Stretching the wings further- susceptibility of Culex pipiens Linnaeus to bovine ephemeral fever virus infection under experimental conditions

Abstract

Bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) is a significant viral disease of cattle in the tropical, subtropical, and temperate climatic zones. This disease is also known as three-day sickness due to the spontaneous recovery of the cattle within a short period (usually 3–5 days). Despite its short duration, the disease may have a considerable impact. It can cause heavy economic losses, primarily due to decreased milk production, lowered fertility in bulls, and even fatality in severe cases. The virus is suspected to be transmitted by haematophagous insects (mainly mosquitoes and Culicoides biting midges); however, the identity of a competent vector for BEFV remains a mystery. Here, we investigated whether BEFV may replicate for a short duration in Culex pipiens Linnaeus, 1758, the most prevalent mosquito species in Israel and a potential vector of this virus to Israeli cattle. We applied nested- qPCR to test BEFV abundance in Cx. pipiens every 24 h for 14 consecutive days post-infection. Additionally, we collected eggs laid by BEFV-infected females and investigated BEFV abundance in the different developmental stages of F1 mosquitos. Our results suggest that Cx. pipiens mosquitoes have the potential to act as a vector of BEFV and also indicate that BEFV may be vertically transmitted from Cx. pipiens female parent to her female offspring.