title: Feeding habits of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in an area of sylvatic transmission of yellow fever in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The reintroduction of sylvatic yellow fever in the state of São Paulo after about six decades was confirmed in the Northwestern region in 2000, where in 2008 there also occurred an important epizootic. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feeding habits of culicids potentially involved in the sylvatic transmission of the virus in this region.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specimens were collected in 24 forested localities at ground level with hand nets and mouth aspirators. Collections were made quarterly between October 2006 and July 2008 during daylight hours. Blood-meal identification was carried out in mosquitoes of the tribes Aedini, Mansoniini and Sabethini. The biotin/avidin sandwich ELISA was employed to determine six source types: bird, bovine, equine, rat, human and monkey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 24,879 females of the three tribes were obtained, 245 (0.98%) of which were engorged. The presence of three different blood sources per engorged female was the predominant situation, and included 35.10% of the total of samples processed. Samples with two or four different sources were represented by 25.31% and 25.71%, of the specimens, respectively, while just 9.39% had only one type and 1.22%, five different sources. Aedes scapularis, Ae. serratus (Group), Psorophora albigenu and Ps. ferox were the most abundant species and accounted for about 95% of the engorged specimens. Of the principal vector species, Haemagogus janthinomys/capricornii was found with bird, bovine and primate blood. These sources were predominant and alternated top ranking as the most frequent source according to the mosquito species and collection site. In general, primate blood was the most prevalent source.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The human population of the region visits this ecotone frequently, which indicates the need for the periodical assessment of vaccination coverage against yellow fever. The frequency of non-human primate blood source in mosquito species that show minor vector importance in yellow fever virus transmission deserves attention. The eclectic feeding habits and some aspects of the interactions between potential vectors and reservoirs of yellow fever may be associated with the habitat fragmentation characteristic of the region. We recommend that further studies on the capacity and vector competence be performed on secondary vectors in extra-Amazonian region.
authors: Laboratory of Biology and Ecology of Mosquitoes, Superintendence for Endemic Disease Control, State Health Secretariat, Taubaté, São Paulo State Brazil.
authors: Luis Filipe
authors: LF
authors: Mucci
authors: Regional Service 08, Superintendence for Endemic Disease Control, State Health Secretariat, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State Brazil.
authors: Rubens Pinto Cardoso
authors: RP
authors: Júnior
authors: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, São Paulo State Brazil.
authors: Marcia Bicudo
authors: MB
authors: de Paula
authors: Regional Service 08, Superintendence for Endemic Disease Control, State Health Secretariat, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State Brazil.
authors: Sirle Abdo Salloum
authors: SA
authors: Scandar
authors: Regional Service 09, Superintendence for Endemic Disease Control, State Health Secretariat, Araçatuba, São Paulo State Brazil.
authors: Márcio Lunardeli
authors: ML
authors: Pacchioni
authors: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, São Paulo State Brazil.
authors: Aristides
authors: A
authors: Fernandes
authors: Diagnostics Section, Pasteur Institute, State Health Secretariat, São Paulo, São Paulo State Brazil.
authors: Cleide Aschenbrenner
authors: CA
authors: Consales
keywords: Feeding habit; Forest fragmentation; Neotropical mosquitoes; Non-human primate; Sylvatic yellow fever