[Mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) in the small village where a human case of Venezuelan equine encephalitis was recorded].
BACKGROUND
The enzootic focus of subtype ID of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus in the Central Magdalena region (central Colombia) occasionally produces human cases. The report of a VEE infection in a three-year-old girl in the small Chingalé, municipalitype of Puerto Wilches, Santander, motivated this study.


OBJECTIVE
The village of Chingalé was evaluated as the probable site of infection.


METHODS
In June 2005, mosquitoes were collected with CDC light traps in and outside of dwellings in the village. Trinidad traps were placed in nearby vegetation, and hamsters were used as sentinel animals near homes.


RESULTS
One hundred and seven samples, consisting of 14,423 mosquitoes of 35 species were collected. The relative abundance of incriminated vectors of subtype ID of VEE, Culex (Melanoconion) pedroi and Cx. (Mel.) ocossa, was generally low (<4%), but both species were more frequent outside of dwellings than indoors. Cx. (Mel.) ocossa was collected in CDC traps and was more frequent indoors,whereas Cx. (Mel.) pedroi was found in the Trinidad traps. In addition, Psorophora confinnis was present, recognized as a potential vector of the epidemo/epizootic subtype. Mansonia indubitans, another recognized vector, was present at high frequency within dwellings. The exposed hamsters did not become infected.


CONCLUSIONS
The child may have been infected in or near her home, although the epidemiologic cycle of the virus was not demonstrated within the village of Chingalé. Possibly, infected Culex mosquitoes of the subgenus Melanoconion carried the virus into the village from a neighboring habitat.
Ferro
Cristina
C
Laboratorio de Entomología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia. crisferro@yahoo.com
Olano
Víctor Alberto
VA
Ahumada
Martha
M
Weaver
Scott
S
D000818:Animals; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003105:Colombia; D006224:Cricetinae; D009033:Culicidae / Q000821:virology*; D004666:Encephalitis Virus, Venezuelan Equine; D004685:Encephalomyelitis, Venezuelan Equine / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology*