title: Detection of West Nile virus RNA in pools of three species of ceratopogonids (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) collected in Louisiana.
abstract: Light traps were used to collect ceratopogonids in East Baton Rouge parish, Louisiana. In total, 46,496 ceratopogonids were sorted from 4,968 light trap collections from 20 November 2002 through 25 November 2004. Two hundred and nine pools containing specimens of 18 species of Culicoides Latreille, seven pools containing specimens of Atrichopogon Kieffer, and five pools containing specimens of Forcipomyia Meigen were tested for West Nile virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, WNV) RNA using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Five out of the 209 pools of Culicoides specimens were positive for WNV RNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
authors.forename: Isidra J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Sabio
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Mackay
authors.forename: Alma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Lane D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Foil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002519:Ceratopogonidae / Q000821:virology*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology*; D008145:Louisiana; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012367:RNA, Viral