title: Potential Sympatric Vectors and Mammalian Hosts of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus in Southern Mexico.
abstract: Arboviruses are important zoonotic agents with complex transmission cycles and are not well understood because they may involve many vectors and hosts. We studied sympatric wild mammals and hematophagous mosquitoes having the potential to act as hosts and vectors in two areas of southern Mexico. Mosquitoes, bats, and rodents were captured in Calakmul (Campeche) and Montes Azules (Chiapas), between November 2010 and August 2011. Spleen samples from 146 bats and 14 rodents were tested for molecular evidence of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV), and West Nile virus (WNV) using PCR protocols. Bat ( Artibeus lituratus , Carollia sowelli , Glossophaga soricina , and Sturnira parvidens) and rodent ( Sigmodon hispidus and Oryzomys alfaroi ) species were positive for VEEV. No individuals were positive for WNV, EEEV, or WEEV. A total of 1,298 mosquitoes were collected at the same sites, and five of the mosquito species collected were known VEEV vectors (Aedes fulvus, Mansonia indubitans, Psorophora ferox, Psorophora cilipes, and Psorophora confinnis). This survey simultaneously presents the first molecular evidence, to our knowledge, of VEEV in bats and rodents from southern Mexico and the identification of potential sympatric vectors. Studies investigating sympatric nonhuman hosts, vectors, and arboviruses must be expanded to determine arboviral dynamics in complex systems in which outbreaks of emerging and reemerging zoonoses are continuously occurring.
authors.affiliation: 1 Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Delegación Coyoacán, México DF, CP 04510.|2 Asociación Mexicana de Medicina de la Conservación, Kalaan-Kab AC, Ciclistas 68-3, Delegación Coyoacán, México DF, CP 04220.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sotomayor-Bonilla
authors.affiliation: 3 Red Ambiente y Sustentabilidad, Instituto de Ecología A. C. Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz, México, CP 91070.
authors.forename: Carlos Antonio
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Abella-Medrano
authors.affiliation: 4 Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica, CP 11501-2060.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.affiliation: 1 Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Delegación Coyoacán, México DF, CP 04510.|2 Asociación Mexicana de Medicina de la Conservación, Kalaan-Kab AC, Ciclistas 68-3, Delegación Coyoacán, México DF, CP 04220.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Mendizábal
authors.affiliation: 1 Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Delegación Coyoacán, México DF, CP 04510.|2 Asociación Mexicana de Medicina de la Conservación, Kalaan-Kab AC, Ciclistas 68-3, Delegación Coyoacán, México DF, CP 04220.
authors.forename: Óscar
authors.initials: Ó
authors.lastname: Rico-Chávez
authors.affiliation: 3 Red Ambiente y Sustentabilidad, Instituto de Ecología A. C. Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz, México, CP 91070.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ibáñez-Bernal
authors.affiliation: 5 EcoHealth Alliance, 460 W 34th St., New York, New York 10001, USA.
authors.forename: Melinda K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Rostal
authors.affiliation: 2 Asociación Mexicana de Medicina de la Conservación, Kalaan-Kab AC, Ciclistas 68-3, Delegación Coyoacán, México DF, CP 04220.|3 Red Ambiente y Sustentabilidad, Instituto de Ecología A. C. Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz, México, CP 91070.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ojeda-Flores
authors.affiliation: 6 Laboratorio de Medicina de Conservación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Calle Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, s/n, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo, México DF, México, CP 11340.|7 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, 766 Irving Ave., Syracuse, New York 13210, USA.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barbachano-Guerrero
authors.affiliation: 4 Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica, CP 11501-2060.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Espeleta
authors.affiliation: 7 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, 766 Irving Ave., Syracuse, New York 13210, USA.
authors.forename: A Alonso
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.affiliation: 5 EcoHealth Alliance, 460 W 34th St., New York, New York 10001, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Daszak
authors.affiliation: 1 Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Delegación Coyoacán, México DF, CP 04510.|2 Asociación Mexicana de Medicina de la Conservación, Kalaan-Kab AC, Ciclistas 68-3, Delegación Coyoacán, México DF, CP 04220.
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Suzán
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001103:Arboviruses; D009033:Culicidae; D004199:Disease Vectors; D004663:Encephalitis Virus, Eastern Equine; D004666:Encephalitis Virus, Venezuelan Equine / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008322:Mammals / Q000821:virology*; D008800:Mexico; D015047:Zoonoses
keywords: Bats; Calakmul; Mexico; Montes Azules; Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus; mosquitoes; rodents; sylvatic cycle