DOI: 10.48443/v8sm-6a45
title: Mosquito pathogen status (DP1.10041.001)
title: RELEASE-2026

description: This data product contains the quality-controlled, native sampling resolution data derived from NEON's mosquito pathogen testing. Products resulting from this sampling include pathogen test results of mosquito pools derived from identified mosquitoes collected during NEON mosquito sampling. See NEON Data Product Mosquitoes sampled from CO2 traps (DP1.10043.001) for data on the abundance and diversity of mosquitoes collected at NEON sites. Following collection, samples are sent to a professional taxonomist where a subsample of the catch generated from each trap is identified to species and sex. A subset of positively-identified mosquitoes are later processed for pathogen testing. Only female mosquitoes identified to the species-level and captured in sufficient quantity over a season from likely vector species are eligible for pathogen testing. Mosquitoes that meet pathogen-testing criteria collected within the same site and sampling bout are homogenized into a large pool of female conspecifics and then subdivided into testing vials of appropriate pool sizes for pathogen testing. Each vial is tested one or more times using a variety of methods which may include RT-PCR, Vero cell culture, and melt curve assays. These methods vary in target specificity, from general (e.g., Vero cell culture) to specific viral species (e.g., RT-PCR). Most pools of mosquitoes are negative because pathogens are rare; when pools are determined to be positive for any virus, the identity(ies) of the virus(es) are determined to the species-level, if possible. Test results yield data on the presence of important mosquito pathogens (e.g., West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis virus, etc) in a subset of species that are known vectors of disease. For additional details, see the user guide, protocols, and science design listed in the Documentation section in this data product's details webpage.

Latency:
The expected time from data and/or sample collection in the field to data publication is as follows, for each of the data tables (in days) in the downloaded data package. See the Data Product User Guide for more information.

mos_pathogenpooling:  360

mos_pathogenresults:  360
description: A set of up to 1000 individual female mosquitoes per species per site per year are targeted for pathogen testing of arboviruses within the families Bunyaviridae, Alphaviridae, and Flavivirdae. From 2013-2019, top-priority mosquito species sent for pathogen testing included: *Aedes aegypti*, *Aedes albopictus* (tested if >100 collected per site-year), and *Culex tarsalis*, *Culex pipiens*, and *Aedes triseriatus* (tested if >200 collected per site-year). From 2013-2019, other individuals, particularly those identified to the species-level within the genera of *Aedes* and *Culex*, were tested if >200 were collected per site-year. Beginning in 2020, the list of vector species sent for pathogen testing was revised and shortened due to low infection prevalence. A smaller set of vectors that reach the minimum abundance threshold of 200 per site-year are selected for pathogen testing from the following species list: *Culex tarsalis*, *Culex restuans*, *Culex pipiens*, *Culex quinquefasciatus*, *Culex erraticus*, *Culex nigripalpus*, *Culex salinarius*, *Aedes japonicus*, *Aedes triseriatus*, *Culiseta melanura*, *Culiseta morsitans*, *Psorophora columbiae*, *Coquillitidia perturbans*, *Aedes dorsalis*, *Aedes trivittatus*, *Aedes canadensis mathesoni*. Instrumentation: