Abstract
BackgroundFlaviviruses are important pathogens for humans and animals (Dengue viruses, Yellow fever virus, Zika virus and West Nile virus). Culex flavivirus (CxFV) is an insect-specific virus of the genus Flavivirus, detected in a wide variety of mosquito species.ObjectiveTo detect Flavivirus in mosquitoes of a tropical region of the Colombian Caribbean.MethodsIn 2014, an entomological surveillance of arboviruses was conducted in the department of Cordoba area of the Caribbean, Colombia. A total of 8270 mosquitoes were captured as follow: Mansonia (n = 3271/39.5%), Culex (n = 2668/32.26%), Anopheles (n = 840/10.15%), Aedeomyia (n = 411/4.9%), Psorophora (n = 397/4.8%), Coquilletidia (n = 369/4.46%), Uranotaenia (n = 261/3.15%) and Aedes (n = 53/0.6%). All mosquito species were collected in dry tropical forest of the Caribbean area. Universal primers for NS5 gene (958 pb), RT-PCR for flavivirus and sequencing were used for molecular identification of viruses detected.ResultsTwo pools belonging to Culex coronator were positive for flavivirus RNA sequence by RT-PCR. The sequences of the PCR amplicons, matched that of the Culex flaviviruses, CxFv COL PM_149 (GenBank: KR014201) and CxFv COL PM_212 (GenBank: KT307717). Phylogenetic analysis of the NS5 protein sequences of the Culex flaviviruses sequences with those of reference sequences available in GenBank indicated viruses of Genotype II, closely related to the Brazilian strain, BR_SJRP_01_ (GenBank: KT726939), from Culex sp. The alignment of Culex flavivirus sequences CxFv COL_ PM 212 and CxFv COL_ PM 149 with sequences of strains detected in different geographical regions grouped the strains in a Latin American clade reported in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.ConclusionsThe present work illustrated that CxFV was circulating among vectors of human pathogenic arboviruses in Colombia, but the impact of CxFV on other flaviviruses which are endemic in the study area still remains to be explored.
Highlights
Flaviviruses are important pathogens for humans and animals (Dengue viruses, Yellow fever virus, Zika virus and West Nile virus)
The present work illustrated that Culex flavivirus (CxFV) was circulating among vectors of human pathogenic arboviruses in Colombia, but the impact of CxFV on other flaviviruses which are endemic in the study area still remains to be explored
Culex flavivirus (CxFV) is an insect-specific virus of the genus Flavivirus detected in mosquitoes
Summary
Flaviviruses are important pathogens for humans and animals (Dengue viruses, Yellow fever virus, Zika virus and West Nile virus). Culex flavivirus (CxFV) is an insect-specific virus of the genus Flavivirus, detected in a wide variety of mosquito species. Arboviruses are a serious public health problem in tropical countries, the genus flavivirus included a group of these viruses which some of them are highly pathogenic, and can cause encephalitis or hemorrhagic fevers in humans [1]. There are different mosquito species vectors and different animals which serves as virus reservoirs. Culex flavivirus (CxFV) is an insect-specific virus of the genus Flavivirus. CxFV strains have been detected from mosquitoes Culex pipiens, Culex quinquefasciatus, and other Culex sp. Certain members of the genus Flavivirus are known to be vertebrate-specific whilst others are insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFV). Transmission of ISFVs in natural mosquito populations is maintained by vertical transmission and in minor role the venereal transmission [4,5,6]
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