ISOLATIONS OF WEST NILE AND BAGAZA VIRUSES FROM MOSQUITOS (DIPTERA, CULICIDAE) IN CENTRAL SENEGAL (FERLO)

During October-November 1990, 31,497 mosquitoes consisting of 25 diffe rent species were collected in Barkedji, Ferlo area (Senegal), and tes ted for virus infection. Viruses were isolated from 55 of 407 pools. E ighteen pools were found positive for both Bagaza virus (BGA) and West Nile virus (WN). One alphavirus (Babanki [BBK] and 72 flaviviruses (1 9 BGA, 53 WN) were isolated from Culex poicilipes Theobald (29 WN, 8 B GA), C. neavei Theobald (3 WN, 1 BGA), Mimomyia hispida Theobald (8 WN , 6 BGA, and 1 BBK), M. lacustris Edwards (4 WN, 1 BGA), M. splendens Theobald (6 WN, 2 BGA), Mimomyia. spp. (2 WN), and Aedomyia africana N eveu-Lemaire (1 WN). These were the first isolations of arboviruses fr om A. africana and Mimomyima species. C. poicilipes and possibly Mimom yia spp. may be involved in an avian-mosquito cycle of West Nile virus transmission in Senegal.