[The spatial distribution and infection of Culex pipiens L. mosquitoes with Western Nile virus in the Volgograd region].

The infection of Culex pipiens f. pipiens and Cx. pipiens f. molestus mosquitoes with Western Nile virus was studied. Their taxonomic status was determined from the type of mitochondrial DNA. Among 424 females individually examined, there were 4 infected specimens: 3 pipens females gathered in the urban and suburban open biotopes and one molestus female caught in the open urban biotope. Molestus mitotype females were first detected in the suburban open biotopes. The possible reasons for the wide colonization of molestus mosquitoes and its epidemic consequences are discussed.