Distribution of Culicoides in Greece

Patakakis, Michael J.; Papazahariadou, M.; Wilson, Anthony J.; Mellor, P. S.; Frydas, S.; Papadopoulos, O.

doi:10.1111/j.1948-7134.2009.00033.x

Cited by 23 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…This was used to reflect the scenario that in the event of the incursion of a Culicoides -borne pathogen, staff with highly diverse levels of experience are expected to contribute to identification of Culicoides across a wide geographical range. In addition, rather than just including Culicoides species that were expected, a priori , to act as vectors, the validation included a challenging and realistically wide range of specimens that might be collected at light in the region (allowing a fuller understanding of species diversity) [9,17-20]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and validation of IIKC: an interactive identification key for Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) females from the Western Palaearctic region

et al. 2012

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Background and methodsThe appearance of bluetongue virus (BTV) in 2006 within northern Europe exposed a lack of expertise and resources available across this region to enable the accurate morphological identification of species of Culicoides Latreille biting midges, some of which are the major vectors of this pathogen. This work aims to organise extant Culicoides taxonomic knowledge into a database and to produce an interactive identification key for females of Culicoides in the Western Palaearctic (IIKC: Interactive identification key for Culicoides). We then validated IIKC using a trial carried out by six entomologists based in this region with variable degrees of experience in identifying Culicoides.ResultsThe current version of the key includes 98 Culicoides species with 10 morphological variants, 61 descriptors and 837 pictures and schemes. Validation was carried out by six entomologists as a blind trial with two users allocated to three classes of expertise (beginner, intermediate and advanced). Slides were identified using a median of seven steps and seven minutes and user confidence in the identification varied from 60% for failed identifications to a maximum of 80% for successful ones. By user class, the beginner group successfully identified 44.6% of slides, the intermediate 56.8% and the advanced 74.3%.ConclusionsStructured as a multi-entry key, IIKC is a powerful database for the morphological identification of female Culicoides from the Western Palaearctic region. First developed for use as an interactive identification key, it was revealed to be a powerful back-up tool for training new taxonomists and to maintain expertise level. The development of tools for arthropod involvement in pathogen transmission will allow clearer insights into the ecology and dynamics of Culicoides and in turn assist in understanding arbovirus epidemiology.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and validation of IIKC: an interactive identification key for Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) females from the Western Palaearctic region

et al. 2012

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“…Furthermore, since the establishment of BT in southern Europe in 2000 [11], systematic entomological samplings were carried out in many countries in order to monitor the vector populations. An important number of descriptive studies followed [12-19]. Long-term and wide-scale surveys also provided adequate datasets that have supported predicting the vector distribution at large scale as a function of a variety of environmental predictors ([20-32], summed up in Table 1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting the spatio-temporal distribution of Culicoides imicola in Sardinia using a discrete-time population model

et al. 2012

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BackgroundCulicoides imicola KIEFFER, 1913 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) is the principal vector of Bluetongue disease in the Mediterranean basin, Africa and Asia. Previous studies have identified a range of eco-climatic variables associated with the distribution of C. imicola, and these relationships have been used to predict the large-scale distribution of the vector. However, these studies are not temporally-explicit and can not be used to predict the seasonality in C. imicola abundances. Between 2001 and 2006, longitudinal entomological surveillance was carried out throughout Italy, and provided a comprehensive spatio-temporal dataset of C. imicola catches in Onderstepoort-type black-light traps, in particular in Sardinia where the species is considered endemic.MethodsWe built a dynamic model that allows describing the effect of eco-climatic indicators on the monthly abundances of C. imicola in Sardinia. Model precision and accuracy were evaluated according to the influence of process and observation errors.ResultsA first-order autoregressive cofactor, a digital elevation model and MODIS Land Surface Temperature (LST)/or temperatures acquired from weather stations explained ~77% of the variability encountered in the samplings carried out in 9 sites during 6 years. Incorporating Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) or rainfall did not increase the model's predictive capacity. On average, dynamics simulations showed good accuracy (predicted vs. observed r corr = 0.9). Although the model did not always reproduce the absolute levels of monthly abundances peaks, it succeeded in reproducing the seasonality in population level and allowed identifying the periods of low abundances and with no apparent activity. On that basis, we mapped C. imicola monthly distribution over the entire Sardinian region.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated prospects for modelling data arising from Culicoides longitudinal entomological surveillance. The framework explicitly incorporates the influence of eco-climatic factors on population growth rates and accounts for observation and process errors. Upon validation, such a model could be used to predict monthly population abundances on the basis of environmental conditions, and hence can potentially reduce the amount of entomological surveillance.

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“…Greece (Patakakis et al 2009) The authors divided mainland Greece into 59 squares measuring 50 x 50 km that were sampled for Culicoides spp. between 1999 and 2004 using Onderstepoort suction traps (OVI).…”

Section: Southern Europementioning

confidence: 99%

A first estimation of Culicoides imicola and Culicoides obsoletus/Culicoides scoticus seasonality and abundance in Europe

Versteirt

Balenghien

Tack

et al. 2017

EFSA Supporting Publications

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Culicoides imicola and C. obsoletus/C. scoticus are considered important vectors in Europe for the transmission of bluetongue and Schmallenberg virus. The seasonality and abundance of C. imicola and C. obsoletus/C. scoticus was assessed in Europe based on literature, expert input and modelling techniques detecting the onset and end of the vector season. Culicoides obsoletus/C. scoticus has a large distribution across Europe and can often be found in high abundances. The abundance peak is driven by temperature and humidity and is reached late spring/early summer and fall. The species is sometimes found as adult overwintering in stables but numbers are rather low; this can however have implications for the overwintering of the bluetongue virus. Culicoides imicola is restricted to countries around the Mediterranean basin and the predicted abundance is lower and the species appears only later in spring with a peak in fall.

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Distribution of Culicoides in Greece

Cited by 23 publications

References 19 publications

Development and validation of IIKC: an interactive identification key for Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) females from the Western Palaearctic region

Development and validation of IIKC: an interactive identification key for Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) females from the Western Palaearctic region

Predicting the spatio-temporal distribution of Culicoides imicola in Sardinia using a discrete-time population model

A first estimation of Culicoides imicola and Culicoides obsoletus/Culicoides scoticus seasonality and abundance in Europe

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