title: Evidence of experimental vertical transmission of emerging novel ECSA genotype of Chikungunya Virus in Aedes aegypti.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has emerged as one of the most important arboviruses of public health significance in the past decade. The virus is mainly maintained through human-mosquito-human cycle. Other routes of transmission and the mechanism of maintenance of the virus in nature are not clearly known. Vertical transmission may be a mechanism of sustaining the virus during inter-epidemic periods. Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine whether Aedes aegypti, a principal vector, is capable of vertically transmitting CHIKV or not.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Female Ae. aegypti were orally infected with a novel ECSA genotype of CHIKV in the 2nd gonotrophic cycle. On day 10 post infection, a non-infectious blood meal was provided to obtain another cycle of eggs. Larvae and adults developed from the eggs obtained following both infectious and non-infectious blood meal were tested for the presence of CHIKV specific RNA through real time RT-PCR. The results revealed that the larvae and adults developed from eggs derived from the infectious blood meal (2nd gonotrophic cycle) were negative for CHIKV RNA. However, the larvae and adults developed after subsequent non-infectious blood meal (3rd gonotrophic cycle) were positive with minimum filial infection rates of 28.2 (1∶35.5) and 20.2 (1∶49.5) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is the first to confirm experimental vertical transmission of emerging novel ECSA genotype of CHIKV in Ae. aegypti from India, indicating the possibilities of occurrence of this phenomenon in nature. This evidence may have important consequence for survival of CHIKV during adverse climatic conditions and inter-epidemic periods.
authors: Division of Virology, Defence R and D Establishment, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors: Ankita
authors: A
authors: Agarwal
authors: Division of Virology, Defence R and D Establishment, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors: Paban Kumar
authors: PK
authors: Dash
authors: Division of Vector Management, Defence R and D Establishment, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors: Anil Kumar
authors: AK
authors: Singh
authors: Division of Virology, Defence R and D Establishment, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors: Shashi
authors: S
authors: Sharma
authors: Division of Vector Management, Defence R and D Establishment, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors: Natarajan
authors: N
authors: Gopalan
authors: Division of Virology, Defence R and D Establishment, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors: Putcha Venkata Lakshmana
authors: PV
authors: Rao
authors: Division of Virology, Defence R and D Establishment, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors: Man Mohan
authors: MM
authors: Parida
authors: Insects and Infectious Disease Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Reiter
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D002646:Chikungunya virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D007194:India; D007303:Insect Vectors; D007814:Larva / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011817:Rabbits; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral