Ecology of Encephalitis Viruses in the USA

东部马脑脊髓炎病毒(EEEV)是一种严重感染人类的病毒，被列为高致病性病毒。 结果选择代理。在前一个资助期进行的研究中，我们证明了 美国东南部中部的EEEV生态与北大西洋各州有根本的不同。我们 已经表明，EEEV的嗜鸟媒介表现出对鸟类宿主的时间转移的偏好， 这一发现表明，这些媒介优先针对雏鸟和年幼鸟(YoY)。我们 已经开发出一个模型，表明以雏鸟和YoY为食是推动 EEEV的传播。我们还在年初和物种中发现了eee感染的证据。 主要以爬行动物和两栖动物为食。该项目的总体目标将是建立在这些基础上 进一步了解EEEV、其载体和脊椎动物宿主之间的相互作用如何导致 病毒的维持、禽类地方病的发展和病毒从地方病疫源地逃脱 感染人类和马。该项目的具体目标是： 1.为了验证EEEV媒介蚊子优先以YoY为食的假设，使用微卫星- 基于方法对禽类血粉进行个体水平的鉴定。 2.估计Cx的取食范围。欧拉提库斯，东南部主要的EEEV媒介。 3.测量两栖类和爬行动物的EEEV暴露和蓄水能力。 4.确定CX的载体能力。Eraticus，CX.佩克特和乌尔。电动车用蓝宝石。 5.测试某些越冬蚊子参与维持病毒的假设 冬天的几个月。 总之，这些努力将使我们能够确定该病毒最重要的媒介、潜在的 越冬非禽类水库的机制，以及病毒从其 地方性疫源地向周边地区扩散。当在我们的模型中被参数化时，这些数据将使我们能够预测 导致禽类流行性出血热发展和传播的最重要因素 对包括人类在内的其他物种的流行病。

Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus (EEEV) is a serious infection of humans, and is listed as a high- consequence select agent. In studies carried out during the previous funding period, we demonstrated that EEEV ecology in the mid- Southeastern USA differs fundamentally from that in the North Atlantic states. We have shown that ornithophilic vectors for EEEV exhibit temporally shifting preferences for avian hosts, a finding that suggests that these vectors preferentially target nestlings and young-of-the-year (YOY). We have developed a model that suggests that feeding on nestlings and YOY is an important factor driving the transmission of EEEV. We have also found evidence for EEE infection very early in the year and in species that feed primarily upon reptiles and amphibians. The overall goal of this project will be to build upon these findings to further understand how the interaction of EEEV, its vectors and vertebrate hosts results in maintenance of the virus, the development of avian enzootics and the escape of the virus from enzootic foci to infect humans and horses. The specific aims of the project are: 1. To test the hypothesis that EEEV vector mosquitoes feed preferentially upon YOY, using a microsatellite- based method to identify avian blood meals to the individual level. 2. To estimate the foraging range of Cx. erraticus, the major EEEV vector in the Southeast. 3. To measure EEEV exposure and reservoir competence of amphibians and reptiles. 4. To determine the vector competence of Cx. erraticus, Cx. peccator and Ur. sapphirina for EEEV. 5. To test the hypothesis that certain over-wintering mosquitoes are involved in maintaining the virus during the winter months. Together, these efforts will allow us to identify the most significant vectors for the virus, the potential mechanism for over-wintering, non-avian reservoirs, and the dynamics of spread of the virus from its enzootic focus to surrounding areas. When parameterized in our model, these data will allow us to predict the most important factors responsible for the development of an avian epizootic and for the spread of that epizootic to other species, including humans.