Host–mosquito interactions in rural and urban equestrian facilities from temperate Argentina

Abstract

Targeted vector surveillance informed by data on mosquito biting patterns can help limit arboviral zoonotic diseases. To characterise host-biting networks in rural and urban equestrian facilities from temperate Argentina, adult resting mosquitoes were collected (December 2018–April 2019) with a battery-powered aspirator. Engorged females were sorted to species, and their blood source was identified using molecular techniques. Bipartite network analysis was performed for rural and urban matrices. A total of 177 bloodmeals from 11 mosquito species of Aedes and Culex were identified, with seven mammal and 17 bird species recognised as hosts. Mammals represented 61% of the total feeds, mainly horse, dog and sheep; the best represented avian hosts were Columbiformes. Aedes species and Culex maxi fed only on mammals, while most other Culex species presented a wide range of hosts. The rural network had more nodes and interactions than its urban counterpart, both with some degree of host selection and aggregated patterns according to network indices. Culex quinquefasciatus was the strongest species in both networks, whereas Culex apicinus and Culex dolosus had a prominent role in the rural network. Bipartite network analysis will contribute to understanding the effects of urbanisation in the dynamics of vector-borne diseases.