Venereal transmission of La Crosse (California encephalitis) arbovirus in Aedes triseriatus mosquitoes.

Veneral transmission of La Crosse virus by males of Aedes triseriatus was demonstrated. La Crosse virus was detected in the bursa of females after induced copulation, and disseminated infection was shown to occur occasionally. Since males of Aedes triseriatus have transovarial filial infection rates similar to those of females and can repeatedly mate, veneral transmission may be an important supplement to other natural endemic maintenance mechanisms.