Mr. Sardelis et al., Vector competence of selected North American Culex and Coquillettidia mosquitoes for West Nile virus, EM INFECT D, 7(6), 2001, pp. 1018-1022
To control West Nile virus (WNV), it is necessary to know which mosquitoes
are able to transmit this virus. Therefore, we evaluated the WNV vector pot
ential of several North American mosquito species. Culex restuans and Cx. s
alinarius, two species from which WNV was isolated in New York in 2000, wer
e efficient laboratory vectors. Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. nigripalpus fr
om Florida were competent but only moderately efficient vectors. Coquillett
idia perturbans was an inefficient laboratory vector. As WNV extends its ra
nge, exposure of additional mosquito species may alter its epidemiology.