Infection patterns of dengue, Zika and endosymbiont Wolbachia in the mosquito Aedes albopictus in Hong Kong
Abstract Background The mosquito Aedes albopictus is a vector of dengue and Zika viruses. Insecticide-resistant mosquito populations have evolved in recent decades, suggesting that new control strategies are needed. Hong Kong has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate, which favours the spre...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-020-04231-x |
| _version_ | 1818300441929187328 |
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| author | Elaine Y. Y. Huang Annette Y. P. Wong Ivy H. T. Lee Zhe Qu Ho Yin Yip Chi-wah Leung Shuk-may Yin Jerome H. L. Hui |
| author_facet | Elaine Y. Y. Huang Annette Y. P. Wong Ivy H. T. Lee Zhe Qu Ho Yin Yip Chi-wah Leung Shuk-may Yin Jerome H. L. Hui |
| author_sort | Elaine Y. Y. Huang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The mosquito Aedes albopictus is a vector of dengue and Zika viruses. Insecticide-resistant mosquito populations have evolved in recent decades, suggesting that new control strategies are needed. Hong Kong has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate, which favours the spread of mosquitoes. However, baseline information on the composition and dynamics of the occurrence of endosymbiont Wolbachia in local Ae. albopictus is lacking, hindering the development of scientifically-informed control measures. This study identifies the presence and absence of dengue and Zika viruses, and Wolbachia infection in Aedes albopictus in Hong Kong. Methods Oviposition traps were set at 57 areas in Hong Kong, and both immature and adult mosquitoes were collected on a monthly basis between April 2018 and April 2019 as the study sample. Each individual mosquito in this sample was processed and screened for the presence of the dengue and Zika viruses and the endosymbionts Wolbachia wAlbA and wAlbB with PCR. Results Totals of 967 and 984 mosquitoes were tested respectively for the presence of dengue and Zika viruses, and no trace of either infection was found in these samples. The presence of wAlbA and wAlbB was also tested in 1582 individuals. Over 80% of these individuals were found to be stably infected with Wolbachia throughout the thirteen-month collection period (~ 47% singly-infected; ~ 36.8% doubly infected with both wAlbA and wAlbB). Conclusions The high degree of Wolbachia wAlbA and wAlbB infection in Ae. albopictus mosquitoes in Hong Kong, coupled with the absence of any signs of infection by dengue and Zika viruses, contrasts significantly with the pattern of mosquito infection in other parts of Asia. Further studies of the infection pattern in local mosquitoes are warranted before mosquito control strategies used in other regions are implemented in Hong Kong. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T05:07:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1bbff416ecdd45bdab5d9ce0998e37fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T05:07:10Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-1bbff416ecdd45bdab5d9ce0998e37fb2022-12-21T23:58:37ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052020-07-0113111010.1186/s13071-020-04231-xInfection patterns of dengue, Zika and endosymbiont Wolbachia in the mosquito Aedes albopictus in Hong KongElaine Y. Y. Huang0Annette Y. P. Wong1Ivy H. T. Lee2Zhe Qu3Ho Yin Yip4Chi-wah Leung5Shuk-may Yin6Jerome H. L. Hui7School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong KongSchool of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong KongSchool of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong KongSchool of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong KongSchool of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong KongPest Control Advisory Section, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)Pest Control Advisory Section, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong KongAbstract Background The mosquito Aedes albopictus is a vector of dengue and Zika viruses. Insecticide-resistant mosquito populations have evolved in recent decades, suggesting that new control strategies are needed. Hong Kong has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate, which favours the spread of mosquitoes. However, baseline information on the composition and dynamics of the occurrence of endosymbiont Wolbachia in local Ae. albopictus is lacking, hindering the development of scientifically-informed control measures. This study identifies the presence and absence of dengue and Zika viruses, and Wolbachia infection in Aedes albopictus in Hong Kong. Methods Oviposition traps were set at 57 areas in Hong Kong, and both immature and adult mosquitoes were collected on a monthly basis between April 2018 and April 2019 as the study sample. Each individual mosquito in this sample was processed and screened for the presence of the dengue and Zika viruses and the endosymbionts Wolbachia wAlbA and wAlbB with PCR. Results Totals of 967 and 984 mosquitoes were tested respectively for the presence of dengue and Zika viruses, and no trace of either infection was found in these samples. The presence of wAlbA and wAlbB was also tested in 1582 individuals. Over 80% of these individuals were found to be stably infected with Wolbachia throughout the thirteen-month collection period (~ 47% singly-infected; ~ 36.8% doubly infected with both wAlbA and wAlbB). Conclusions The high degree of Wolbachia wAlbA and wAlbB infection in Ae. albopictus mosquitoes in Hong Kong, coupled with the absence of any signs of infection by dengue and Zika viruses, contrasts significantly with the pattern of mosquito infection in other parts of Asia. Further studies of the infection pattern in local mosquitoes are warranted before mosquito control strategies used in other regions are implemented in Hong Kong.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-020-04231-xAedesDengueMosquitoWolbachiaZika |
| spellingShingle | Elaine Y. Y. Huang Annette Y. P. Wong Ivy H. T. Lee Zhe Qu Ho Yin Yip Chi-wah Leung Shuk-may Yin Jerome H. L. Hui Infection patterns of dengue, Zika and endosymbiont Wolbachia in the mosquito Aedes albopictus in Hong Kong Parasites & Vectors Aedes Dengue Mosquito Wolbachia Zika |
| title | Infection patterns of dengue, Zika and endosymbiont Wolbachia in the mosquito Aedes albopictus in Hong Kong |
| title_full | Infection patterns of dengue, Zika and endosymbiont Wolbachia in the mosquito Aedes albopictus in Hong Kong |
| title_fullStr | Infection patterns of dengue, Zika and endosymbiont Wolbachia in the mosquito Aedes albopictus in Hong Kong |
| title_full_unstemmed | Infection patterns of dengue, Zika and endosymbiont Wolbachia in the mosquito Aedes albopictus in Hong Kong |
| title_short | Infection patterns of dengue, Zika and endosymbiont Wolbachia in the mosquito Aedes albopictus in Hong Kong |
| title_sort | infection patterns of dengue zika and endosymbiont wolbachia in the mosquito aedes albopictus in hong kong |
| topic | Aedes Dengue Mosquito Wolbachia Zika |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-020-04231-x |
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