Mosquito-borne diseases represent a significant threat to human and animal health in the United States. Several viruses, including West Nile, Saint Louis encephalitis, and Eastern equine encephalitis are endemic. In humans, the disease is typically detected during the summer months, but not during the winter months. The ability of these viruses to reemerge year after year is still not fully understood, but typically involves persistence in a reservoir host or vector during periods of low transmission. Mosquito species are known to overwinter at different life stages (adults, larvae, or eggs) in manufactured or natural sites. Gopher tortoise burrows are known to serve as refuge for many vertebrate and invertebrate species in pine savannas. In this study, we surveyed the interior of gopher tortoise burrows for overwintering mosquitoes. We identified 4 species (Anopheles crucians s.l., Culex erraticus, Mansonia dyari, and Uranotaenia sapphirina). Cx. erraticus was the most abundant, and its presence and abundance increased in winter months, implying that this species utilized gopher tortoise burrows for overwintering. Bloodfed Cx. erraticus and An. crucians s.l. females were detected. While An. crucians s.l. fed exclusively on the white-tailed deer, Cx. erraticus had a more diverse host range but fed primarily on the gopher tortoise. Tortoises and other long-lived reptiles like the American alligator have been shown to sustain high viremia following West Nile virus (WNV) and Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) infection and therefore could play a role in the maintenance of these viruses. In addition, Cx. erraticus is naturally infected with WNV and is a known bridge vector for EEEV. As such, these overwintering sites may play a role in perpetuating over-winter arboviral activity in Florida.

中文翻译：

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错误库蚊（双翅目：库蚊科）在佛罗里达州中北部利用地鼠龟洞穴越冬

蚊媒疾病对美国人类和动物健康构成重大威胁。包括西尼罗河病毒、圣路易斯脑炎和东部马脑炎在内的几种病毒是地方性的。在人类中，这种疾病通常在夏季被发现，但在冬季则不然。这些病毒年复一年重新出现的能力尚不完全清楚，但通常涉及在低传播时期在储存宿主或载体中持续存在。众所周知，蚊子在不同的生命阶段（成虫、幼虫或卵）在人造或自然场所越冬。众所周知，地鼠龟洞穴是松树稀树草原上许多脊椎动物和无脊椎动物的避难所。在这项研究中，我们调查了地鼠龟洞穴的内部是否有越冬的蚊子。我们鉴定了 4 个物种（鲫按蚊、漂布库蚊、Mansonia dyari 和 Uranotaenia sapphirina）。CX。erraticus 的数量最多，并且其数量和数量在冬季有所增加，这表明该物种利用地鼠龟的洞穴来越冬。血饲 Cx。勘误表和 An. 检测到雌性鲫鱼。而安. 鲫鱼 sl 专门以白尾鹿 Cx 为食。eraticus 的寄主范围更加多样化，但主要以地鼠龟为食。陆龟和其他长寿爬行动物（如美洲短吻鳄）已被证明在感染西尼罗河病毒（WNV）和东部马脑炎病毒（EEEV）后会维持高病毒血症，因此可能在这些病毒的维持中发挥作用。此外，Cx. eraticus 自然感染 WNV，并且是 EEEV 的已知桥梁载体。因此，这些越冬地点可能在佛罗里达州持续越冬虫媒病毒活动中发挥作用。