Research Microbiologist USDA-ARS Manhattan, Kansas
Culicoides biting midges are nuisance pests of livestock and well-known vectors of veterinary arboviruses, such as vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Culicoides blood-feeding behaviors can alter the outcome of vector-virus interactions and favor arbovirus transmission. Specifically, fully engorged females can achieve relatively high oral infection rates even with low viral titer blood meals. Moreover, Culicoides preference to feed on a warmer blood meal at their first feeding event favors virus acquisition from febrile animals with an active virus infection. Following infection, subsequent blood feeding events enhance viral replication within the midge, thereby enhancing transmission potential. Likewise, the environment can also alter the outcome of vector infection. Warmer environmental temperatures shorten the time of feeding-oviposition-re-feeding cycles, which results in more frequent blood-feeding contact with animals, thereby enhancing pathogen transmission potential. Our research highlights the epidemiological implications of environment, vector behavior, and physiology on arbovirus transmission by Culicoides midges.
