ISOLATION OF JAMESTOWN CANYON AND SNOWSHOE HARE VIRUSES (CALIFORNIA SEROGROUP) FROM AEDES MOSQUITOS IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

Three isolates of Jamestown Canyon virus and one isolate of snowshoe h are virus (California serogroup) were obtained from adult Aedes female s collected in western Massachusetts in 1982. Jamestown Canyon virus w as isolated from Aedes abserratus/punctor once, and from Aedes intrude ns twice. Snowshoe hare virus was isolated from Aedes stimulans group mosquitoes. La Crosse encephalitis (LAC) virus was not isolated from 1 ,552 adult Aedes triseriatus, nor from 22,557 Aedes triseriatus larvae . However, sera from 1/178 eastern chipmunks, 5/31 gray squirrels, and 8/144 white-tailed deer had neutralizing antibody to LAC virus. No se ntinel rabbits placed at sites yielding virus isolates seroconverted t o CAL viruses in either year.