Epizootiological studies of Amblyospora camposi (Microsporidia: Amblyosporidae) in Culex renatoi (Diptera: Culicidae) in a bromeliad habitat.

MICIELI, M. V; MARTI G. A; GARCÍA , J. J; TRANCHIDA, M. C.; J. J. BECNEL.

Actualizaciones en Artrópodos de Interes Sanitario II.

Ministerio de Salud-ANLIS-CENDIE

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2010; p. 150 - 151

The epizootiology of Amblyospora camposi was studied in a natural population of Culex renatoi, a bromeliad-inhabiting mosquito, and its intermediate host, Paracyclops Wmbriatus Wmbriatus, over a 2-year period. Twenty Eryngium cabrerae plants were sampled monthly from January 2003 to January 2005 and the prevalence of A. camposi in P. f. Wmbriatus and Cx. renatoi populations was determined. The monthly prevalence rates of meiospore infections in Cx. renatoi larvae never exceeded 5.5% and was detected in 50% of the monthly samples. Meiospores were available in plants over the course of the study at a mean concentration of 2£104 meiospores/ml. Within eachplant the parasite was maintained by horizontal transmission. P. f. Wmbriatus with vegetative stages and mature spores were found regularly in bromeliads suggesting eYcient meiospore infectivity to Weld copepod populations. The mean concentration of spores from copepods found in plants was 8£102 spores/ml. Infections in copepods were detected in 54% of the monthly samples with a prevalence rate ranging from 0.55 to 17.4% and an overall average of 5.1%. Vegetative stages in fourth instar mosquito larvae (probably derived from the horizontal pathway via spores formed in copepods) were detected in 12.5% of the monthly samples with an overall prevalence rate of1.1%. Infections in female and male adults were detected in 20.8% of the monthly samples with an overall average of 4.1% and 6.8%, respectively.