Effect of forest type on the distribution of Lutzomyia shannoni (Diptera: Psychodidae) and vesicular stomatitis virus on Ossabaw Island, Georgia.

We studied the effects of three forest types on multiple factors that are believed to influence the transmission of the New Jersey serotype of vesicular stomatitis (VSNJ) virus on Ossabaw Island, GA. These factors included availability of tree hole diurnal resting habitat for the presumed sand fly vector, Lutzomyia shannoni Dyar; relative abundance of L. shannoni; prevalence of VSNJ virus infection in sand flies; and prevalence of VSNJ virus antibodies in wild swine. Tree hole availability, sand fly abundance, and antibody prevalence in swine were significantly greater in maritime live oak forest than in other forest types. A single isolate of VSNJ virus was obtained from sand flies collected in maritime live oak forest. These data indicate that the relative abundance of adult L. shannoni is influenced significantly by the availability of tree holes and that VSNJ virus infection in wild swine is linked to forest type and is greatest in areas capable of supporting abundant populations of L. shannoni.