Replication, tissue tropisms and transmission of yellow fever virus in Aedes albopictus

Abstract

Experimental studies undertaken to ascertain the dynamics of yellow fever virus replication in an introduced strain (Houston) of the Asian mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), indicate that this species is an efficient vector of yellow fever virus. Replication of virus in Ae. albopictus could be detected 3 d after feeding on a suspension containing 7·2 log 10 Vero cell plaque forming units (PFU) per ml of virus; peak titres (3·5 log 10 PFU/mosquito) occurred 7 d after exposure. Viral antigen, visualized by immunofluorescence, was first detected in midgut cells 4 d after exposure and appeared in fat cells 7 d after exposure. The only other mosquito tissues revealing viral antigen were the salivary glands, brain, and occasionally cells of the suboesophageal ganglion. Viral antigen was not detected in any of the tissues of the reproductive tract, nor could viral genomic ribonucleic acid (RNA) be detected in these tissues by RNA-RNA molecular hybridization in situ. We detected no vertical transmission of yellow fever virus in 6180 F 1 adult progeny produced from infected females. The extrinsic incubation period at 26·7 °C was 9 d. We conclude that the Houston strain of Ae. albopictus is a competent vector of yellow fever virus and can serve as bridging vector between the jungle yellow fever cycle and the urban cycle in New World ecosystems.