Biomaterial Database

The importance of autumn rainfall and sentinel flock location to understanding the epidemiology of St. Louis encephalitis virus in Indian River County, Florida. 1985

J F Day, and D B Carlson

Department of Entomology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 01003.

Culex nigripalpus adults were collected from sentinel chickens at 4 sites in Indian River Co. (IRC), Florida. Chickens located in well drained, open habitats attracted fewer Cx. nigripalpus than did those located in a moist, forested area, but the number of mosquitoes collected in the open habitats increased significantly with heavy autumn rainfall. All St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLE) seroconversions (11/674) during a 7-year period were from chickens located in open, well drained habitats. A comparison of monthly rainfall during years of known SLE activity in IRC with the 22-year average showed that virus activity was significantly associated with years in which rainfall was unusually low in either September or October. Sentinel chickens in areas with large vector populations may not be the most reliable indicators of local SLE activity and autumn rainfall in September and October may influence yearly SLE patterns in southern Florida.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007303	Insect Vectors	Insects that transmit infective organisms from one host to another or from an inanimate reservoir to an animate host.	Insect Vector,Vector, Insect,Vectors, Insect
D011200	Poultry	Domesticated birds raised for food. It typically includes CHICKENS; TURKEYS, DUCKS; GEESE; and others.	Fowls, Domestic,Domestic Fowl,Domestic Fowls,Fowl, Domestic,Poultries
D011891	Rain	Water particles that fall from the ATMOSPHERE.	Rains
D002645	Chickens	Common name for the species Gallus gallus, the domestic fowl, in the family Phasianidae, order GALLIFORMES. It is descended from the red jungle fowl of SOUTHEAST ASIA.	Gallus gallus,Gallus domesticus,Gallus gallus domesticus,Chicken
D003465	Culex	A genus of mosquitoes (CULICIDAE) commonly found in tropical regions. Species of this genus are vectors for ST. LOUIS ENCEPHALITIS as well as many other diseases of man and domestic and wild animals.	Culices
D004463	Ecology	The branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of organisms and their ENVIRONMENT, especially as manifested by natural cycles and rhythms, community development and structure, interactions between different kinds of organisms, geographic distributions, and population alterations. (Webster's, 3d ed)	Bionomics,Ecologies
D004665	Encephalitis Virus, St. Louis	A species of FLAVIVIRUS, one of the Japanese encephalitis virus group (ENCEPHALITIS VIRUSES, JAPANESE), which is the etiologic agent of ST. LOUIS ENCEPHALITIS in the United States, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.	Saint Louis Encephalitis Virus,Encephalitis Viruses, St. Louis,St. Louis Encephalitis Viruses,St. Louis encephalitis virus,Virus, St. Louis Encephalitis,Viruses, St. Louis Encephalitis
D005260	Female		Females
D005416	Flavivirus	A genus of FLAVIVIRIDAE containing several subgroups and many species. Most are arboviruses transmitted by mosquitoes or ticks. The type species is YELLOW FEVER VIRUS.	Arbovirus, Group B,Arboviruses, Group B,Flaviviruses,Group B Arbovirus,Group B Arboviruses
D005431	Florida	State bounded on east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Gulf of Mexico, on the west by Alabama and on the north by Alabama and Georgia.