D3186: Mosquito community structure and WNV occurrence in Wood County, Ohio

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are known vectors of a variety of pathogen that cause devastating
diseases in humans and other animals worldwide. During the past two years (2016 and 2017), the
Ohio Department of Health in collaboration with county health departments and with funding from
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, began a statewide mosquito surveillance and West
Nile Virus (WNV) testing program. The purpose of this program is to capture Culex spp., which are
known vectors of West Nile Virus to humans and horses, and test these mosquitoes for the
occurrence of WNV. Two hypotheses were also being tested: Hypothesis 1: The mosquito
community in Wood County, Ohio, is characterized by more than 15 species over the trapping period
(June through August, 2017). Hypothesis 2: The occurrence of West Nile Virus in Culex spp.
collected in Wood County, Ohio, would increase during late summer (August and September, 2017).
Three mosquito traps were utilized in Wood County, Ohio, during 2017 to capture mosquitoes: the
CDC Miniature Light Trap, a gravid mosquito trap, and a BG Sentinel trap. Mosquitoes were trapped
each week from early June until the end of August. None of the Culex spp. samples from June and
July tested positive for WNV. Twenty-seven of the forty three trap catches of Culex spp. from August
tested positive for West Nile Virus. Twenty-three mosquito species were identified over the 2017
trapping period, which reflects a diverse mosquito community in Wood County, Ohio.
Introduction