A research project is proposed to determine if infection of vertebrate hosts with an arbovirus decreases defensiveness of hosts to blood-seeking mosquitoes. The host upon which a mosquito feeds is a fundamental component of arboviral vector-host transmission systems. Anything that increases the probability of mosquitoes feeding on viremic rather than non-viremic hosts will increase the probability of disease transmission by increasing the number of infected mosquitoes. An understanding of these dynamic events is basic to describing arboviral maintenance and amplification as well as attempting to control transmission to susceptible species. Published information supports the proposed research hypothesis. Mosquitoes are differentially attracted to hosts and variation occurs within and between host species in their behavioral responses to mosquitoes that attempt to feed on them. Moreover, studies with rodent malaria have shown that infected rodent hosts are significantly more susceptible to mosquito feeding at times when parasites are infective to blood-feeding mosquitoes than are non-infected rodent hosts. During the proposed experiments we will use 4 different arbovirus systems to examine the effects of arboviral infections on host anti-mosquito behavior. Experiments are designed to determine if mosquitoes blood-feed more often on arbovirus infected hosts than non-infected hosts because infection reduces the ability of hosts to behaviorally repel mosquitoes. Initial experiments will look for gross differences and identify the 2 most appropriate virus-host-mosquito systems for more detailed study. We will examine in detail the influences of host species, host age, host behavioral patterns, and mosquito density on anti-mosquito behavior. A related goal is to determine if hosts can become viremic after ingesting virus infected mosquitoes. This research will provide basic information that will improve our ability to minimize the occurrence of arboviral disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Unknown (R22)
Project #
5R22AI020675-02
Application #
3444671
Study Section
(SSS)
Project Start
1984-09-30
Project End
1987-08-31
Budget Start
1985-09-01
Budget End
1986-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1985
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Maryland College Park
Department
Type
Earth Sciences/Resources
DUNS #
City
College Park
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
20742
Weaver, S C; Scott, T W; Lorenz, L H (1990) Patterns of eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus infection in Culiseta melanura (Diptera: Culicidae). J Med Entomol 27:878-91
Scott, T W; Lorenz, L H; Edman, J D (1990) Effects of house sparrow age and arbovirus infection on attraction of mosquitoes. J Med Entomol 27:856-63
Lorenz, L H; Scott, T W; Anderson, R A et al. (1990) The relationship between size and parity status of field collected Culiseta melanura. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 6:433-40
Weaver, S C; Scott, T W (1990) Peritrophic membrane formation and cellular turnover in the midgut of Culiseta melanura (Diptera: Culicidae). J Med Entomol 27:864-73
Anderson, R A; Edman, J D; Scott, T W (1990) Rubidium and cesium as host blood-markers to study multiple blood feeding by mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). J Med Entomol 27:999-1001
Scott, T W; Weaver, S C (1989) Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus: epidemiology and evolution of mosquito transmission. Adv Virus Res 37:277-328
Hubbard, J L; Scott, T W; Lorenz, L H et al. (1989) Effects of triturated Culiseta melanura (Diptera: Culicidae) on recovery of eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus. J Med Entomol 26:380-3
Weaver, S C; Scott, T W; Lorenz, L H et al. (1988) Togavirus-associated pathologic changes in the midgut of a natural mosquito vector. J Virol 62:2083-90
Oprandy, J J; Olson, J G; Scott, T W (1988) A rapid dot immunoassay for the detection of serum antibodies to eastern equine encephalomyelitis and St. Louis encephalitis viruses in sentinel chickens. Am J Trop Med Hyg 38:181-6
Scott, T W; Olson, J G; All 3rd, B P et al. (1988) Detection of eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus antigen in equine brain tissue by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Am J Vet Res 49:1716-8

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