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Abstract
BackgroundThe mosquito Aedes albopictus is undergoing a worldwide expansion with potential consequences on transmission of various arboviruses. This species has been first detected in Lebanon in 2003.MethodsWe performed a phylogenetic study of Lebanese specimens and assessed their host preference by detecting human, cat, dog and chicken immunoglobulins in mosquito blood-meals. Their capacity to transmit arboviruses was investigated by providing infectious blood-meals using an artificial feeding system followed by detection of viral particles in mosquito saliva.ResultsOur results suggest that Lebanese strains are part of the recent wave of Ae. albopictus expansion and are related to some European, African and North American strains. They exhibited a host preference towards humans and an important capacity to transmit arboviruses. Indeed, we showed that Ae. albopictus was able to transmit chikungunya (CHIKV), dengue (DENV) and West-Nile (WNV) viruses. At day 10 after an infectious blood-meal at a titer of 108 MID50/ml, 30% of mosquitoes delivered an average of 515 ± 781 viral particles of CHIKV in saliva collected using a forced salivation technique and 55% with an average of 245 ± 304 viral particles when infected with WNV. Whereas DENV was not found in saliva at day 10 post-infection (pi), an average of 174 ± 455 viral particles was detected in 38.1% of mosquitoes tested at day 21 after an infectious blood-meal at a higher titer of 109 MID50/ml.ConclusionThese observations suggest that Ae. albopictus around Beirut is a potential vector of the three tested arboviruses.
Highlights
The mosquito Aedes albopictus is undergoing a worldwide expansion with potential consequences on transmission of various arboviruses
Our results show that the tested Lebanese specimens of Ae. albopictus are mostly anthropophilic and can efficiently transmit the three arboviruses, chikungunya virus (CHIKV), dengue virus (DENV) and West-Nile virus (WNV)
We found that the salivary glands of most tested mosquitoes were infected with virus (84.6% with CHIKV, 96.4% with DENV-2 and 92.3% with WNV, data not shown) but less than 55% were capable of transmission at day 10 pi (30% with CHIKV, 55% with WNV and 0% with DENV-2)
Summary
The mosquito Aedes albopictus is undergoing a worldwide expansion with potential consequences on transmission of various arboviruses. Arboviruses represent a wide variety of RNA viruses including the families of Flaviviridae and Togaviridae Their emergence in new areas is correlated with the geographic expansion of vector species, facilitated by increasing trading and touristic activities. In Europe, it was Lebanon is currently experiencing important demographic and economical changes with expanding urbanization, mainly around its capital Beirut, providing favourable environment for the proliferation of Ae. albopictus. The establishment of this mosquito, in addition to the important flow of Lebanese expatriates returning to the country during the summer season and of workers coming from Asian and African countries that are endemic for arboviral diseases, increase the risk of local transmission of these arboviruses. We report a study combining a phylogenetic approach, an estimation of host preferences, and an evaluation of vector competence of Lebanese strains of Ae. albopictus for CHIKV, DENV and WNV
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