CDC Trap Research Articles

Bluetongue virus in Culicoides spp. in Manabí province, Ecuador

Bluetongue is a viral disease that affects sheep, cattle and other domestic or wild ruminants. Different species of Culicoides transmit the virus (BTV). High BTV seroprevalence was found in farms of Manabí and other two provinces of Ecuador, but the presence of the virus in the Culicoides spp. vector has not been reported. In the current study, the main goal was to demonstrate the presence of BTV in Culicoides in Ecuador for the first time and characterize the species of Culicoides collected in farms located in the central-east area of Manabí province. Six farms were selected to be monitored by BTV c-ELISA. All the 100 tested animals were positive. Using a CDC trap with ultraviolet light placed in three BTV-positive farms for three nights, 2240 specimens of Culicoides were collected. Six different Culicoides species have been identi-fied, which were presented in different abundance percent: 62% C.insignis; 7% C. batesi; 1.8% C.foxi; 1.8% C.diabolicus; 15.48% C.crepuscularis; 12% C.antunesis. These last two species have been identified for the first time in Ecuador. Q-PCR detected BTV RNA in the homogenates of female midges collected in each farm, so it was demonstrated that the epidemiological cycle of the virus is completed; since female midges infected with BTV were found, it is too a novel result for Ecuador. Keywords: Bluetongue, BTV, Culicoides, cattle, real-time PCR, competitive ELISA, Ecuador, Manabi

Avian haemosporidian parasites from wild-caught mosquitoes with new evidence on vectors of Plasmodium matutinum

Avian haemosporidian parasites are spread worldwide and pose a threat to their hosts occasionally. A complete life cycle of these parasites requires two hosts: vertebrate and invertebrate (a blood-sucking insect that acts as a vector). In this study, we tested wild-caught mosquitoes for haemosporidian infections. Mosquitoes were collected (2021–2023) in several localities in Lithuania using a sweeping net and a CDC trap baited with CO2, morphologically identified, and preparations of salivary glands were prepared (from females collected in 2022–2023). 2093 DNA samples from either individual after dissection (1675) or pools (418 pools/1145 individuals) of female mosquito's abdomens were screened using PCR for the detection of haemosporidian parasite DNA. Salivary gland preparations were analyzed microscopically from each PCR-positive mosquito caught in 2022 and 2023. The average prevalence of haemosporidian parasites for all analyzed samples was 2.0 % and varied between 0.6 % (2021) and 3.5 % (2022). DNA of Plasmodium ashfordi (cytochrome b genetic lineage pGRW02), P. circumflexum (pTURDUS1), P. homonucleophilum (pSW2), P. matutinum (pLINN1), P. vaughani (pSYAT05), Haemoproteus brachiatus (hLK03), H. majoris (hWW2), and H. minutus (hTUPHI01) were detected in mosquitoes. Coquilletidia richiardii (3.5 %) and Culex pipiens (2.9 %) were mosquito species with the highest prevalence of haemosporidian parasite DNA detected. Mixed infections were detected in 16 mosquitoes. In one of the samples, sporozoites of P. matutinum (pLINN1) were found in the salivary gland preparation of Culex pipiens, confirming this mosquito species as a competent vector of Plasmodium matutinum and adding it to the list of the natural vectors of this avian parasite.

Blinded by the light: does heat or light enhance wild mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) attraction to CO2-baited traps in the Great Salt Lake area?

