Mosquito Vectors of West Nile Fever in Israel

Abstract

West Nile fever (WNF) is endemic in Israel. In 1999, country-wide adult mosquito surveys were initiated and intensified after the 2000 country-wide outbreak of WNF in humans. In 8 consecutive yr, groups of male and female specimens of different species and from different locations were tested for infection with West Nile virus (WNV). Three species made up >87% of the total catch: Culex pipiens L. (52%), with an infection rate (IR) of 0.5; Cx. perexiguus Theobald (20%), with an IR of 2.7; and Aedes caspius Pallas (15%), with an IR of 0.6. The geographical and temporal distribution of WNV-infected mosquitoes was similar but was not parallel to the seasonal abundance of the populations. The seasonal occurrence of human cases is in correlation with the finding of WNV-positive mosquito specimens reaching a peak 1 mo later than the mosquito peak. The relative importance of the mosquito species in the epidemiology of WNF is discussed. Cx. perexiguus is considered the major vector of WNF in Israel.

West Nile and Usutu Viruses in Mosquitoes in Spain, 2008–2009

“…perexiguus mosquitoes, previously described as the main WNV vector in Israel, 13 and our findings suggest that Cx. perexiguus could be an important vector for WNV lineage 1 in Spain.…”

The seroprevalence of West Nile Virus in Israel: A nationwide cross sectional study

“…During the 2000 outbreak, and since then, WNV infections in humans have consistently been concentrated along Israel’s densely populated Coastal Plain, from north of Haifa to south of Tel Aviv, while sporadic cases were far fewer in the Negev desert, and in Jerusalem [6, 9, 26]. The high seroprevalence in the Coastal Plain may be explained by the appearance of WNV infected mosquitoes observed in catches from altitude<300 meters [27]. We have also demonstrated high variation in the seroprevalence within Israel and Wimberly et al (2014) have explained the geographical differences of WNV outbreaks within areas in the United States by the variation in temperatures and precipitation [28], which could also play a role in our case, as Israel is part of the birds migration routes and as a consequence, viral distribution may also have a part in the observed geographic variation in Israel.…”

Surveillance of Arthropod-Borne Viruses and Their Vectors in the Mediterranean and Black Sea Regions Within the MediLabSecure Network

“…pipiens in the country in addition to the presence of other arbovirus vectors such as Cx. perexiguus , a species involved in the transmission of WNV in Israel [62]. Moreover, Ae.…”