Increased threat of urban arboviral diseases from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Colombia

IJID Reg. 2024 Mar 22:11:100360. doi: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2024.100360. eCollection 2024 Jun.

Abstract

Objectives: Our study targets the potential of the local urban mosquito Aedes aegypti to experimentally transmit chikungunya virus (CHIKV), dengue virus (DENV), yellow fever virus (YFV), and Zika virus (ZIKV).

Methods: We collected eggs and adults of Ae. aegypti in Medellín, Colombia (from February to March 2020) for mosquito experimental infections with DENV, CHIKV, YFV and ZIKV and viral detection using the BioMark Dynamic arrays system.

Results: We show that Ae. aegypti from Medellín was more prone to become infected, to disseminate and transmit CHIKV and ZIKV than DENV and YFV.

Conclusions: Thus, in Colombia, chikungunya is the most serious threat to public health based on our vector competence data.

Keywords: Aarbovirus; Aedes aegypti; Colombia; Vector competence.