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. 2019 Feb 14;13(2):e0006997.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006997. eCollection 2019 Feb.

Potential of Aedes albopictus to cause the emergence of arboviruses in Morocco

Fadila Amraoui  1 , Wiem Ben Ayed  2 , Yoann Madec  3 , Chafika Faraj  4 , Oumnia Himmi  5 , Ameur Btissam  6 , Mhammed Sarih  7 , Anna-Bella Failloux  1
Affiliations

Potential of Aedes albopictus to cause the emergence of arboviruses in Morocco

Fadila Amraoui et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. .

Abstract

In 2015, the mosquito Aedes albopictus was detected in Rabat, Morocco. This invasive species can be involved in the transmission of more than 25 arboviruses. It is known that each combination of mosquito population and virus genotype leads to a specific interaction that can shape the outcome of infection. Testing the vector competence of local mosquitoes is therefore a prerequisite to assess the risks of emergence. A field-collected strain of Ae. albopictus from Morocco was experimentally infected with dengue (DENV), chikungunya (CHIKV), zika (ZIKV) and yellow fever (YFV) viruses. We found that this species can highly transmit CHIKV and to a lesser extent, DENV, ZIKV and YFV. Viruses can be detected in mosquito saliva at day 3 (CHIKV), day 14 (DENV and YFV), and day 21 (ZIKV) post-infection. These results suggest that the local transmission of these four arboviruses by Ae. albopictus newly introduced in Morocco is a likely scenario. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov APAFIS#6573-201606l412077987v2.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Infection rates of Ae. albopictus from Morocco with CHIKV, DENV, YFV, and ZIKV.
F2 mosquitoes were orally challenged with CHIKV and DENV at a titer of 107 ffu/mL, YFV at 106.5 ffu/mL and ZIKV at 107.2 pfu/mL. After infection, mosquito bodies were titrated at 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post-infection. Error bars showing the binomial 95% confidence interval (Stata software, StataCorp LP, Texas, and USA). In brackets, the number of mosquitoes examined. ***, P < 10−4.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Dissemination rates of Ae. albopictus from Morocco with CHIKV, DENV, YFV, and ZIKV.
After infection, mosquito heads were titrated at 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post-infection. Error bars showing the binomial 95% confidence interval (Stata software, StataCorp LP, Texas, and USA). In brackets, the number of mosquitoes examined. *, P < 0.05***, P < 10−4.
Fig 3
Fig 3
Transmission rates (A) and mean titer of infectious viral particles in saliva (B) of Ae. albopictus from Morocco infected with CHIKV, DENV and YFV, and ZIKV. Saliva was collected from surviving females using the forced salivation technique at 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post-infection. Error bars show the binomial 95% confidence interval in (A) and the standard deviation in (B), both calculated using the Stata software (StataCorp LP, Texas, and USA). In brackets, the number of mosquitoes examined.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Transmission efficiencies of Ae. albopictus from Morocco infected with CHIKV, DENV, YFV, and ZIKV.
Saliva was collected from surviving females at 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post-infection. Transmission efficiency was calculated as the proportion of mosquitoes with infectious saliva among mosquitoes initially tested. Error bars showing the binomial 95% confidence interval (Stata software, StataCorp LP, Texas, and USA). In brackets, the number of mosquitoes examined.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Heatmaps indicating interactions between viruses (DENV, CHIKV, YFV, ZIKV) and days post-infection for infection, dissemination and transmission.
The intensity of red increases with the rates.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Publication types

Grants and funding

This project was funded by the WHO “Vector competence to Zika virus of mosquitoes in the Mediterranean region“ (VEC-ZIKA-MED), grant number WCCPRD5294814 2017/700731. This work was also partially supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under ZIKAlliance Grant Agreement no. 734548. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.