Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK.
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2011 Sep;85(3):426-33. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0739.
The mosquito-transmitted pathogen West Nile virus (WNV) is not yet present in the Galápagos Archipelago of Ecuador. However, concern exists for fragile endemic island fauna after population decreases in several North American bird species and pathology in certain reptiles. We examined WNV vector competency of a Galápagos strain of mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus Say). Field specimens were tested for their capacity to transmit the WN02-1956 strain of WNV after incubation at 27°C or 30°C. Rates of infection, dissemination, and transmission all increased with days post-exposure to WNV, and the highest rates were observed at 28 days. Infection rates peaked at 59% and transmission rates peaked at 44% (of mosquitoes tested). Vector efficiency increased after day 14. Rates of infection but not of transmission were significantly influence by temperature. No vertical transmission was detectable. We demonstrate that Galápagos Cx. quinquefasciatus are competent WNV vectors, and therefore should be considered an animal and public health risk for the islands and controlled wherever possible.
蚊子传播的病原体西尼罗河病毒（WNV）尚未在厄瓜多尔加拉帕戈斯群岛出现。然而，在北美的几种鸟类种群减少和某些爬行动物出现病理学变化之后，人们对脆弱的特有岛屿动物群感到担忧。我们研究了一种加拉帕戈斯蚊子（Culex quinquefasciatus Say）对西尼罗河病毒的媒介能力。将野外标本在 27°C 或 30°C 下孵育后，检测其传播 WN02-1956 株西尼罗河病毒的能力。感染率、传播率和传播率均随感染西尼罗河病毒后的天数增加而增加，在 28 天时观察到最高的感染率。感染率峰值为 59%，传播率峰值为 44%（经测试的蚊子）。在第 14 天后，媒介效率增加。感染率而非传播率受到温度的显著影响。未检测到垂直传播。我们证明，加拉帕戈斯 Cx. quinquefasciatus 是有能力传播西尼罗河病毒的蚊子，因此应被视为岛屿上的动物和公共卫生风险，并在可能的情况下进行控制。
