The Extrinsic Incubation Period of Zika Virus in Florida Mosquitoes <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Ae. albopictus</i>
The Asian genotype of Zika virus (ZIKV) emerged in Brazil in 2015 and subsequently spread throughout the Americas. In July 2016, Florida experienced its first locally acquired ZIKV infection in the continental U.S. Concerns about health risks from ZIKV infection have increased the need to investigat...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/10/1252 |
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| author | Rebecca A. Zimler Barry W. Alto |
| author_facet | Rebecca A. Zimler Barry W. Alto |
| author_sort | Rebecca A. Zimler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Asian genotype of Zika virus (ZIKV) emerged in Brazil in 2015 and subsequently spread throughout the Americas. In July 2016, Florida experienced its first locally acquired ZIKV infection in the continental U.S. Concerns about health risks from ZIKV infection have increased the need to investigate the interactions between potential mosquito vectors and ZIKV. The time it takes for an arbovirus to propagate within a mosquito, and become transmissible, is the extrinsic incubation period (EIP). The EIP for potential mosquito vectors in Florida is unknown. To address this gap in the understanding of ZIKV epidemiology, Florida <i>Aedes aegypti</i> (L.) and <i>Ae. albopictus</i> (Skuse) were orally exposed to ZIKV infected blood meals and fully engorged mosquitoes were held at a constant temperature of 28 °C through the duration of the experiment. Saliva expectorates were collected from cohorts of mosquitoes and tested for the presence of ZIKV at three-day intervals over a period of 24 days to allow for an evaluation of the EIP of the emergent Asian lineage of ZIKV. High rates of infected bodies in <i>Ae. albopictus</i> (75–94%) and <i>Ae. aegypti</i> (68–86%) were observed throughout the incubation period, which did not differ by species. Higher rates of disseminated infection were observed later during the incubation period but did not differ between species. We calculated the 50% EIP to be shorter in <i>Ae. albopictus</i> than <i>Ae. aegypti</i> (16.2 and 18.2 days post infection, respectively). The competence for ZIKV observed in both species may contribute to high rates of ZIKV transmission in Florida populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:17:37Z |
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| id | doaj.art-d1aaf98b789743cbb82b19a0217e4047 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:17:37Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-d1aaf98b789743cbb82b19a0217e40472023-11-22T19:33:02ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172021-09-011010125210.3390/pathogens10101252The Extrinsic Incubation Period of Zika Virus in Florida Mosquitoes <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Ae. albopictus</i>Rebecca A. Zimler0Barry W. Alto1Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Entomology and Nematology Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, 200 9th St. S.E., Vero Beach, FL 32962, USAFlorida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Entomology and Nematology Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, 200 9th St. S.E., Vero Beach, FL 32962, USAThe Asian genotype of Zika virus (ZIKV) emerged in Brazil in 2015 and subsequently spread throughout the Americas. In July 2016, Florida experienced its first locally acquired ZIKV infection in the continental U.S. Concerns about health risks from ZIKV infection have increased the need to investigate the interactions between potential mosquito vectors and ZIKV. The time it takes for an arbovirus to propagate within a mosquito, and become transmissible, is the extrinsic incubation period (EIP). The EIP for potential mosquito vectors in Florida is unknown. To address this gap in the understanding of ZIKV epidemiology, Florida <i>Aedes aegypti</i> (L.) and <i>Ae. albopictus</i> (Skuse) were orally exposed to ZIKV infected blood meals and fully engorged mosquitoes were held at a constant temperature of 28 °C through the duration of the experiment. Saliva expectorates were collected from cohorts of mosquitoes and tested for the presence of ZIKV at three-day intervals over a period of 24 days to allow for an evaluation of the EIP of the emergent Asian lineage of ZIKV. High rates of infected bodies in <i>Ae. albopictus</i> (75–94%) and <i>Ae. aegypti</i> (68–86%) were observed throughout the incubation period, which did not differ by species. Higher rates of disseminated infection were observed later during the incubation period but did not differ between species. We calculated the 50% EIP to be shorter in <i>Ae. albopictus</i> than <i>Ae. aegypti</i> (16.2 and 18.2 days post infection, respectively). The competence for ZIKV observed in both species may contribute to high rates of ZIKV transmission in Florida populations.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/10/1252arbovirus mosquito vectorsemerging pathogenZika virus infection |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca A. Zimler Barry W. Alto The Extrinsic Incubation Period of Zika Virus in Florida Mosquitoes <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Ae. albopictus</i> Pathogens arbovirus mosquito vectors emerging pathogen Zika virus infection |
| title | The Extrinsic Incubation Period of Zika Virus in Florida Mosquitoes <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Ae. albopictus</i> |
| title_full | The Extrinsic Incubation Period of Zika Virus in Florida Mosquitoes <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Ae. albopictus</i> |
| title_fullStr | The Extrinsic Incubation Period of Zika Virus in Florida Mosquitoes <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Ae. albopictus</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Extrinsic Incubation Period of Zika Virus in Florida Mosquitoes <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Ae. albopictus</i> |
| title_short | The Extrinsic Incubation Period of Zika Virus in Florida Mosquitoes <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Ae. albopictus</i> |
| title_sort | extrinsic incubation period of zika virus in florida mosquitoes i aedes aegypti i and i ae albopictus i |
| topic | arbovirus mosquito vectors emerging pathogen Zika virus infection |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/10/1252 |
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