Intestinal Threshold of an Enzootic Strain of Venezuelan Encephalitis Virus in Culex (Melanoconion) Taeniopus Mosquitoes and its Implications to Vector Competency and Vertebrate Amplifying Hosts

W. F. Scherer Department of Microbiology, Cornell University Medical College, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Area of Biological Sciences, University of San Carlos Medical School, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021

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E. W. Cupp Department of Microbiology, Cornell University Medical College, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Area of Biological Sciences, University of San Carlos Medical School, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021

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J. B. Lok Department of Microbiology, Cornell University Medical College, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Area of Biological Sciences, University of San Carlos Medical School, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021

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R. J. Brenner Department of Microbiology, Cornell University Medical College, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Area of Biological Sciences, University of San Carlos Medical School, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021

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J. V. Ordonez Department of Microbiology, Cornell University Medical College, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Area of Biological Sciences, University of San Carlos Medical School, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021

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The minimal intestinal dose of an enzootic strain of Venezuelan encephalitis (VE) virus for Culex (Melanoconion) taeniopus mosquitoes caught at a marsh habitat of VE virus in Guatemala was less than five plaque forming units (pfu) of virus. Ingestion of this dose of virus in blood of viremic hamsters resulted in transmission of virus to other hamsters. This low intestinal threshold of an enzootic strain of VE virus indicates that the natural Guatemalan population of Cu. (Mel.) taeniopus can acquire VE virus from vertebrates that have viremia levels as low as 1,000–5,000 pfu/ml of blood, provided other factors do not limit virus interchange between mosquitoes and vertebrates.

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