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. 2023 Mar;37(1):105-110.
doi: 10.1111/mve.12613. Epub 2022 Oct 4.

Experimental infection of Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus and Culex pipiens mosquitoes with Bluetongue virus

Salvatore Ledda  1 , Cipriano Foxi  1   2 , Giantonella Puggioni  1 , Roberto Bechere  1 , Angela Maria Rocchigiani  1 , Rosario Scivoli  1 , Elisabetta Coradduzza  1 , Simona Cau  1 , Luigi Vento  1 , Giuseppe Satta  1
Affiliations

Experimental infection of Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus and Culex pipiens mosquitoes with Bluetongue virus

Salvatore Ledda et al. Med Vet Entomol. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

Bluetongue disease (BT), caused by Bluetongue virus (BTV), infects wild and domestic ruminants, causing severe economic damage in the cattle and sheep industry. Proven vectors of BTV are biting midges belonging to the Culicoides genus, but other arthropods are considered potential vectors, such as ticks, mosquitoes, wingless flies, and sand flies. The present study represents the first attempt to evaluate the vectorial capacity of Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus for BTV. Mosquitoes were artificially fed with blood containing BTV serotype 1. Infection, dissemination and transmission rates were evaluated at 0, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days after an infected blood meal. Viral RNA was only detected up to 3 days post infection in the bodies of both species. This study indicates that the two Italian populations of Cx. pipiens and Ae. albopictus are not susceptible to BTV infection.

Keywords: Aedes albopictus; Bluetongue virus; Culex pipiens; Sardinia; experimental infection; vector competence.

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References

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