West Nile virus vector Culex modestus established in southern England.
BACKGROUND
The risk posed to the United Kingdom by West Nile virus (WNV) has previously been considered low, due to the absence or scarcity of the main Culex sp. bridge vectors. The mosquito Culex modestus is widespread in southern Europe, where it acts as the principle bridge vector of WNV. This species was not previously thought to be present in the United Kingdom.


RESULTS
Mosquito larval surveys carried out in 2010 identified substantial populations of Cx. modestus at two sites in marshland in southeast England. Host-seeking-adult traps placed at a third site indicate that the relative seasonal abundance of Cx. modestus peaks in early August. DNA barcoding of these specimens from the United Kingdom and material from southern France confirmed the morphological identification.


CONCLUSIONS
Cx. modestus appears to be established in the North Kent Marshes, possibly as the result of a recent introduction. The addition of this species to the United Kingdom's mosquito fauna may increase the risk posed to the United Kingdom by WNV.
Spatial Ecology and Epidemiology Group, Tinbergen Building, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK. nick.golding@zoo.ox.ac.uk
Nick
N
Golding
Miles A
MA
Nunn
Jolyon M
JM
Medlock
Bethan V
BV
Purse
Alexander G C
AG
Vaux
Stefanie M
SM
Schäfer
D000818:Animals; D003465:Culex / Q000821:virology*; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology*; D058865:Introduced Species; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D012621:Seasons; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D053833:Wetlands