The New Jersey Light Trap has been among the earliest trap models used for mosquito surveillance in the United States. This trap was modernized in the 1950s to the miniature CDC light trap, with the addition of CO2 following soon after. The incandescent light has the tendency to attract nontarget insects, as well as losing a substantial portion of their energy as heat. Few studies have delineated whether heat or light in isolation make a difference in field collections using the former traps within the United States. Our study focused on isolating heat and light variables by using incandescent bulbs, light emitting diode (LED) bulbs, and electric heating patches affixed to a base model CO2 trap as designed at the Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District. Sites were selected in the urban and suburban foothills and canyons of the Wasatch Mountain front, industrial areas near the Salt Lake City International Airport, and rural wetlands in the marshes outlying the Great Salt Lake. Five traps were replicated within each sector during the summer and fall summer seasons. Collections were composed of Aedes dorsalis (Meigen), Culex pipiens L., Culex tarsalis Coquillett, and Culiseta inornata (Williston). Composition changes were a result of seasonal, rather than spatial, shifts. The results showed that LED light traps depressed collections of key species. Otherwise, there were negligible differences in collections among incandescent, heat film, and base model traps. In the Intermountain West, the miniature CDC trap is reliable enough to make programmatic decisions even if light usage varies by district.

Do it yourself: 3D-printed miniature CDC trap for adult mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) surveillance.

The central component of mosquito and vector surveillance programs globally is the adult mosquito trap, which is intended to collect host-seeking mosquitoes. The miniature CDC trap is a widely distributed trap style in part due to its relative affordability and compact nature. Despite already being a simple trap, in-house production methods, such as 3D printing, could improve the accessibility of the CDC trap by eliminating some of the supply chain variables. We present here several trials with the Salt Lake City (SLC) trap, a three-dimensional (3D) printed trap design. Functional assessments were made on secondary components and found no statistically significant differences when comparing CO2 line height (above vs. below fan), battery types (sealed lead acid vs. USB battery pack), and trap body collection shape (funnel body vs. simple/straight body). The SLC trap was compared directly to a commercial equivalent, the ABC trap, with comparative assessment on species diversity and evenness in collections and found to be statistically equivalent on all metrics. Methods also detail an accompanying optional transport system for a pressurized CO2/regulator set-up, should a practitioner elect not to use dry ice. Our final design is presented here with the publicly published stereolithography (STL) files and a detailed outline of the transport container system. Alternative models are available for in-house manufacture of mosquito traps, and we contribute these designs in an effort to stimulate further growth in vector surveillance.

Evaluation of the solar-powered Silver Bullet 2.1 (Lumin 8) light trap for sampling malaria vectors in western Kenya

BackgroundCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps are widely used for sampling mosquitoes. However, this trap, manufactured in the USA, poses challenges for use in sub-Saharan Africa due to procurement costs and shipping time. Traps that are equally efficient than the CDC light trap, but which are amenable for use in remote African settings and made in Africa, are desirable to improve local vector surveillance. This study evaluated a novel solar-powered light trap made in South Africa (Silver Bullet trap; SB), for its efficiency in malaria vector sampling in western Kenya.MethodsLarge cage (173.7 m3) experiments and field evaluations were conducted to compare the CDC-incandescent light trap (CDC-iLT), CDC-UV fluorescent tube light trap (CDC-UV), SB with white diodes (SB-White) and SB with UV diodes (SB-UV) for sampling Anopheles mosquitoes. Field assessments were done indoors and outdoors following a Latin square design. The wavelengths and absolute spectral irradiance of traps were compared using spectrometry.ResultsThe odds of catching a released Anopheles in the large cage experiments with the SB-UV under ambient conditions in the presence of a CDC-iLT in the same system was three times higher than what would have been expected when the two traps were equally attractive (odds ratio (OR) 3.2, 95% confidence interval CI 2.8–3.7, P < 0.01)). However, when the white light diode was used in the SB trap, it could not compete with the CDC-iLT (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.48–0.66, p < 0.01) when the two traps were provided as choices in a closed system. In the field, the CDC and Silver Bullet traps were equally effective in mosquito sampling. Irrespective of manufacturer, traps emitting UV light performed better than white or incandescent light for indoor sampling, collecting two times more Anopheles funestus sensu lato (s.l.) (RR 2.5; 95% CI 1.7–3.8) and Anopheles gambiae s.l. (RR 2.5; 95% 1.7–3.6). Outdoor collections were lower than indoor collections and similar for all light sources and traps.ConclusionsThe solar-powered SB trap compared well with the CDC trap in the field and presents a promising new surveillance device especially when charging on mains electricity is challenging in remote settings.

