Natural enzootic vectors of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, Magdalena Valley, Colombia.

To characterize the transmission cycle of enzootic Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) strains believed to represent an epizootic progenitor, we identified natural vectors in a sylvatic focus in the middle Magdalena Valley of Colombia. Hamster-baited traps were placed into an active forest focus, and mosquitoes collected from each trap in which a hamster became infected were sorted by species and assayed for virus. In 18 cases, a single, initial, high-titered mosquito pool representing the vector species was identified. These vectors included Culex (Melanoconion) vomerifer (11 transmission events), Cx. (Mel.) pedroi (5 transmissions) and Cx. (Mel.) adamesi (2 transmissions). These results extend the number of proven enzootic VEEV vectors to 7, all of which are members of the Spissipes section of the subgenus Melanoconion. Our findings contrast with previous studies, which have indicated that a single species usually serves as the principal enzootic VEEV vector at a given location.

Contrasting sylvatic foci of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus in northern South America.

The ecology of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus transmission was compared at three enzootic foci: two forest sites in the Catatumbo region of western Venezuela that have yielded small numbers of virus isolates since the 1970s, and another focus in the middle Magdalena Valley of Colombia that has consistently yielded many VEE virus isolates. Our results demonstrated dramatic differences in VEE virus isolation rates from sentinel hamsters, as well as differences in mosquito species composition and captured mammals with antibodies to VEE virus, between the Colombian and Venezuelan study sites. The higher isolation rate of enzootic VEE virus in the Colombian site was associated with a more abundant fauna of spiny rats (Proechimys spp.), known reservoir hosts of enzootic VEE virus. Mosquito collections demonstrated that the Colombian forest had a higher mosquito diversity and species evenness than either of the Venezuelan forests. The Colombian focus was especially richer in its Culex (Melanoconion) spp. fauna, a subgenus that includes all proven enzootic vectors for VEE virus. Our results suggest that the greater abundance, diversity, and stability of enzootic vector populations, combined with the greater density of rodent reservoir hosts, explains the higher levels of VEE virus circulation in the Colombian focus compared with the Venezuelan forests.