Plasmodium infection in Kerteszia cruzii (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Atlantic tropical rain forest, southeastern Brazil.

In Southeastern Brazil, Kerteszia cruzii (former Anopheles cruzii), a bromeliad mosquito species, is considered an efficient human Plasmodium spp. vector. In this region, recent studies showed asymptomatic or sub-patent Plasmodium falciparum infection. In areas of the Atlantic coast in Rio de Janeiro, Plasmodium simium infection was recently reported in both human and howler monkey. Considering that (1) few malaria cases are reported each year in areas across the tropical Atlantic rain forest in southeastern Brazil; (2) malaria elimination in Atlantic forest is challenged by circulation of P. falciparum and P. simium in humans; (3) the complexity of malaria epidemiology in this region; and (4) the public health importance of Kerteszia cruzii as a sylvatic vector; the major goal of this study is to evaluate Plasmodium infection in Ke. cruzii. Mosquito sampling collections were conducted in Esteiro do Morro and Sítio Itapuan, in Cananeia municipality, and Tapiraí municipality in Ribeira Valley, southeastern São Paulo state, Brazil. Influence of climate and landscape factors in Plasmodium infection in Ke. cruzii was addressed. Among the 1719 mosquitoes tested, 3 females collected in Sítio Itapuan and three from Tapiraí were found infected with either P. vivax or P. simium. Results of statistical analyses did not demonstrate association between Plasmodium infection in mosquito and the landscape. Mosquito infection was found in two landscape clusters, with Plasmodium detected in forest fringe mosquitoes. This finding shows that Ke. cruzii can facilitate transmission among human and non-human primates. Plasmodium falciparum was not identified in the samples analyzed. Spatiotemporal variation in local malaria incidence, low prevalence of Plasmodium, variations in humidity and temperature can explain the absence of mosquitoes infected with P. falciparum in the study.

Mitochondrial genomes and comparativeanalyses of Culex camposi, Culex coronator,Culex usquatus and Culex usquatissimus (Diptera: Culicidae), members of the coronator group

The Coronator Group currently encompasses six morphologically similar species (Culex camposi Dyar,Culex coronator Dyar and Knab, Culex covagarciai Forattini, Culex usquatus Dyar, Culex usquatissimus Dyar, and Culexousqua Dyar). Culex coronator has been incriminated as a potential vector of West Nile Virus (WNV), Saint LouisEncephalitis Virus (SLEV), and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV). The complete mitochondrial genome ofCx. coronator, Cx. usquatus, Cx.usquatissimus, and Cx. camposi was sequenced, annotated, and analyzed to providegenetic information about these species.Results: The mitochondrial genomes of Cx. coronator, Cx. usquatus, Cx.usquatissimus, and Cx. camposi varied from 15,573base pairs in Cx. usquatus to 15,576 in Cx. coronator. They contained 37 genes (13 protein-encoding genes, 2 rRNAgenes, and 22 tRNA genes) and the AT-rich control region. Comparative analyses of the 37 genes demonstrated themitochondrial genomes to be composed of variable and conserved genes. Despite the small size, the ATP8, ATP6 plusNADH5 protein-encoding genes were polymorphic, whereas tRNAs and rRNAs were conserved. The control regioncontained some poly-T stretch. The Bayesian phylogenetic tree corroborated that both the Coronator Group and theCulex pipens complex are monophyletic taxa...