Comparative efficacy of BG-Sentinel 2 and CDC-like mosquito traps for monitoring potential malaria vectors in Europe

BackgroundDifferent trapping devices and attractants are used in the mosquito surveillance programs currently running in Europe. Most of these devices target vector species belonging to the genera Culex or Aedes, and no studies have yet evaluated the effectiveness of different trapping devices for the specific targeting of Anopheles mosquito species, which are potential vectors of malaria in Europe. This study aims to fill this gap in knowledge by comparing the performance of trapping methods that are commonly used in European mosquito surveillance programs for Culex and Aedes for the specific collection of adults of species of the Anopheles maculipennis complex.MethodsThe following combinations of traps and attractants were used: (i) BG-Sentinel 2 (BG trap) baited with a BG-Lure cartridge (BG + lure), (ii) BG trap baited with a BG-Lure cartridge and CO2 (BG + lure + CO2), (iii) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-like trap (CDC trap) baited with CO2 (CDC + CO2), (iv) CDC trap used with light and baited with BG-Lure and CO2 (CDC light + lure + CO2). These combinations were compared in the field using a 4 × 4 Latin square study design. The trial was conducted in two sites in northeastern Italy in 2019. Anopheles species were identified morphologically and a sub-sample of An. maculipennis complex specimens were identified to species level by molecular analysis.ResultsForty-eight collections were performed on 12 different trapping days at each site, and a total of 1721 An. maculipennis complex specimens were captured. The molecular analysis of a sub-sample comprising 254 specimens identified both Anopheles messeae/Anopheles daciae (n = 103) and Anopheles maculipennis sensu stricto (n = 8) at site 1, while at site 2 only An. messeae/An. daciae (n = 143) was found. The four trapping devices differed with respect to the number of An. messeae/An. daciae captured. More mosquitoes were caught by the BG trap when it was used with additional lures (i.e. BG + lure + CO2) than without the attractant, CO2 [ratioBG+lure vs BG+lure+CO2 = 0.206, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.101–0.420, P < 0.0001], while no significant differences were observed between CDC + CO2 and CDC light + lure + CO2 (P = 0.321). The addition of CO2 to BG + lure increased the ability of this combination to capture An. messeae/An. daciae by a factor of 4.85, and it also trapped more mosquitoes of other, non-target species (Culex pipiens, ratioBG+lure vs BG+lure+CO2 = 0.119, 95% CI 0.056–0.250, P < 0.0001; Ochlerotatus caspius, ratioBG+lure vs BG+lure+CO2 = 0.035, 95% CI 0.015–0.080, P < 0.0001).ConclusionsOur results show that both the BG-Sentinel and CDC trap can be used to effectively sample An. messeae/An. daciae, but that the combination of the BG-Sentinel trap with the BG-Lure and CO2 was the most effective means of achieving this. BG + lure + CO2 is considered the best combination for the routine monitoring of host-seeking An. maculipennis complex species such as An. messeae/An. daciae. The BG-Sentinel and CDC traps have value as alternative methods to human landing catches and manual aspiration for the standardized monitoring of Anopheles species in Europe.Graphical abstract

A comparison of BG Sentinel and CDC trap attractants for mosquito surveillance in urban and suburban areas of Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, Maryland, U.S.A.

Monitoring mosquito populations is crucial for vector-borne disease surveillance. Routine mosquito surveillance in many regions of the United States is performed either by vector abatement districts or public health departments. These surveillance programs often use multiple trap types and attractants to target key mosquito species, however setting different traps with varying attractants can be expensive and labor intensive. Because funding for mosquito control is highly variable throughout the U.S., some programs may be limited in their surveillance capabilities. To determine whether a single trap-attractant combination could provide specificity for key vector and nuisance species, as well as sensitivity for rare species, we compared the BG-Sentinel 2 and CDC miniature light traps paired with CO2, UV-LED, BG Lure, BG Sweetscent, octenol, or chicken feathers. Trapping was conducted biweekly from June/July-October 2019 and 2020 in Montgomery and Prince George's County, MD. BG traps collected significantly more Aedes albopictus than CDC traps when paired with BG Lure, Sweetscent, or octenol. BG/CO2 traps collected both the greatest number of total mosquitoes and Culex pipiens. BG/CO2, CDC/CO2, and CDC/UV traps provided the most diverse collections. Trapping with the CO2-baited BG-Sentinel is recommended as an effective strategy for general mosquito surveillance when resources are limited.

