Journal of medical entomology最新文献

{"title":"Lethal and sublethal effects of toxic sugar baits differ among insecticide resistant and insecticide susceptible populations of Aedes aegypti.","authors":"Limarie J Reyes-Torres, Yesenia L Sánchez, Abdullah A Alomar, Vivek Pokhrel, Ana L Romero-Weaver, Eric P Caragata, Eva A Buckner, Barry Wilmer Alto","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag132","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag132","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Widespread insecticide resistance and the potential for sublethal exposures to alter mosquito fitness have increased interest in alternative approaches such as attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSBs), yet their lethal and sublethal effects in insecticide-resistant versus susceptible populations remain poorly understood. We evaluated the lethal and sublethal effects (LC25) of a novel boric acid and dinotefuran ATSB on ingestion, mortality, blood feeding, and reproductive traits in permethrin-resistant and permethrin-susceptible Aedes aegypti. Aedes aegypti is the primary global vector of dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever viruses, placing billions at risk and underscoring the need for sustainable vector control strategies. ATSB affected ingestion, mortality, and reproductive traits in a resistance-dependent manner. Susceptible mosquitoes exhibited reduced ATSB ingestion, whereas resistant mosquitoes showed increased ingestion, suggesting that resistance status modifies feeding responses to the bait formulation. ATSB ingestion increased acute mortality in both strains, with a stronger effect in susceptible mosquitoes, and similarly shortened survival time across strains, indicating consistent sublethal toxicity regardless of resistance status. ATSB reduced blood feeding in both strains, suggesting potential downstream effects on pathogen transmission. Fertility exhibited a significant resistance × treatment interaction, with ATSB increasing fertility in resistant mosquitoes but reducing it in the susceptible strain. These findings indicate that the effects of this ATSB on mosquito fitness and arbovirus transmission-related traits are strongly influenced by permethrin resistance, highlighting the importance of incorporating resistance status into ATSB evaluations and integrated vector control strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148709011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Post-feeding Larval Dispersal Patterns of the Necrophagous Blowfly Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Associated to Swine Carcasses.","authors":"Nuple-Juárez Eduardo, Gabriela Castaño-Meneses, Johnattan Hernández Cumplido, Zenón Cano-Santana","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag085","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjag085","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Accurate minimum post-mortem interval estimation in forensic entomology relies on understanding necrophagous dipteran dispersal behavior. Post-feeding larval dispersal represents a critical phase impacting evidence recovery in forensic research. Currently, most studies suggest uniform radial dispersal patterns. Our study quantified spatial and temporal patterns of post-feeding larval dispersal in necrophagous Diptera under field conditions, examining how temperature, humidity, soil and season influence dispersal distance and directionality from a dead body. Twelve swine carcasses were deployed across wet and dry seasons in the Pedregal de San Ángel Ecological Reserve, Mexico City. Pitfall traps arranged in 9 concentric rings (1 to 7.4 m diameter) with 36 angular sectors monitored larval dispersal patterns. Among 2,545 individuals from 10 morphospecies were recorded, Lucilia sericata (Meigen) was the most dominant species (87.04%). Circular statistics rejected uniform distribution, revealing significant northwest directional preference (320.74°). Spatial distribution exhibited bimodal patterns with 50% of larvae within 130 cm and 95% within 290 cm. Dry season showed higher larvae concentration toward northwest compared to wet season. Predation by Solenopsis sp. Westwood ants during dry season forced larval aggregation in situ. Post-feeding larval dispersal exhibits consistent directional bias, complementing current uniform radial models. Our findings optimize entomological evidence collection by establishing search priorities: primary exhaustive searches within 3 m capture 95% of dispersing larvae, directional searches toward northwest up to 5 m increase recovery during wet seasons, and concentrated searches within 0.5 m maximize recovery during dry conditions when predation restricts dispersal. These quantified metrics provide operational guidelines for evidence recovery in Neotropical forensic investigations, improving search efficiency while reducing investigation time.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13353227/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148427730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Field evaluation of novel experimental nootkatone-based products for control of Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae).","authors":"Chantal Sengsourinho, Megan C Dyer, Alexis White, Steven R Alm, Thomas N Mather","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag105","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjag105","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A total of eight nature-based products were tested against nymphal blacklegged ticks Ixodes scapularis Say or lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum (L.) during the summers of 2023 and 2024. Field trials were performed using a micro-plot arena system in a natural field setting. The arena system has previously been used to successfully evaluate products against