Which mosquito is primarily responsible for transmitting Eastern Equine Encephalitis in swamp environments?

• A. Aedes mosquitoes
• B. Culiseta melanura
• C. Anopheles mosquitoes
• D. Ochlerotatus species

Answer: (B)

In swamp environments, the virus that causes Eastern Equine Encephalitis is kept circulating mainly through a bird-mosquito cycle, and the mosquito best suited to drive that cycle in swamps is Culiseta melanura. This species is highly ornithophilic, feeding primarily on birds, and it breeds in swampy, tree-hole-like habitats common in swamps. That combination makes it the key vector maintaining EEE in these settings.

Other mosquitoes listed are associated with different diseases and ecological roles. Aedes and Ochlerotatus species are known for transmitting viruses like dengue, Zika, and others, and Anopheles mosquitoes are the classic malaria vectors. They do not serve as the primary transmitters of EEE within swamp ecosystems.