« Previous AbstractStability of encapsulated beef-like flavourings prepared from enzymatically hydrolysed mushroom proteins with other precursors under conventional and microwave heating    Next AbstractThe reproductive biology of the invasive ferns Lygodium microphyllum and L. japonicum (Schizaeaceae): implications for invasive potential »

J Med Entomol

Title:		Use of scented sugar bait stations to track mosquito-borne arbovirus transmission in California
Author(s):		Lothrop HD; Wheeler SS; Fang Y; Reisen WK;
Address:		"Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 95616, USA"
Journal Title:		J Med Entomol
Year:		2012
Volume:		49
Issue:		6
Page Number:		1466 - 1472
DOI:		10.1603/me12117
ISSN/ISBN:		0022-2585 (Print) 0022-2585 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Laboratory and field research was conducted to determine if Culex tarsalis Coquillett expectorated West Nile virus (WNV) during sugar feeding and if a lure or bait station could be developed to exploit this behavior for WNV surveillance. Experimentally infected Cx. tarsalis repeatedly expectorated WNV onto filter paper strips and into vials with wicks containing sucrose that was readily detectable by a quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay. Few females (33%, n = 27) became infected by imbibing sugar solutions spiked with high concentrations (10(7) plaque forming units/ml) of WNV, indicating sugar feeding stations probably would not be a source of WNV infection. In nature, sugar bait stations scented with the floral attractant phenyl acetaldehyde tracked WNV transmission activity in desert but not urban or agricultural landscapes in California. When deployed in areas of the Coachella Valley with WNV activity during the summer of 2011, 27 of 400 weekly sugar samples (6.8%) tested positive for WNV RNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Prevalence of positives varied spatially, but positive sugar stations were detected before concurrent surveillance measures of infection (mosquito pools) or transmission (sentinel chicken seroconversions). In contrast, sugar bait stations deployed in urban settings in Los Angeles or agricultural habits near Bakersfield in Kern County supporting WNV activity produced 1 of 90 and 0 of 60 positive weekly sugar samples, respectively. These results with sugar bait stations will require additional research to enhance bait attractancy and to understand the relationship between positive sugar stations and standard metrics of arbovirus surveillance"
Keywords:		"Acetaldehyde/analogs & derivatives Animals California Carbohydrates Chickens Culex/*virology Feeding Behavior Female RNA, Viral/*analysis West Nile Fever/*transmission West Nile virus/*isolation & purification;"
Notes:		"MedlineLothrop, Hugh D Wheeler, Sarah S Fang, Ying Reisen, William K eng R01 AI055607/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ AI55607/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. England 2012/12/29 J Med Entomol. 2012 Nov; 49(6):1466-72. doi: 10.1603/me12117"