title: Potential mosquito vectors of Dirofilaria immitis in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
abstract: The susceptibility of Aedes vexans, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Culex tarsalis to Dirofilaria immitis infections was evaluated in Bernalillo Co., New Mexico. Mosquitoes that had taken a blood meal from a D. immitis-infected dog were dissected and observed for developing larvae. Infection rates for Ae. vexans, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and Cx. tarsalis were 68.9, 40.6, and 30.2%, respectively. Infective D. immitis larvae developed after a minimum of 8 days in Ae. vexans vs. 14 days in both Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. tarsalis. Vector efficiency of Ae. vexans was 20.4%, with a mean of 5.9 infective larvae developing from a mean of 29 microfilariae ingested per mosquito. Vector efficiency in Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. tarsalis was 2.7 and 0.4%, respectively. These results suggest that Ae. vexans has the greatest potential for D. immitis transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Weed Science, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces 88003, USA.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Loftin
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Byford
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Loftin
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Craig
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000469:parasitology*; D000818:Animals; D003465:Culex / Q000469:parasitology*; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000254:growth & development*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000635:transmission; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D009516:New Mexico