Refractoriness of Indian Aedes aegypti to Oral Infection with Yellow Fever Virus 17D Strain

Paban Kumar Dash; Ankita Agarwal; Devanathan Sukumaran; Manmohan Parida

doi:10.14429/dlsj.1.10740

Paban Kumar Dash Division of Virology, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior
Ankita Agarwal Division of Virology, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior
Devanathan Sukumaran Vector Management Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior
Manmohan Parida Division of Virology, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14429/dlsj.1.10740

Keywords: Yellow fever 17D vaccine strain, Aedes aegypti, vector competence, India

Abstract

Yellow fever virus (YFV) is the causative agent of yellow fever. It is one of the most important hemorrhagic arboviral infection of global public health significance. It is categorised under category ‘C’ of potential bioterrorism agent. Effect of geographical variation on vector competence in Ae. aegypti has been well documented for several viruses including YFV. In the present study, the vector competence of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes collected from Gwalior, India for YFV 17D vaccine strain was evaluated to understand the risk of its transmission. Further the risk associated with transmission of YFV 17D vaccine strain from viremic vaccinees to mosquitoes and subsequently to naive individuals was assessed. Ae. aegypti were orally infected with high titer of YFV 17D strain and the infection status was investigated at 7 and 14 day post infection (dpi) using a highly sensitive quantitative RT-PCR assay. None of the Ae. aegypti mosquito orally infected with YFV 17D strain was found to be positive for YFV. The infection rate was found to be zero per cent at both 7 dpi and 14 dpi. These results demonstrated the inability of the YFV 17D strain to cause infection or replication in the midgut of Ae. aegypti. Due to the highly attenuated replication of this strain in Ae. aegypti midgut, there is a minimal risk of its transmission. Further, it is unlikely for a mosquito that feeds on a viremic vaccine to get infected with this vaccine strain. The risk of transmission of YFV 17D strain by Indian Ae. aegypti mosquitoes is negligible. Further vector competence study using epidemic strain of YFV will aid in risk assessment analysis of YFV in India.

Author Biographies

Paban Kumar Dash, Division of Virology, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior

Dr Paban Kumar Dash received his MVSc (Virology) from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteshwar, India and PhD in Microbiology from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India. He is currently working as a Scientist ‘F’ at Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior, India. He has published more than 50 articles in international journals. His research is mainly focussed on evolutionary studies on emerging viruses and development of molecular and immunological detection technologies against viruses of biothreat and public health importance. His other interest includes research on mosquito-virus interaction to understand transmission profile of various arboviruses.

Ankita Agarwal, Division of Virology, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior

Ms Ankita Agarwal received her MSc (Biotechnology) from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India and currently pursuing her PhD in Biological Sciences from Bharathiar Universty, Coimbatore, India. She is currently working as Senior research fellow at Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior, India. She has published more than 10 articles in international journals. Her research is mainly focussed on virus-vector-host interactions including vector competence of Chikungunya virus mutants, horizontal and vertical transmission of Chikungunya virus in Aedes mosquitoes

Devanathan Sukumaran, Vector Management Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior

Dr D. Sukumaran obtained his MSc (Zoology) from Madras Christian College, Chennai and PhD in Zoology from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India. He is currently working as a Scientist ‘F’ and Head, Vector Management Division at Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior. He has published more than 40 articles in international journals. His research focussses on development of newer insect repellents and molecules for control/management of arthropod vectors, Surveillance and preparation of a databank on arthropod vectors of defence importance along the northern western border of India. He has made significant contributions in development of improved lethal ovi-larvicidal ovitraps for mosquitoes, personal protective measures for Indian Armed forces using repellent textiles and traps.

Manmohan Parida, Division of Virology, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior

Dr Manmohan Parida obtained his MVSc (Veterinary Virology) from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar and PhD in Microbiology from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India. He is currently working as a Scientist ‘G’ and Head, Virology Division, at Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior. He has published more than 100 articles in international journals. He has made significant contributions in the field of advanced molecular diagnostics, molecular epidemiology, protective efficacy of new generation of vaccine and antiviral therapeutics for control of emerging viruses of biomedical importance. He has successfully developed RTLAMP technology as an alternate indigenous technology to CDC RTPCR for diagnosis of Swine Flu.