Aedes aegypti and Aedes africanus are known vectors of Zika virus. What about Aedes albopictus?
Dear Sumodan,
There are some comments on this topic from another Research Gate post that you may find helpful.
https://www.researchgate.net/post/Is_Aedes_albopictus_a_competent_vector_of_Zika_virus_in_regions_recently_colonized_by_this_mosquito
All species in Stegomyia group are capable vector - genetic endowment. I will not rule out Culex and Anopheles species for not transmitting virus. We do not know enough of the genomic interaction of pathogen and vector.
Certainly where Zika is rampant , keen worker are testing other mosquito species. Someday we will see a report. Zika has not reached the Indian sub-continent. Be prepared to face it or take action before it strike.
Dear Sumodan,
Aedes albopictus was the primary vector in the important 2007 outbreak of Zika virus in Gabon (see attached paper below). It was based largely on this that I predicted the movement of Zika into the Americas and Europe. My initial warnings were made in 2014, about the time I started the discussion on ResearchGate cited above by Quirine. Of course, Zika did reach the Americas a little more than a year later, and still could come into Europe. Below, I've attached a review where I discussed the generalities of invasive mosquitoes, including Ae. albopictus, though I did not specifically refer to Zika in that article. Last year, I did mention Zika specifically in a paper on infections of international adoptees and refugees, but in that paper I did not specifically address Ae. albopictus as a vector. In any case, Ae. albopictus is a competent and proven vector that has played a major role in actual outbreaks. Whether it can do so in more temperate climates remains to be seen.
Best wishes,
Bruce
Article Zika Virus in Gabon (Central Africa) - 2007: A New Threat fr...
Article Aquatic invasive species and emerging infectious disease thr...
Article Importation and Transmission of Parasitic and Other Infectio...
Thank you so much for your important inputs. What I don't understand is why it is still referred to as potential vectors.
Transmission experiment is not ethical and not absolutely necessary too. If you have Zika cases around in the absence of Aedes aegypti but in presence of Aedes albopictus and you are isolating the virus from them, it is enough evidence to say Aedes albopictus is a vector.
May be you can go for transmission experiments only if you have more than one suspected vector.
All interesting points. Even for Zika virus it is possible to conduct transmission experiments with mice or even in vitro experiments by merely collecting saliva from virus-exposed mosquitoes. We do NOT use humans in vector competence studies! We do not always know all of the species present in an area (the method of trapping greatly influences the species actually captured, not which species are actually present), and the genetics of the local population of mosquitoes can have a significant effect on their ability to serve as a vector. Perhaps even more importantly, feeding habits of the mosquito are critical to their role as a vector. Culex mosquitoes, while they feed on humans, generally take their blood meals from other animals, in many cases bird species. As such, they tend to be important vectors zoonotic viruses, such as members of the Japanese encephalitis complex (e.g., St. Louis encephalitis, West Nile virus, and Japanese encephalitis virus). On the other hand, Ae. aegypti (and other members of the Stegomyia) tend to be much more important vectors of anthroponoses (diseases where humans are the source of infection) (e.g., dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika viruses). Ae. albopictus is an interesting case. It has been associated with large outbreaks of both Zika and chikungunya viruses, but normally is too general a feeder (i.e., it does not appear to have a strong preference for humans as does Ae. aegypti) to be a major vector (unless there is a lack of other blood sources). The simple answer to the initial question is, "Yes, Ae. albopictus is a proven vector of Zika virus." That is not the right question to ask. The real question is "How important a vector of Zika virus is Ae. albopictus?" Unfortunately, we still don't know the answer to that one.
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