Vol. 5, Issue 5, Part B (2018)

Author(s): Sunil Kumar S, Evans DA, Muthulakshmi K, Dilip Kumar T, Heera Pillai R, Radhakrishnan Nair R and Francis Sunny

Abstract: Vector surveillance in relation to dengue viremia showed Ae. aegypti as chief vector of this disease and Ae. albopictus as an alternate vector in hyper endemic zones of Kerala. Among the four different serotypes DEN1 was identified as the most abundant virus in Kerala during 2016-17. Ae.aegypti larvae from dengue hyper endemic areas showed DEN1 in their bodies, which indicated trans-ovarian transmission of this virus and hence adult mosquitoes emerged from these larvae and are not exposed to blood of dengue viremia patients can be vectors of this disease. Presence of two different serotypes of DENV in a single mosquito can make it as a potential vector whose bite itself can cause DSS. Adult Ae.albopictus mosquitoes collected from Thiruvananthapuram city, which was a dengue hyper endemic zone during 2016-17 showed Denv1 in their body and simultaneous role played by both species of mosquitoes can make a particular zone which is hyper endemic to dengue fever. Direct one step-one tube Multiplex PCR technique is suggested as an efficient and cost effective technique for detecting dengue virus in mosquitoes and in human blood.

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