Effects of temperature on fecundity and viral replication in Amblyomma cajennense (Arachnida: Ixodidae) infected with Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus.

To assess how temperature affects fecundity and Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) viral replication in VEE-infected Amblyomma cajennense (F.), adult ticks were inoculated intracoelomically with either VEE virus (I-A variant) or diluent. Ticks were held at 19, 26, or 33 degrees C and tested for VEE virus over 20 d. Up to 10 pairs of ticks (1 female:1 male) from each temperature group were allowed to feed on guinea pigs on day 8 after inoculation. Maximum titers did not differ significantly among infected ticks held at 19, 26, or 330 degrees C (P = 0.59), and ticks maintained high viral titers throughout the sampling period. Likewise, there was no significant difference in the number of eggs oviposited between ticks inoculated with virus or diluent and held at the same temperature, or among groups held at different temperatures (P = 0.48). The percentage of viable eggs from virus-inoculated or diluent-inoculated adults also was not significantly different (P > or = 0.14).