title: Short report: observations on the multiple feeding behavior of Culex tritaeniorhynchus (Diptera: culicidae), the vector of Japanese encephalitis in Kerala in southern India.
abstract: A study was undertaken in villages endemic for Japanese encephalitis (JE) in Kerala in southern India during the period 1998-2001 to determine the host-feeding pattern of Culex tritaeniorhynchus, the major vector of JE in southeast Asia. A total of 3,067 blood-engorged Cx. tritaeniorhynchus were tested and 2,553 (82.2%) of the samples could be identified. Culex tritaeniorhynchus had fed mainly (56.6%) on cattle. Pig feeding accounted 6.3% of the total samples. Some samples (n = 980, 38.3%) were of serologic mixed origin. Of 980 mixed blood-fed mosquitoes, 975 (99.5%) had imbibed blood from two distinct hosts and 5 (0.5%) imbibed blood from three distinct hosts. Mixed blood meals were mostly (96.7%) from cattle and goats. The epidemiologic implications of multiple feeding of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus on dampening (dead-end) hosts such as cattle and goats in the transmission of JE virus is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Medical Entomology, Chinna Chokkikulam Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arunachalam
authors.forename: P Philip
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hiriyan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rajendran
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Dash
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003465:Culex / Q000502:physiology*; D004672:Encephalitis, Japanese / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006041:Goats; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine