Assessment of fitness and vector competence of a New Caledonia wMel Aedes aegypti strain before field-release.
Nicolas PocquetOlivia O'ConnorHeather A FloresJordan TutagataMorgane PolDavid J HookerCatherine InizanSylvie RussetJohanna M DuyvestynEtiene C PacidônioDominique GiraultDaniela da Silva GonçalvesMarine MinierFrederic TouzainElodie ChalusKevin LucienFlorie CheilanTristan DeryckeSylvie LaumondCameron P SimmonsMyrielle Dupont-RouzeyrolNadège RossiPublished in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases (2021)
Our results demonstrated that the NC-wMel Ae. aegypti strain is a strong inhibitor of DENV, CHIKV, and ZIKV infection and prevents transmission of infectious viral particles in mosquito saliva. Furthermore, our NC-wMel Ae. aegypti strain induces reproductive cytoplasmic incompatibility with minimal apparent fitness costs and high maternal transmission, supporting field-releases in Noumea, NC.