Potential of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) to transmit yellow fever virus in urban areas in Central Africa

Basile Kamgang (1) , Marie Vazeille (2) , Aurélie P Yougang (1, 3) , Armel N Tedjou (1, 3) , Theodel A Wilson-Bahun (1, 4) , Laurence Mousson (2) , Charles S Wondji (1, 5) , Anna-Bella Failloux (2)

1 CRID - Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases [Yaoundé]
2 Arbovirus et Insectes Vecteurs - Arboviruses and Insect Vectors
3 UY1 - Université de Yaoundé I
4 umng - University Marien Ngouabi of Brazzaville
5 LSTM - Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Yellow Fever (YF) remains a major public health issue in Sub-Saharan Africa and South America, despite the availability of an effective vaccine. In Africa, most YF outbreaks are reported in West Africa. However, urban outbreaks occurred in 2016 in both Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and imported cases were reported in Chinese workers coming back from Africa. In Central Africa, Cameroon and the Republic of Congo host a high proportion of non-vaccinated populations increasing the risk of urban outbreaks. The main vector is Aedes aegypti and possibly, Aedes albopictus, both being anthropophilic and domestic mosquitoes. Here, we provide evidence that both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus in Cameroon and the Republic of Congo are able to transmit Yellow fever virus (YFV) with higher rates of infection, dissemination, and transmission for Ae. aegypti. We conclude that the potential of both Aedes species to transmit YFV could increase the risk of urban YF transmission and urge public health authorities to intensify their efforts to control domestic vectors, and extend vaccine coverage to prevent major YFV outbreak.

Mots clés: Aedes aegypti; Aedes albopictus; Central Africa; vector competence; yellow fever virus

Domaines: Virologie

Basile Kamgang, Marie Vazeille, Aurélie P Yougang, Armel N Tedjou, Theodel A Wilson-Bahun, et al.. Potential of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) to transmit yellow fever virus in urban areas in Central Africa. Emerging microbes & infections, 2019, 8 (1), pp.1636-1641. ⟨10.1080/22221751.2019.1688097⟩. ⟨pasteur-02388953⟩