Xenomonitoring reveals mosquito–host feeding patterns in Serbia

Many mosquito species act as vectors for zoonotic pathogens, transmitting them between natural amplifying hosts and dead-end hosts. Determining the relationship between mosquitoes and their hosts is crucial for understanding the lifecycle dynamics of such pathogens. The aim of this research was to assess the host-feeding patterns of mosquitoes inhabiting natural and semi-natural environments of Vojvodina Province, Serbia, using the invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) from blood-fed female mosquitoes. Mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) belonging to four genera were identified, based upon morphological characteristics. A segment of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced, allowing for 10 different vertebrate host species to be identified. Culex specimens collected in this study primarily fed on birds, while mammal species constituted about a third of their bloodmeals. Species of Anopheles and Aedes overwhelmingly took bloodmeals from a single host species, the red deer, but also fed on other mammal species from diverse families. Our results indicate that enzootic and bridge vectors are active in the study area, feeding upon the respective host groups that could sustain transmission of mosquito-transmitted viruses, highlighting the need for continued surveillance of the region.