Survival of Avian H5N1 Influenza a Viruses in Calliphora nigribarbis (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

• Published in: Journal of medical entomology Vol. 46; no. 4; pp. 852 - 855
• Main Authors: Sawabe, Kyoko, Tanabayashi, Kiyoshi, Hotta, Akitoyo, Hoshino, Keita, Isawa, Haruhiko, Sasaki, Toshinori, Yamada, Akio, Kurahashi, Hiromu, Shudo, Chieko, Kobayashi, Mutsuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lanham, MD Entomological Society of America 01-07-2009; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Animals; Aves; Avian influenza; Avian influenza viruses; Biological and medical sciences; blow fly; Calliphora; Calliphora nigribarbis; Calliphoridae; crop (digestive system); Diptera; Diptera - virology; disease outbreaks; disease transmission; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1; highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza; Influenza A virus; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype - isolation & purification; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype - physiology; insect vectors; Insect Vectors - virology; Insecta; intestines; Intestines - virology; Invertebrates; mechanical transmission; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Time Factors; vector competence; VECTOR/PATHOGEN/HOST INTERACTION, TRANSMISSION; vectorial capacity; Vectors. Intermediate hosts; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; viability; virus exposure experiments; Virus Replication; Japan; virus exposure experiments; Insecta; Transmission; Parasite; Survival; Virus; Vertebrata; mechanical transmission; Calliphoridae; Calliphora; Arthropoda; Pathogenic; Calliphora nigribarbis; highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza; Invertebrata; Aves; Vector; Diptera; blow fly
• DOI: 10.1603/033.046.0416
• EISSN: 1938-2928; 0022-2585
• ISSN: 0022-2585

n a previous study, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 viruses were isolated from blow flies collected at the Tamba Town of Kyoto prefecture during the outbreak period in March 2004. In this study, we carried out virus exposure experiments to investigate whether the H5N1 virus would survive in a blow fly, Calliphora nigribarbis. The virus exposure experiments showed that the H5N1 influenza virus was isolated from the crop and intestine of C. nigribarbis for at least 24 h, and the viruses remained viable with titers ranging from 0.5 to 4.63 TCID50. This result suggests that C. nigribarbis could possibly transport the H5N1 virus over a distance of 2 km, which is the distance they can migrate within 24 h.