First report of Culicoides paraensis (Goeldi, 1905) (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Cuba: A new challenge for public health

<i>Culicoides paraensis</i> (Goeldi) (Diptera: Ceratoponidae) is considered the primary vector of Oropouche virus (Orthobunyavirus, Peribunyaviridae) in the American Tropics. Here, we report the first record of <i>C. paraensis</i> in Cuba, during the first known outbreak of Oropouche fever outside its endemic range in the Amazon region. Using human landing catches, we collected 98 specimens of <i>C. paraensis</i> in three Cuban provinces (Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, and Havana), where Oropouche fever had been documented in humans. This species was not captured using various traps deployed at the sampling sites (BG-Sentinel, New Jersey traps, and CDC light traps), which may explain why <i>C. paraensis</i> had not been previously reported in Cuba. In North America, <i>C. paraensis</i> develops in wet treeholes, while in tropical regions, it uses cacao husks and banana stumps as larval habitats. However, the specific larval development sites for this species in Cuba are unknown. The capture of adult female <i>C. paraensis</i> in areas of active Oropouche virus circulation suggests their involvement in virus transmission in Cuba.