Fig 2.
Infection (A), Dissemination (B) and Transmission (C) of Culex pipiens at different days after ingestion of an infectious blood meal containing WNV or RVFV. Culex pipiens F0/F1 mosquitoes were orally challenged with WNV at a titer of 1.6×108 PFU/mL and RVFV at titer of 1.33×107 PFU/mL using an artificial feeding system (Hemotek). At 3, 7, 14, and 19 dpi, homogenates of mosquito bodies and heads, and saliva collected from females were tested for the presence of virus on Vero cells to estimate infection rate, dissemination efficiency, and transmission efficiency, respectively. In brackets, the number of tested mosquitoes.