Recent competence studies have found that competent vectors in both genera exist in the United States (1).
Animal movements, legal or illegal, strongly contribute to viral spread, threatening the Mediterranean basin and Europe, where competent vectors are present.
They'd need to initially infect themselves or others in order for the mosquitoes to subsequently become competent vectors of the virus.
Moreover, it is expected to disseminate further in receptive regions where competent vectors are present [2].
As a result, CHIKV will probably continue to expand into other new temperate areas where competent vectors reside [23], [24].
Whether or not larger, more densely infected fleas are more competent vectors for R. felis will be interesting to explore further.
A recent smallpox vaccine study has further emphasized the superiority of replication competent vectors to non-replicating in long term protection and immunogenicity against lethal cowpox challenge [29].
Nonetheless, recent evidence shows that the ecology of orbiviruses in Europe is more complex than previously thought due to other Culicoides spp. acting as new competent vectors [13], [15].
Our study shows that I. ricinus ticks are competent vectors for Babesia sp. EU1.
Furthermore, he adds, some weed species are competent vectors for disease transmission.
Lutzomyia sp. are competent vectors of Leishmania spp. in other areas of the world.