Comparison of trapping methods for use in surveys for potential Culicoides vectors of orbiviruses

BackgroundBluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) are orbiviruses that can cause fatal vector-borne diseases in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Trapping methods for collecting potential Culicoides vectors of orbiviruses were compared to optimize surveillance studies.MethodsThe number of captured midges and the virus infection rates of midge pools were compared for dry ice-baited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) traps with or without black light. The number of individual midges of different Culicoides species captured at different crepuscular and nocturnal periods using rotator traps also was determined. The number of species/specimens of Culicoides was measured using five different trap methods including three animal-baited methods, a CDC trap with black light, and a CDC trap with no light.ResultsIn trial one, there was no significant difference (P = 0.37) in the proportion of BTV-infected flies caught in traps with light compared to traps without light. However, there was a significant difference (P = 0.026) for EHDV-infected flies, and 89% were captured in traps with light. In trial two, more specimens of C. debilipalpis were captured in the morning hours (06:00–08:00) than in the evening hours (18:00–20:00). For trial three, the animal-baited traps did not capture any species of Culicoides that were not captured in the CDC light traps. There was no significant difference (P = 0.22) in total specimens captured among all five trap types.ConclusionsSpecimens of Culicoides infected with BTV were not repelled by light traps in the first trial, while the majority of the specimens positive for EHDV were caught in traps with light. For the second trial, specimens of C. debilipalpis were most abundant during early morning hours, and thus spray applications of insecticides for control of that species may be more effective at sunrise rather than sunset. For objective three, no animal-baited trapping method collected different species of midges when compared to the CDC traps with light, which is unlike certain studies conducted in other geographical regions.Graphical abstract

PERFORMANCE OF THE ATRAKTA™ MOSQUITO LURE IN COMBINATION WITH DYNATRAP® (MODELS DT160 AND DT700) AND A CDC TRAP (MODEL 512)

The performance of the three-part mosquito lure ATRAKTA (1-octen-3-ol, ammonium bicarbonate, and lactic acid) was evaluated in two DynaTrap commercial mosquito traps (models DT160 and DT700) as well as in one model of CDC trap (model 512). Lures were evaluated fresh from the factory, after being aged in functioning traps under field conditions, and after prolonged storage in the packaging (aged for 30 days aged in functioning traps before being tested in the DynaTrap models; and two years stored in the packaging before being tested in CDC traps). The primary study questions were whether the addition of lures would increase efficacy of various trap types and whether lures would retain effectiveness after a lengthy stay on the shelf or in traps. To do this, traps with no lures, new lures and old lures were used to trap three mosquito species (Aedes albopictus, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Anopheles gambiae) in the field in West Africa Mali, the first two species are also common North American nuisance mosquitoes. The addition of ATRAKTA lures aged 30 days to both DynaTrap® models, and ATRAKTA lures aged two years in the packaging to the CDC trap significantly increased catches of female Cx. quinquefasciatus and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. Aged lures did not significantly lose their attraction in comparison to lures fresh from the factory. The addition of lures to traps resulted in slight increases in catches of An. gambiae, but these were not statistically significant. No effect of any lures on males was observed.

