Transmisión experimental del virus de la encefalitis equina venezolana, subgrupo ID, por psorophora confinnis a ratones

Abstract

Rates of transmission by bite of Psorophoro confinnis mosquitoes to albino swiss mice were studied when the mosquitoes were fed upon hamster and Proechimys hendei with different virus content of an enzootic strain (ID) of venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. When the mosquitoes were fed upon hamster with virus in high concentration (7.5 dex in 0.1 ml of serum, 6.5 in 0.1 ml of serum) the mosquitoes infection and transmission rates were high. However, when the Ps. confinnis mosquitoes were fed upon Proechimys hendei with virus in low concentration (1.4 dex in 0.1 ml of serum. 2.6 in 0,1 ml. of serum) the mosquitoes infection rates were low and no transmission ocurred. When the Proechimys hendei virus concentration was 4.4. dex in 0.1 ml. of serum the mosquitoes infection rates increased and virus was transmitted. These results suggest that Psorophoro confinnis is a species of mosquitoes with a high threshold infection to this particular VEE enzootic strain.