Effects of seasonality and developed land cover on mosquito abundance and microbiome diversity.

The vectorial capacity of mosquitoes, which influences the dynamics of vector-borne disease transmission, is intricately linked to mosquito abundance and the composition and diversity of their associated microbiomes. However, the influence of environmental factors on mosquito populations and microbiome diversity remains underexplored. Here we examined the effects of seasonality and developed land cover on mosquito abundance and bacterial diversity.

Heartland Virus in Humans and Ticks, Illinois, USA, 2018-2019.

In 2018, Heartland disease virus infected 2 persons in Illinois, USA. In 2019, ticks were collected at potential tick bite exposure locations and tested for Heartland and Bourbon viruses. A Heartland virus-positive pool of adult male Amblyomma americanum ticks was found at 2 locations, 439 km apart, suggesting widespread distribution in Illinois.