Forty-four species of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) were caught in insect light traps during the first 2 years of studies on the epidemiology of bluetongue virus in the Caribbean and Central America. Traps were operated near sentinel ruminants which were bled monthly for serologic evaluation and then virus isolation. More than 570,000 individuals were identified. Culicoides insignis Lutz accounted for 90% of the catch, C. filarifer Hoffman/C. ocumarensis Ortiz 5%, C. furens Poey 3% and C. pusillus Lutz 2%. Other species accounted for less than 1% of the total catch. Sentinel ruminants became seropositive when C. insignis populations were high at many study sites. At a few sites C. pusillus and C. filarifer/C. ocumarensis were predominant or were present in large numbers during seroconversions of sentinels. Virus isolations were obtained from sentinel ruminants during times when these same species were present in large populations.

Introduction.Rotavirus is the main cause of severe diarrhea in children aged less than 5 years, leading to elevated morbidity and mortality worldwide. The aim of the present study was to determine the etiology of enteric viruses reported to the Catalan Microbiology Notification System (CMNS) (rotavirus and adenovirus 40-41) and to evaluate the importance of these viruses in enteric disease. Material and methods. We retrospectively reviewed the notifications made from 1995-2002 by the laboratories of hospitals participating in the CMNS. Cases of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) were diagnosed by antigen detection in stools. The variables analyzed were: age, sex, month, and year of isolation. Statistical analysis was performed using the χ 2 test ResultadosLos virus rotavirus y adenovirus 40-41, detectados desde 1995 hasta 2002 por el SNMC, han supuesto el 13% del total de las ente-CIRUELA P, ET AL. ROTAVIRUS Y ADENOVIRUS 40-41 COMO CAUSANTES DE GASTROENTERITIS INFANTIL Vacunas 2004;5:16-23