LA CROSSE VIRUS VECTOR RESTING BEHAVIORS - FIELD STUDIES WITH PROKOPAK AND RESTING SHELTER COLLECTIONS PROVIDE LOW...

Area of Science:

• Medical entomology
• Arbovirology
• Vector ecology

Background:

• Resting adult mosquito collections offer insights into vector physiology and pathogen transmission.
• Understanding vector behavior is crucial for managing diseases like La Crosse virus (LACV).
• Previous studies highlight the importance of sampling diverse mosquito physiological states.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Prokopak aspirations and pop-up resting shelters for collecting LACV vectors.
• To assess the utility of these methods for studying Aedes triseriatus, Ae. albopictus, and Ae. japonicus.
• To determine if these methods are suitable adjuncts for LACV disease risk assessment.

Main Methods:

• Mosquitoes were collected using Prokopak aspirations of Rhododendron spp. and pop-up resting shelters.
• Collections occurred at four residences with historical LACV transmission from May to September 2022.
• Collected mosquitoes were identified to species, with a focus on primary and secondary LACV vectors.

Main Results:

• A total of 33 mosquitoes were collected; 11 (33.3%) were identified as LACV vectors.
• Aedes triseriatus (n=1), Ae. albopictus (n=4), and Ae. japonicus (n=6) were the collected LACV vectors.
• Anopheles punctipennis (n=9) and Culex erraticus (n=7) were the most frequent species, while LACV vectors were scarce.

Conclusions:

• Prokopak aspirations and pop-up resting shelters yielded insufficient numbers of LACV vectors.
• These methods may not be effective for evaluating LACV ecology or disease risk.
• Further research is needed to develop effective methods for assessing resting vector behavior in LACV-endemic areas.