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Temperature, Viral Genetics, and the Transmission of West Nile Virus by Culex Pipiens Mosquitoes

TitleTemperature, Viral Genetics, and the Transmission of West Nile Virus by Culex Pipiens Mosquitoes
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2008
AuthorsKilpatrick, A. M., M. A. Meola, R. M. Moudy, and L. D. Kramer
JournalPLoS Pathogens
Volume4
Issue6
Date PublishedJUN 2008
ISBN Number1553-7366
KeywordsAEDES-ALBOPICTUS, ENVIRONMENTAL-TEMPERATURE, EQUINE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS VIRUS, EXTRINSIC INCUBATION, FEEDING-BEHAVIOR, LOUIS ENCEPHALITIS-VIRUS, NORTH-AMERICA, TARSALIS DIPTERA, VALLEY FEVER VIRUS, VECTOR COMPETENCE
Abstract

The distribution and intensity of transmission of vector-borne pathogens can be strongly influenced by the competence of vectors. Vector competence, in turn, can be influenced by temperature and viral genetics. West Nile virus (WNV) was introduced into the United States of America in 1999 and subsequently spread throughout much of the Americas. Previously, we have shown that a novel genotype of WNV, WN02, first detected in 2001, spread across the US and was more efficient than the introduced genotype, NY99, at infecting, disseminating, and being transmitted by Culex mosquitoes. In the current study, we determined the relationship between temperature and time since feeding on the probability of transmitting each genotype of WNV. We found that the advantage of the WN02 genotype increases with the product of time and temperature. Thus, warmer temperatures would have facilitated the invasion of the WN02 genotype. In addition, we found that transmission of WNV accelerated sharply with increasing temperature, T, (best fit by a function of T-4) showing that traditional degree-day models underestimate the impact of temperature on WNV transmission. This laboratory study suggests that both viral evolution and temperature help shape the distribution and intensity of transmission of WNV, and provides a model for predicting the impact of temperature and global warming on WNV transmission.

DOIDOI 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000092
Reference number

304

Short TitleTemperature, Viral Genetics, and the Transmission of West Nile Virus by Culex Pipiens Mosquitoes
Citation Key304