypti (L.) (= Stegomyia aegypti) to essential oils, citronella, and eucalyptus, Eucalyptus globulus, extracts, using an excito-repellency test system. N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) was used as the standard reference repellent. Mosquitoes included two long-standing insecticide susceptible colonies (U.S. Department of Agriculture and Bora Bora) and two pyrethroid-resistant populations recently obtained from Phetchabun and Kanchanaburi provinces in Thailand. Both DEET and citronella produced a much stronger excitation (“irritancy”) and more rapid flight escape response in both pyrethroid-resistant populations compared with the laboratory populations. Noncontact repellency was also greater in the two resistant populations. Eucalyptus oil was found to be the least effective compound tested. Differences in responses between long-established pyrethroid-susceptible colonies and newly established and naturally resistant colonies were clearly demonstrated. These findings also demonstrate the need for further comparisons using natural pyrethroid-susceptible populations for elucidation of factors that might contribute to different patterns of escape behavior.

Wolbachia are maternally transmitted obligate bacteria that occur naturally in many arthropods. The phenotype observed in mosquitoes is known as cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), which results in reduced or absent egg hatch in crosses between individuals with different infection types. Applied mosquito control strategies propose that by releasing individuals infected with a Wolbachia strain that differs from that in the natural host population, CI could be used to suppress or replace mosquito populations. Here, using tetracycline treatment and embryonic microinjection, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) was cleared of its natural Wolbachia infection and artificially infected with a Wolbachia strain originating from Aedes riversi Bohart & Ingram. Crossing experiments were carried out to determine whether CI could be observed between the artificially infected strain (UC), naturally infected (wild type), and uninfected strains of Ae. albopictus. Crosses between UC males and uninfected females resulted in no egg hatch, a classic unidirectional CI pattern. Crosses between the wild-type and UC strain also exhibited a unidirectional pattern of CI, demonstrating that the UC strain is compatible with both of the Wolbachia types that occur within Ae. albopictus and that wild-type Wolbachia infections are unable to fully rescue the UC Wolbachia type. Crosses between the UC strain and another artificially infected Ae. albopictus strain (ARwP), were bidirectionally incompatible, demonstrating that the UC strain is not compatible with all Wolbachia types. The CI patterns observed in this study were atypical and the opposite of that typically observed with superinfections.

Some people host lice on the clothing as well as the head. Whether body lice and head lice are distinct species or merely variants of the same species remains contentious. We sought to ascertain the extent to which lice from these different habitats might interbreed on doubly infected people by comparing their entire mitochondrial genome sequences. Toward this end, we analyzed two sets of published genetic data from double-infections of body lice and head lice: 1) entire mitochondrial coding regions (≈ 15.4 kb) from body lice and head lice from seven doubly infected people from Ethiopia, China, and France; and 2) part of the cox1 gene (≈486 bp) from body lice and head lice from a further nine doubly infected people from China, Nepal, and Iran. These mitochondrial data, from 65 lice, revealed extraordinary variation in the number of single nucleotide polymorphisms between the individual body lice and individual head lice of double-infections: from 1.096 kb of 15.4 kb (7.6%) to 2 bps of 15.4 kb (0.01%). We detected coinfections of lice of Clades A and C on the scalp hair of three of the eight people from Nepal: one person of the two people from Kathmandu and two of the six people from Pokhara. Lice of Clades A and B coinfected the scalp hair of one person from Atherton, Far North Queensland, Australia. These findings argue for additional large-scale studies of the body lice and head lice of double-infected people.

Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) aquasalis Curry, 1932, is an anopheline that plays an important role in Plasmodium transmission in the New World. Few studies have explored the molecular reproductive biology of this vector species. In the current study, we isolated and sequenced a partial, 886 bp, cDNA fragment of a vitellogenin (Vtg) gene from An. aquasalis. The transcription profile of this Vtg gene in adult females was characterized, and it is similar to other members of the Culicidae. We also detected a smaller subunit of An. aquasalis Vtg proteins in ovary tissue and characterized its translational profile in previtellogenic and vitellogenic females. Our results represent the first molecular characterization of An. aquasalis vitellogenin expression products.

