Isolations of Potosi virus from mosquitoes collected in the United States, 1989-94.
Potosi (POT) virus, a recently characterized Bunyamwera serogroup virus, was discovered when it was isolated from Aedes albopictus collected at a waste-tire site in Potosi, Washington County, Missouri, during 1989. During the following year, POT virus was not isolated from 39,048 mosquitoes, including 17,519 Ae. albopictus, collected in Washington County. In 1991, mosquito collections from South Carolina, Ohio, and Michigan yielded 8 strains of POT virus: 6 from Coquillettidia perturbans and one each from Culex restuans and Psorophora columbiae. Additional collections of Ae. albopictus from several states during 1990-93 failed to yield further isolates of POT virus. In 1994, POT virus was isolated from Ae. albopictus and Anopheles punctipennis in North Carolina and from Ae. albopictus in Illinois. These represent the first virus isolations of any type for Ae. albopictus in those states. Thus far, POT virus has been isolated from 5 mosquito species in different genera in 6 states. The known geographic range of POT virus, based on virus isolations, has been extended from Missouri to the upper Midwest and the Atlantic seaboard. Potential vector relationships and possible transmission cycles of POT virus are discussed.
Mitchell
C J
CJ
Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO 80522, USA.
Smith
G C
GC
Karabatsos
N
N
Moore
C G
CG
Francy
D B
DB
Nasci
R S
RS
D000818:Animals; D002042:Bunyamwera virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009033:Culicidae / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D014481:United States