VARIATION IN VECTOR COMPETENCE FOR DENGUE 2 VIRUS AMONG 24 COLLECTIONS OF AEDES AEGYPTI FROM MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES

Abstract

Aedes aegypti from 24 collections in Mexico and the United States were challenged orally with dengue 2 virus JAM1409 (DEN-2-JAM 1409). The vector competence (VC) of the populations ranged from 24% to 83%. Mosquito populations from the Yucatan exhibited greater VC than those from other areas of Mexico. The presence of absence of a midgut infection barrier (MIB) and a midgut escape barrier(MEB) was determined for mosquitoes in each ranged from 4% to 43% in the collections. The MIB and MEB were not completely independent as determined by regression analysis. Midgut infection rates were dose dependent