Giant Mosquito Swarm to Hit East Coast

Electron microscope view of a female Anopheles mosquito.  (National Geographic)

The mosquito pictured here was until recently known as <i>Aedes japonicus, </i>and is now labeled <i>Ochlerotatus japonicus.</i> This particular specimen was a member of the Notre Dame Colony. Oc. japonicus was initially collected in the United States in New York and New Jersey, in 1998.  (CDC/ Frank Collins, Ph.D. )

This photograph shot at a close distance depicts mosquito larvae collecting at the surface of a sample of water. Most species of mosquito larvae have a prominent breathing siphon. The larvae rest suspended diagonally from the water surface. The end of the siphon tube penetrates the surface which enables the larvae to access their air supply.  (CDC)

With newly-obtained fiery blood meal visible through her now transparent abdomen, the now heavy female Aedes aegypti mosquito takes flight as she leaves her host's skin surface. In this case, what would normally be an unsuspecting host was actually the CDC's biomedical photographer's own hand, which he'd offered to the hungry mosquito so that she'd alight, and be photographed while feeding. After having filled with blood, the abdomen became distended, stretching the exterior exoskeletal surface, causing it to become transparent, and allowed the collecting blood to become visible to an enlarging intra-abdominal red mass. The wings seem to be working overtime in order to keep her aloft.  (CDC/ Prof. Frank Hadley Collins, Dir., Cntr. for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, Univ. of Notre Dame )

This colorized transmission electron micrograph (TEM) depicts a salivary gland that had been extracted from a mosquito, which was infected by the Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus, which has been colorized red; magnified 83,900x.  The Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus is a member of the family Togaviridae and genus Alphavirus. EEE is a mosquito-borne viral disease. As the name suggests, it occurs in the eastern half of the U.S. Due to high case fatality rate, it is regarded as one of the more serious mosquito-borne diseases in the United States. This virus is trnasmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. The main transmission cycle is between birds and mosquitoes. Several species of mosquitoes can become infected with the EEE virus. The most important mosquito in mainting the enzootic (animal-based, in this case bird-mosquito-bird) transmission cycle is Culiseta melanura. Horses can become infected with, and die from EEE virus infection.  (CDC/ Fred Murphy; Sylvia Whitfield)

This 2005 photograph depicted a close-up view of a Culex tarsalis mosquito as it was about to begin feeding, after having landed on the skin of what will become its human host. Note the light-colored band wrapped around its dark-scaled proboscis (A), and the multiple similarly light-colored bands wrapped around its distal appendages, i.e., the tibia and femur, of its forelegs and middle pair of legs (B), identifying this as C. tarsalis. Other identifying characteristics include the presence of two silver dots on its dorsal scutum, however, in this particular image, only one of the two bilateral silver scutal marks is visible (C), and a blunted distal abdominal tip, which is not visible in this view. The epidemiologic importance of C. tarsalis lies in its ability to spread Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), St. Louis Encephalitis (SLE), and California Encephalitis, and is currently the main vector of West Nile virus in the Western United States. (CDC)

A Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito on a human finger. The Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito is proven to be a vector associated with transmission of the West Nile Virus.  (CDC/ William Brogdon)

This Aedes aegypti female was from a strain of mosquitoes named LVP-IB12, an acronym representing the fact that these mosquitoes were derived from the Liverpool strain (LVP), and that they were inbred 12 times (IB12), in order to create a more homogeneous genotype. Also, of great importance is the additional fact that this specie is being used in the A. aegypti genome sequencing project. Though the mosquito’s geographical origin is not known, it is believed to be somewhere in Africa.  (CDC/ Paul I. Howell, MPH; Prof. Frank Hadley Collins)

The anatomic features of mosquito and bedbug compared. Bedbugs have been reportedly infesting New York City in recent months; the creatures will soon be joined by the swarms of giant mosquitoes.   (CDC)