Mosquitoes Know No Borders: Surveillance of Potential Introduction of <i>Aedes</i> Species in Southern Québec, Canada
Anne-Marie Lowe,
Karl Forest-Bérard,
Richard Trudel,
Ernest Lo,
Philippe Gamache,
Matthieu Tandonnet,
Serge-Olivier Kotchi,
Patrick Leighton,
Antonia Dibernardo,
Robbin Lindsay,
Antoinette Ludwig
Affiliations
Anne-Marie Lowe
Direction des Risques Biologiques et de la Santé au Travail, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190 Boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2P 1E2, Canada
Karl Forest-Bérard
Direction des Risques Biologiques et de la Santé au Travail, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190 Boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2P 1E2, Canada
Richard Trudel
Direction des Risques Biologiques et de la Santé au Travail, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190 Boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2P 1E2, Canada
Ernest Lo
Bureau D’information et D’études en Santé des Populations, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190 Boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2P 1E2, Canada
Philippe Gamache
Bureau D’information et D’études en Santé des Populations, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190 Boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2P 1E2, Canada
Matthieu Tandonnet
Bureau D’information et D’études en Santé des Populations, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 190 Boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, QC H2P 1E2, Canada
Serge-Olivier Kotchi
Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
Patrick Leighton
Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
Antonia Dibernardo
Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington St., Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
Robbin Lindsay
Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington St., Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
Antoinette Ludwig
Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
Current climatic conditions limit the distribution of Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse, Diptera: Culicidae) in the north, but predictive climate models suggest this species could establish itself in southern Canada by 2040. A vector of chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, Zika and West Nile viruses, the Ae. Albopictus has been detected in Windsor, Ontario since 2016. Given the potential public health implications, and knowing that Aedes spp. can easily be introduced by ground transportation, this study aimed to determine if specimens could be detected, using an adequate methodology, in southern Québec. Mosquitoes were sampled in 2016 and 2017 along the main roads connecting Canada and the U.S., using Biogent traps (Sentinel-2, Gravide Aedes traps) and ovitraps. Overall, 24 mosquito spp. were captured, excluding Ae. Albopictus, but detecting one Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Skuse) specimen (laid eggs). The most frequent species among captured adults were Ochlerotatus triseriatus, Culex pipiens complex, and Ochlerotatus japonicus (31.0%, 26.0%, and 17.3%, respectively). The present study adds to the increasing number of studies reporting on the range expansions of these mosquito species, and suggests that ongoing monitoring, using multiple capture techniques targeting a wide range of species, may provide useful information to public health with respect to the growing risk of emerging mosquito-borne diseases in southern Canada.
