Culicoides insignis in Ecuador: Molecular identification of blood meals and detection of bluetongue virus

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an <i>Orbivirus</i> transmitted by <i>Culicoides</i> biting midges and is the causative agent of bluetongue disease in wild and domestic ruminants. <i>Culicoides insignis</i> is the primary vector of BTV in Florida, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. In Ecuador, recent investigations have reported the presence of BTV in cattle and identified <i>C. insignis</i> as the dominant species in localities from the Amazon Basin and Andean foothills. Understanding the host-feeding patterns of blood-feeding insects and evaluating their role in pathogen transmission are essential for elucidating the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases. To that end, we investigated the presence of BTV in unengorged <i>C. insignis</i> females collected in two localities: Cotundo, where BTV had previously been reported in cattle, and Paraiso Escondido located near (∼35 km) a site with a known history of BTV circulation. A total of 1773 female <i>Culicoides</i> spp. specimens were collected, of which 326 (18.38 %) were <i>C. insignis</i>. We identified the blood meal sources of engorged <i>C. insignis</i> females from both localities. Our results provide additional evidence to support the role of <i>C. insignis</i> as vector of BTV in Ecuador.