Mechanical transmission of vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus by Simulium vittatum (Diptera: Simuliidae) to domestic swine (Sus scrofa).
Biting flies have been suggested as mechanical vectors of vesicular stomatitis New Jersey Virus (family Rhabdoviridae, genus Vesiculovirus, VSNJV) in livestock populations during epidemic outbreaks in the western United States. We conducted a proof-of-concept study to determine whether biting flies could mechanically transmit VSNJV to livestock by using a black fly, Simulium vittatum Zetterstedt (Diptera: Simuliidae), domestic swine, Sus scrofa L., model. Black flies mechanically transmitted VSNJV to a naive host after interrupted feeding on a vesicular lesion on a previously infected host. Transmission resulted in clinical disease in the naïve host. This is the first demonstration of mechanical transmission of VSNJV to livestock by insects.
Smith
Paul F
PF
Department of Entomology, 413 Biological Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
Howerth
Elizabeth W
EW
Carter
Deborah
D
Gray
Elmer W
EW
Noblet
Raymond
R
Mead
Daniel G
DG
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000821:virology; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology*; D012843:Simuliidae / Q000821:virology*; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000821:virology*; D054243:Vesicular Stomatitis / Q000635:transmission*; D054260:Vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus / Q000502:physiology*