Which of the following is the primary vector for California Encephalitis?

• A. Ochlerotatus triseriatus
• B. Culiseta melanura
• C. Aedes aegypti
• D. Anopheles gambiae

Answer: (A)

California encephalitis virus is most effectively transmitted in nature by a tree-hole mosquito that breeds in small water-filled cavities and feeds on small mammals as well as sometimes humans. This species, Ochlerotatus triseriatus, is the primary vector because it fits the virus’s natural transmission cycle and ecological niches, making it the main conduit for moving the virus between wildlife hosts and humans.

The other mosquitoes listed are linked to different diseases: Culiseta melanura is a key vector for Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Aedes aegypti transmits dengue, Zika, and yellow fever, and Anopheles gambiae is a major malaria vector.