Aedes albopictus in Lebanon, a potential risk of arboviruses outbreak

BMC Infect Dis. 2012 Nov 14:12:300. doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-12-300.

Abstract

Background: The mosquito Aedes albopictus is undergoing a worldwide expansion with potential consequences on transmission of various arboviruses. This species has been first detected in Lebanon in 2003.

Methods: We performed a phylogenetic study of Lebanese specimens and assessed their host preference by detecting human, cat, dog and chicken immunoglobulins in mosquito blood-meals. Their capacity to transmit arboviruses was investigated by providing infectious blood-meals using an artificial feeding system followed by detection of viral particles in mosquito saliva.

Results: Our results suggest that Lebanese strains are part of the recent wave of Ae. albopictus expansion and are related to some European, African and North American strains. They exhibited a host preference towards humans and an important capacity to transmit arboviruses. Indeed, we showed that Ae. albopictus was able to transmit chikungunya (CHIKV), dengue (DENV) and West-Nile (WNV) viruses. At day 10 after an infectious blood-meal at a titer of 108 MID50/ml, 30% of mosquitoes delivered an average of 515 ± 781 viral particles of CHIKV in saliva collected using a forced salivation technique and 55% with an average of 245 ± 304 viral particles when infected with WNV. Whereas DENV was not found in saliva at day 10 post-infection (pi), an average of 174 ± 455 viral particles was detected in 38.1% of mosquitoes tested at day 21 after an infectious blood-meal at a higher titer of 109 MID50/ml.

Conclusion: These observations suggest that Ae. albopictus around Beirut is a potential vector of the three tested arboviruses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aedes / classification
  • Aedes / genetics
  • Aedes / physiology*
  • Aedes / virology*
  • Animals
  • Arbovirus Infections / transmission
  • Arboviruses / isolation & purification*
  • Cats
  • Chickens
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Disease Vectors*
  • Dogs
  • Feeding Behavior*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lebanon
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Risk Assessment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Associated data

  • GENBANK/JX912500
  • GENBANK/JX912501
  • GENBANK/JX912502