Detection of Schmallenberg virus RNA, using real-time RT-PCR, in biting midges (Culicoides spp.) caught at 48 locations in 2011 and four well-separated farms during 2012 in Denmark, revealed a remarkably rapid spread of virus-infected midges across the country. During 2012, some 213 pools of obsoletus group midges (10 specimens per pool) were examined, and of these, 35 of the 174 parous pools w...

The breeding sites of Culicoides pachymerus are described for the first time in western Boyacá Province, Colombia, where this species is a public health problem. In addition to being a nuisance due to its enormous density and its high biting rates, C. pachymerus cause dermatological problems in the human population. Analysis of microhabitats by the sugar flotation technique and the use of emerg...

Culicoides biting midges are of great importance as vectors of pathogens and elicitors of allergy. As an alternative for the identification of these tiny insects, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was evaluated. Protein mass fingerprints were determined for 4-5 field-caught reference (genetically confirmed) individuals of 12 Culicoides s...

nary Research 59: 183–189 12. Venter G J, Nevill E M, Van Der Linde T C de K 1996 Geographical distribution and relative abundance of stock-associated Culicoides species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in southern Africa, in relation to their potential as virus vectors. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 63: 25–38 13. Venter G J, Paweska J T, Hamblin C, 1999 Is Culicoides imicola the only ...

Trypanosomatids are a huge group of vertebrate, invertebrate and plant parasites that can cause severe illnesses in hosts. Although avian trypanosomes widely spread throughout the world, information about their transmission vector–host relationships is still scarce. This study aimed to investigate Trypanosoma prevalence bloodsucking Diptera collected at tree-nesting raptor birds’ nests. Insects...

A lightweight, collapsible, tent-type, trap of 1 m2 floor-area was developed for the collection of emerging Culicoides from a wide range of habitats. It is cheap; easy to build, transport and erect; withstands adverse climatic conditions well; affects the covered habitat only slightly; and needs little attention. Insects are trapped into 0.5% aqueous "Savlon" solution in a removable, modified, ...

A new Neotropical species of biting midge Culicoides (Haematomyidium), C. kampa Felippe-Bauer, Veras & Castellon, is described and illustrated based on female specimens from the Amazonian Region.

BACKGROUND Bluetongue (BT) is a vector-borne disease of ruminants that has expanded its traditional global distribution in the last decade. Recently, BTV-1 emerged in Southern Spain and caused several outbreaks in livestock reaching the north of the country. The aim of this paper was to review the emergence of BTV-1 in the Basque Country (Northern Spain) during 2007 and 2008 analyzing the possi...