Transmisión vertical de virus dengue en Aedes spp. (Diptera: Culicidae) en Medellín, Colombia

Abstract

RESUMEN: El dengue es la arbovirosis más importante en salud pública. Es transmitido por la picadura de mosquitos hembras de Aedes spp., que se infectan de manera horizontal al ingerir sangre de una persona virémica. Sin embargo, numerosos estudios han identificado la transmisión vertical como otro mecanismo de infección vectorial. Con el propósito de analizar la ocurrencia de transmisión vertical del virus dengue por mosquitos Aedes, se recolectaron mosquitos adultos en viviendas y otras locaciones durante los levantamientos de índices entomológicos realizados por la Secretaría de Salud de Medellín en los años 2016 (epidémico) y 2017 (endémico). Los ejemplares se identificaron y conformaron pools para la detección viral por RT-PCR. En total se recolectaron 6.708 mosquitos, donde, el 96 % y 4 % correspondieron a Ae. aegypti y Ae. albopictus, respectivamente. De los 2.211 pools conformados, 294 resultaron positivos para virus dengue, y 50 de estos correspondieron exclusivamente a machos de Aedes spp. Tanto para el año epidémico como endémico, se registró transmisión vertical, pero fue más frecuente en el 2016. Se observó transmisión vertical en todos los sectores de la ciudad, sin un patrón definido. La presencia de machos Aedes spp. infectados naturalmente con virus dengue sugiere que la transmisión vertical es un evento más frecuente de lo que se consideraba, y podría comprender una mayor relevancia epidemiológica. Estudios adicionales para verificar la capacidad de infección del virus detectado en mosquitos machos y precisar el papel de la transmisión vertical en la incidencia de dengue se hacen necesarios. ABSTRACT: Dengue is the world’s most important arbovirus. It is transmitted by the bite of females Aedes spp. mosquitoes, which normally become infected by biting a viraemic host. There are, however, numerous studies that have identified vertical transmission as a rare yet important mechanism of vector infection. This study was conducted in order to quantify the occurrence of vertical transmission of dengue virus in Aedes mosquitoes collected by the Secretary of Health in Medellin, Colombia in 2016 (epidemic year) and 2017 (endemic year). Specimens were identified to species and tested for dengue in pools by RT-PCR. A total of 6,708 mosquitoes were collected; 96 % were Ae. aegypti, and 4 % were Ae. Albopictus. 294 of 2,211 pools tested were positive for dengue virus, and 50 of the positive pools were exclusively male mosquitoes. For both epidemic and the endemic years, vertical transmission was detected, though it was more frequent in 2016. Vertical transmission was observed in mosquitoes collected from all sectors of the city, without a distinct spatial pattern. Our results suggest that vertical transmission is a more frequent event with greater epidemiological relevance than previously estimated. Additional studies are required to verify the infectivity of the virus detected in male mosquitoes and to specify the role of vertical transmission in the incidence of dengue virus.

ABSTRACT: Dengue is the world’s most important arbovirus. It is transmitted by the bite of females Aedes spp. mosquitoes, which normally become infected by biting a viraemic host. There are, however, numerous studies that have identified vertical transmission as a rare yet important mechanism of vector infection. This study was conducted in order to quantify the occurrence of vertical transmission of dengue virus in Aedes mosquitoes collected by the Secretary of Health in Medellin, Colombia in 2016 (epidemic year) and 2017 (endemic year). Specimens were identified to species and tested for dengue in pools by RT-PCR. A total of 6,708 mosquitoes were collected; 96 % were Ae. aegypti, and 4 % were Ae. Albopictus. 294 of 2,211 pools tested were positive for dengue virus, and 50 of the positive pools were exclusively male mosquitoes. For both epidemic and the endemic years, vertical transmission was detected, though it was more frequent in 2016. Vertical transmission was observed in mosquitoes collected from all sectors of the city, without a distinct spatial pattern. Our results suggest that vertical transmission is a more frequent event with greater epidemiological relevance than previously estimated. Additional studies are required to verify the infectivity of the virus detected in male mosquitoes and to specify the role of vertical transmission in the incidence of dengue virus.