Zika virus can be venereally transmitted between Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

Stéphanie Silva Campos (1) , Rosilainy Surubi Fernandes (1) , Alexandre Araujo Cunha dos Santo (2) , Rafaella Moraes de Miranda (1) , Erich Loza Telleria (3) , Anielly Ferreira-De-Brito (1) , Marcia Gonçalves de Castro (1) , Anna-Bella Failloux (4) , Myrna C Bonaldo (2) , Ricardo Lourenço-De-Oliveira (1)

1 Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários [Rio de Janeiro]
2 Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Flavivírus [Rio de Janeiro]
3 Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitos e Vetores [Rio de Janeiro]
4 Arbovirus et Insectes Vecteurs - Arboviruses and Insect Vectors

Background: Alternative transmission routes have been described for Zika virus (ZIKV). Here, we assessed for the first time the venereal transmission of ZIKV between Aedes aegypti under laboratory conditions. Results: Orally-infected mosquito females were able to transmit the virus to males venereally, and males inoculated intrathoracically were capable of infecting females during mating. The genome of venereally-transmitted virus recovered from males was identical to that of ZIKV ingested by mated females. Conclusion: We conclude that venereal transmission between Aedes mosquitoes might contribute to Zika virus maintenance in nature.

Keywords: Aedes aegypti; Venereal transmission; Zika virus

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Microbiology and Parasitology; Virology

Stéphanie Silva Campos, Rosilainy Surubi Fernandes, Alexandre Araujo Cunha dos Santo, Rafaella Moraes de Miranda, Erich Loza Telleria, et al.. Zika virus can be venereally transmitted between Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.. Parasites & Vectors, 2017, 10 (1), pp.605. ⟨10.1186/s13071-017-2543-4⟩. ⟨pasteur-01677765⟩