blacklegged nymphs and was modified for use with lone star nymphs. One of the eight products evaluated in the study, the commercially available BugArmor Zero-Bite, did not exhibit any significant tick-killing activity. The other seven products were nootkatone-based (NootkaSHIELD™) experimental formulations provided by the Swiss company Evolva and still in the product-development process. Of those samples, Evo A (10% nootkatone) and Evo C (10% nootkatone) provided over 94% knockdown control (efficacy within the first two weeks of application) of blacklegged ticks, and 81.2% and 91.0% knockdown control of lone star ticks, respectively. Both formulations also displayed significant residual control (efficacy after 2 weeks post treatment) but results for Evo A (10% nootkatone) varied greatly between 2023 and 2024. Evo B (10% nootkatone) also demonstrated high levels of efficacy, with 78.5% knockdown control and 80.8% residual control. Treatments using the three NootkaSHIELD™ formulations containing 3% nootkatone all resulted in knockdown efficacies below 45%. The results of this study suggest that NootkaSHIELD™ products containing 10% nootkatone are promising candidates for future commercial availability to control ticks.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13372682/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148458272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Presence and distribution of Cochliomyia hominivorax (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in South America: ecological niche modeling and epidemiological implications under the One Health approach.","authors":"Marlon Mauricio Ardila, Iván Benavides-Céspedes, Edith Alba Segovia-Corrales, Griselda Meza-Ocampos, Andrea Weiler Gustafson, Nilsa González-Brítez, Evelyn Tineo-González, Leidi Herrera","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag136","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag136","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Myasis caused by Cochliomyia hominivorax larvae (Coquerel, 1858), represents a significant sanitary and economic challenge under the One Health approach, affecting human health, livestock production, and biodiversity. Studies on the spatial ecology and distribution of this species in South America (SA) have been scarce. This study aimed to model real and potential suitability areas for C. hominivorax in SA, based on myiasis cases in humans and other vertebrates reported in the scientific literature. The MaxEnt model was developed using WorldClim bioclimatic variables clipped to SA, with 1,000 iterations performed to generate mean logistic distribution models. To mitigate collinearity variables with an absolute correlation coefficient of ∣r∣ < 0.7 were retained. Jackknife tests determined the relative importance of the bioclimatic variables. Brazil and Argentina contained the majority of records, followed by Colombia and Venezuela. Paraguay and French Guiana contributed fewer occurrences. The most frequently recorded hosts were cattle, cats, dogs, and pigs, with great numbers of human cases documented in Brazil and Argentina. Predictive models indicated that west-central Amazonia, eastern Paraguay, northern Argentina, northeastern Brazil, and several countries in northern SA represent moderate to high suitability for species presence (habitat suitability scores 0.80 to 1.00; AUC 0.885). The potential distribution of C. hominivorax in SA was determined by humidity and temperature gradients in tropical and subtropical environments, excluding arid or cold zones. These findings emphasize the need to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and transboundary control strategies, with special attention to domestic hosts, wildlife movement, and human cases in the Southern Hemisphere.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148803639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of a modified next-generation sequencing assay to detect Borrelia, Anaplasma, and Babesia in blood and ear tissue samples from field-collected rodents.","authors":"Andrias Hojgaard, Alexander T Grimaudo, Lynn M Osikowicz, Sarah E Maes, Jacoby Clark, Scott C Williams, Megan A Linske, Lars Eisen, Rebecca J Eisen","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag117","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjag117","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Efforts to monitor the expanding geographic distribution of pathogens associated with Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae), and to evaluate the outcomes of environmental control interventions aiming to reduce the intensity of enzootic transmission of these pathogens, are dependent on sensitive and specific molecular assays for detection of pathogens in ticks and their rodent hosts. In this study, we modified a highly sensitive and specific multiplex PCR amplicon sequencing assay developed to identify pathogens in Ixodes ticks for use in screening blood or ear tissue from rodents (Peromyscus leucopus Rafinesque (Rodentia: Cricetidae)) to detect Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt and Brenner (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae), Borrelia miyamotoi Fukunaga (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Foggie, 1949) Dumler (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), and Babesia microti Franca, 1910 (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae). The modified assay retained similarly high sensitivity to the original assay for detection of Bo. burgdorferi sensu stricto, Bo. miyamotoi, A. phagocytophilum, and Ba. microti. However, the probability of detecting each of the pathogens was dependent on the sample type (ear tissue or blood) tested. Generally, pathogens were detected in either ear tissue or blood samples from an individual mouse, but not in both sample types highlighting the need to test both blood and ear tissue from all individual animals to accurately categorize their infection status.