Abstract
La Crosse (LAC) virus, a California serogroup bunyavirus, is the leading cause of pediatric arboviral encephalitis in the United States and an emerging disease in Tennessee, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Human cases of LAC encephalitis in Tennessee and North Carolina have increased above endemic levels during 1997 to 1999 and may represent an expansion of a new southeastern endemic focus. This report describes the isolation of LAC virus from the exotic mosquito Aedes albopictus. The discovery of LAC virus in wild populations of Ae. albopictus coupled with its expanding distribution in the southeastern United States, suggests that this mosquito may become an important accessory vector, potentially increasing the number of human cases in endemic foci or expanding the range of the disease.
Highlights
La Crosse virus (LAC), a California serogroup bunyavirus, is the leading cause of pediatric arboviral encephalitis in the United States and an emerging disease in Tennessee, West Virginia, and North Carolina
La Crosse virus (LAC) encephalitis has been most common in the upper midwestern United States, primarily Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin [1], where the primary vector is Ochlerotatus triseriatus, a native mosquito that breeds in tree holes and artificial containers
We describe the results of surveillance programs designed to examine container-breeding mosquitoes near the homes of LAC encephalitis patients in an attempt to isolate LAC virus from its vector(s) in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina
Summary
La Crosse virus (LAC), a California serogroup bunyavirus, is the leading cause of pediatric arboviral encephalitis in the United States and an emerging disease in Tennessee, West Virginia, and North Carolina. The discovery of LAC virus in wild populations of Ae. albopictus , coupled with its expanding distribution in the southeastern United States, suggests that this mosquito may become an important accessory vector, potentially increasing the number of human cases in endemic foci or expanding the range of the disease. Ae. albopictus, a mosquito that breeds in tree holes and artificial containers, was discovered in Houston, Texas, in 1985 It was probably introduced from its natural range in Asia to the United States in imported used tire casings [8].
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