EVALUATION OF DYNATRAP® DT160 AS AN INEXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVE TO CDC TRAPS FOR ADULT MOSQUITO MONITORING IN MALI, WEST AFRICA

Mosquito monitoring traps (i.e., CDC light traps) are crucial tools for basic vector ecology research, risk assessment, and vector control programs. Unfortunately, they are expensive which is often an issue in projects conducted in developing countries. Therefore, it would be desirable to have reliable but inexpensive alternatives based on existing consumer products. We compared an off-the-shelf DynaTrap (model DT160, CCFL tube 365 ± 3 nm UV) modified to fit a CDC trap collection bag and to use a 12V power supply, with two commonly used CDC traps: CDC Miniature Light Trap Model 512 (incandescent light, 6 Volt) and CDC Miniature Downdraft Blacklight (UV) Trap Model 912 (4-Watt blue-black-light tube, 12 Volt), in different ecological settings in southwest (Kenieroba) and northwest (Nioro du Sahel) Mali, West Africa. In northwest Mali, the modified DynaTrap caught a mean of 20.67 ± 2.8 females and 5.38 ± 1.0 male Aedes aegypti which was 16.55% and 10.78% more, respectively, than the CDC incandescent trap (control). The DynaTrap caught a mean of 29.75 ± 2.8 female and 17.92 ± 3.5 male Culex quinquefasciatus. which was 47.76% and 20.70% more than the control CDC incandescent trap. The DynaTrap caught a mean of 2.46 ± 0.5 females and 1.63 ± 0.6 males and 10.16% and 2.45% more female and male An. gambiae s.l., respectively, than the CDC incandescent trap. Trap and catch means were lower at the southwest Mali site. However, trap catch proportions by sex were similar to those in the northwest. The modified DynaTrap outperformed both CDC monitoring traps for less than one third of the cost including the cost of the DynaTrap modifications.

Collection and DNA Detection of Dirofilaria immitis (Rhabditida Onchocercidae), Using a Novel Primer Set, in Wild-Caught Mosquitoes From Gainesville, FL

Dirofilaria immitis, the causative agent of dog heartworm disease, is an important cause of canine morbidity and mortality, expensive to treat, and severe infections are often fatal. Much is known about the pathogen in the canine host, yet little is known on the basic ecology of the nematode in the mosquito vector. Thus, to evaluate the effectiveness of collection techniques on ability to capture dog heartworm-infected mosquitoes (Diptera Culicidae), we conducted a field study spanning 111 wk. Four methods were used: two aspirators types, sweep netting, and a CDC trap. All sites had canines present in either residential yards (n = 4) or dog kennel facilities (n = 3). Collected mosquitoes were sorted by site, trap, species, and date, then pooled into groups of up to 25 individuals. Mosquito head and thorax pools were extracted for DNA, that was screened using currently available protocols. These protocols were found unreliable; thus, we developed a novel qPCR primer and probe set. Using this method, the original samples were re-assayed and provided 494 positive pools. Approximately 10% of positive samples were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Twenty-two mosquito species tested positive for dog heartworm DNA, including a new association with Wyeomyia mitchellii (Theobald). Although Aedes atlanticus (Dyar and Knab), Anopheles crucians Wiedemann, and Culiseta melanura (Coquillett) composed nearly 36% of the total collection, these species represented 42% of the qPCR positive pools. Infection rates within commonly collected mosquitoes ranged up to 2.5%, with more rarely collected species ranging up to 14%. The CDC trap was the most effective collection method at trapping infected mosquitoes.

Ecosystem diversity of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in a remnant of Atlantic Forest, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil

