Isolation and characterization of sylvatic mosquito-borne viruses in Trinidad: enzootic transmission and a new potential vector of Mucambo virus.

ABSTRACT: Mosquito surveillance was carried out in three forested regions of Trinidad during July 2007-March 2009. A total of 185,397 mosquitoes representing at least 46 species was collected, divided into pools of 1-50 mosquitoes according to species and sex, and screened for arboviruses using cytopathic effect assays on Vero cell monolayers. Eighty-five viruses were isolated, including members of the genera Alphavirus (Mucambo virus; MUCV) and Orthobunyavirus (Caraparu, Oriboca, Bimiti, and Wyeomyia viruses). Species of the Culex subgenus Melanoconion accounted for 56% of the total number of mosquitoes collected and 97% of the viruses isolated; Cx. (Mel.) portesi accounted for 92% of virus isolations. Our results also implicate for the first time Aedes (Ochlerotatus) hortator as a potential vector

SUBMITTER: Auguste AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2990042 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature