Abstract
IntroductionDengue is the most important mosquito-borne diseases worldwide but was considered scarce in West-Central Africa. During the last decade, dengue outbreaks have increasingly been reported in urban foci in this region suggesting major epidemiological changes. However, in Central Africa where both vectors, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are well established, the role of each species in dengue transmission remains poorly investigated.Methodology/Principal findingsField-collected strains of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus from different ecological settings in Central Africa were experimentally challenged with dengue 2 virus (DENV-2). Mosquitoes were analysed at 14- and 21-days post-infection. Analysis provide evidence that both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus in Central Africa were able to transmit dengue virus with Ae. aegypti exhibiting a higher transmission rate. Unexpectedly, two Ae. aegypti populations from Bénoué and Maroua, in northern Cameroon, were not able to transmit DENV-2.Conclusions/SignificanceWe conclude that both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus are susceptible to DENV-2 and may intervene as active dengue vectors. These findings highlight the urgent need to plan a vector surveillance program and control methods against dengue vectors in Central Africa in order to prevent future outbreaks.
Highlights
Dengue is the most important mosquito-borne diseases worldwide but was considered scarce in West-Central Africa
Dengue virus (DENV) is a flavivirus mainly transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes notably Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus
We assessed the vector competence of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus collected in different ecological settings in Central Africa to transmit dengue 2 virus (DENV-2)
Summary
This study was approved by the Cameroonian national ethics committee for human health research N2017/05/911/CE/CNERSH/SP. Larvae and pupae were collected from August 2017 to April 2018 in several locations in Central Africa including Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo), Yaounde, Douala, Tibati and Benoue National Park (Cameroon, Fig 1). Each of these locations have been previously characterised [18,19]. Adults from same location and species were reared at 28 ̊±1 ̊C under 12h dark:12h light cycle and 80% relative humidity. Eggs obtained (Table 1) were transported to the Institut Pasteur Paris, reared to adult stage and used to challenge with DENV-2
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