Characterization of overwintering sites (hibernacula) of the West Nile vector Culex pipiens in Central Italy.

Background: In cool-temperate regions, mosquitoes face winter conditions that hinder their development. To cope with cold temperatures, species like Culex pipiens, a major vector of West Nile virus (WNV), diapause as adult females in overwintering shelters known as hibernacula. This study aimed to identify and characterize the overwintering sites of Cx.

Modelling the seasonal dynamics of Aedes albopictus populations using a spatio-temporal stacked machine learning model.

Various modelling techniques are available to understand the temporal and spatial variations of the phenology of species. Scientists often rely on correlative models, which establish a statistical relationship between a response variable (such as species abundance or presence-absence) and a set of predominantly abiotic covariates. The choice of the modeling approach, i.

Ecological niche modelling of Culicoides imicola and future range shifts under climate change scenarios in Italy.

Culicoides imicola is the main vector of viral diseases of livestock in Europe such as bluetongue (BT), African horse sickness and epizootic haemorrhagic disease. Climatic factors are the main drivers of C. imicola occurrence and its distribution might be subject to rapid shifts due to climate change.

Is Asian tiger mosquito () going to become homodynamic in Southern Europe in the next decades due to climate change?

The Asian tiger mosquito, , competent vector of several arboviruses, poses significant impact on human health worldwide. Although global warming is a driver of range expansion, few studies focused on its effects on homodynamicity (i.e.

Delusional parasitosis: an entomological perspective after a 20-years-experience in two public medical and veterinary entomology laboratories.

Delusional parasitosis (DP) is psychiatric disorder characterized by the unshakeable belief of being infested by endo- or ectoparasites, without any evidence of infestations. Hence, DP sufferers often consult medical entomologists or dermatologists, rather than seeking help from a mental health practitioner. Here we present 39 cases of suspected DP occurred in twenty years in two Italian public medical entomology laboratories, to highlight their common features and peculiarities, based on the interviews and material brought to our laboratories.

Endoparasite Infections of the European Hedgehog () in Central Italy.

The European hedgehog is a synanthropic mammal, widely distributed in Europe. This species usually inhabits the edges of deciduous or mixed woods, but it is also very common in private gardens and public parks. Despite its popularity and frequency of contacts both with humans and with wild and domestic animals, few studies have examined the endoparasitic fauna of the hedgehog in Italy.