The Blood Sources of Some Australian Mosquitoes

Abstract

SummaryThe results of over 1400 precipitin tests on the stomach contents of engorged mosquitoes to determine the source of their blood meals are recorded. Fifteen species of mosquitoes are included in this survey, but three .species, Anopheles annulipes, Culex fatigans, and C. annulirostris, dominated the collections.Engorged mosquitoes have been collected from three types of situation. (i) Restricted animal habitats such as human dwellings, fowl houses, horse stables, dog kennels, and rabbit warrens; (ii) The general farmyard environment; and (iii) River Hats and creek banks.The collections from restricted animal habitats have indicated that for the species under consideration the site of collection is indicative of the blood source of the mosquitoes therein collected. Farmyard collections have given valuable information on the range of hosts attacked by nocturnally active mosquitoes. River Hat collections have been most useful in disclosing rabbitfeeding species. Collections have also been made of mosquitoes attracted to man in the field and a small but significant percentage of these have been found to be already engorged. Such collections have been most interesting in that species feeding on marsupials have been revealed.To the information derived from these precipitin tests has been added our accumulated observations of biting activity in the field, on man and other animals. In this way it has been possible to prepare a statement of the range of blood sources known to be utilized by each species and to give some indication of the preferences exhibited by certain mosquitoes for particular blood sources.Anopheles annulipes has been shown to feed particularly on cattle and rabbits although other animals, man, and poultry are also attacked. Culex fatigans bites man in the domestic environment but is equally attracted by fowls in fowl-runs, or by horses in stables or dogs in kennels. Biting by this species is almost exclusively under shelter. C. annulirostris attacks man and most domestic animals but is most active out of doors. Rabbits are frequently attacked by this species. It is well known as biting man but man is not a preferred blood source. Culex pipiens australicus has been shown to attack rabbits and poultry. Species which have been revealed as attacking marsupials are Anopheles stigmaticus, Aedes notoscriptus, A. alboannulatus, and A. queenslandis. Finally the significance of the feeding habits is discussed in relation to possible disease transmission by the various species. Anopheles annulipes, Culex annulirostris, and C. pipiens australicus, because of the frequency with which they attack rabbits, have an important role in myxomatosis transmission. Culex fatigans and C. annulirostris, attacking both poultry and man, are likely suspects for the transmission to man of Murray Valley encephalitis. Anopheles annulipes, on the other hand, because it attacks man only casually, is unlikely to assume any importance as a vector

Vector-Host Interactions Governing Epidemiology of West Nile Virus in Southern California

“…quinquefasciatus on a diversity of avian and mammalian hosts ( N = 34), consistent with the results of previous studies. [39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46] Nevertheless, the actual ratio of avian and mammalian feedings varied considerably among various geographic sites. Human-derived blood meals constituted 1.9% of all vertebrate-derived blood meals, indicating that Cx.…”

“…Our analysis of 65 engorged female Cx. erythrothorax collected by EVS light traps revealed that 56.9% ( N = 37), 40.0% ( N = 26), and 3.1% ( N = 2) of mosquitoes acquired blood meals from birds, mammals, and from mixed bird blood meals, respectively ( Table 3 ). Host variability was relatively high, with 21 different avian and mammalian species represented in 67 feedings from 15 (2 riparian and 13 wetland) collection sites.…”

A reappraisal of the role of mosquitoes in the transmission of myxomatosis in Britain

“…detritus, 15 Culiseta annulata, 12 M. richiardii and 1 C. morsitans were caught (Service, 1969 b An alternative method to using traps for determining whether mosquitoes feed on rabbits is to identify by precipitin tests blood-meals of engorged mosquitoes collected from natural resting places. Lee, Clinton & O'Gower (1954) Six hundred and fifty-five blood-smears from 14 species were tested and 58 of these from six species were positive for rabbit blood. It is just conceivable, though I consider it most unlikely, that these feeds on rabbits were from lethargic animals suffering from myxomatosis, and that mosquitoes cannot feed on healthy active wild rabbits.…”

Arthropods as Vectors and Reservoirs of Animal Pathogenic Viruses

“…This is complementary to the field findings of MYERS (1954) andMYERS et al (1954) that the same two species of mosquitoes are primary vectors of the disease in epizootics while other species not feeding on rabbits do not contribute to the spread of infection although capable of doing so experimentally. Similarly the isolations of avian pox viruses from 0. annulirostris, Culex fatigans and probably Culex pipiens australicus are supported by the aviophilic findings for these species by LEE et al (1954). Association of representatives of the Culex pipiens complex with avian pox viruses has usually been explained by their preference for bird blood (KLIGLER and ASCHNER, 1931;FRENCH and REEVES, 1954).…”

“…Subsequent studies have confirmed a surprising degree of vector specificity largely controlled by host feeding preference. The recent study by LEE et al (1954) of blood sources of Australian mosquitoes shows that Anopheles annulipes and Culex annulirostris have a strong preference for rabbit blood. This is complementary to the field findings of MYERS (1954) andMYERS et al (1954) that the same two species of mosquitoes are primary vectors of the disease in epizootics while other species not feeding on rabbits do not contribute to the spread of infection although capable of doing so experimentally.…”