The Culex pipiens Complex in Continental Portugal: Distribution and Genetic Structure

Gomes, Bruno, Parreira, Ricardo, Sousa, Carla A., Novo, Maria T., Almeida, António P. G., Donnelly, Martin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5218-1497 and Pinto, João (2012) 'The Culex pipiens Complex in Continental Portugal: Distribution and Genetic Structure'. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, Vol 28, Issue 4s, pp. 75-80.

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

Portugal is a southern European country that displays favorable ecological conditions for the establishment of West Nile virus (WNV) transmission cycles. Competent mosquito vector species are present throughout the country. Among the species with reported cases of WNV isolation in Portugal, Culex pipiens is the most ubiquitous and abundant mosquito. This species exhibits two biological forms with differences in host preferences. The molestus form has a greater tendency to feed upon humans and other mammals whereas the pipiens form prefers avian hosts. In northern latitudes, both forms are physically separated, with molestus occupying underground habitats and pipiens being found aboveground. However, the warmer climatic conditions of southern regions such as Portugal may favor the sympatric occurrence of both forms hence promoting interform hybridization. Genetic introgression between molestus and pipiens forms may result in a higher propensity for admixed populations to serve as bridge-vectors of WNV between humans and birds. Here we revise our present knowledge on the distribution, role in WNV transmission and genetic structure of the Cx. pipiens complex in continental Portugal. We focus on recent findings of sympatric molestus and pipiens populations that display considerable levels of hybridization and discuss the epidemiological repercussions of this occurrence.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	QU Biochemistry > Genetics > QU 470 Genetic structures QW Microbiology and Immunology > Viruses > QW 160 Viruses (General). Virology QX Parasitology > Insects. Other Parasites > QX 530 Culex QX Parasitology > Insects. Other Parasites > QX 650 Insect vectors
Faculty: Department:	Groups (2002 - 2012) > Vector Group
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.2987/8756-971X-28.4s.75
Depositing User:	Lynn Roberts-Maloney
Date Deposited:	12 Jan 2015 11:41
Last Modified:	16 Sep 2019 09:17
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/4726

Statistics

View details

Actions (login required)

Edit Item