Several species of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) biting midges serve as biological vectors for the bluetongue virus (BTV) and the recently described Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in northern Europe. Since their recent emergence in this part of the continent, these diseases have caused considerable economic losses to the sheep and cattle industries. Much data is now available that describe t...

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an arthropod-borne virus transmitted by Culicoides species to vertebrate hosts. The double-capsid virion is infectious for Culicoides vector and mammalian cells, while the inner core is infectious for only Culicoides-derived cells. The recently determined crystal structure of the BTV core has revealed an accessible RGD motif between amino acids 168 to 170 of the outer ...

Indian species of Culicoides Latreille, subgenus Diphaomyia Vargas are revised. The Clavipalpis group sensu Wirth & Hubert is transferred to the subgenus Diphaomyia with revised diagnoses of the subgenus and species groups. One species, C. peculiaris has been removed from the subgenus Diphaomyia, the remaining species are freshly reviewed with description of a new one, Culicoides (Diphaomyia) s...

BACKGROUND The spread of Bluetongue virus (BTV) among ruminants is caused by movement of infected host animals or by movement of infected Culicoides midges, the vector of BTV. Biologically plausible models of Culicoides dispersal are necessary for predicting the spread of BTV and are important for planning control and eradication strategies. METHODS A spatially-explicit simulation model which...

In Senegal, considerable mortality in the equine population and hence major economic losses were caused by the African horse sickness (AHS) epizootic in 2007. Culicoides oxystoma and Culicoides imicola, known or suspected of being vectors of bluetongue and AHS viruses are two predominant species in the vicinity of horses and are present all year-round in Niayes area, Senegal. The aim of this st...

The efficacy of untreated and alphacypermethrin-treated high density polyethylene (HDPE) mesh against Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) was determined using Onderstepoort downdraught black light traps and a contact bioassay. Three traps were operated overnight in four replicates of a 3×3 randomised Latin square design near horses under South African field conditions. Both the ...

Differences in midgut microbial communities inhabiting Culicoides spp., insect vectors of virus pathogens, may affect the variation observed in the ability of these biting midges to propagate arthropod-borne viruses. As a first step toward addressing this hypothesis, midgut bacterial communities were compared between Culicoides species expected to be efficient and inefficient vectors of virus p...

Culicoides biting midges serve as vectors of pathogens affecting humans and domestic animals. Culicoides sonorensis is a vector of several arboviruses in North American that cause substantial economic losses to the US livestock industry. Previous studies showed that C. sonorensis saliva, like the saliva of many hematophagous arthropods, contains numerous pharmacological agents that affect hemos...

Culicoides imicola Kieffer adults were collected in light traps weekly between August 1990 and October 1991. The species was collected at all 62 sites located in 5 provinces of the Autonomous Region of Andalucía (Spain). Culicoides imicola represented 31.7% of the total collection of Culicoides. The highest numbers of C. imicola were collected from September through November 1990 and September ...

Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) serve as vectors of several mammalian and avian diseases, including bluetongue, Schmallenberg, African horse sickness, avian malaria and Oropouche. Host preference investigations are necessary to assess the transmission routes of vector-borne diseases and to inform mitigation strategies. A recent study examining the main sensory structures (palps and antenn...