AbstractUnderstanding mosquito biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest is important for assessing changes in the distribution of mosquito populations, which have been considered predominantly to be sylvatic. An observational study of Culicidae was conducted in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in the Poço das Antas Biological Reserve, Silva Jardim municipality, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, to evaluate species diversity and the influence of climatic factors (temperature, relative humidity and rainfall) on species distribution. Two types of light trap were used: an automatic CDC trap baited with CO2 and a Shannon trap. Collections were also made using a manual suction tube. Overall, 15 700 Culicidae specimens were collected belonging to two subfamilies, 12 genera and 41 species. The most common species were Coquillettidia chrysonotum, Mansonia titillans and Coquillettidia venezuelensis. Principal component analyses indicated a major association between sampling site six and the species Anopheles albitarsis, Mansonia titilllans, Cq. chrysonotum and Cq. venezuelensis. Furthermore, diversity indices indicated that sampling sites 1, 6 and 4 displayed higher diversity and a more uniform species abundance. Culicidae abundance was positively correlated with temperature. Landscape units exhibited contrasting community compositions of mosquitoes at multiple scales, with the community composition more similar in sites with similar landscape parameters. The importance of constant entomological monitoring is underscored by the diversity of mosquito species in this reserve and their potential role in the transmission of pathogens, combined with intermittent flow of visitors to the area.

Diversity of Culicidae and Tabanidae (Diptera) and new record of Uranotaenia sapphirina from the archaeological site of X’cambó, Yucatan, Mexico

Hematophagous flies belonging to the families Culicidae and Tabanidae, have played an important role in human health and domestic/wild and animal health. We performed weekly collections of active-flying flies of dipterans form the families Culicidae and Tabanidae with Malaise, CDC and BG-Sentinel traps during September to October of 2017 among different vegetation types characteristic of the archeological site of X’cambo located at north coast of Yucatan. A total of 656 specimens were collected. Culicidae presented the highest abundance (97.5%) and species richness (73%) in 14 species. The CDC trap was the most effective regarding species richness. Shannon entropy index showed that number of species predicted and observed were not significant among traps. Two Anopheles and one Aedes species were dominant for each trap. Uranotaenia sapphirina is a new record for Yucatan. This information will be valuable for conservation and vector surveillance purposes considering that coastal zones are unique/fragile ecosystems in serious risk of fragmentation and environmental contamination.

A comparative assessment of adult mosquito trapping methods to estimate spatial patterns of abundance and community composition in southern Africa

BackgroundAssessing adult mosquito populations is an important component of disease surveillance programs and ecosystem health assessments. Inference from adult trapping datasets involves comparing populations across space and time, but comparisons based on different trapping methods may be biased if traps have different efficiencies or sample different subsets of the mosquito community.MethodsWe compared four widely-used trapping methods for adult mosquito data collection in Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa: Centers for Disease Control miniature light trap (CDC), Biogents Sentinel trap (BG), Biogents gravid Aedes trap (GAT) and a net trap. We quantified how trap choice and sampling effort influence inferences on the regional distribution of mosquito abundance, richness and community composition.ResultsThe CDC and net traps together collected 96% (47% and 49% individually) of the 955 female mosquitoes sampled and 100% (85% and 78% individually) of the 40 species or species complexes identified. The CDC and net trap also identified similar regional patterns of community composition. However, inference on the regional patterns of abundance differed between these traps because mosquito abundance in the net trap was influenced by variation in weather conditions. The BG and GAT traps collected significantly fewer mosquitoes, limiting regional comparisons of abundance and community composition.ConclusionsThis study represents the first systematic assessment of trapping methods in natural savanna ecosystems in southern Africa. We recommend the CDC trap or the net trap for future monitoring and surveillance programs.

Pest occurrence of Aedes rossicus close to the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden.

Major nuisance species are found among the floodwater mosquitoes and snow-pool mosquitoes, with the former being the main reason for mosquito control in most areas. Nuisance species vary with the area, and previous reports from northern areas conclude that the nuisance is most often caused by snow-pool mosquitoes. We investigated the mosquito fauna and abundances of host-seeking females using CDC traps baited with carbon dioxide, in Övertorneå city near the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden, after earlier complaints about massive mosquito nuisance. The abundance of host-seeking female mosquitoes was high in 2014, with a maximum of ∼15,400 individuals per CDC trap night, of which 89% was the floodwater mosquito Aedes rossicus. Surprisingly, the main nuisance species was a floodwater mosquito, occurring at the northernmost location it has ever been recorded in Sweden. Our report is probably the first documentation of such large numbers of Aedes rossicus in any locality and probably the first documentation of a severe floodwater mosquito nuisance near the Arctic Circle. Given the historical data on river discharge in the area, the nuisance is recurrent. We conclude that in northern localities, as well as in more southern localities, production of floodwater mosquitoes is a natural component of the floodplain fauna of rivers with a fluctuating water flow regime. Also, the floodwater mosquitoes Aedes sticticus and Aedes vexans were found north of their formerly known distribution in Sweden.

