La Crosse virus (LACV), a leading cause of arboviral encephalitis in children in the United States, is emerging in Appalachia. For local arboviral surveillance, mosquitoes were tested. LACV RNA was detected and isolated from Aedes japonicus mosquitoes. These invasive mosquitoes may significantly affect LACV range expansion and dynamics.

Abstract. La Crosse virus (LACV), a leading cause of arboviral pediatric encephalitis in the United States, is emerging in Appalachia. Here, we report field and laboratory evidence that suggest LACV may be using Culex mosquitoes as additional vectors in this region. This bunyavirus was detected by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in two pools of Culex mosquitoes in southwestern Virginia and in six pools in West Virginia. To assess vector competence, we offered LACV blood meals to field-collected Culex restuans Theobald, Cx. pipiens L., and Aedes triseriatus (Say). Both Culex species were susceptible to infection. LACV-positive salivary expectorate, indicative of the ability to transmit, was detected in a small proportion of Cx. restuans (9%) and Cx. pipiens (4%) compared with Ae. triseriatus (40%). In a companion study of Cx. restuans only, we found that adults derived from nutritionally stressed larvae were significantly more likely to disseminate and transmit LACV. Our results indicate a potential role of Culex spp. in LACV dynamics that should be explored further in endemic areas.

No abstract

The Holarctic Scopula cajanderi (Herz) species group is revised on the basis of external and genitalic characters. The taxa included in the species group are Scopula cajanderi (Herz, 1903 [not 19041) (= the Palaearctic Scopula elwesi sajanensis Prout, I935 syn.nov., = the Palaearctic Scopula elwesi achlyoides Prout, 1935 syn.nov., = the Nearctic Scopula septentrionicola McDunnough, 1939 syn.nov.), thus making S. cajanderi Holarctic; Scopula mustangensis Yazaki, 1995; and Scopula aegrefasciata sp.nov. Lectotypes are designated for the following species which were described from more than one specimen without holotype designation: S. cajanderi, Scopula anaitaria (Herz, 1903), and S. e. achlyoides. The systematic position of Scopula elwesi elwesi Prout, 1922 within the genus Scopula is uncertain. A key to the species is presented with illustrations of the adults and genitalia, and a distribution map is presented for all taxa. An examination of the biogeography of S. cajanderi suggests that the Wisconsinan and Sartan glaciations may have played a part in the origin of the disjunct populations. Sihvonen P. 2001. RBvision du groupe d'espkces Scopula cajanderi (Lepidoptera : Geometridae, Sterrhinae) et descriptioin d'une nouvelle espkce. The Canadian Entomologist 133 : 467486. Resume-La rCvision du groupe d'espbces Scopula cajanderi (Hertz), un ensemble holarctique, est baste sur des caractbres externes et des caractbres gtnitaux. Le groupe comprend d'abord Scopula cajanderi (Hertz 1903 [pas 19041) (= le taxon paltarctique Scopula elwesi sajanensis Prout, 1935, syn.nov., = le taxon paltarctique Scopula elwesi achlyoides Prout,1935 syn.nov., = le taxon ntarctique Scopula septentrionicola McDunnough, 1939 syn.nov.), qui devient donc une espbce holarctique; le groupe est form6 aussi de Scopula mustangensis Yazaki, 1995 et de Scopula aegrefasciata sp.nov. Des lectotypes ont Cte dCsignCs pour les espbces suivantes, dtcrites B partir de plusieurs sptcimens et pour lesquelles il n'y a pas eu de choix d'holotype : S. cajanderi, Scopula anaitaria (Hertz) et S. elwesi achlyoides. La position systkmatique de S. elwesi elwesi Prout, 1922 au sein du genre Scopula demeure incertaine. On trouvera ici une clC cl'identification des espbces, ainsi que des illustrations des adultes et des genitalia et la carte de rCpartition de chaque taxon. Un examen de la biogtographie de S. cajanderi permet de croire que les glaciations du Wisconsinien et du Sartan peuvent Ctre en partir responsables de la discontinuitt entre les populations de cette espbce. [Traduit par la RCdaction]

A chronological list of species based on date of publication is provided for confirmed mosquito species in West Virginia. Five additional newly found species in the state are documented with collection data. Two previously misidentified or mislabeled published records are corrected. The number of confirmed species occurring in the state is now 35, and many more species are likely present, but undetected. Significant populations of 4 widely distributed known vector species, Aedes albopictus , Ae. japonicus japonicus, Ae. triseriatus, and Culex pipiens , in West Virginia signal an urgent need for additional studies, surveillance, and increased mosquito control efforts to help prevent future native and invasive arbovirus infections and outbreaks in local residents.

A major flooding event occurred in West Virginia in June 2016. Multiple counties in central and southern WV (classified in this study as Group I) were hit by this disaster while several others were unaffected (Group II). Given these conditions, we decided to conduct an observational field study aimed at identifying the potential effects of flooding on mosquito abundance and West Nile Virus (WNV) transmission rate. The counties selected for this study have consistently monitored and reported mosquito surveillance data to the WV Department of Health over that past four years, which gave us the unique opportunity to evaluate this data before and after the flood in order to identify potential trends at the county and collection site level. We used descriptive statistics and a G-test of independence to decide on our null hypothesis. Our findings suggest that the flooding event is strongly associated with a significant variation in average annual mosquito abundances pre- and post-flooding for our affected counties, with Kanawha county showing a sharp increase in mosquito activity and WNV transmission rate (MIR) over this period. However, we were unable to identify a linear relationship in all Group I counties and Cabell County, which was unaffected (Group II) also presented significant variations pre- and post-flooding