VECTOR AND ADULT MOSQUITO SURVEILLANCE IN NEW JERSEY, 2011

Lisa Reed, Scott Crans & Mark Robson

Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences Entomology

Center for Vector Biology

180 Jones Ave.

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

lreed@rci.rutgers.edu

ABSTRACT

New Jersey currently monitors four arboviruses through mosquito collections: eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), West Nile virus (WNV), St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) and La Crosse encephalitis (LAC). In 2011, EEE activity was not recorded in 6810 Culiseta melanura submitted for testing, nor in the 35,000+ specimens of 31 other species tested. However, one horse did develop EEE late in the season. Low populations of the enzootic vector may have contributed to the lack of detection despite amplification that occurred for the horse to acquire the virus. West Nile activity was reduced from the previous year's high activity, with 531 positive pools detected, mostly involving bird-feeding species of Culex and Culiseta. Aedes albopictus and Ae. japonicus were also positive as were Anopheles bradleyi, Culex salinarius and Psorophora ferox. Infections were detected in five humans and one horse. No activity was recorded for either SLE or LAC.