Transmission Potential of Zika Virus by Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and Ae. Mediovittatus (Diptera: Culicidae) Populations From Puerto Rico

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-1-2021

Department

Biological Sciences

School

Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences

Abstract

Recurrence of local transmission of Zika virus in Puerto Rico is a major public health risk to the United States, where mosquitoes Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Aedes mediovittatus (Coquillett) are abundant. To determine the extent to which Ae. mediovittatus are capable of transmitting Zika virus and the influence of viremia, we evaluated infection and transmission in Ae. mediovittatus and Ae. aegypti from Puerto Rico using serial dilutions of infectious blood. Higher doses of infectious blood resulted in greater infection rates in both mosquitoes. Aedes aegypti females were up to twice as susceptible to infection than Ae. mediovittatus, indicating a more effective midgut infection barrier in the latter mosquito species. Aedes aegypti exhibited higher disseminated infection (40–95%) than Ae. mediovittatus (Ae. mediovittatus. For Ae. aegypti, transmission rates were low over a range of doses of Zika virus ingested, suggesting substantial salivary gland barriers.

Publication Title

Journal of Medical Entomology

Volume

58

Issue

3

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