ARBOVIRUS STUDIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA, WITH EMPHASIS ON VENEZUELAN EQUINE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS VIRUS

Studies on mosquitoes and wild vertebrates in the everglades of south Florida have shown that a Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE)-like virus and at least four other new “tropical” arboviruses of Groups C, Guama and Patois are maintained there enzootically. Culex (Melanoconion) mosquitoes are the enzootic vector species and wild rodents, the apparent natural hosts. Aedet taeniorhynchus, a vicious biter and possible epidemic vector, was also taken infected with the VEE virus on several occasions.