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Title: Environmental effects on vector competence and virogenesis of bluetongue virus in Culicoides: interpreting laboratory data in a field context

Author
item MULLENS, B.A. - UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
item GERRY, A.C. - UNIVERISTY OF WYOMING
item LYSYK, T.J. - AGRIC/AGRI-FOOD CANADA
item Schmidtmann, Edward

Submitted to: Veterinaria Italiana
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2004
Publication Date: 10/1/2004
Citation: Mullens, B., Gerry, A., Lysyk, T., Schmidtmann, E.T. 2004. Environmental effects on vector competence and virogenesis of bluetongue virus in Culicoides: interpreting laboratory data in a field context. Veterinaria Italiana 40(3):160-166.

Interpretive Summary: Environmental factors profoundly affect the ability of an insect vector to transmit diseases. The intensity of vector-vertebrate contact is affected by seasonal vector population densities, biting rates, and feeding frequencies. Temperature influences insect developmental rates and may affect vector competence. Models can be extremely helpful in identifying and predicting geographic and seasonal trends in virus occurrence. In this study, field and laboratory data from the Culicoides sonorensis-bluetongue virus system in North America were incorporated into preliminary estimates of virus prevalence and geographic occurrence along a latitudinal (and temperature) gradient. It is clear that geographic information systems technology will likely be helpful in understanding vector and virus occurrence on a broader scale, especially for sporadic or emerging transmission zones, and areas of particular concern for animal movement.

Technical Abstract: Environmental factors profoundly affect vectorial capacity, governing dynamics and intensity of vector-vertebrate contact in time and space (e.g., seasonal vector population densities, biting rates, and feeding frequencies). Temperature influences vector developmental rates and life history parameters, and may modify vector competence. Studies should move iteratively from field to models can be extremely helpful in identifying and predicting geographic and seasonal trends in virus occurrence. Field and laboratory data from the Culicoides sonorensis-bluetongue virus system in North America are incorporated into preliminary estimates of virus prevalence and geographic occurrence along a latitudinal (and temperature) gradient. Geographic information systems technology is likely to be helpful in understanding vector and virus occurrence on a broader scale, especially in temperate latitudes that typify sporadic or emerging transmission zones, areas of particular concern for animal movement.