Effect of bluetongue virus infection on blood meal feeding behavior in female Culicoides sonorensis

Female Culicoides sonorensis midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are well-known vectors of bluetongue virus (BTV; Orbivirus), which causes bluetongue (BT) disease. BT can cause severe morbidity and mortality in wild and domestic ruminants leading to significant economic losses for U.S. agriculture. Previous studies have shown that orbiviruses infect sensory organs of infected Culicoides, which may affect sensory perception including host detection and other behaviors. We hypothesized that this change in sensory perception may be reflected by a change in the feeding behavior of BTV-infected midges. Given that febrile responses frequently accompany the viremic period of BTV infections in animals, we evaluated blood meal temperature preferences of BTV-infected and uninfected C. sonorensis females. Results showed a trend that midges, irrespective of treatment, preferred to feed on warmer blood when offered a choice.