Abstract
BackgroundBluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) are orbiviruses that can cause fatal vector-borne diseases in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Trapping methods for collecting potential Culicoides vectors of orbiviruses were compared to optimize surveillance studies.MethodsThe number of captured midges and the virus infection rates of midge pools were compared for dry ice-baited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) traps with or without black light. The number of individual midges of different Culicoides species captured at different crepuscular and nocturnal periods using rotator traps also was determined. The number of species/specimens of Culicoides was measured using five different trap methods including three animal-baited methods, a CDC trap with black light, and a CDC trap with no light.ResultsIn trial one, there was no significant difference (P = 0.37) in the proportion of BTV-infected flies caught in traps with light compared to traps without light. However, there was a significant difference (P = 0.026) for EHDV-infected flies, and 89% were captured in traps with light. In trial two, more specimens of C. debilipalpis were captured in the morning hours (06:00–08:00) than in the evening hours (18:00–20:00). For trial three, the animal-baited traps did not capture any species of Culicoides that were not captured in the CDC light traps. There was no significant difference (P = 0.22) in total specimens captured among all five trap types.ConclusionsSpecimens of Culicoides infected with BTV were not repelled by light traps in the first trial, while the majority of the specimens positive for EHDV were caught in traps with light. For the second trial, specimens of C. debilipalpis were most abundant during early morning hours, and thus spray applications of insecticides for control of that species may be more effective at sunrise rather than sunset. For objective three, no animal-baited trapping method collected different species of midges when compared to the CDC traps with light, which is unlike certain studies conducted in other geographical regions.Graphical abstract
Highlights
Bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) are orbiviruses that can cause fatal vector-borne diseases in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
The species abundance data from this study indicate that the optimal time for application of insecticide to control C. debilipalpis and C. stellifer, both of which are probable vectors for BTV/ EHDV, would be at sunrise on summer days
Under the conditions of this study, which was conducted during peak orbivirus transmission season [22], we showed that the use of the animal-baited traps did not result in the capture of different Culicoides species compared with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) traps with lights
Summary
Bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) are orbiviruses that can cause fatal vector-borne diseases in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) are in the genus Orbivirus, family Reoviridae, and are distributed worldwide. These two viruses are transmitted by biting midges of the genus Culicoides. The only two previously confirmed vectors of BTV/ EHDV in the United States are Culicoides sonorensis Wirth and Jones and C. insignis Lutz [2, 3]. There have been numerous field studies with reported transmission of BTV and EHDV when C. sonorensis was rare or absent in collections [5,6,7,8]. It is important to determine the local species of Culicoides in different areas with BTV/EHDV transmission
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