Rapid and Efficient Detection by PCR of Culicoides insignis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), the Main Vector of Bluetongue Virus (BTV) in the Neotropical Region

AYALA, M. M.; SPINELLI, G. R.; MICIELI, M. V.; DIAZ, F.; RONDEROS, M. M.

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC AMER

Lugar: Lanham; Año: 2022 p. 1 - 6

0022-2585

Bluetongue virus (BTV) causes a viral, non-contagious disease that mainly affects sheep, cattle, and wildand farmed ruminants causing damage to these animals and significant economic losses. Culicoidesinsignis Lutz, the major BTV vector in South America, is one of the most abundant species in Argentinaand commonly associated with cattle farms. The morphological identification of Culicoides spp. is routinelycarried out with the aid of morphological keys, which mainly refer to the wing patterns, sensillae of palpi,and antennal flagella. Molecular tools applied to taxonomy provide a rapid and efficient method of identificationof vector species. An easy protocol for the extraction of total DNA from single midges is hereindescribed, and a forward primer for rapid and reliably test detection by polymerase chain reaction of C.insignis is developed.