Natural vertical transmission by Stegomyia albopicta as dengue vector in Brazil

Abstract

The mosquito Stegomyia albopicta is among the most important arbovirus vectors in the world, particularly for Dengue viruses. Their natural history suggests that biologically these viruses are highly adapted to their mosquito hosts and they were most likely mosquito viruses prior to becoming adapted to lower primates and humans. As well as being maintained by transmission among susceptible humans, Dengue viruses may also be maintained by vertical transmission in mosquitoes during inter-epidemic periods. The larvae and mosquitoes of Stegomyia albopicta were used to identify the vertical transmission of the dengue virus in nature and to confirm the vectorial capacity concerning the Dengue virus type 2 infection. The minimum infection rate concerning S. albopicta infection with the Dengue virus was 1:36.45. In Brazil this was the first time that high minimum infection rates of vertical transmission of S. albopicta were detected in this species.