Results of current surveillance of likely bluetongue virus vectors of the genus Culicoides in Catalonia, Spain.
Following the outbreaks of bluetongue (BT) disease in sheep on the Balearic islands in 2000, a survey was conducted for Culicoides vectors along the eastern Catalonian cost of continental Spain where the presence of only C. obsoletus (Meigen) and C. pulicaris (Linnaeus) was known. Light-trap collections made at eight sites in 2002 yielded nine species of Culicoides, including C. imicola Kieffer (represented by a gravid female caught at Dosrius at a latitude of 41 degrees 35'N) and C. scoticus Downs and Kettle. The following season (2003), C. imicola was captured consistently at all sites and in greater numbers (maximum catch of 46) from August to November. The findings suggest that the distribution of C. imicola is extending northwards into Europe. The presence of four bluetongue vectors (C. imicola, C. obsoletus, C. pulicaris and C. scoticus) in Catalonia is of concern.
Sarto i Monteys
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V
Departament d'Agricultura, Ramaderia i Pesca Fundació CReSA/Entomologia Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus de Bellaterra, edifici V, Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.
Aranda
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C
Escosa
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R
Pagès
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N
Prato
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F
Ventura
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D