Linking the vectorial capacity of multiple vectors to observed patterns of West Nile virus transmission

1. Theoretical models suggest that increased vector species participation in pathogen transmission significantly increases the prevalence of vector and host infections. However, there has been a lack of empirical evidence to support this.
2. We linked transmission potential of multiple vectors species to observed patterns of enzootic pathogen transmission by conducting longitudinal field surveillance of West Nile virus (WNv) infections in Culex spp. mosquitoes and avian host communities in the southeastern U.S. We then used a temperature-dependent vectorial capacity model as a predictor of WNv infections in mosquitoes and birds using general linear mixed effects models.
3. Two WNv-competent Culex spp. mosquitoes were present in our study sites, Culex restuans Theobald during the spring and Culex quinquefasciatus Say during the summer. Empirical evidence of WNv transmission was limited exclusively to time periods when night time temperatures were suitable for accelerated within-vecto...