Which Culicoides species contributed to the northward spread of Blue Tongue virus in Europe?

Which Culicoides species contributed to the northward spread of Blue Tongue virus in Europe?

• A. Aedes Aegypti
• B. Culicoides imicola
• C. Culicoides obsoletus
• D. Culicoides pulicaris

Answer: (C)

Bluetongue virus spreads through bites from Culicoides midges, so where and how the virus moves in Europe depends on which midge species are common and capable of transmitting it in temperate climates. Culicoides obsoletus is a temperate-zone midge that is widely distributed across Europe and can transmit BTV even at cooler temperatures. Its ecology supports transmission across northern regions and allows overwintering, which helped drive the northward spread of the virus into western and northern Europe. In contrast, Culicoides imicola is more typical of warmer, southern areas and is less implicated in the northern outbreaks, while Culicoides pulicaris can contribute but is not as strongly associated with the broad northward expansion as C. obsoletus. Aedes aegypti is a mosquito and not a BTV vector in Europe, so it isn’t involved in this spread.

Bluetongue virus spreads through bites from Culicoides midges, so where and how the virus moves in Europe depends on which midge species are common and capable of transmitting it in temperate climates. Culicoides obsoletus is a temperate-zone midge that is widely distributed across Europe and can transmit BTV even at cooler temperatures. Its ecology supports transmission across northern regions and allows overwintering, which helped drive the northward spread of the virus into western and northern Europe. In contrast, Culicoides imicola is more typical of warmer, southern areas and is less implicated in the northern outbreaks, while Culicoides pulicaris can contribute but is not as strongly associated with the broad northward expansion as C. obsoletus. Aedes aegypti is a mosquito and not a BTV vector in Europe, so it isn’t involved in this spread.