Mammalophilic feeding behaviour of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes collected in the cities of Chetumal and Cancun, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico.
OBJECTIVE
The studie describes the blood-feeding behaviour of mosquitoes in Mexico, to understand host-vector relationships and dynamics of disease transmission.


METHODS
From September 2012 to November 2012 and in November 2013, 911 blood-fed Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes were collected with aspirators inside houses in Chetumal and Cancun. Blood meals were analysed by PCR and subsequent Sanger sequencing of the cytochrome b gene.


RESULTS
93.3% of mosquitoes fed on mammals, 6.5% on birds and 0.2% on reptiles. The most frequent vertebrate hosts were humans (65.4%), dogs (23.2%), chicken (5.4%), cattle (2.2%) and cats (1.8%).


CONCLUSIONS
Cx. quinquefasciatus most frequently fed on humans and dogs in both studied cities, which is in contrast to a previous study that demonstrated lower prevalence of mammalian blood in engorged Cx. quinquefasciatus.
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany.
Nele
N
Janssen
Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey, Mexico.|Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Tapachula, Mexico.
Ildefonso
I
Fernandez-Salas
Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey, Mexico.|Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Lab, Entomología Médica, Monterrey, Mexico.
Esteban Eduardo
EE
Díaz González
Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey, Mexico.|Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Lab, Entomología Médica, Monterrey, Mexico.
Alejandro
A
Gaytan-Burns
Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey, Mexico.
Carlos E
CE
Medina-de la Garza
Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey, Mexico.|Facultad deMedicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Escobedo, Mexico.
Rosa María
RM
Sanchez-Casas
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany.
Jessica
J
Börstler
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany.
Daniel
D
Cadar
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany.|German Centre for Infection Research, Hamburg, Germany.
Jonas
J
Schmidt-Chanasit
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany.|German Centre for Infection Research, Hamburg, Germany.
Hanna
H
Jöst

Culex quinquefasciatus
; 
PCR
; Humano; Mexico; Mexique; Méjico; Pájaro; Reptil; bird; comportement alimentaire lié à l'hôte; conducta de alimentación; host-feeding behaviour; humain; human; oiseau; reptile