The Arbovirus Laboratories, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY 12159, USA.
Parasit Vectors. 2013 Oct 23;6(1):305. doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-305.
Culex pipiens L. complex mosquitoes have a global distribution and are primary vectors of pathogens of public health significance. In the U.S., Cx. pipiens bioformes, Cx. pipiens form pipiens and Cx. pipiens form molestus, as well as Cx. quinquefasciatus, are primary vectors of West Nile virus (WNV; Flaviviridae, Flavivirus). These mosquitoes reside in distinct but overlapping ecological niches and readily hybridize in areas where they coexist. Although species and population-specific differences in vector competence of Culex mosquitoes for WNV have been identified, the extent to which hybridization within this complex alters WNV transmission potential has not been well characterized.
WNV vector competence of laboratory colonies of Cx. p. f. pipiens, Cx. p. f. molestus, and Cx. quinquefasciatus was assessed and compared to hybrid populations created from reciprocal mating of these lines. The results demonstrate that hybridization has a significant effect on WNV infection, dissemination, and, particularly, transmission in Culex pipiens L. complex mosquitoes. Specifically, enhanced transmission of WNV was measured in all hybrid populations relative to one or both parental stains.
These findings demonstrate that environmental or anthropogenic changes resulting in fluctuations in the distribution and extent of hybrid populations of Culex mosquitoes could have a significant impact on transmission patterns of WNV in nature.
库蚊复合体蚊子分布广泛，是具有公共卫生意义的病原体的主要媒介。在美国，库蚊生物型、库蚊型 pipiens 和库蚊型 molestus 以及库蚊型 quinquefasciatus 是西尼罗河病毒（Flaviviridae，Flavivirus）的主要媒介。这些蚊子栖息在不同但重叠的生态位，在共存的地区很容易杂交。尽管已经确定了库蚊蚊子对 WNV 的媒介能力存在种间和种群特异性差异，但该复合体内部杂交对 WNV 传播潜力的影响程度尚未得到很好的描述。
评估了实验室饲养的库蚊 p. f. pipiens、库蚊 p. f. molestus 和库蚊 quinquefasciatus 对 WNV 的媒介能力，并将其与这些品系相互交配产生的杂交种群进行了比较。结果表明，杂交对库蚊复合体蚊子中 WNV 的感染、传播，特别是传播有显著影响。具体而言，与一个或两个亲本菌株相比，所有杂交种群的 WNV 传播都得到了增强。
这些发现表明，导致库蚊种群分布和范围波动的环境或人为变化，可能对自然界中 WNV 的传播模式产生重大影响。
