Epizootiology of Haemoproteus meleagridis Protozoa: Haemosporina) in Florida: Potential Vectors and Prevalence in Naturally Infected Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

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Abstract
A 2-yr study of the epizootiology of Haemoproteus meleagridis from wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) was conducted in Florida. Twenty-nine species of potential Culicoides vectors were identified in New Jersey light trap collections at study sites in northern and southern Florida. Engorged individuals of 13 of these species were collected in turkey-baited Bennett traps; however, only Culicoides edeni Wirth & Blanton, C. hinmani Khalaf, C. arboricola Root & Hoffman, C. knowltoni Beck, and C. haematopotus Malloch were capable of supporting complete sporogonic development of the parasite. Two of these five species, i.e., C. edeni and C. hinmani, comprised more than 95% of the biting collections in southern Florida and 74% of the biting collections in northern Florida. Haemoproteus meleagridis was isolated from pools of unengorged C. edeni captured in November and May in northern Florida and from pools of unengorged C. edeni captured throughout the year in southern Florida. Minimum yearly prevalence of H. meleagridis in unengorged C. edeni was estimated to be 0.58% in northern Florida and 2.08% in southern Florida. The high susceptibility of C. edeni to sporogonic development of H. meleagridis, its high prevalence in biting collections, and the isolation of the parasite from naturally infected specimens implicate C. edeni as the primary vector of H. meleagridis in both northern and southern Florida.