West Nile virus in Pakistan. III. Comparative vector capability of Culex tritaeniorhynchus and eight other species of mosquitoes

Eight species of mosquitoes from Pakistan were compared with Culex tritaeniorhynchus as experimental vectors of West Nile (WN) virus. When fed by the membrane or cottonpledget methods on a dose of WN virus 100% infective for Cx tritaeniorhynchus, 95% and 73% of the females of Cx fuscocephala and Cx pseudovishnui became infected, respectively. Cx quinquefasciatus, Cx univittatus, Aedes albopictus, Ae. caspius, Ae. indicus and Ae. lineatopennis were all significantly less susceptible than Cx tritaeniorhynchus. In agreement with the single dose comparisons, the median per os infective dose of WN virus for Cx fuscocephala, Cx pseudovishui and Ae. caspius was substantially greater than for Cx tritaeniorhynchus. The median parenteral infective dose for all six species tested was less than 1 SMICLD₅₀. Both Cx tritaeniorhynchus and Cx quinquefasciatus were more susceptible to infection with WN virus when fed on viraemic chickens than when fed on defibrinated blood using cotton pledgets or membranes. After infection by intrathoracic inoculation, only Ae. indicus and Ae. lineatopennis showed a reduced ability to transmit WN virus when compared to Cx tritaeniorhynchus.