Feeding behaviour of Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) on cattle and sheep in northeast Germany

Ayllón Tania, Nijhof Ard M., Bauer Burkhard, Allene Xavier, Clausen Peter-Henning. 2014. Feeding behaviour of Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) on cattle and sheep in northeast Germany. Parasites and Vectors, 7 (34), 9 p.

Quartile : Q1, Sujet : PARASITOLOGY

Résumé : Background Culicoides spp. play an important role in the transmission of several vector-borne pathogens such as Bluetongue and Schmallenberg virus in Europe. To better understand the biology of local Culicoides species, a study divided into three parts was performed in northeast Germany to elucidate the feeding activity patterns (study A), preferential landing and feeding sites (study B) and host feeding preferences (study C) of Culicoides spp. using cattle and sheep as baits. Methods In study A, the activity of Culicoides spp. was monitored over a 72 h period by collecting insects at regular intervals from the interior of drop traps with cattle or sheep standing inside. In study B, Culicoides spp. were directly aspirated from the coat and fleece of cattle and sheep during the peak activity period of Culicoides. In study C, Culicoides spp. were collected using drop traps with either cattle or sheep standing inside and located 10 m apart. Results In study A, 3,545 Culicoides midges belonging to 13 species were collected, peak activity was observed at sunset. In study B, 2,024 Culicoides midges were collected. A significantly higher number of midges was collected from the belly and flank of cattle in comparison to their head region. In study C, 3,710 Culicoides midges were collected; 3,077 (83%) originated from cattle and 633 (17%) from sheep. Nearly half (46.7%) of the midges collected from cattle were engorged, significantly more than the number of engorged midges collected from sheep (7.5%). Culicoides from the Obsoletus complex (C. obsoletus and C. scoticus) were the most common Culicoides species encountered, followed by C. punctatus. Other species identified were C. dewulfi, C. chiopterus, C. pulicaris, C. lupicaris, C. pallidicornis, C. subfascipennis, C. achrayi, C. stigma, C. griseidorsum and C. subfagineus, the last two species are reported for the first time in Germany. Engorged C. chiopterus were collected in relatively high numbers from sheep, suggesting that this species may have a preference for sheep. Conclusions An insight into the feeding behaviour of local Culicoides species under field conditions in northeast Germany was obtained, with implications for the implementation of control measures and midge-borne disease risk analysis.

Mots-clés Agrovoc : Culicoides, comportement alimentaire, préférence alimentaire, nutrition animale, bovin, ovin, transmission des maladies, écologie animale, Bunyaviridae, virus bluetongue, maladie transmise par vecteur, gestion du risque, Orthobunyavirus

Mots-clés géographiques Agrovoc : Allemagne

Mots-clés complémentaires : Schmallenberg virus

Classification Agris : L72 - Organismes nuisibles des animaux
L73 - Maladies des animaux

Champ stratégique Cirad : Axe 4 (2014-2018) - Santé des animaux et des plantes

Auteurs et affiliations

• Ayllón Tania, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine (DEU)
• Nijhof Ard M., Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine (DEU)
• Bauer Burkhard, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine (DEU)
• Allene Xavier, CIRAD-BIOS-UMR CMAEE (FRA)
• Clausen Peter-Henning, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine (DEU)

Source : Cirad - Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/572487/)

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