Amanda Myers

Article Summary
Biology 1 Lab 1615-409

West Nile virus cluster analysis and vertical transmission in Culex pipens complex

mosquitoes in Sacramento and Yolo Counties, California, 2011.

Introduction

The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District (SYMVCD) monitored the

appearance of the West Nile Virus (WNV) between mosquitos and effected humans and animals.

In 2011, due to the high rates of WNV, they started introducing control strategies. The scientists

wanted to test the vertical transmission from female mosquitoes in the genus Culex pipens that

were infected with the WNV to their offspring. They are specifically looking at the Sacramento

and Yolo counties of California. They predicted that the WNV would spread rapidly during the

summer season with the presence of vertical transmission.

Materials and Methods

The SYMVCD collected mosquitos with Reiter-Cummings gravid traps. The clusters

where they collected had a radius of 11 km and had to be prominently infected with the WNV. 9

locations were chosen and collected from. These areas having one to three traps only used for

one night. The infected females were then identified and placed in 50 ml vials with 5 ml of water

for oviposition. For sugar and hydration, the females were given dried cranberries and water-

moistened cotton balls. The vials were then monitored for larvae (egg rafts) during a 24 to 48-

hour period. The empty egg rafts and anesthetized adult females were frozen at -80 degrees

Celsius, which were used for testing later. To detect the ratio of vertical transmission rates the
total number of infected females that transmitted the virus to their offspring were divided by the

total number of infected females that produced larvae.

Results

90 pools tested positive for WNV of the 1,495 pools that were collected and tested. A

specific are in northern Elk Grove had a cluster radius of 5.22 km with 45 positively tested pools.

Much higher than the estimated 10.22 pools. Female mosquitos were collected at six of the sites.

Of the total of 337 field-collected mosquitoes 304 of them were pregnant. Of those 304, 297

females laid eggs. Four females showed evidence of vertical transmission in two of the sites.

With a transmission rate of about 5 eggs per 10.

Discussion

There was a rise in the frequency of vertical transmission of the WNV towards the late

summer which is likely due to overwintering survival of the virus. It is suggested that the

infection of larvae from infect females is not from the infection of the ovary itself. Rather, that

the WNV is present on the exterior of the eggs and the larvae become infected when they emerge

from their eggs.

Bibliography
Fechter-Leggett, Ethan, et al. “West Nile Virus Cluster Analysis and Vertical Transmission
InCulex Pipienscomplex Mosquitoes in Sacramento and Yolo Counties, California,
2011.” Journal of Vector Ecology, vol. 37, no. 2, 2012, pp. 442–449., doi:10.1111/j.1948
7134.2012.00248.x.