Stretching the wings further- susceptibility of Culex pipiens Linnaeus to bovine ephemeral fever virus infection under experimental conditions.

Bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) is a significant viral disease of cattle in the tropical, subtropical, and temperate climatic zones. This disease is also known as three-day sickness due to the spontaneous recovery of the cattle within a short period (usually 3-5 days). Despite its short duration, the disease may have a considerable impact.

Insights on Transmission, Spread, and Possible Endemization of Selected Arboviruses in Israel-Interim Results from Five-Year Surveillance.

Outbreaks of arthropod-borne (arbo) viruses that infect livestock impact the health and welfare of domestic and wild animals are often responsible for significant economic losses in livestock production. Surveillance and early warning systems effectively predict the emergence and re-emergence of arboviral disease. This paper presents the interim results of five years monitoring the exposure of sentinel naïve heifers and biting midges (Diptera; Ceratopogonidae) to bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV), Simbu serogroup viruses, bluetongue viruses (BTV), and epizootic hemorrhagic disease viruses (EHDV).

Genomic Detection of Schmallenberg Virus, Israel.

We discuss genomic detection of Schmallenberg virus in both Culicoides midges and affected ruminants during June 2018-December 2019, demonstrating its circulation in Israel. This region is a geographic bridge between 3 continents and may serve as an epidemiologic bridge for potential Schmallenberg virus spread into Asia.

Towards modernizing the taxonomy of Mediterranean Culicoides using classical morphology, mtDNA barcoding, and MALDI-TOF MS protein profiling.

Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are a highly successful group of small (1-3 mm) hematophagous flies, infamous for the role they play as biological vectors for numerous pathogens of veterinary significance. The principal aim of the national animal disease surveillance program of Israel is to be able to rapidly sort and identify live field-captured insects including Culicoides for arbovirus screening. In this exploratory study, three identification methods-classical morphology, DNA barcoding, and MALDI-TOF MS-were applied simultaneously to individuals of 10 Culicoides species that commonly attack livestock in Israel.

-Like Endosymbiont of Is Required for Physiological Processes During Ontogeny.

Obligatory hematophagous arthropods such as lice, bugs, flies, and ticks harbor bacterial endosymbionts that are expected to complement missing essential nutrients in their diet. Genomic and some experimental evidence support this expectation. Hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are associated with several lineages of bacterial symbionts, and very few were experimentally shown to be essential to some aspects of tick's fitness.

Seasonal and spatial variation in Culicoides community structure and their potential role in transmitting Simbu serogroup viruses in Israel.

Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are a successful group of small (1-3 mm) haematophagous flies, some species of which are biological vectors of veterinary arboviruses, such as bluetongue virus, epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus, African horse sickness virus and Simbu serogroup viruses. In this study, we examine seasonal and spatial effects on the presence and distribution of Culicoides communities associated with ruminant and equine farms in Israel, and their infection with Simbu serogroup viruses. Our results demonstrate that both the vectors and the viruses are widely spread in Israel, including regions that were previously considered Culicoides-free.

Cuticular fatty acid profile analysis of three Rhipicephalus tick species (Acari: Ixodidae).

Cuticular fatty acids (CFA) are important constituents of the arthropod exoskeleton, serving as structural and defense components, and participating in intra-species communication. Here we describe for the first time a comparative analysis of the CFA profiles of three tick species of the genus Rhipicephalus: R. annulatus, R.

Resistant ticks inhibit Metarhizium infection prior to haemocoel invasion by reducing fungal viability on the cuticle surface.

We studied disease progression of, and host responses to, four species in the Metarhizium anisopliae complex expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP). We compared development and determined their relative levels of virulence against two susceptible arthropods, the cattle tick Rhipicephalus annulatus and the lepidopteran Galleria mellonella, and two resistant ticks, Hyalomma excavatum and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Metarhizium brunneum Ma7 caused the greatest mortality of R.

Novel technique for quantifying adhesion of Metarhizium anisopliae conidia to the tick cuticle.

The present study describes an accurate quantitative method for quantifying the adherence of conidia to the arthropod cuticle and the dynamics of conidial germination on the host. The method was developed using conidia of Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae (Metschn.

Metarhizium anisopliae conidial responses to lipids from tick cuticle and tick mammalian host surface.

Conidial germination and the formation of appressoria are important events in the interactions between entomopathogenic fungi and their arthropod hosts. In this study, we demonstrate the effects of lipids extracted from tick epicuticle and the surface of a mammalian host (calf) on conidial germination and the development of appressoria in two subspecies of Metarhizium anisopliae, M. anisopliae var.

Pathogenicity of Metarhizium anisopliae (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) to tick eggs and the effect of egg cuticular lipids on conidia development.

The ovicidal efficacy of two entomopathogenic hyphomycetes fungi--Metarhizium anisopliae variety acridum (M. an. ac.