Culex modestus: the overlooked mosquito vector

Parasites & Vectors

Review

Leen Delang¹  Alina Soto¹ 

[1] Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium;

关键词: Culex modestus;    Mosquito;    Vector;    Arbovirus;    Avian malaria;    Canine filariasis;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13071-023-05997-6

 received in 2023-08-08, accepted in 2023-10-04,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Culex (Barraudius) modestus (Ficalbi 1889) are found in temperate regions across Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. These mosquitoes thrive during the summer and prefer to breed in permanent vegetative habitats such as rice paddies and marshes. Culex modestus feed on a wide range of bird species but are highly attracted to humans, which makes them a potential ‘bridge’ vector for enzootic pathogens. There is compelling evidence that Culex modestus is an efficient vector for West Nile virus, potentially capable of causing epidemics in humans and other mammals. This species is also a likely vector for Usutu virus, avian malaria (Plasmodium spp.), and parasitic heartworms (Dirofilaria spp.). Culex modestus can be morphologically identified at the larval and adult stages, and a distinctive phenotype of this species is their ability to overwinter. Despite the widespread establishment of this mosquito species and their role as vectors for human pathogens, we lack sufficient knowledge on this species to implement and evaluate targeted vector control measures. Since Culex modestus can be considered a potential public health threat, there is a need for a better understanding of this mosquito species.Graphical Abstract

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2023

【 图 表 】

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