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Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Culicoides biting midges are biological vectors of arboviruses including bluetongue virus (BTV), Schmallenberg virus (SBV) and African horse sickness virus (AHSV). Zoos are home to a wide range of \'at risk\' exotic and native species of animals. These animals have a high value both in monetary terms, conservation significance and breeding potential. To understand the risk these viruses pose to zoo animals, it is necessary to characterise the Culicoides fauna at zoos and determine which potential vector species are feeding on which hosts.
METHODS: Light-suction traps were used at two UK zoos: the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) London Zoo (LZ) and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo (WZ). Traps were run one night each week from June 2014 to June 2015. Culicoides were morphologically identified to the species level and any blood-fed Culicoides were processed for blood-meal analysis. DNA from blood meals was extracted and amplified using previously published primers. Sequencing was then carried out to determine the host species.
RESULTS: A total of 11,648 Culicoides were trapped and identified (n = 5880 from ZSL WZ; n = 5768 from ZSL LZ), constituting 25 different species. The six putative vectors of BTV, SBV and AHSV in northern Europe were found at both zoos and made up the majority of the total catch (n = 10,701). A total of 31 host sequences were obtained from blood-fed Culicoides. Culicoides obsoletus/C. scoticus, Culicoides dewulfi, Culicoides parroti and Culicoides punctatus were found to be biting a wide range of mammals including Bactrian camels, Indian rhinoceros, Asian elephants and humans, with Culicoides obsoletus/C. scoticus also biting Darwin\'s rhea. The bird-biting species, Culicoides achrayi, was found to be feeding on blackbirds, blue tits, magpies and carrion crows.
CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to directly confirm blood-feeding of Culicoides on exotic zoo animals in the UK and shows that they are able to utilise a wide range of exotic as well as native host species. Due to the susceptibility of some zoo animals to Culicoides-borne arboviruses, this study demonstrates that in the event of an outbreak of one of these viruses in the UK, preventative and mitigating measures would need to be taken.
METHODS: Light-suction traps were used at two UK zoos: the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) London Zoo (LZ) and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo (WZ). Traps were run one night each week from June 2014 to June 2015. Culicoides were morphologically identified to the species level and any blood-fed Culicoides were processed for blood-meal analysis. DNA from blood meals was extracted and amplified using previously published primers. Sequencing was then carried out to determine the host species.
RESULTS: A total of 11,648 Culicoides were trapped and identified (n = 5880 from ZSL WZ; n = 5768 from ZSL LZ), constituting 25 different species. The six putative vectors of BTV, SBV and AHSV in northern Europe were found at both zoos and made up the majority of the total catch (n = 10,701). A total of 31 host sequences were obtained from blood-fed Culicoides. Culicoides obsoletus/C. scoticus, Culicoides dewulfi, Culicoides parroti and Culicoides punctatus were found to be biting a wide range of mammals including Bactrian camels, Indian rhinoceros, Asian elephants and humans, with Culicoides obsoletus/C. scoticus also biting Darwin\'s rhea. The bird-biting species, Culicoides achrayi, was found to be feeding on blackbirds, blue tits, magpies and carrion crows.
CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to directly confirm blood-feeding of Culicoides on exotic zoo animals in the UK and shows that they are able to utilise a wide range of exotic as well as native host species. Due to the susceptibility of some zoo animals to Culicoides-borne arboviruses, this study demonstrates that in the event of an outbreak of one of these viruses in the UK, preventative and mitigating measures would need to be taken.
摘要：
背景：咬mid的Culicoides是虫媒病毒的生物载体，包括蓝舌病毒（BTV），Schmallenberg病毒（SBV）和非洲马病病毒（AHSV）。动物园是各种“处于危险之中”的外来和本地动物的家园。这些动物在货币方面都有很高的价值，保护意义和繁殖潜力。为了了解这些病毒对动物园动物造成的风险，有必要对动物园的Culicoides动物群进行表征，并确定哪些潜在的媒介物种正在以哪些宿主为食。
方法：在两个英国动物园中使用了轻吸陷阱：伦敦动物学会（ZSL）伦敦动物园（LZ）和ZSLWhipsnade动物园（WZ）。从2014年6月到2015年6月，陷阱每周运行一个晚上。在形态上鉴定了物种水平的Culicoides，并对任何血液喂养的Culicoides进行了血粉分析。使用先前公开的引物提取和扩增来自血粉的DNA。然后进行测序以确定宿主物种。
结果：总共捕获并鉴定了11,648个Culicoides（来自ZSLWZ的n=5880；来自ZSLLZ的n=5768），组成25个不同的物种。BTV的六个假定向量，在两个动物园都发现了北欧的SBV和AHSV，占总渔获量的大部分（n=10,701）。从血液喂养的Culicoides获得了总共31个宿主序列。Culicoides过时/C.Scoticus,CulicoidesDewulfi,被发现咬住了各种各样的哺乳动物，包括双峰骆驼，印度犀牛,亚洲象和人类,与Culicoides过时/C.Scoticus还咬着达尔文的瑞亚。叮咬鸟的物种，Culicoidesachrayi,被发现以黑鸟为食，蓝色的山雀,喜pies和腐肉乌鸦。
结论：据我们所知，这是第一项直接确认英国外来动物园动物对Culicoides的血液喂养的研究，并表明它们能够利用各种外来和本地宿主物种。由于一些动物园动物对Culicoides传播的虫媒病毒的易感性，这项研究表明，如果这些病毒之一在英国爆发，需要采取预防和缓解措施。
方法：在两个英国动物园中使用了轻吸陷阱：伦敦动物学会（ZSL）伦敦动物园（LZ）和ZSLWhipsnade动物园（WZ）。从2014年6月到2015年6月，陷阱每周运行一个晚上。在形态上鉴定了物种水平的Culicoides，并对任何血液喂养的Culicoides进行了血粉分析。使用先前公开的引物提取和扩增来自血粉的DNA。然后进行测序以确定宿主物种。
结果：总共捕获并鉴定了11,648个Culicoides（来自ZSLWZ的n=5880；来自ZSLLZ的n=5768），组成25个不同的物种。BTV的六个假定向量，在两个动物园都发现了北欧的SBV和AHSV，占总渔获量的大部分（n=10,701）。从血液喂养的Culicoides获得了总共31个宿主序列。Culicoides过时/C.Scoticus,CulicoidesDewulfi,被发现咬住了各种各样的哺乳动物，包括双峰骆驼，印度犀牛,亚洲象和人类,与Culicoides过时/C.Scoticus还咬着达尔文的瑞亚。叮咬鸟的物种，Culicoidesachrayi,被发现以黑鸟为食，蓝色的山雀,喜pies和腐肉乌鸦。
结论：据我们所知，这是第一项直接确认英国外来动物园动物对Culicoides的血液喂养的研究，并表明它们能够利用各种外来和本地宿主物种。由于一些动物园动物对Culicoides传播的虫媒病毒的易感性，这项研究表明，如果这些病毒之一在英国爆发，需要采取预防和缓解措施。
