First report of Aedes aegypti transmission of chikungunya virus in the Americas

Esteban E. Díaz-González, Tiffany F. Kautz, Alicia Dorantes-Delgado, Iliana R. Malo-García, Maricela Laguna-Aguilar, Rose M. Langsjoen, Rubing Chen, Dawn I. Auguste, Rosa M. Sánchez-Casas, Rogelio Danis-Lozano, Scott C. Weaver, Ildefonso Fernández-Salas

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

During a chikungunya fever outbreak in late 2014 in Chiapas, Mexico, entomovirological surveillance was performed to incriminate the vector(s). In neighborhoods, 75 households with suspected cases were sampled for mosquitoes, of which 80% (60) harbored Aedes aegypti and 2.7% (2) Aedes albopictus. A total of 1,170 Ae. aegypti and three Ae. albopictus was collected and 81 pools were generated. Although none of the Ae. albopictus pools were chikungunya virus (CHIKV)-positive, 18 Ae. aegypti pools (22.8%) contained CHIKV, yielding an infection rate of 32.3/1,000 mosquitoes. A lack of herd immunity in conjunction with high mosquito populations, poor vector control services in this region, and targeted collections in locations of human cases may explain the high infection rate in this vector. Consistent with predictions from experimental studies, Ae. aegypti appears to be the principal vector of CHIKV in southern Mexico, while the role of Ae. albopictus remains unknown.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1325-1329
Number of pages5
JournalAmerican Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume93
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2015

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Virology

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