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148439830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and validation of an actin-1 endogenous internal control for multiplex RT-qPCR surveillance of mosquito- and sand fly-borne viruses.","authors":"Ilana S Fratty, Oran Erster, Oscar David Kirstein, Ravit Koren, Shiri Katz-Likvornik, Osnat Halpern, Aharona Glatman-Freedman, Yaniv Lustig, Enosh Tomer, Victoria Indenbaum","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag096","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Internal controls are essential to ensure the reliability of molecular assays, confirming the integrity of nucleic acid extraction and testing process. This is particularly important in entomovirological surveillance, which relies on molecular testing of field-collected arthropod vectors. A key challenge is identifying a control target conserved among diverse vector species. We designed a novel primer-probe set for hydrolysis probe-based real-time PCR, targeting the actin-1 gene and assessed its performance across 21 mosquito and 9 sand fly species in Israel. The assay performance was compared to that of the ribosomal protein S17 (RpS17) assay, one of several endogenous controls reported in mosquito studies. The actin-1 RT-qPCR assay detected all mosquito and sand fly species tested, whereas the RpS17 assay covered only 11 mosquito and 4 sand fly species. Varying mosquito numbers per surveillance pool showed a negative correlation between pool size and actin-1 cycle threshold (Ct) values, confirming consistent detection across sample sizes. We further integrated actin-1 into 3 multiplex RT-qPCR assays: actin-1 + West Nile virus, actin-1 + Usutu virus, and actin-1 + representative phleboviruses: Toscana virus and Sandfly fever Sicilian virus. All assays reliably detected both actin-1 and their respective viral targets, with serial dilutions showing high efficiency and linearity. Differences between singleplex and multiplex testing were minimal showing no significant impact on assay sensitivity. Overall, the actin-1 RT-qPCR assay showed broad species coverage and reliable performance in multiplex RT-qPCR using field-collected specimens, supporting its use as an endogenous internal control in molecular arbovirus surveillance.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148475016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Population genetics of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in India reveals high connectivity and weak geographic and climatic structuring.","authors":"Gaurav Sharma, Deepanker Das, Sweta Mishra, Rakesh Bhutiani, Devojit Kumar Sarma","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag122","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding the genetic structure and diversity of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) populations is critical for predicting transmission dynamics and implementing effective vector control strategies. This study assessed the genetic diversity, population structure, and influence of geography and climate on Ae. aegypti populations across India. Of 308 genotyped individuals, 257 high-quality genotypes from 13 collection sites across 6 climatic regions were retained for analysis using 10 microsatellite loci. High genetic diversity was observed across all populations, consistent with substantial effective population sizes and ongoing gene flow. Moderate but biologically significant genetic differentiation was detected (global FST = 0.077), with the majority of genetic variation occurring within populations (AMOVA: 91.62%). Clustering analyses revealed weak to moderate population structuring, identifying approximately 3 genetic clusters with substantial admixture. Population assignment tests further supported extensive connectivity, with 42% of individuals assigned to nonnative populations. Bottleneck analyses found no recent demographic contractions, and all populations exhibited allele frequency distributions consistent with mutation-drift equilibrium. The Mantel test revealed no significant isolation by distance, suggesting that geographic separation alone does not drive genetic differentiation. Redundancy analysis further indicated that climatic and geographic variables did not significantly explain overall genetic variation, although partial analyses suggested a modest independent contribution of spatial structure. Overall, the genetic structure of Ae. aegypti in India may be influenced by human-mediated dispersal and local ecological processes rather than by broad geographic or climatic constraints. These findings highlight the importance of considering population connectivity in region-specific vector surveillance and control programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148595399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Forest proximity shapes host-feeding patterns of Culex erraticus, a potential vector of eastern equine encephalitis virus, in Illinois.","authors":"Jiayue Yan, Andrew J Mackay, Chang-Hyun Kim, Corrado Cara, Leta Chesser, Arif Ciloglu, Chris M Stone","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag128","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag128","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mosquito host-feeding patterns strongly influence pathogen transmission potential, but landscape drivers of host use remain poorly understood for many generalist vectors. We examined whether landscape composition and spatial configuration predict blood-feeding patterns of Culex erraticus collected from natural areas across Illinois, USA. Specifically, we tested whether land-cover composition and distance from key landscape features, including forest edge, are associated with host-use shifts relevant to zoonotic