A COMPARISON OF 2 BRAZILIAN POPULATIONS OF CULEX-QUINQUEFASCIATUS (SAY, 1823) FROM ENDEMIC AND NONENDEMIC AREAS TO INFECTION WITH WUCHERERIA-BANCROFTI (COBBOLD, 1877)

Culex quinquefasciatus is known to be an efficient insect host of Wuch ereria bancrofti In Brazil Ox. quinquefasciatus is widely distributed throughout the country and is often abundant in and around human habit ations. In contrast, Bancroftian filariasis is limited to three foci i n Brazil. Experiments were undertaken to compare the vector capacities of Cx. quinquefasciatus originating from Maceio (Alagoas), one of the endemic areas of W. bancrofti infection in Brazil, and Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais), a non endemic area. Laboratory-reared Cx. quinquefasc iatus were dissected 20 days after blood feeding on microfilaraemic pa tients. Survival rates and the number of infective larvae that develop ed did not differ in female mosquitoes of different origins. Thus both populations of Culex susceptible to infection with W. bancrofti.