Evaluating vector competence for Yellow fever in the Caribbean.

The mosquito-borne disease, Yellow fever (YF), has been largely controlled via mass delivery of an effective vaccine and mosquito control interventions. However, there are warning signs that YF is re-emerging in both Sub-Saharan Africa and South America. Imported from Africa in slave ships, YF was responsible for devastating outbreaks in the Caribbean. In Martinique, the last YF outbreak was reported in 1908 and the mosquito Aedes aegypti was incriminated as the main vector. We evaluated the vector competence of fifteen Ae. aegypti populations for five YFV genotypes (Bolivia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan, and Uganda). Here we show that mosquito populations from the Caribbean and the Americas were able to transmit the five YFV genotypes, with YFV strains for Uganda and Bolivia having higher transmission success. We also observed that Ae. aegypti populations from Martinique were more susceptible to YFV infection than other populations from neighboring Caribbean islands, as well as North and South America. Our vector competence data suggest that the threat of re-emergence of YF in Martinique and the subsequent spread to Caribbean nations and beyond is plausible.

First detection of dengue and chikungunya viruses in natural populations of Aedes aegypti in Martinique during the 2013 - 2015 concomitant outbreak.

Dengue and chikungunya viruses are transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. In Martinique, an island of the French West Indies, Aedes aegypti is the suspected vector of both arboviruses; there is no Aedes albopictus on the island. During the concomitant outbreak of 2013 - 2015, the authors collected wild A. aegypti populations, and for the first time, detected dengue and chikungunya viruses in field-collected females. This paper demonstrates the mosquito's role in transmission of both dengue and chikungunya on the island, and also highlights a tool that public health authorities can use for preventing outbreaks.

First detection of dengue and chikungunya viruses in natural populations of Aedes aegypti in Martinique during the 2013 - 2015 concomitant outbreak / Primera detección del virus del dengue y del chikungunya en poblaciones naturales de aedes aegypti en martinica durante el brote concomitante del 2013 al 2015

ABSTRACT Dengue and chikungunya viruses are transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. In Martinique, an island of the French West Indies, Aedes aegypti is the suspected vector of both arboviruses; there is no Aedes albopictus on the island. During the concomitant outbreak of 2013 - 2015, the authors collected wild A. aegypti populations, and for the first time, detected dengue and chikungunya viruses in field-collected females. This paper demonstrates the mosquito's role in transmission of both dengue and chikungunya on the island, and also highlights a tool that public health authorities can use for preventing outbreaks.(AU)

RESUMEN Los virus del dengue y del chikungunya se transmiten a través de los mosquitos del género Aedes. Se da por supuesto que en Martinica, en las Antillas francesas, Aedes aegypti es el vector de ambos arbovirus, puesto que en la isla no hay Aedes albopictus. Durante el brote concomitante del 2013 al 2015, los autores recogieron muestras de poblaciones salvajes de A. aegypti y, por primera vez, detectaron virus del dengue y del chikungunya en las hembras obtenidas en el terreno. En el presente artículo se demuestra que el mosquito actúa en la isla como transmisor tanto del dengue como del chikungunya y se describe, además, una herramienta que las autoridades de salud pública pueden utilizar para prevenir los brotes.(AU)

Increasing Role of Roof Gutters as Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Breeding Sites in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) and Consequences on Dengue Transmission and Vector Control.

During the past ten years, the islands of Guadeloupe (French West Indies) are facing dengue epidemics with increasing numbers of cases and fatal occurrences. The vector Aedes aegypti is submitted to intensive control, with little effect on mosquito populations. The hypothesis that important Ae. aegypti breeding sites are not controlled is investigated herein. For that purpose, the roof gutters of 123 houses were systematically investigated, and the percentage of gutters positive for Ae. aegypti varied from 17.2% to 37.5%, from humid to dry locations. In the dryer location, most of houses had no other breeding sites. The results show that roof gutters are becoming the most important Ae. aegypti breeding sites in some locations in Guadeloupe, with consequences on dengue transmission and vector control.