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Transovarial Transmission of Rio Grande Virus (Bunyaviridae: Phlebovirus) by the Sand Fly, Lutzomyia Anthophora^*

R. G. Endris, R. B. Tesh AND D. G. Young

Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
Yale Arbovirus Research Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510

The growth of Rio Grande (RG) virus, the only phlebovirus known to occur in the United States, was studied in Lutzomyia anthophora, its suspected sand fly vector. RG viral titers in infected flies increased more than 10,000-fold within 7 days after intrathoracic inoculation. Experimentally infected female L. anthophora transmitted virus transovarially (vertically) to 54.8% of their F₁ progeny. This is the first virologically confirmed demonstration of transovarial transmission of a phlebovirus by sand flies. It indicates one mechanism by which RG and possibly other phleboviruses may be maintained in nature.

Accepted for publication December 9, 1982.

^* Supported by U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command Contracts DADA 17-72-C-2139 and DAMA 17-80-C0178, and by the Steffen Brown Foundation.

Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 4276.

Address reprint requests to: Dr. R. G. Endris, Plum Island Animal Disease Center, P.O. Box 848, Greenport, New York 11944.