Mapping the spatial distribution of the Japanese encephalitis vector, Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles, 1901 (Diptera: Culicidae) within areas of Japanese encephalitis risk

摘要: Japanese encephalitis (JE) is one of the most significant aetiological agents viral in Asia. This medically important arbovirus primarily spread from vertebrate hosts to humans by mosquito vector Culex tritaeniorhynchus. Knowledge contemporary distribution this species lacking, and efforts define areas disease risk greatly depend on a thorough understanding variation mosquito’s geographical distribution. We assembled database Cx. tritaeniorhynchus presence records within formal literature other relevant resources, resulting 1,045 geo-referenced, spatially temporally unique spanning 1928 2014 (71.9% obtained between 2001 2014). These data were combined with background dataset capturing sample bias our dataset, along environmental socio-economic covariates, inform boosted regression tree model predicting suitability for at each 5 × 5 km gridded cell JE risk. The fine-scale map highlights high across India, Nepal China that coincide incidence, emphasising role transmission utility generated. Our contributes towards determining spatial heterogeneity limits transmission. Specifically, can be used control programs identify key where prevention establishment should priority.