Pilot survey of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from southeastern Georgia, USA for Wolbachia and Rickettsia fells (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae)

摘要

Background & objectives: Mosquito surveillance is one of the critical functions of local health departments, particularly in the context of outbreaks of severe mosquito-borne viral infections. Unfortunately, some viral and parasitic infections transmitted by mosquitoes, manifests non-specific clinical symptoms which may actually be of rickettsial etiology, including Rickettsia fells infections. This study tested the hypothesis that mosquitoes from southeastern Georgia, USA may be infected with Rickettsia fells and Wolbachia, an endosymbiotic bacterium of the order Rickettsiales.