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Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is a widespread zoonotic arbovirus and a threat to public health in Germany since its first emergence in 2018. It has become of particular relevance in Germany in 2019 due to its rapid geographical spread and the detection of the first human clinical cases. The susceptibility of indigenous Culex pipiens (biotypes pipiens and molestus) for a German WNV lineage 2 strain was experimentally compared to that of Serbian Cx. pipiens biotype molestus and invasive German Aedes albopictus. All tested populations proved to be competent laboratory vectors of WNV. Culex pipiens biotype pipiens displayed the highest transmission efficiencies (40.0%–52.9%) at 25 °C. This biotype was also able to transmit WNV at 18 °C (transmission efficiencies of 4.4%–8.3%), proving that temperate climates in Central and Northern Europe may support WNV circulation. Furthermore, due to their feeding behaviors, Cx. pipiens biotype molestus and Ae. albopictus can act as “bridge vectors”, leading to human WNV infections.
Highlights
West Nile virus (WNV; Flaviviridae; Flavivirus) is the most dispersed zoonotic arbovirus worldwide and the causative agent of viral neurological diseases in susceptible animals and humans
All other mosquito populations had survival rates ranging from 60.9% (Cx. pipiens biotype molestus from Serbia) to 90.4% (Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens from Germany) 14/15 dpi
This study demonstrates that German Cx. pipiens mosquitoes and Serbian Cx. pipiens biotype molestus fulfill the criteria for WNV vectors, portraying high virus susceptibility and efficient virus transmission, even at temperate climate conditions (e.g., 18 ◦ C), which are common in Germany during the summer season [42]
Summary
West Nile virus (WNV; Flaviviridae; Flavivirus) is the most dispersed zoonotic arbovirus worldwide and the causative agent of viral neurological diseases in susceptible animals and humans. The virus is maintained in an enzootic transmission cycle between ornithophilic mosquitoes as vectors and susceptible avian species as amplifying hosts [1]. Raptors (such as hawks and owls) and passeriform bird species (such as corvids) are highly susceptible, usually developing neuroinvasive diseases with high morbidity and mortality rates [2]. Rapid onset of disease and severe clinical symptoms are often associated with high viremia levels, sufficient to infect feeding mosquitoes and perpetuate the transmission cycle. Amplifying hosts such as the American robin (Turdus migratorius) and the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) can show low mortality rates and still produce viremia levels high enough to infect mosquitoes [2,3].
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