Population genetics of two key mosquito vectors of Rift Valley fever virus reveals new insights into the changing disease outbreak patterns in Kenya

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dc.contributor.author Tchouassi, David Poumo
dc.contributor.author Bastos, Armanda D.S.
dc.contributor.author Sole, Catherine L.
dc.contributor.author Diallo, Mawlouth
dc.contributor.author Lutomiah, Joel
dc.contributor.author Mutisya, James
dc.contributor.author Mulwa, Francis
dc.contributor.author Borgemeister, Christian
dc.contributor.author Sang, Rosemary
dc.contributor.author Torto, Baldwyn
dc.date.accessioned 2015-02-06T06:44:30Z
dc.date.available 2015-02-06T06:44:30Z
dc.date.issued 2014-12
dc.description.abstract Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreaks in Kenya have increased in frequency and range to include northeastern Kenya where viruses are increasingly being isolated from known (Aedes mcintoshi) and newly-associated (Ae. ochraceus) vectors. The factors contributing to these changing outbreak patterns are unclear and the population genetic structure of key vectors and/or specific virus-vector associations, in particular, are under-studied. By conducting mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses on >220 Kenyan specimens of Ae. mcintoshi and Ae. ochraceus, we uncovered high levels of vector complexity which may partly explain the disease outbreak pattern. Results indicate that Ae. mcintoshi consists of a species complex with one of the member species being unique to the newly-established RVF outbreak-prone northeastern region of Kenya, whereas Ae. ochraceus is a homogeneous population that appears to be undergoing expansion. Characterization of specimens from a RVF-prone site in Senegal, where Ae. ochraceus is a primary vector, revealed direct genetic links between the two Ae. ochraceus populations from both countries. Our data strongly suggest that unlike Ae. mcintoshi, Ae. ochraceus appears to be a relatively recent, single 'introduction' into Kenya. These results, together with increasing isolations from this vector, indicate that Ae. ochraceus will likely be of greater epidemiological importance in future RVF outbreaks in Kenya. Furthermore, the overall vector complexity calls into question the feasibility of mosquito population control approaches reliant on genetic modification. en_ZA
dc.description.librarian hb2015 en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorship The support through a scholarship to DPT by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is greatly acknowledged. The Arbovirus Incidence and Diversity (AVID) Project consortium is gratefully acknowledged. This project received financial support from Google.org, the Philanthropic arm of Google, through icipe as the host institute. en_ZA
dc.description.uri http://www.plosntds.org en_ZA
dc.identifier.citation Tchouassi, DP, Bastos, ADS, Sole, CL, Diallo, M, Lutomiah, J, Mutisya, J, Mulwa, F, Borgemeister, C, Sang, R & Torto, B 2014, 'Population genetics of two key mosquito vectors of Rift Valley fever virus reveals new insights into the changing disease outbreak patterns in Kenya', PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 8, no. 12, art. e3364, pp. 1-12. en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn 1935-2727 (print)
dc.identifier.issn 1935-2735 (online)
dc.identifier.other 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003364
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/43568
dc.language.iso en en_ZA
dc.publisher Public Library of Science en_ZA
dc.rights © 2014 Tchouassi et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. en_ZA
dc.subject Population genetics en_ZA
dc.subject Kenya en_ZA
dc.subject Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) en_ZA
dc.subject Outbreaks en_ZA
dc.title Population genetics of two key mosquito vectors of Rift Valley fever virus reveals new insights into the changing disease outbreak patterns in Kenya en_ZA
dc.type Article en_ZA


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