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. 2009 Jun 12;4(6):e5895.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005895.

Chikungunya virus and Aedes mosquitoes: saliva is infectious as soon as two days after oral infection

Mathieu Dubrulle  1 , Laurence Mousson, Sara Moutailler, Marie Vazeille, Anna-Bella Failloux
Affiliations

Chikungunya virus and Aedes mosquitoes: saliva is infectious as soon as two days after oral infection

Mathieu Dubrulle et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are potential vectors of chikungunya virus (CHIKV). The recent CHIKV outbreaks were caused by a new variant characterized by a mutation in the E1 glycoprotein gene (E1-226V) which has favored a better transmissibility by Ae. albopictus. As Ae. albopictus tends to replace Ae. aegypti in many regions, one question remained: is Ae. albopictus as efficient as Ae. aegypti to transmit the variant E1-226V of CHIKV?

Methodology and findings: We infected orally both species with the variant E1-226V and estimated the infection, the viral dissemination, and the transmission rate by real time RT-PCR. Additionally, we used an in vitro assay to determine the amount of virus delivered by mosquitoes in their saliva. We found that Ae. aegypti as well as Ae. albopictus ensured a high replication of the virus which underwent an efficient dissemination as detectable in the salivary glands at day 2 post-infection (pi). Infectious CHIKV particles were delivered by salivary glands from day 2 with a maximum at day 6 pi for Ae. albopictus (10(3.3) PFU) and day 7 pi for Ae. aegypti (10(2.5) PFU).

Conclusions: Ae. albopictus is slightly more efficient than Ae. aegypti to transmit the variant E1-226V of CHIKV. These results will help to design an efficient vector control to limit transmission as soon as the first human cases are diagnosed.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Infection of Aedes albopictus Providence (ALPROV) and Aedes aegypti Petite-Terre (AAPT) with CHIKV 06.21.
At different days after exposure to the infectious blood meal, mosquito infection was measured by detecting viral RNA in bodies (thorax and abdomen) of 5 females by real-time RT-PCR.
Figure 2
Figure 2. CHIKV dissemination in Aedes albopictus Providence (ALPROV) and Aedes aegypti Petite-Terre (AAPT).
At different days after oral infection, viral dissemination was measured by quantification of viral RNA in mosquito wings of 5 females by real-time RT-PCR.
Figure 3
Figure 3. CHIKV transmission by Aedes albopictus Providence (ALPROV) and Aedes aegypti Petite-Terre (AAPT).
At different days after oral infection, transmission was evaluated by detecting viral RNA in salivary glands of 5 females by real-time RT-PCR.
Figure 4
Figure 4. CHIKV present in saliva of Aedes albopictus Providence (ALPROV) and Aedes aegypti Petite-Terre (AAPT).
At different days after oral infection, transmission potential was assessed by estimating the number of infectious viral particles in excreted saliva by plaque assay on cell cultures.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Relation between CHIKV in saliva and IFA-positive head squashes of (A) ALPROV and (B) AAPT.
At different days after oral infection, 5 females were tested for the presence of CHIKV on head squashes and the number of infectious viral particles in excreted saliva to evaluate the relation between the presence of CHIKV in saliva and head squashes positive by IFA.
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