Gad A M, Riad I B, Farid H A
Research and Training Center on Vectors of Diseases, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
J Med Entomol. 1995 Sep;32(5):573-7. doi: 10.1093/jmedent/32.5.573.
Host-selection patterns of mosquitoes were determined over a 1-yr period at Abu Heif, a village in Sharqiya Governorate, Egypt, that has had a history of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) transmission. Culex pipiens L. and Cx. antennatus Becker were the most common mosquito species collected, and 8,252 blood meals from both species were analyzed by a precipitin technique. Host availability was estimated by a monthly census of human and animal populations. Both mosquito species exhibited opportunistic endophagic behavior. In bedrooms, 79% of Cx. pipiens fed on humans, compared with 53% of the Cx. antennatus. In animal sheds, 35% of Cx. pipiens and 68% of Cx. antennatus fed on sheep or goats. Cx. pipiens was primarily anthropophilic (forage ratio = 2.7) whereas Cx. antennatus was mainly an ovine feeder (forage ratio = 2.4). These findings indicated that both species probably were involved in the transmission of RVFV in Sharqiya Governorate during the epidemics of 1977 and 1978, Cx. pipiens being mainly responsible for transmission to humans, and Cx. antennatus for transmission among domestic animals. The persistent custom of keeping sheep and goats inside human dwellings, combined with the opportunistic host selection by the local mosquitoes, continues to make this area receptive to RVFV transmission.
在埃及舍尔吉亚省一个有裂谷热病毒（RVFV）传播历史的村庄阿布海夫，对蚊子的宿主选择模式进行了为期一年的研究。尖音库蚊和触角库蚊是采集到的最常见的蚊种，通过沉淀素技术对这两种蚊子的8252份血餐进行了分析。通过对人类和动物种群的月度普查来估计宿主的可获得性。这两种蚊子都表现出机会性内食行为。在卧室里，79%的尖音库蚊以人类为食，而触角库蚊的这一比例为53%。在动物棚中，35%的尖音库蚊和68%的触角库蚊以绵羊或山羊为食。尖音库蚊主要嗜人（觅食比例=2.7），而触角库蚊主要以羊为食（觅食比例=2.4）。这些发现表明，在1977年和1978年的疫情期间，这两种蚊子可能都参与了舍尔吉亚省裂谷热病毒的传播，尖音库蚊主要负责将病毒传播给人类，而触角库蚊则负责在家畜之间传播病毒。人类住所内持续饲养绵羊和山羊的习俗，加上当地蚊子的机会性宿主选择，使得该地区仍然容易发生裂谷热病毒的传播。
