Ecology of Encephalitis Viruses in the USA

美国脑炎病毒的生态学

• 批准号: 7846709
• 负责人: THOMAS R UNNASCH
• 金额: $ 6.87万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-06-05 至 2010-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7846709
• 关键词: Accounting; Amphibia; Arboviruses; Area; Automobile Driving; Birds; Blood; Competence; Culex (Genus); Culicidae; Development; Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus; Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis; Ecology; Encephalitis Viruses; Encephalomyelitis; Epidemic; Equus caballus; Exhibits; Florida; Funding; Goals; Habits; Human; Individual; Infection; Location; Maintenance; Massachusetts; Measures; Methods; Microsatellite Repeats; Modeling; Populations at Risk; Reptiles; Testing; United States; Urban Developments; Virus; Virus Diseases; West Nile virus; base; data modeling; enzootic; epizootic; feeding; mortality; preference; transmission process; vector; vector mosquito; virus development

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.

东部马脑脊髓炎病毒（EEEV）是人类的严重感染，并且被列为高度- 结果选择代理。在上一个资助期间进行的研究中，我们证明， 美国东南部中部的EEEV生态与北大西洋各州的EEEV生态有着根本的不同.我们 已经表明EEEV的嗜鸟性载体对鸟类宿主表现出时间上的转移偏好， 这一发现表明，这些载体优先目标雏鸟和一年中的第一年（YOY）。我们 我开发了一个模型，表明对雏鸟和YOY的喂养是推动 EEEV的传输。我们还发现了在一年中很早的时候和在物种中感染的证据 主要以爬行动物和两栖动物为食本项目的总体目标是在这些基础上， 研究结果进一步了解EEEV，其载体和脊椎动物宿主的相互作用如何导致 病毒的维持、禽流行病的发展和病毒从流行病疫源地逃逸 感染人类和马匹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- 基于方法来识别禽血粉的个体水平。 2.估计Cx的觅食范围。erraticus，东南部主要的EEEV载体。 3.测量两栖类和爬行类的EEEV暴露和储库能力。 4.确定Cx的载体能力。erraticus，Cx.啄木鸟和乌尔。EEEV的Alberta。 5.为了验证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最重要的病毒载体， 越冬的机制，非鸟类水库，以及病毒从其传播的动力学 向周边地区扩散。当在我们的模型中参数化时，这些数据将使我们能够预测 导致禽流感发展和传播的最重要因素 对其他物种，包括人类的流行病。