A 2-yr Mosquito Survey Focusing on Aedes koreicus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Northern Italy and Implications for Adult Trapping.

Aedes koreicus (Edwards) is an invasive mosquito species, like Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Aedes japonicus japonicus (Theobald), that has already colonized a large part of northeastern Italy and other European countries. Despite its rapid expansion, information about adult distribution and trapping is lacking. Here, we conducted a 2-yr longitudinal survey using adult traps to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of Ae. koreicus and evaluated the effectiveness of three trapping devices in Latin square experiments conducted in an urban site and a forested site. The following three different traps were compared: a CO2-baited Biogents (BG) Sentinel trap, a CO2-baited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention light trap (CDC trap), and a grass infusion-baited gravid trap.In northern Italy, Ae. koreicus was collected from late April to early November, with peak of abundance observed in August. Aedes koreicus was more abundant in 2015 than in 2014 because of higher temperatures during summer. Unlike Ae. albopictus, the abundance of Ae. koreicus was not related to the altitude of the sampling locations in the range 241-660 m above sea level. The BG Sentinel and gravid traps collected significantly more Ae. koreicus than the CDC trap in the urban site, whereas there was no significant difference between the three traps in the forested site. In the urban site, the BG Sentinel trap and the gravid trap were the most effective for collecting Ae. albopictus and Culex pipiens L., respectively. In the forested site, Cx. pipiens was primarily collected by the CDC trap.

Anthropophily of Lutzomyia wellcomei (Diptera: Psychodidae) in an Atlantic Forest Conservation Unit in Northeast Brazil.

Lutzomyia wellcomei (Fraiha, Shaw & Lainson) (Diptera: Psychodidae) can act as an important vector of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis This study presents the results of collections carried out in a fragment of Atlantic Forest in a Conservation Unit of Rio Grande do Norte state. Collections occurred over 12 consecutive months using Shannon and CDC traps. A total of 777 sand flies from eight species were collected: Lutzomyia walkeri (Newstead), Lutzomyia evandroi (Costa Lima & Antunes), Lutzomyia wellcomei (Fraiha, Shaw & Lainson), Lutzomyia sordellii (Shannon & Del Ponte), Lutzomyia brasiliensis (Costa Lima), Lutzomyia lenti (Mangabeira), Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva), and Lutzomyia abonnenci (Floch & Chassignet). Lutzomyia wellcomei was the most abundant species using the Shannon trap (97%) and L. walkeri in the CDC trap (81%). It is important to note the abundance of L. wellcomei in Shannon trap collections, which favors the capture of anthropophilic species. Lutzomyia wellcomei was only present in months where rainfall was above 100 mm, confirming it as a species adapted to wetter months.

Evaluating Surveillance Methods for Arboviral Vectors of La Crosse Virus and West Nile Virus of Southern Appalachia.

To monitor mosquito-borne diseases, public health departments conduct mosquito and pathogen surveillance. Our objective was to evaluate mosquito monitoring methods for collecting La Crosse virus (LACV) and West Nile virus (WNV) vectors (Aedes and Culex mosquitoes, respectively) in southern Appalachia. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps baited with carbon dioxide (CO(2)), CDC light traps baited with CO(2) and BG lure, BG-Sentinel traps baited with CO(2), gravid traps baited with oak (Quercus)-water infusion, and resting traps were compared in eastern Tennessee in 2013. Traps operated at 8 different urban sites throughout Knox County were randomly assigned to and rotated among 6 plots within each site. Results were specific for each vector; the BG-Sentinel trap was the best method for Aedes triseriatus, the CDC trap baited with CO(2) and BG lure was the best method for Ae. albopictus, and the gravid trap was the best method for Ae. japonicus. Culex erraticus collections varied by week and trapping method, indicating no single method was best, but the questing traps collected more mosquitoes. There was no significant trapping difference for Cx. pipiens complex in this region using the methods tested. The results suggest using a combination of trapping methods when sampling for LACV and/or WNV mosquito vectors in southern Appalachia. Effective trapping methods are necessary to enable accurate surveillance, improve control methods, enhance understanding of dispersal, and use for early detection of vectors and pathogens.

