Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb
Abstract
Despite reports of severe outbreaks of arboviral diseases in domestic animals in Saudi Arabia, very little effort has been made to study the potential local vectors of these diseases. Diseases such as bluetongue and African horse sickness were reported in Saudi Arabia. Such diseases are internationally known to be vectored by Culicoides midges. The present study was undertaken at three localities in Saudi Arabia where arboviral activity had previously been reported. Results revealed the presence of four Culicoides species in the three localities. Two of these species were confirmed as vectors of arboviruses of domestic animals in neighbouring countries. The results were discussed in relation to the epidemiology of arboviral diseases in Saudi Arabia.Usprkos pojave teških arbovirusnih zaraza u domaćih životinja u Saudijskoj Arabiji, vrlo malo pozornosti posvećuje se istraživanjima mogućih vektora. U Saudijskoj Arabiji javljaju se bolesti kao što su bolest plavog jezika i konjska kuga. Poznato je da njih prenose komarčići roda Culicoides. Istraživanje je poduzeto na trima područjima u Saudijskoj Arabiji na kojima je već prethodno dokazana aktivnost arbovirusa. Dokazane su četiri vrste komarčića. Potvrđeno je da dvije od tih vrsta služe kao vektori arbovirusa u domaćih životinja. Rezultati su razmatrani u sklopu epizootiologije arbovirusnih bolesti u Saudijskoj Arabiji
