A review and update of the distribution, bionomics, and medical importance of Culicoides (Haematomyidium)paraensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)in the Unites States in response to recent Oropouche virus expansion in the Americas

Authors: DUNFORD, JAMES - Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) - United States; VIGIL, STACEY - Vigil Natureworks, Llc; RUDER, MARK - University Of Georgia; LONG, LEWIS - Uniformed Services University; ZAPATA, STEPHANIE - Rutgers University; PRICE, DANA - Rutgers University; STEELE, CASSANDRA - University Of Arkansas; MCDERMOTT, EMILY - University Of Arkansas; McGregor, Bethany; HOLCOMB, KAREN - Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) - United States; ROSE, DOMINIC - Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) - United States; NEWMAN, BRENT - Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) - United States; PECOR, DAVID - Walter Reed Army Institute Of Research; LINTON, YVONNE-MARIE - Smithsonian Institute; ROBERTS, DONALD - Uniformed Services University; HARWOOD, JAMES - Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) - United States; CONNELLY, ROXANNE - Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) - United States

Submitted to: Journal of Medical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/9/2026
Publication Date: 2/27/2026
Citation: Dunford, J.C., Vigil, S.L., Ruder, M.G., Long, L., Zapata, S., Price, D.C., Steele, C.H., Mcdermott, E.G., McGregor, B.L., Holcomb, K., Rose, D., Newman, B.C., Pecor, D.B., Linton, Y., Roberts, D., Harwood, J.F., Connelly, R.C. 2026. A review and update of the distribution, bionomics, and medical importance of Culicoides (Haematomyidium)paraensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)in the Unites States in response to recent Oropouche virus expansion in the Americas. Journal of Medical Entomology. 63(1): tjag019. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag019.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag019

Interpretive Summary: Culicoides biting midges are small biting flies that can spread many diseases to animals and humans. One human disease spread by this group of flies is called Oropouche virus, which usually occurs in South and Central America. This virus is mainly spread by a species of midge called Culicoides paraensis, a species that also occurs in the U.S. In 2023-2024, a large outbreak of Oropouche virus caused disease in the Caribbean and threatened the U.S. This paper provides a systematic review of available literature on this species and is focused on improving our understanding of Culicoides paraensis in the U.S., including where it is found, its ecology, and its biology.

Technical Abstract: Oropouche virus (OROV) has expanded its distribution in the Neotropics and Caribbean (2023–2025). Over 100 reported travel cases of OROV have been reported in travelers returning to Florida alone. The primary insect vector, Culicoides paraensis (Goeldi), is present in the United States and it is essential to update our knowledge of its distribution to better understand the risk of OROV encroaching into continental United States and US Caribbean territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. An updated distribution map for C. paraensis is presented based on newly compiled distribution records from recent field collections, data mined from archived museum specimens, online databases, and published literature. The known US range of C. paraensis is expanded to include 219 counties across 24 states and Washington DC, and new state records for Arkansas, Michigan, and New Jersey, and a previously unreported museum record for the District of Columbia are reported. Bionomics, surveillance and control, taxonomy and systematics, and medical importance is also provided for C. paraensis in this review.