The Crab Hole Mosquito Blues

Abstract

Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) epizoodemics were reported at 6–10-year intervals in northern South America beginning in the 1920s. In 1937, epizootic VEE virus was isolated from infected horse brain and shown as distinct from the North American equine encephalomyelitis viruses. Subsequently, epizootic and sylvatic strains were isolated in distinct ecosystems; isolates were characterized serologically as epizootic subtype I, variants A/B and C; or sylvatic (enzootic) subtype I, variants D, E, and F, and subtypes II, III, and IV. In 1969, variant I-A/B virus was transported from a major outbreak in northern South America to the borders of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. This musical poem describes the history and ecology of VEE viruses and the epidemiology of an unprecedented 1969 movement of VEE viruses from South America to equids and humans in Central America from Costa Rica to Guatemala and Belize and in Mexico and the United States that continued until 1972.

Seasonal and hourly diversity patterns of anthropophagous female mosquito species in a semi-conserved area at the southern Mexico

“…Mosquito species in this genus are known to be vectors of medical and veterinary relevance. Pathogens such as WNV, St. Louis virus (SLV), ZIK [89][90][91], and VEE [92] have been found in wild specimens. For example, Baak-Baak et al [93] [96][97][98], that infect humans, birds, primates and other wild vertebrates.…”

Everglades virus: an underrecognized disease-causing subtype of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus endemic to Florida, USA

“…cedecei in the lower Everglades, a region that is heavily dominated by mangroves. Mangroves are important habitats for maintaining endemic foci of VEEV as is described in the lyrics of "Crab Hole Mosquito Blues" made famous by singer/virologist Karl Johnson (Johnson et al, 2011).…”