Nesting bird "host funnel" increases mosquito-bird contact rate.

Increases in vector-host contact rates can enhance arbovirus transmission intensity. We investigated weekly fluctuations in contact rates between mosquitoes and nesting birds using the recently described Nest Mosquito Trap (NMT). The number of mosquitoes per nestling increased from < 1 mosquito per trap night to 36.2 in the final 2 wk of the nesting season. Our evidence suggests the coincidence of the end of the avian nesting season and increasing mosquito abundances may have caused a "host funnel," concentrating host-seeking mosquitoes to the few remaining nestlings. The relative abundance of mosquitoes collected by the NMT suggests that significantly more Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Culex pipiens (L.) /restuans (Theobald) sought nesting bird bloodmeals than were predicted by their relative abundances in CO2-baited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention light and gravid traps. Culex salinarius (Coquillett) and Culex erraticus Dyar and Knab were collected in NMTs in proportion to their relative abundances in the generic traps. Temporal host funnels and nesting bird host specificity may enhance arbovirus amplification and explain observed West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus amplification periods.

Glucose regulates monocyte adhesion through endothelial production of interleukin-8.

We have shown that glucose increases monocyte adhesion to human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) in vitro.1 In the present study, we examined mechanisms by which glucose stimulates monocyte:endothelial interactions. HAECs cultured for 7 days in 25 mmol/L glucose had a 2-fold elevation in interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion over control cells cultured in 5.5 mmol/L glucose (P<0.001). Use of a neutralizing antibody to IL-8 prevented glucose-mediated monocyte adhesion. Both glucose and IL-8 activated beta1 integrin on the HAEC surface, suggesting that both activate the alpha5beta1 integrin complex on the endothelial surface. The alpha5beta1 integrin complex is important for anchoring connecting segment-1 fibronectin on the HAEC surface for monocyte adhesion. Analysis of the human IL-8 promoter revealed binding sites for NF-kappaB and AP-1 as well as several aligned carbohydrate response elements (also known as E-boxes). Glucose dramatically stimulated IL-8 promoter activity. Using mutated IL-8 promoter constructs and EMSA, we found that the AP-1 element and the glucose-response element were responsible for much of the glucose-mediated activation of IL-8 transcription. Interestingly, inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production through use of pharmacological uncouplers of the mitochondrial electron transport chain significantly reduced glucose-mediated induction of IL-8 expression. These data indicate that glucose regulates monocyte:endothelial interactions through stimulation of IL-8 and ROS production and activation of the alpha5beta1 integrin complex on HAECs.

Nest Mosquito Trap quantifies contact rates between nesting birds and mosquitoes.

Accurate estimates of host-vector contact rates are required for precise determination of arbovirus transmission intensity. We designed and tested a novel mosquito collection device, the Nest Mosquito Trap (NMT), to collect mosquitoes as they attempt to feed on unrestrained nesting birds in artificial nest boxes. In the laboratory, the NMT collected nearly one-third of the mosquitoes introduced to the nest boxes. We then used these laboratory data to estimate our capture efficiency of field-collected bird-seeking mosquitoes collected over 66 trap nights. We estimated that 7.5 mosquitoes per trap night attempted to feed on nesting birds in artificial nest boxes. Presence of the NMT did not have a negative effect on avian nest success when compared to occupied nest boxes that were not sampled with the trap. Future studies using the NMT may elucidate the role of nestlings in arbovirus transmission and further refine estimates of nesting bird and vector contact rates.