Caracappa S, Torina A, Guercio A, Vitale F, Calabrò A, Purpari G, Ferrantelli V, Vitale M, Mellor P S
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A. Mirri, Palermo, Italy.
Vet Rec. 2003 Jul 19;153(3):71-4. doi: 10.1136/vr.153.3.71.
The vectors of bluetongue virus are certain species of Culicoides biting midges, and in the Mediterranean area Culicoides imicola has long been considered to be the only field vector. In Sicily an entomological and serological surveillance programme has been in operation since the autumn of 2000, which has shown that the prevalence and abundance of C. imicola is lower than in many other Italian regions. Moreover, in 2002, there were outbreaks of bluetongue in the absence of C. imicola, and in these regions bluetongue viral RNA was detected by means of a nested reverse-transcriptase PCR in wild-caught, non-blood-engorged, parous Culicoides pulicaris. Furthermore, bluetongue virus serotype 2 was isolated on five occasions from extracts of non-blood-engorged parous C. pulicaris by using embryonated hens eggs and BHK-21 cells as assay systems. These findings suggest that in parts of Italy and possibly in other areas of Europe, where C. imicola is absent or rare, C. pulicaris may act as a fully competent vector of bluetongue virus.
蓝舌病毒的传播媒介是某些库蠓属的吸血蠓，在地中海地区，非洲库蠓长期以来一直被认为是唯一的野外传播媒介。自2000年秋季以来，西西里岛一直在实施一项昆虫学和血清学监测计划，该计划表明，非洲库蠓的流行率和丰度低于意大利的许多其他地区。此外，2002年，在没有非洲库蠓的情况下发生了蓝舌病疫情，在这些地区，通过巢式逆转录聚合酶链反应在野外捕获的、未吸血的、已产卵的淡黄库蠓中检测到了蓝舌病毒RNA。此外，通过使用鸡胚和BHK-21细胞作为检测系统，从未吸血的已产卵淡黄库蠓的提取物中五次分离出蓝舌病毒血清型2。这些发现表明，在意大利部分地区以及可能在欧洲其他没有或很少有非洲库蠓的地区，淡黄库蠓可能是蓝舌病毒的完全胜任的传播媒介。
