Blood-Meal Hosts of the Enzootic Vector of Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis Virus, Culiseta melanura, in Michigan, United States

Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus (EEEV) is endemic in Michigan, showing an upsurge in human cases and in infections of white-tailed deer, horses, and other animals in the past decade (2010-2020). However, blood-host associations of the enzootic mosquito vector Culiseta melanura in the Great Lakes region are poorly known compared with other better-studied regions. Vertebrate sources of blood meals of Cs. melanura collected from resting boxes were determined through sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome B gene generated from polymerase chain reaction. Thirty-six unique avian species were detected in the samples, and 42% of the blood meals originated from only two species (American robin and northern cardinal). This result shows that although the Cs. melanura population investigated here used a wide range of avian hosts, American robin and northern cardinal are the main hosts in southwestern Michigan.