title: Host-feeding preference of the mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, in Yucatan State, Mexico.
abstract: Studies were conducted to determine the host-feeding preference of Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) in relation to the availability of human and domestic animals in the city of Merida, Yucatan State, Mexico. Mosquitoes were collected in the backyards of houses using resting wooden boxes. Collections were made five times per week from January to December 2005. DNA was extracted from engorged females and tested by PCR using universal avian- and mammalian-specific primers. DNA extracted from avian-derived blood was further analyzed by PCR using primers that differentiate among the birds of three avian orders: Passeriformes, Columbiformes and Galliformes. PCR products obtained from mammalian-derived blood were subjected to restriction enzyme digestion to differentiate between human-, dog-, cat-, pig-, and horse-derived blood meals. Overall, 82% of engorged mosquitoes had fed on birds, and 18% had fed on mammals. The most frequent vertebrate hosts were Galliformes (47.1%), Passeriformes (23.8%), Columbiformes (11.2%) birds, and dogs (8.8%). The overall human blood index was 6.7%. The overall forage ratio for humans was 0.1, indicating that humans were not a preferred host for Cx. quinquefasciatus in Merida.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio De Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatan, Ave. Itzáes No. 490 x 59, Centro Mérida, Yucatán, México 97000. grejon@uady.mx
authors.forename: Julian E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Garcia-Rejon
authors.forename: Bradley J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Blitvich
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Farfan-Ale
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Loroño-Pino
authors.forename: Wilberth A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Chi Chim
authors.forename: Luis F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Flores-Flores
authors.forename: Elsy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rosado-Paredes
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baak-Baak
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perez-Mutul
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Suarez-Solis
authors.forename: Ildefonso
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Salas
authors.forename: Barry J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Beaty
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D002415:Cats; D003465:Culex / Q000502:physiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006736:Horses; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D013552:Swine