Tyler K.

Anderson, DPT(ASCP)CM
West Nile virus cluster analysis and vertical transmission in Culex
pipiens complex mosquitoes in Sacramento and Yolo Counties,
California, 2011
Introduction
In 2003 West Nile virus (WNV) entered the state of California in the
mosquito population. By 2004 it had spread statewide, including Sacramento
and Yolo counties. WNV can cause death to avian, horse, and humans,
among other animal populations. The transmission of the virus from
mosquitoes to this population is well understood, the researchers call this
horizontal transmission. The subject of the fast spread of this potentially
deadly virus was chosen to find potential solutions to prevent its further
impact on the population of California.
Why did the scientists do this research?
The researchers are gathering information on the rates of infected
mosquitoes, and are attempting to discover how the virus is spreading
through the mosquito population. This a topic of public health. Understanding
how mosquitoes become infected, carry, and spread viruses can help us
learn how to better prevent them from infecting human and livestock
populations.

The researchers hypothesize that there is, what they call, vertical
transmission of WNV among the mosquito population. The transmission of
WNV to avian and human populations, known as horizontal transmission, is
very well known. But much less is known about vertical transmission, or the
possibility of female mosquitos infected with WNV passing along the virus to
their offspring. A theory being tested is that the offspring become infected
during the process of oviposition, the moment when the fertilized egg is laid
by the infected mother.
Because vertically-infected mosquitoes presumably do not need to take a
blood meal to acquire WNV, this transmission mechanism may contribute to
local

WNV

maintenance

by:

1)

creating

population

of

infected

overwintering mosquitoes that survive the winter months as non-blood-fed,

inseminated females that could reinitiate enzootic WNV transmission in the
spring or 2) supplementing virus amplification during summer when
horizontal transmission is at its peak (Goddard et al.

2003, as cited by

Ethan Fechter-Leggetty, et al.).

Materials and Methods
In a 2011 study, the researchers collected mosquitoes in traps baited
with hog and rabbit chow-yeast media. Pools of < 50 females were then
tested for WNV. A space-time method was used to track the times and
places that WNV was prevalent or absent. Females from 9 infected areas
were collected. The females collected from these areas which were infected

with WNV were allowed to lay eggs in a laboratory setting. The eggs and
larvae of WNV infected females were tested to see if the virus had
transferred to the offspring.
Results
The rates of vertical transmission of WNV to eggs was found to be a
rate of 50%, along with a 40% transmission rate to larvae. This shows that
mosquitoes can spread WNV among their population at a faster rate than
just through the consumption of blood from other infected animals.
Discussion
The prevalence of more infected mosquitoes will, in theory, cause more
horizontal infections among human and other animal populations. Vertical
transmission was proven to be a correct hypothesis based on the amount of
larvae and eggs collected in the laboratory that tested positive for carrying
WNV. The high rates of 50% and 40% viral transmission rate among the eggs
and larvae, respectively, seems to be enough to support their theory. This
study was, however, on a particular mosquito species that carries WNV.
Vertical transmission of other viruses and parasites (i.e. Chikungunya,
Chagas, and Malaria) within other mosquito populations may have different
results.

Works Cited

Fechter-Leggett, E., et al. (2012). West Nile virus cluster analysis and vertical
transmission in Culex pipiens complex mosquitoes in Sacramento and Yolo
Counties, California, 2011. Journal of Vector Ecology.