The development of pyrethroid resistance in Aedes aegypti (L) (Diptera: Culicidae) is a serious concern because major A. aegypti control programs are predominantly based on pyrethroid use during epidemic disease outbreaks. Research about the genetic basis for pyrethroid resistance and how it is transmitted among mosquito populations is needed. The objective of this study was to determine how deltamethrin resistance is inherited in the Cuban A. aegypti-resistant reference strain. Here, a field population of A. aegypti from Santiago de Cuba (SAN-F14), subjected to 14 generations of selection for high deltamethrin resistance level (91.25×), was used to prepare reciprocal F₁ and backcross progeny with the insecticide-susceptible Rockefeller strain. Bioassays with larvae were performed according to World Health Organization guidelines. The activities of metabolic enzymes were assayed through synergist and biochemical tests. The null hypothesis of the parallelism test between the two probit regression lines of the reciprocal F₁ (susceptible females × resistant males and vice versa) was not rejected at the 5% significance level (P = 0.42), indicating autosomal inheritance. The LC₅₀ response of both F₁ progenies to deltamethrin was elevated but less than the highly resistant SAN-F14 strain. D_LC values for the F₁ progenies were 0.91 and 0.87, respectively, suggesting that deltamethrin resistance in the SAN-F14 strain is inherited as an autosomal incompletely dominant trait, involving at least two factors, which implies a faster development of deltamethrin resistance in larvae and lost product effectiveness. Metabolic enzymes including esterases and cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases but not glutathione-S-transferases were involved in deltamethrin resistance in larvae.

A study to evaluate the protection provided by permethrin-treated fabric following cold-water washing against biting by mosquitoes is reported. Australian Defense Force (ADF) disruptive pattern combat uniform (DPCU) shirt fabric and entire shirts were treated by dipping in a 0.6% emulsion (Perigen Defense, containing 500 g/liter permethrin), and commercial factory treatment in the United States (Factory A) and Europe (Factory B). Protection was recorded after 1, 3, 5, 10, 30, and 50 washes. The treated fabric provided 100% protection against bites of Anopheles farauti Laveran for at least 50 washes, although only 4.8–19.0% of this species fed through untreated DPCU. The protection provided by each type of permethrin treatment against Aedes aegypti (L.) biting was variable; however, there were no significant differences between the percentage of mosquitoes biting between 1 and 10 washes. A comparison between the two factory treatments for 1–50 washes also showed no statistical difference in Ae. aegypti feeding. Chemical analysis of fabric was conducted using gas chromatography and showed that the initial dose was 0.125 mg/cm² for Perigen-treated fabric, which fell to 0.004 mg/cm² after 10 washes. By contrast, factory treatments resulted in initial dose rates of 0.20 mg/cm² for Factory A and 0.19 mg/cm² for Factory B. After 10 washes, Factory A-treated fabric had 0.09 mg/cm² and Factory B 0.15 mg/cm² of permethrin. Despite the higher concentrations of permethrin in the fabric, there was not a commensurate increase in biting protection provided by the factory-treated fabric, compared with fabric treated by dipping in permethrin emulsion.

Knowledge on test conditions that may influence behavioral responses of mosquitoes is critical when excito-repellency tests are conducted. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of test time differences on normal circadian activity and behavioral responses of field and colonized Aedes aegypti (L.) ( = Stegomyia aegypti) and Culex quinquefasciatus Say to DEET, one of the most common synthetic repellent active ingredients available. Two field populations of Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus from Kanchanaburi and Nonthaburi provinces, respectively, and two long-standing laboratory populations, Ae. aegypti obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Cx. quinquefasciatus from the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, were used. Each population was exposed to DEET during two different periods of time (0900–1500 hours) and (2100–0300 hours). Both field and laboratory Cx. quinquefasciatus showed marked differences in spatial repellent escape responses between day and nighttime periods but none in direct contact tests. No significant differences between day and nighttime testing periods were observed with field or laboratory Ae. aegypti, except a higher daytime escape response from noncontact DEET treatment. This study indicates that test time may influence the behavioral avoidance responses and is a potential confounder of excitorepellency evaluations.

