Zika virus can be venereally transmitted between Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

ABSTRACT:

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.

SUBMITTER: Campos SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5731190 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature