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Seechurn N, Herdman MT, Hernandez-Colina A, Vaux AGC, Johnston C, Berrell M, Lopez J, Eckley L, Gonzalez-Olvera M, Gillespie L, Kelly PP, Baylis M, Medlock JM. Field-based assessments of the seasonality of Culex pipiens sensu lato in England: an important enzootic vector of Usutu and West Nile viruses. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:61. [PMID: 38342888 PMCID: PMC10859028 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06143-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Usutu virus (USUV), which is closely related to West Nile virus (WNV), sharing a similar ecology and transmission cycle, was first reported in the UK in the southeast of England in 2020. Both USUV and WNV are emerging zoonotic viruses hosted by wild birds. The 2020 finding of USUV in England raised awareness of this virus and highlighted the importance of understanding the seasonality of Culex pipiens sensu lato (Cx. pipiens s.l.), the main enzootic vector of these viruses. Zoos are prime locations for trapping mosquitoes because of their infrastructure, security, and range of vertebrate hosts and aquatic habitats. METHODS Three independent zoo-based case studies at four locations that cover the seasonality of Cx. pipiens s.l. in England were undertaken: (i) London Zoo (Zoological Society London [ZSL]) and surrounding areas, London; (ii) Chester Zoo (Cheshire); (ii) Twycross Zoo (Leicestershire); and (iv) Flamingo Land (zoo; North Yorkshire). Various adult mosquito traps were used to catch adult Cx. pipiens s.l. across seasons. RESULTS High yields of Cx. pipiens s.l./Culex torrentium were observed in Biogents-Mosquitaire and Center for Disease Control and Prevention Gravid traps in all studies where these traps were used. Mosquito counts varied between sites and between years. Observations of adult Cx. pipiens s.l./Cx. torrentium abundance and modelling studies demonstrated peak adult abundance between late July and early August, with active adult female Cx. pipiens s.l./Cx. torrentium populations between May and September. CONCLUSIONS The information collated in this study illustrates the value of multiple mosquito monitoring approaches in zoos to describe the seasonality of this UK vector across multiple sites in England and provides a framework that can be used for ongoing and future surveillance programmes and disease risk management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Seechurn
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - M Trent Herdman
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK
- UK Field Epidemiology Training Programme Field Service, South East and London, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Arturo Hernandez-Colina
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Caughall Road, Chester, CH2 1LH, UK
| | - Alexander G C Vaux
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Colin Johnston
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Morgan Berrell
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Javier Lopez
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Caughall Road, Chester, CH2 1LH, UK
| | - Lindsay Eckley
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Caughall Road, Chester, CH2 1LH, UK
| | - Merit Gonzalez-Olvera
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Caughall Road, Chester, CH2 1LH, UK
| | - Lisa Gillespie
- Twycross Zoo, East Midland Zoological Society, Burton Road, Atherstone, CV9 3PX, UK
| | - Paul Pearce Kelly
- Zoological Society of London, Outer Circle, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Matthew Baylis
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Jolyon M Medlock
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK
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