The polar lipids on the surface of the Old World sand fly, Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli), were analyzed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. Blood-fed females and nonblood-fed females and males were separately analyzed and compared. The major polar lipids were found to be long-chain diols and fatty acids. Relatively high levels of diacylglycerols were found in blood-fed females and in males. A wide variety of lipids were found at low levels, including esters, sterols, monoacylglycerols, and hydroxy fatty acids. Blood-fed females had several lyso lipids and N-acyl amino acids that were not found on unfed females or males. These substances may be surfactants used in blood feeding. Heneicosenoic acid was found on females at more than twice the level of males, suggesting it could be a component of a female pheromone. Four substances were identified on males at twofold higher levels than on females: tetradienoic acid, methoxyhexadecasphinganine, butyl octadecanoate, and diacylglycerol(14:1/12:0/0:0). These could be short-range pheromones involved in courtship, and they will be further analyzed in future behavioral bioassays.

The aim of the study was to evaluate exposure of equids to rickettsial agents (Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia parkeri, ‘Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii’, Rickettsia rhipicephali, and Rickettsia bellii) and rickettsial infection in ticks of a Pantanal region of Brazil. Sera of 547 equids (500 horses and 47 donkeys) were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence assay. In total, 665 adults and 106 nymphal pools of Amblyomma cajennense F. sensu lato, 10 Dermacentor nitens Neumann ticks, and 88 larval pools of Amblyomma sp. were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Overall, 337 (61.6%) equids were reactive (titer ≥64) to at least one antigen of Rickettsia spp. The prevalence values for Rickettsia were 66%, and the highest endpoint titers were observed for ‘Ca. R. amblyommii’. By PCR 3 (0.45%) A. cajennense s.l. females were positive for ‘Ca. R. amblyommii’. Minimum infection rates of 0.75% for nymphs and 0.34% for larvae were calculated. Positive samples of ticks have had a fragment of the 16S mitochondrial rRNA gene sequenced and sequences showed 99% identity to Amblyomma sculptum Berlese. This study reports a wide exposure of equids to Rickettsia agents, and PCR evidence of infection with ‘Ca. R. amblyommii’, for the first time, in A. sculptum.

Bunyamwera and Ngari viruses have been isolated from a range of mosquito species in Kenya but their actual role in the maintenance and transmission of these viruses in nature remains unclear. Identification of the mosquito species efficient in transmitting these viruses is critical for estimating the risk of human exposure and understanding the transmission and maintenance mechanism. We determined the vector competence of, Aedes aegypti (L.), Culex quinquefasciatus Say, and Anopheles gambiae Giles for transmission ofBunyamweraand Ngari viruses. Ae. aegypti was moderately susceptible to Bunyamwera virus infection at days 7 and 14. Over 60% of Ae. aegypti with a midgut infection developed a disseminated infection at both time points. Approximately 20% more mosquitoes developed a disseminated infection at day 14 compared with day 7. However, while Ae. aegypti was incompetent for Ngari virus, An. gambiae was moderately susceptible to both viruses with dissemination rates more than double by day 14. Cx. quinquefasciatus was refractory to both Bunyamwera and Ngari viruses. Our results underscore the need to continually monitor emergent arboviral genotypes circulating within particular regions as well as vectors mediating these transmissions to preempt and prevent their adverse effects. The genetic mechanism for species specificity and vector competence owing to reassortment needs further investigation.

Plague is a primarily flea-borne rodent-associated zoonosis that is often fatal in humans. Our study focused on the plague-endemic West Nile region of Uganda where affordable means for the prevention of human plague are currently lacking. Traditional hut construction and food storage practices hinder rodent exclusion efforts, and emphasize the need for an inexpensive but effective host-targeted approach for controlling fleas within the domestic environment. Here we demonstrate the ability of an insecticide delivery tube that is made from inexpensive locally available materials to reduce fleas on domestic rodents. Unbaited tubes were treated with either an insecticide alone (fipronil) or in conjunction with an insect growth regulator [(S)-methoprene], and placed along natural rodent runways within participant huts. Performance was similar for both treatments throughout the course of the study, and showed significant reductions in the proportion of infested rodents relative to controls for at least 100 d posttreatment.

Two strains of Tahyna virus (TAHV; Orthobunyavirus, Bunyaviridae) were isolated from 4,568 (92 pools) female Anopheles hyrcanus Pallas (Diptera, Culicidae) mosquitoes collected on the fishponds in South Moravia (Czechland, central Europe) during July–August 2013. This is the first isolation of TAHV from An. hyrcanus in Europe. An. hyrcanus is a species new to Czechland since 2007; its population density was very high in the year 2013 at these ponds. The virus isolation procedure was based on intracerebral inoculation of newborn mice; moreover, the positive pools were also tested by polymerase chain reaction and found to contain TAHV RNA. An. hyrcanus, feeding preferentially on mammals including humans, may be a new potential vector for TAHV in Europe.

Surveillance of malaria vectors in Africa is most often accomplished using CDC-type light traps or human landing catches (HLCs). Over the past 30 yr, a variety of commercial and experimental mosquito traps have been developed for residential mosquito control or for improved surveillance of disease vector species, including the BG Sentinel (BGS) trap. To optimize collection of Anopheles gambiae Giles using this trap, BGS traps were modified with an opening (vent) added to the trap base to decrease exhaust airflow. Four traps configurations were tested with colony-reared host-seeking female An. gambiae in free-flying laboratory enclosures. Six attractant treatments (three attractants: BG-Lure, Limburger cheese, and a blank, with and without CO₂) were tested concurrently. Across all trap—attractant combinations, significantly more mosquitoes (P < 0.05) were collected in standard, unmodified traps set upright (mean: 10.0) or upside down (9.8) than vented traps, whether upright (5.9) or upside down (7.0). The BG-Lure CO₂ and Limburger Cheese CO₂ bait combinations were more attractive than the other attractants tested alone. All attractant combinations collected significantly more mosquitoes than unbaited traps. Field studies are needed to determine if BG-Lure CO₂- or Limburger cheese CO₂-baited BGS traps are comparable with HLCs in collecting host-seeking An. gambiae.

Phlebotominae sand flies are of medical importance because they are vectors of human pathogens, such as protozoa of the genus Leishmania Ross, etiological agent of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL). In Lábrea, a municipality in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, ACL is primarily associated with subsistence activities, such as collection and extraction of forest products, undertaken by both indigenous and nonindigenous people. Data on ACL in indigenous populations are scarce, such that there is little information on the identity of the etiologie agent(s), reservoir host(s) and insect vector(s). The aim of this work was to study the sand fly fauna collected during an 8-d surveillance of different habitats in the Indigenous Reserve Caititu, Lábrea. In total, 1,267 sand flies were collected in different habitats for eight consecutive days, of which 819 (64.6%) were females and 448 (35.4%) males, from 10 genera and 32 species. The most abundant genera were Psychodopygus (34.3%), Trichophoromyia (22.9%), and Nyssomyia (15.3%). The most abundant species were Trichophoromyia ubiquitalis (Mangabeira) (n = 235, 18.5%), Psychodopygus davisi (Root) (n = 228, 18.0%) and Nyssomyia antunesi (Coutinho) (n = 135, 10.7%). Direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction products demonstrated the presence of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis and Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis in the following species of sand flies: Evandromyia apurinan (Shimabukuro, Silveira, & Silva), Nyssomyia umbratilis (Ward & Fraiha), Nyssomyia yuilli yuilli (Young & Porter), Ps. davisi, Sciopemyia servulolimai (Damasceno & Causey), and Th. ubiquitalis. The presence of natural infection by Leishmania detected in the sand fly species investigated in this study suggests their possible role in the transmission cycle of ACL in the studied area.

Flies in the family Sarcophagidae incubate their eggs and are known to be ovoviviparous (i.e., ovolarviparous), but a laboratory-maintained colony of Blaesoxipha plinthopyga (Wiedemann) deposited clutches of viable eggs over 10 generations. A description of the egg and first-instar larva of this species is provided along with genetic data (genome size and cytochrome oxidase I sequences). The egg is similar to previously described eggs of other Sarcophagidae but differs in the configuration of the micropyle. In the first-instar larva, the oral ridges are much more developed than has been described for other species. B. plinthopyga has forensic importance, and the present descriptive information is critical for proper case management.

Blow fly members of the family Calliphoridae, specifically Lucilia sericata (Meigen), have application in the fields of behavioral ecology, forensics, and medicine as agents for assessing ecological succession or decomposition and postmortem interval estimation, and for maggot debridement therapy, respectively. The lack of standardization of laboratory adult insect feeding, breeding, and rearing protocols among researchers in behavioral, medical, and forensic fields has become problematic. With the goal of understanding physical and physiological effects of diet as a baseline for future behavioral experiments, this article focuses on determining basic culture requirements for the adult blow fly L. sericata by comparing nine diets and the effects of each on survivorship and fecundity under controlled laboratory conditions. Percent survival, fecundity, and the effect of culture density were analyzed over the course of 120 d. Results indicate that a simple broad spectrum diet of honey water and bovine liver is the optimum diet for extending the life span of the flies and increasing the number of eggs laid per female per oviposition event, with 5–20 female flies being the optimum number per culture vessel. This culture protocol is simple to follow, can be easily incorporated into current behavioral, forensic, and medical entomology research programs, and the dietary components are readily available across diverse geographic areas.

