Authors: Kennedy Makola Mbanzulu, Roger Wumba, Jean-Pierre Kambala Mukendi, Josu´e Kikana Zanga, Fortunate Shija, Thierry Lengu Bobanga, Michel Ntetani Aloni, Gerald Misinzo
PII: S1201-9712(17)30019-X
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2017.01.016
Reference: IJID 2841
Abstract
Background: Mosquito-borne viruses are among the most important emerging diseases that threaten human and animal health, particularly in Africa. However, little attention is paid to these diseases in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Objectives: The present cross sectional study was undertaken between March and May 2014 in order to investigate presence of mosquito-borne viruses in mosquitoes collected from five municipalities of Kinshasa, DRC.
Methods: Mosquitoes were collected using BG-sentinel traps and battery-powered aspirators.
Female mosquitoes were pooled according to their genera and sampling locations, preserved in RNAlater and afterwards screened for viruses using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays.
Results: A total of 2,922 mosquitoes were collected and 29 pools of female mosquitoes,
containing approximately 30 mosquitoes each, were tested. Twelve out of 29 (41.4%) mosquito pools were found infected with at least one arbovirus, with 8 (27.5%), 9 (31%) and 5 (17.2%) pools being positive for alphavirus, flavivirus and bunyavirus, respectively. Chikungunya, o’nyong’nyong and Rift valley fever viruses were detected.
Conclusions: The present study shows that mosquitoes of Kinshasa carry mosquito-borne viruses that may have serious public health implications. Further investigations on presence of mosquitoborne viruses in human and livestock populations of Kinshasa and DRC are recommended.
Keywords: Mosquitoes, Mosquito-borne viruses, Arboviruses, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
