Targeting the Risk of Diptera-Borne Zoonoses by a Sentinel Equestrian Centers Program

Abstract

Diptera-borne diseases pose a major threat to global health, and their distribution is constantly changing due to climate change, globalization, and environmental changes. To improve the knowledge of dipteran species and their distribution in equine facilities, CDC-UV and oviposition traps were placed, and the dipping technique was performed in 16 equestrian centers of Northwest (NW) Spain (Galicia and Castilla y León Autonomous Communities) between July and November 2023. A questionnaire was distributed among the horse owners to obtain additional information. Four genera of culicids, Culex (51.8%), Culiseta (38.6%), Anopheles (8.4%), and Aedes/Ochlerotatus (1.2%) were identified in the equestrian centers. Culex pipiens s.l. was the most prevalent and well-distributed species (93.8% of the centers), whereas Anopheles maculipennis s.l. and An. claviger/petragnani, the anopheline species, were the most frequent (37.5% and 31.2%, respectively). The Culiseta genus was found in approximately 81.2% of the equine facilities. All genera were collected at medium and high altitudes and in Csb (warm-summer Mediterranean climate) areas. Equestrian centers from NW Spain albeit a variety of culicids with high vectorial capacity, together with an ideal environment for their breeding, the presence of vectors and hosts (humans and animals). This potential problem for global health enhances the need for entomological surveillance.