Isolation of viruses from mosquitoes of the Negev, Israel

In a survey of the mosquito population of the Negev carried out between July 1982 and September 1984, over 85,000 insects belonging to 10 species were tested for the presence of viruses. They yielded 91 virus isolates in C-6/36 mosquito cell cultures; 20 of the isolates were recovered also in Vero cell cultures and in suckling mice inoculated intracerebrally. Of the 20 isolates recovered in the vertebrate systems 17 were identified as Sindbis, and three as West Nile viruses. 71 viruses which have been isolated only in mosquito cell cultures remain unidentified. Sindbis and West Nile arboviruses were isolated only from Culex pipiens and from Cx perexiguus, while the unidentified viruses were isolated from these and from five other mosquito species.