Zika virus can be venereally transmitted between Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

Authors :: Campos SS
Fernandes RS
Dos Santos AAC
de Miranda RM
Telleria EL
Ferreira-de-Brito A
de Castro MG
Failloux AB
Bonaldo MC
Lourenço-de-Oliveira R
Source :: Parasites & vectors [Parasit Vectors] 2017 Dec 15; Vol. 10 (1), pp. 605. Date of Electronic Publication: 2017 Dec 15.
Publication Year :: 2017
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.<br />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.<br />Conclusion: We conclude that venereal transmission between Aedes mosquitoes might contribute to Zika virus maintenance in nature.