Performance of light-emitting diode traps for collecting sand flies in entomological surveys in Argentina.

The performance of two light-emitting diode traps with white and black light for capturing phlebotomine sand flies, developed by the Argentinean Leishmaniasis Research Network (REDILA-WL and REDILA-BL traps), were compared with the traditional CDC incandescent light trap. Entomological data were obtained from six sand fly surveys conducted in Argentina in different environments. Data analyses were conducted for the presence and the abundance of Lutzomyia longipalpis, Migonemyia migonei, and Nyssomyia whitmani (106 sites). No differences were found in presence/absence among the three types of traps for all sand fly species (p>0.05). The collection mean of Lu. longipalpis from the REDILA-BL didn´t differ from the CDC trap means, nor were differences seen between the REDILA-WL and the CDC trap collection means (p>0.05), but collections were larger from the REDILA-BL trap compared to the REDILA-WL trap (p<0.05). For Mg. migonei and Ny. whitmani, no differences were found among the three types of traps in the number of individuals captured (p>0.05). These results suggest that both REDILA traps could be used as an alternative capture tool to the original CDC trap for surveillance of these species, and that the REDILA-BL will also allow a comparable estimation of the abundance of these flies to the CDC light trap captures. In addition, the REDILA-BL has better performance than the REDILA-WL, at least for Lu. longipalpis.

Linalool oxide: generalist plant based lure for mosquito disease vectors.

BackgroundLack of effective vaccines and therapeutics for important arboviral diseases such as Rift Valley fever (RVF) and dengue, necessitates continuous monitoring of vector populations for infections in them. Plant-based lures as surveillance tools has the potential of targeting mosquitoes of both sexes and females of varied physiological states; yet such lures are lacking for vectors of these diseases. Here, we present evidence of the effectiveness of linalool oxide (LO), a single plant-based lure previously developed for malaria vectors in trapping RVF vectors, Aedes mcintoshi and Aedes ochraceus, and dengue vector, Aedes aegypti.MethodsFor RVF vectors, we used CDC traps to evaluate the performance of LO against three vertebrate-based lures: CO2 (dry ice), BioGent (BG) lure, and HONAD (a blend of aldehydes) in 2 experiments with Completely Randomized design: 1) using unlit CDC traps baited separately with LO, HONAD and BG-lure, and unlit CDC trap + CO2 and lit CDC trap as controls, 2) similar treatments but with inclusion of CO2 to all the traps. For dengue vectors, LO was evaluated against BG lure using BG sentinel traps, in a 3 × 6 Latin Square design, first as single lures and then combined with CO2 and traps baited with CO2 included as controls. Trap captures were compared between the treatments using Chi square and GLM.ResultsLow captures of RVF vectors were recorded for all lures in the absence of CO2 with no significant difference between them. When combined with CO2, LO performance in trapping these vectors was comparable to BG-lure and HONAD but it was less effective than the lit CDC trap. In the absence of CO2, LO performed comparably with the BG-lure in trapping female Ae. aegypti, but with significantly higher males recorded in traps baited with the plant-based lure. When CO2 was added, LO was significantly better than the BG-lure with a 2.8- fold increase in captures of male Ae. aegypti.ConclusionsThese results highlight the potential of LO as a generalist plant-based lure for mosquito disease vectors, pending further assessment of possible specificity in their response profile to the different stereoisomers of this compound.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-1184-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.