Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a Flavivirus (Flaviviridae) transmitted to humans mainly by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquitoes. Aedes aegypti is the primary epidemic vector of ZIKV and Ae. albopictus, the secondary one. However, the epidemiological role of both Aedes species in Central Africa where Ae. albopictus was recently introduced is poorly characterized. Field-collected strains of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus from different ecological settings in Central Africa were experimentally infected with a ZIKV strain isolated in West Africa. Mosquitoes were analysed at 14- and 21-days post-exposure. Both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were able to transmit ZIKV but with higher overall transmission efficiency for Ae. aegypti (57.9%) compared to Ae. albopictus (41.5%). In addition, disseminated infection and transmission rates for both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus varied significantly according to the location where they were sampled from. We conclude that both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus are able to transmit ZIKV and may intervene as active Zika vectors in Central Africa. These findings could contribute to a better understanding of the epidemiological transmission of ZIKV in Central Africa and develop suitable strategy to prevent major ZIKV outbreaks in this region.
Highlights
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a recently emerged, mosquito-borne virus belonging to the Flavivirus genus isolated initially from a sentinel monkey, at the Zika forest in Uganda in 1947 [1]
Zika virus (ZIKV), isolated for the first time in Uganda in 1947, is transmitted to human beings mainly by the bite of an infected mosquitoes belonging to the Aedes genus notably Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus
We assessed the ability of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus collected in different ecological settings in Central Africa to transmit a ZIKV strain isolated in West Africa
Summary
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a recently emerged, mosquito-borne virus belonging to the Flavivirus genus isolated initially from a sentinel monkey, at the Zika forest in Uganda in 1947 [1]. Two main transmission cycles are well documented: (i) a sylvatic cycle between non-human primates and arboreal canopy-dwelling mosquitoes including Ae. africanus, Ae. furcifer, Ae. luteocaphalus, Ae. opok, and Ae. vittatus mainly in Africa and (ii) an urban cycle between humans and domestic mosquitoes such as Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus [18, 19]. Both epidemic vectors, Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, are well established in Africa where Ae. aegypti is native [20]. We assessed the ability of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus populations from Central Africa to transmit a ZIKV strain isolated in West Africa
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