pathogen transmission. Blood-fed females were identified morphologically, vertebrate hosts were determined by mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit I (COI) amplicon sequencing, and landscape variables were quantified within a 1,000-m radius around each site. Among identified blood meals, Cx. erraticus fed primarily on mammals (73.1%), followed by birds (21.2%), reptiles (5.0%), and amphibians (0.7%), with white-tailed deer and humans dominating mammalian meals. The best-supported generalized linear model (GLM) for bird versus mammal feeding retained mean distance to forest edge and natural cover as predictors, although only distance to forest edge was significant, with mammal feeding declining as signed distance to forest edge became more positive, that is, farther into non-forested habitat. Among mammalian meals, the best-supported GLM for human versus non-human mammal feeding retained mean distance to forest edge as the sole predictor, with human feeding increasing at greater positive distances from forest edge. These results indicate a host shift across the forest-edge gradient and suggest that fine-scale landscape structure, particularly forest proximity, predicts host use in Cx. erraticus. This pattern may help explain spatial variation in human exposure risk to zoonotic pathogens.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148681653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predator presence versus predator cues: oviposition trade-offs in Aedes albopictus.","authors":"Noga Luna Wasserberg, Gideon Wasserberg, Alon Silberbush","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag134","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjag134","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Predator presence can influence mosquito oviposition decisions through direct and indirect cues, yet most studies have examined indirect chemical cues alone. We evaluated the relative effects of live Gambusia affinis fish (direct cue) versus fish-conditioned water (indirect cue) on oviposition by container breeding mosquitoes (mostly Aedes albopictus) in a field experiment conducted at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Paired oviposition cups (treatment and control) were deployed along a transect during three replicate 1-wk sessions for each treatment. Egg numbers were analyzed using paired t-tests, and oviposition responses were quantified using the Oviposition Activity Index (OAI). Live fish significantly deterred oviposition. More eggs were laid in control cups (43.2 ± 5.7) compared to cups containing fish (25.9 ± 8.2; OAI = -0.45). When analyses were restricted to cups in which fish remained present throughout the experimental period, deterrence was even stronger (OAI = -0.63). In contrast, fish-conditioned water significantly increased oviposition relative to aged-water controls (47.5 ± 9.1 vs. 30.2 ± 6.0; OAI = 0.20). These contrasting responses suggest that gravid A. albopictus females discriminate between immediate predation risk and residual environmental cues associated with prior predator presence. We hypothesize that attraction to fish-conditioned water may be mediated by microbially derived volatiles stimulated by fish excretions, whereas avoidance of live fish likely involves visual or mechanical cues. Our findings suggest that oviposition site selection reflects a trade-off between cues indicating a high-quality habitat and offspring survival risk, highlighting the multimodal nature of predator detection in container-breeding mosquitoes.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13450423/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148690538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Invisible invaders: a decade of delusional infestation cases in Connecticut (2013-2023).","authors":"Quinn Coughlin, Gale Ridge","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag108","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Delusional infestation (DI) is a psychiatric condition characterized by the fixed, false belief of being infested by parasites despite contrary evidence. Although DI patients frequently consult non-medical professionals including entomologists, existing literature derives almost exclusively from medical settings. This retrospective case series describes 264 individuals presenting with suspected DI to The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Insect Information Office between 2013 and 2023, constituting the largest single-center case series reported in the United States. Cases were predominantly female (74.6%) with a mean age of 60.8 yr. Reported symptom onset showed a strong seasonal association with monthly mean air temperature. The median estimated symptom duration was 6 mo. Nearly half of individuals submitted physical specimens for examination, none containing arthropods capable of causing reported symptoms. Antiparasitic medications were nearly four times more prevalent than antipsychotics among this cohort. Delusional beliefs extended beyond the primary individual (inducer) in 29.5% of cases. Dermatology was the most frequently consulted medical specialty, while professional pest management was the most common prior intervention. Psychosocial impacts including social isolation, housing instability, and suicidal ideation were documented among affected individuals. The demographic and clinical profile closely mirrors that of medically based studies, while the shorter symptom duration in this series suggests entomology may encounter affected individuals earlier in the illness trajectory. These findings support the integration of entomological professionals into multidisciplinary DI management frameworks and the development of referral pathways to psychiatric care.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148388492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}