title: Blood meal analysis of culicoides (Diptera: ceratopogonidae) in central Tunisia.
abstract: To evaluate the host preferences of Culicoides species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Central Tunisia, we identified the source of blood meals of field collected specimens by sequencing of the cytochrome b (cyt b) mitochondrial locus and Prepronociceptine single copy nuclear gene. The study includes the most common and abundant livestock associated species of biting midges in Tunisia: C. imicola, C. jumineri, C. newsteadi, C. paolae, C. cataneii, C. circumscriptus, C. kingi, C. pseudojumineri, C. submaritimus, C. langeroni, C. jumineri var and some unidentified C. species. Analysis of cyt b PCR products from 182 field collected blood-engorged females' midges revealed that 92% of them fed solely on mammalian species, 1.6% on birds, 2.4% on insects and 0.8% on reptiles. The blast results identified the blood origin of biting midges to the species level with exact or nearly exact matches (≥98%). The results confirm the presence of several Culicoides species, including proven vectors in Central Tunisia. Blood meal analyses show that these species will indeed feed on bigger mammals, thereby highlighting the risk that these viruses will be able to spread in Tunisia.
authors: Department of Clinical Biology B, Laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology Medical and Molecular, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors: Darine
authors: D
authors: Slama
authors: Department of Clinical Biology B, Laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology Medical and Molecular, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors: Najoua
authors: N
authors: Haouas
authors: Department of Clinical Biology B, Laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology Medical and Molecular, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors: Habib
authors: H
authors: Mezhoud
authors: Department of Clinical Biology B, Laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology Medical and Molecular, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia; Laboratory of the Maternity and Neonatology centre of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors: Hamouda
authors: H
authors: Babba
authors: Department of Clinical Biology B, Laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology Medical and Molecular, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors: Emna
authors: E
authors: Chaker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002519:Ceratopogonidae / Q000502:physiology*; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005843:Geography; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D045303:Cytochromes b