Reduced West Nile Virus Transmission Around Communal Roosts of Great-Tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)

Komar, Nicholas; Colborn, James; Horiuchi, Kalanthe; Delorey, Mark J.; Biggerstaff, Brad J.; Damian, Dan; Smith, Kirk; Townsend, John

doi:10.1007/s10393-014-0993-0

Cited by 12 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 31 publications

(49 reference statements)

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“…The encounter-dilution hypothesis predicts that the per-capita number of mosquito bites should decrease within larger groups. Verified in North-American bird populations [55,56], this hypothesis was not verified here, neither for the nocturnal gregariousness, nor for the breeding sociality. However, it should be noted that most of the short-lived bird species of our dataset were songbirds, which defend a nesting territory during the breeding season (and thus do not show any gregariousness tendency during this period).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 59%

Geographic variations of the bird-borne structural risk of West Nile virus circulation in Europe

et al. 2017

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The structural risk of West Nile Disease results from the usual functioning of the socio-ecological system, which may favour the introduction of the pathogen, its circulation and the occurrence of disease cases. Its geographic variations result from the local interactions between three components: (i) reservoir hosts, (ii) vectors, both characterized by their diversity, abundance and competence, (iii) and the socio-economic context that impacts the exposure of human to infectious bites. We developed a model of bird-borne structural risk of West Nile Virus (WNV) circulation in Europe, and analysed the association between the geographic variations of this risk and the occurrence of WND human cases between 2002 and 2014. A meta-analysis of WNV serosurveys conducted in wild bird populations was performed to elaborate a model of WNV seropositivity in European bird species, considered a proxy for bird exposure to WNV. Several eco-ethological traits of bird species were linked to seropositivity and the statistical model adequately fitted species-specific seropositivity data (area under the ROC curve: 0.85). Combined with species distribution maps, this model allowed deriving geographic variations of the bird-borne structural risk of WNV circulation. The association between this risk, and the occurrence of WND human cases across the European Union was assessed. Geographic risk variations of bird-borne structural risk allowed predicting WND case occurrence in administrative districts of the EU with a sensitivity of 86% (95% CI: 0.79–0.92), and a specificity of 68% (95% CI: 0.66–0.71). Disentangling structural and conjectural health risks is important for public health managers as risk mitigation procedures differ according to risk type. The results obtained show promise for the prevention of WND in Europe. Combined with analyses of vector-borne structural risk, they should allow designing efficient and targeted prevention measures.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 59%

Geographic variations of the bird-borne structural risk of West Nile virus circulation in Europe

et al. 2017

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“…For example, birds may have fed at the IVM-treated feeders and returned to their communal roosts where they would have been blood fed on by Cx . tarsalis [ 33 , 70 , 74 ], representing a treatment effect in a different population of Cx . tarsalis than sampled at our traps.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of a novel West Nile virus transmission control strategy that targets Culex tarsalis with endectocide-containing blood meals

et al. 2019

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Control of arbovirus transmission remains focused on vector control through application of insecticides directly to the environment. However, these insecticide applications are often reactive interventions that can be poorly-targeted, inadequate for localized control during outbreaks, and opposed due to environmental and toxicity concerns. In this study, we developed endectocide-treated feed as a systemic endectocide for birds to target blood feeding Culex tarsalis, the primary West Nile virus (WNV) bridge vector in the western United States, and conducted preliminary tests on the effects of deploying this feed in the field. In lab tests, ivermectin (IVM) was the most effective endectocide tested against Cx. tarsalis and WNV-infection did not influence mosquito mortality from IVM. Chickens and wild Eurasian collared doves exhibited no signs of toxicity when fed solely on bird feed treated with concentrations up to 200 mg IVM/kg of diet, and significantly more Cx. tarsalis that blood fed on these birds died (greater than 80% mortality) compared to controls (less than 25% mortality). Mosquito mortality following blood feeding correlated with IVM serum concentrations at the time of blood feeding, which dropped rapidly after the withdrawal of treated feed. Preliminary field testing over one WNV season in Fort Collins, Colorado demonstrated that nearly all birds captured around treated bird feeders had detectable levels of IVM in their blood. However, entomological data showed that WNV transmission was non-significantly reduced around treated bird feeders. With further development, deployment of ivermectin-treated bird feed might be an effective, localized WNV transmission control tool.

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“…Vector–host encounters depend on multiple factors, including the spatial distribution of birds or bird roosts (Diuk-Wasser et al 2010, Benson et al 2012, Janousek et al 2014, Komar et al 2015), spatial distribution and abundance of vectors (Thiemann et al 2011, O’Brien and Reiskind 2013), and specific landscape characteristics (Vazquez-Prokopec et al 2010). This may lead to heterogeneities in estimates of host utilization, depending on the sampling method and location, as well as time of the year.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feeding Success and Host Selection by Culex quinquefasciatus Say Mosquitoes in Experimental Trials

McMillan

Marcet

Hoover

et al. 2019

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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Arthropod vector feeding preferences are defined as an overutilization of a particular host species given its abundance in relationship to other species in the community. Numerous methods exist to quantify vector feeding preferences; however, controlled host choice experiments are generally an underutilized approach. In this report, we present results from controlled vector host choice experiments using Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes and wild avian hosts identified as important contributors to West Nile virus (WNv) transmission in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. In each experiment, we allowed labreared F1 Cx. quinquefasciatus to feed freely overnight on two avian individuals of a different species (i.e., northern cardinals, American robins, blue jays, brown thrashers, and gray catbirds). We then estimated WNv transmission potential using vectorial capacity and R0. We found that mosquito blood feeding success was extremely variable among experimental replicates and that patterns of host choice only occasionally aggregated to a particular bird species. Vectorial capacity was highest for American robins and blue jays due to these species’ higher reservoir competence for WNv and greater probabilities of mosquito selection of these species. Despite species-specific differences in vectorial capacity, total community capacity was similar among species pairs. R0 estimates were qualitatively similar to capacity, and R0 was below and above unity across species pairs. Our results provide empirical evidence that C. quinquefasciatus is an opportunistic blood feeder and highlight how variability in vector–host contact rates as well as host community composition can influence the likelihood of WNv transmission in avian communities.

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Reduced West Nile Virus Transmission Around Communal Roosts of Great-Tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)

Cited by 12 publications

References 31 publications

Geographic variations of the bird-borne structural risk of West Nile virus circulation in Europe

Geographic variations of the bird-borne structural risk of West Nile virus circulation in Europe

Evaluation of a novel West Nile virus transmission control strategy that targets Culex tarsalis with endectocide-containing blood meals

Feeding Success and Host Selection by Culex quinquefasciatus Say Mosquitoes in Experimental Trials

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