Identification of Aedes campestris from New Mexico: with notes on the isolation of western equine encephalitis and other arboviruses.

An arbovirus survey was conducted during August 1985 at White Sands Missile Range in southcentral New Mexico following a suspected arboviral disease epizootic among feral horses. A total of 20,566 mosquitoes (18,505 females and 2,061 males) and 8,900 biting gnats were collected and assayed for virus. Female mosquitoes were principally Aedes campestris (54.8%), Aedes dorsalis (30.4%) and Culex tarsalis (13.2%). Arboviruses were not isolated from biting gnats, but mosquitoes yielded a total of 37 viral isolates, including western equine encephalitis (WEE) (18), California serogroup (15), Cache Valey (1), and Hart Park (1) viruses in addition to 2, as yet unidentified, rhabdoviruses. Isolates of WEE virus were from 9 pools of Ae. campestris, 6 of Cx. tarsalis and 3 of Ae. dorsalis. California serogroup viruses, including 2 subtypes, were obtained from 7 pools of females and 1 pool of males of Ae. campestris and from 4 pools of Ae. dorsalis. Cache Valley and Hart Park viruses were isolated from single pools of Ae. dorsalis and Cx. tarsalis, respectively, and the rhabdoviruses were obtained from Ae. campestris and Psorophora signipennis.