Comparative Study of the Pathological Effects of Western Equine Encephalomyelitis Virus in Four Strains of Culex tarsalis Coquillett (Diptera: Culicidae).

Early reports suggested that mosquito cells infected with arboviruses remain viable and undamaged. However, more recent experimental evidence suggests that arboviral infection of mosquito tissues might indeed result in pathological changes, with potential implications for vector survival and virus transmission. Here, we compare the pathological effects of western equine encephalomyelitis virus (WEEV) infection in four strains of Culex tarsalis previously reported to differ in their competence as WEEV vectors.