Medical and Veterinary Entomology (2006) 20, 329-334

G.J. Venter, P.S. Mellor and J.T. Paweska (2006)
Oral susceptibility of South African stock-associated Culicoides species to bluetongue virus
Medical and Veterinary Entomology 20 (3), 329-334
Abstract: Field-collected South African Culicoides species (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) were fed on sheep blood containing bluetongue virus (BTV) represented by 13 low-passage reference serotypes: -1, -2, -4, -6, -7, -8, -9, -10, -11, -12, -13, -16 and -19. After 10 days of extrinsic incubation at 23.5°C, of the 13 serotypes used, seven were recovered from C. (Avaritia) imicola Kieffer and 11 from C. (A.) bolitinos Meiswinkel. Virus recovery rates and the mean titres for most serotypes were significantly higher in C. bolitinos than in C. imicola. In addition, BTV was recovered from three non-Avaritia Culicoides species, namely C. (Remmia) enderleini Cornet and Brunhes (BTV-9), C. (Hoffmania) milnei Austen (BTV-4) and C. (H.) zuluensis de Meillon (BTV-16). No virus could be recovered from 316 individuals representing a further 14 Culicoides species. In Culicoides species fed on blood containing similar or identical virus titres of distinct BTV serotypes, significant differences were found in virus recovery rates. The results of this study confirm the higher vector competence of C. bolitinos compared with C. imicola.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Gert J. Venter, Janusz T. Paweska, Philip S. Mellor

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Culicoides imicola		South Africa
	Culicoides bolitinos		South Africa
	Culicoides milnei		South Africa
	Culicoides zuluensis		South Africa