Vector competence of Aedes albopictus for the Indian Ocean lineage (IOL) chikungunya viruses of the 2007 and 2017 outbreaks in Italy: a comparison between strains with and without the E1:A226V mutation

Euro Surveill. 2018 May;23(22):1800246. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.22.1800246.

Abstract

We compared the vector competence of an Italian population of Aedes albopictus for two strains of chikungunya virus (CHIKV), with and without E1:A226V mutation, responsible for outbreaks in 2007 in the Emilia Romagna region and 2017 in the Lazio and Calabria regions, respectively. Ae. albopictus showed similar vector competence for both viral strains indicating that E1:A226V mutation is not exclusively responsible for ability of CHIKV to replicate well in this mosquito species.

Keywords: Aedes albopictus; Chikungunya virus; E1:A226V mutation; Italian outbreak; vector competence.

MeSH terms

  • Aedes / physiology
  • Aedes / virology*
  • Alphavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Alphavirus Infections / transmission*
  • Animals
  • Chikungunya Fever / diagnosis
  • Chikungunya Fever / epidemiology
  • Chikungunya Fever / virology*
  • Chikungunya virus / genetics*
  • Chikungunya virus / isolation & purification
  • Chikungunya virus / pathogenicity*
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Disease Vectors
  • Humans
  • Indian Ocean
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Mosquito Vectors / physiology
  • Mosquito Vectors / virology*
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • RNA, Viral