TY - JOUR AU - Bewick, Sharon AU - Agusto, Folashade AU - Calabrese, Justin AU - Muturi, Ephantus AU - Fagan, William T1 - Epidemiology of La Crosse Virus Emergence, Appalachia Region, United States T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2016 VL - 22 IS - 11 SP - 1921 SN - 1080-6059 AB - La Crosse encephalitis is a viral disease that has emerged in new locations across the Appalachian region of the United States. Conventional wisdom suggests that ongoing emergence of La Crosse virus (LACV) could stem from the invasive Asian tiger (Aedes albopictus) mosquito. Efforts to prove this, however, are complicated by the numerous transmission routes and species interactions involved in LACV dynamics. To analyze LACV transmission by Asian tiger mosquitoes, we constructed epidemiologic models. These models accurately predict empirical infection rates. They do not, however, support the hypothesis that Asian tiger mosquitoes are responsible for the recent emergence of LACV at new foci. Consequently, we conclude that other factors, including different invasive mosquitoes, changes in climate variables, or changes in wildlife densities, should be considered as alternative explanations for recent increases in La Crosse encephalitis. KW - La Crosse virus KW - Bunyaviridae KW - eastern tree-hole mosquito (Ochlerotatus triseriatus) KW - Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) KW - compartmental model KW - invasive vector KW - viruses KW - vector-borne infections KW - Appalachia KW - United States KW - eastern tree-hole mosquito KW - Ochlerotatus triseriatus KW - Asian tiger mosquito KW - Aedes albopictus DO - 10.3201/eid2211.160308 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22/11/16-0308_article ER - End of Reference