Molecular detection of arboviruses in culicidae in some sites of Côte d’Ivoire

An upsurge in the cases of some arboviruses (dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya and zika) has recently been reported in Côte d’Ivoire. These arthropod-borne diseases are mostly transmitted by several species of Culicidae of the genus Aedes (Ae). The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of arboviruses in Culicidae in Côte d’Ivoire. This study was conducted in Côte d’Ivoire from 2018 to 2019 in ten sites grouped under primary (human settlement areas) and secondary (forest zones) sites. The collection of Culicidae was conducted using oviposition traps (ovitraps), larval mosquito collections, trapping under a double mosquito net and aspiration. Subsequently, monospecific mosquito pools were made and sent to the Pasteur Institute in Côte d’Ivoire to identify the viral genomes of arboviruses using the real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (rt-qPCR). The following Culicidae were identified: Ae. aegypti, Ae. africanus, Ae. luteocephalus, Ae. opok, Ae. simpsoni, Ae. metallicus, Ae. vittatus, Eretmapodites (Er) chrisogaster and Er. quinquevittatus. In total, 4,813 Culicidae divided into 686 monospecific pools were obtained from the study sites. Two pools of females of the species Ae. aegypti from surveys of breeding sites tested positive for dengue 2 and amaril viruses. These mosquitoes that tested positive were collected from Vapleu and Tron Touba sites. The presence of arboviruses and their vectors constitute a significant health risk for the human populations living in these sites. The findings of this study are useful for the development of an entomo-epidemiological surveillance program and for the planning of effective and sustainable vector control strategies.