TY - JOUR
T1 - Determining vector competence of Aedes aegypti from Ghana in transmitting dengue virus serotypes 1 and 2
AU - Amoa-Bosompem, Michael
AU - Kobayashi, Daisuke
AU - Itokawa, Kentaro
AU - Murota, Katsunori
AU - Faizah, Astri Nur
AU - Azerigyik, Faustus Akankperiwen
AU - Hayashi, Takaya
AU - Ohashi, Mitsuko
AU - Bonney, Joseph H.Kofi
AU - Dadzie, Samuel
AU - Tran, Cuong Chi
AU - Tran, Phong Vu
AU - Fujita, Ryosuke
AU - Maekawa, Yoshihide
AU - Kasai, Shinji
AU - Yamaoka, Shoji
AU - Ohta, Nobuo
AU - Sawabe, Kyoko
AU - Iwanaga, Shiroh
AU - Isawa, Haruhiko
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors wish to thank the members and staff of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Ghana, the Medical Entomology and Zoology Department, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Vietnam, and the Department of Vector Ecology and Environment, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Japan, for helping with sample collection and offering constructive criticisms.
Funding Information:
This study was funded by the Japan Initiative for Global Research Network on Infectious Diseases (J-GRID) Grant Numbers JP19fm0108010 and JP20wm0225007 and the Research Program on Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases Grant Number JP 20fk0108123 from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED). This study was also supported in part by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers JP15H04614, JP16J09470, JP18H02856 and JP18K19220 and by the Sasakawa Scientific Research Grant from the Japan Science Society.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Background: Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne arbovirus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, but is not endemic in all areas where this vector is found. For example, the relatively sparse distribution of cases in West Africa is generally attributed to the refractory nature of West African Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) to DENV infection, and particularly the forest-dwelling Ae. aegypti formosus. However, recent studies have shown these mosquitoes to be competent vectors within some West African countries that have suffered outbreaks in the past, such as Senegal. There is however little information on the vector competence of the Ae. aegypti in West African countries such as Ghana with no reported outbreaks. Methods: This study examined the vector competence of 4 Ae. aegypti colonies from urban, semi-urban, and two rural locations in Ghana in transmitting DENV serotypes 1 and 2, using a single colony from Vietnam as control. Midgut infection and virus dissemination were determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), while the presence and concentration of DENV in the saliva of infectious mosquitoes was determined by the focus forming assay. Results: There were significant differences in the colonies’ susceptibility to virus infection, dissemination, and transmission. All examined Ghanaian mosquitoes were refractory to infection by DENV serotype 2, while some colonies exhibited potential to transmit DENV serotype 1. None of the tested colonies were as competent as the control group colony. Conclusions: These findings give insight into the possible risk of outbreaks, particularly in the urban areas in the south of Ghana, and highlight the need for continuous surveillance to determine the transmission status and outbreak risk. This study also highlights the need to prevent importation of different DENV strains and potential invasion of new highly vector-competent Ae. aegypti strains, particularly around the ports of entry. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
AB - Background: Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne arbovirus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, but is not endemic in all areas where this vector is found. For example, the relatively sparse distribution of cases in West Africa is generally attributed to the refractory nature of West African Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) to DENV infection, and particularly the forest-dwelling Ae. aegypti formosus. However, recent studies have shown these mosquitoes to be competent vectors within some West African countries that have suffered outbreaks in the past, such as Senegal. There is however little information on the vector competence of the Ae. aegypti in West African countries such as Ghana with no reported outbreaks. Methods: This study examined the vector competence of 4 Ae. aegypti colonies from urban, semi-urban, and two rural locations in Ghana in transmitting DENV serotypes 1 and 2, using a single colony from Vietnam as control. Midgut infection and virus dissemination were determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), while the presence and concentration of DENV in the saliva of infectious mosquitoes was determined by the focus forming assay. Results: There were significant differences in the colonies’ susceptibility to virus infection, dissemination, and transmission. All examined Ghanaian mosquitoes were refractory to infection by DENV serotype 2, while some colonies exhibited potential to transmit DENV serotype 1. None of the tested colonies were as competent as the control group colony. Conclusions: These findings give insight into the possible risk of outbreaks, particularly in the urban areas in the south of Ghana, and highlight the need for continuous surveillance to determine the transmission status and outbreak risk. This study also highlights the need to prevent importation of different DENV strains and potential invasion of new highly vector-competent Ae. aegypti strains, particularly around the ports of entry. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
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U2 - 10.1186/s13071-021-04728-z
DO - 10.1186/s13071-021-04728-z
M3 - Article
C2 - 33926510
AN - SCOPUS:85105215142
SN - 1756-3305
VL - 14
JO - Parasites and Vectors
JF - Parasites and Vectors
IS - 1
M1 - 228
ER -
