Abstract
BackgroundTwo biological forms of the mosquito Culex pipiens s.s., denoted pipiens and molestus, display behavioural differences that may affect their role as vectors of arboviruses. In this study, the feeding patterns of molestus and pipiens forms were investigated in Comporta (Portugal), where high levels of inter-form admixture have been recorded.MethodsIndoor and outdoor mosquito collections were performed in the summer of 2010. Collected Cx. pipiens s.l. females were molecularly identified to species and form by PCR and genotyped for six microsatellites. The source of the blood meal in post-fed females was determined by ELISA and mitochondrial DNA sequencing.ResultsThe distribution of the forms differed according to the collection method. The molestus form was present only in indoor collections, whereas pipiens and admixed individuals were sampled both indoors and outdoors. In both forms, over 90% of blood meals were made on avian hosts. These included blood meals taken from Passeriformes (Passer domesticus and Turdus merula) by females caught resting inside domestic shelters.ConclusionGenetic structure and blood meal analyses suggest the presence of a bird biting molestus population in the study area. Both forms were found to rest indoors, mainly in avian shelters, but at least a proportion of females of the pipiens form may bite outdoors in sylvan habitats and then search for anthropogenic resting sites to complete their gonotrophic cycle. This behaviour may potentiate the accidental transmission of arboviruses to humans in the region.
Highlights
Two biological forms of the mosquito Culex pipiens s.s., denoted pipiens and molestus, display behavioural differences that may affect their role as vectors of arboviruses
Culex pipiens sensu stricto is a major vector of Japanese encephalitis serogroup arboviruses to their natural hosts, which are birds [1] and in the accidental bridgetransmission from birds to humans and domestic mammals [2,3]
In this study, a notable difference was found in the distribution of molestus and pipiens forms according to collection methods
Summary
Two biological forms of the mosquito Culex pipiens s.s., denoted pipiens and molestus, display behavioural differences that may affect their role as vectors of arboviruses. Culex pipiens sensu stricto is a major vector of Japanese encephalitis serogroup arboviruses to their natural hosts, which are birds [1] and in the accidental bridgetransmission from birds to humans and domestic mammals [2,3]. This serogroup includes West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus for which human cases have been reported in the European continent [4,5]. The pipiens form is eurygamous (mates in open spaces), anautogenous (oviposition requires a blood meal), heterodynamic (undergoes winter diapause) and ornithophilic (feeds predominantly on birds) [8,9]
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