Mapping kdr genotypes in Arizona populations of Aedes aegypti

Abstract: The Aedes aegypti mosquito is infamously known to transmit pathogenic viruses including Zika (ZIKV), Dengue (DENV), and Chikungunya (CHIKV). While mosquito surveillance efforts in Maricopa County have not detected local circulation of these pathogens, sporadic outbreaks of Dengue and Zika virus in the border region are cause for concern. The lack of local circulation in Arizona, despite a long-established competent vector, has led us to wonder if there are mechanisms in place that may inhibit local circulation.

In this project, we screened over 100 mosquito pools that were geographically distributed throughout the 25 vector districts of Maricopa County using a pan-flavivirus assay optimized for next-generation amplicon sequencing purposes. Although we did not detect flaviviruses that are pathogenic to humans, we found 35 pools positive for the presence of a novel and uncharacterized flavivirus. As of September 2022, there are 21 known flaviviruses thought to only infect insect hosts, including mosquitoes, ticks, and sandflies. A growing body of research suggesting that insect-specific flaviviruses may competitively inhibit their pathogenic counterparts. This project represents an effort to learn more about an insect-specific flavivirus that could influence Ae. aegypti-vectored viruses of concern.