Abstract
Sensitive indicators of spatial and temporal variation in vector-host contact rates are critical to understanding the transmission and eventual prevention of arboviruses such as West Nile virus (WNV). Monitoring vector contact rates on particularly susceptible and perhaps more exposed avian nestlings may provide an advanced indication of local WNV amplification. To test this hypothesis we monitored WNV infection and vector contact rates among nestlings occupying nest boxes (primarily Eastern bluebirds; Sialia sialis, Turdidae) across Henrico County, Virginia, USA, from May to August 2012. Observed host-seeking rates were temporally variable and associated with absolute vector and host abundances. Despite substantial effort to monitor WNV among nestlings and mosquitoes, we did not detect the presence of WNV in these populations. Generally low vector-nestling host contact rates combined with the negative WNV infection data suggest that monitoring transmission parameters among nestling Eastern bluebirds in Henrico County, Virginia, USA may not be a sensitive indicator of WNV activity.
Highlights
Numerous regional studies have demonstrated the importance of a single or few avian species in the local amplification of West Nile virus
We monitored mosquito host-seeking rates using a modification of the original Nest Mosquito Trap (NMT) design [17] starting on 12 June 2013
We estimated the per nestling host-seeking rate
Summary
Numerous regional studies have demonstrated the importance of a single or few avian species in the local amplification of West Nile virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, WNV). Hatch-year birds, in particular nestlings, may be important to avian arbovirus transmission due primarily to their susceptibility to infection as well as being confined to nests, lacking protective feather coverage of adults, and exhibiting weak defensive behavior [11,12,13]. Zoonotic pathogens, such as WNV, have been suggested to exist within transmission networks where relationships among multiple host and vector species structure transmission rather than traditional transmission cycles among single host and vector species [14]. We assessed whether temporal variation in observed host-seeking rates among mosquitoes was associated with nestling abundance, vector abundance, or the ratio of nestlings to vectors
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