To investigate the likely source population and candidate vectors of Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae, the prevalence of this bacteria was quantified in specimens of four tick species that mainly parasitize humans collected from 13 sites along the Chinese—Russian border. The presence of the bacteria was determined by detecting its specific citrate synthase (gltA) partial gene and outer membrane protein A (ompA) partial gene. Only Ixodes persulcatus Schulze was found to be naturally infected with C. R. tarasevichiae, which had an overall prevalence of 1.53% in both sexes. C. R. tarasevichiae is an emerging, tick-borne human pathogen and this finding may partially explain recent human cases of infection by this organism in China. Public health authorities should be aware of the potential risk posed by the transmission of this bacterium to humans by ticks.

Ambient temperature can influence tick development time, and can potentially affect tick interactions with pathogens and with vertebrate hosts. We studied the effect of ambient temperature on duration of attachment of larval blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, to eastern fence lizards, Sceloporus undulatus (Bose & Daudin). Feeding periods of larvae that attached to lizards under preferred temperature conditions for the lizards (WARM treatment: temperatures averaged 36.6°C at the top of the cage and 25.8°C at the bottom, allowing behavioral thermoregulation) were shorter than for larvae on lizards held under cool conditions (COOL treatment temperatures averaged 28.4°C at top of cage and 24.9°C at the bottom). The lizards were infested with larvae four times at roughly monthly intervals. Larval numbers successfully engorging and dropping declined and feeding period was longer after the first infestation.

Culex theileri Theobald (Diptera: Culicidae) has a wide Afrotropical, southern Palaearctic, northern Oriental, and European distribution. It is mainly considered as a mammophilic mosquito and also feeds on birds and serves as a vector for various zoonotic diseases including West Nile virus. Despite its broad distribution and evidence indicating that Cx. theileri is a competent vector of human and domestic animal pathogens, basic biological and ecological features of this species have not been well investigated. We evaluated the impact of bloodmeal source (human, chicken, cow, and a double bloodmeal such as human and cow or chicken and cow and mixed bloodmeals [cow, chicken, and human] via artificial feeding) on fecundity, hatching rates, developmental times, and viability from egg to adult for laboratory colonized Cx. theileri. Fecundity in mosquitoes that took a chicken bloodmeal, a double bloodmeal and mixed bloodmeals was significantly higher than in females fed on a single cow or single human blood. This is the first study about the bloodmeal sources effect on laboratory-reared Cx. theileri populations and these findings contribute to our understanding of the impact of bloodmeal source on reproduction in Cx. theileri. As it is known that Cx. theileri is a vector for West Nile virus, the potential impacts of bloodmeal source on virus transmission are discussed.

Amblyomma maculatum Koch, 1844 (also known as the Gulf Coast tick) is found in parts of the Americas, including the central and southern United States. Its primary importance is as the vector of Rickettsia parkeri, a spotted fever group rickettsia that causes an illness similar to, but milder than, Rocky Mountain spotted fever. A second spotted fever group rickettsia, “Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae,” was detected in Gulf Coast ticks approximately 10 yr ago. However, the significance of this organism, including pathogenicity, has not yet been well-characterized. Here, we use transmission electron microscopy to describe bacteria within the tissues of A. maculatum ticks that were positive by polymerase chain reaction assay for “Ca. R. andeanae.” In ultrathin sections of unfed A. maculatum adult females, we found evidence of bacteria with morphological features consistent with spotted fever group rickettsiae, including small size (≈0.3 by 0.9 µm), a halo zone (electron-lucent layer around the bacterium), and a trilaminar cell wall. In female ticks, bacteria were present in granular salivary glands and ducts, foregut, Malpighian tubules, nerve trunks, and reproductive tissue. These findings demonstrate evidence of “Ca. R. andeanae” in situ and contribute to our understanding of this novel rickettsia in A. maculatum.