Sexual transmission of dengue viruses by Aedes albopictus.

Male Aedes albopictus experimentally infected with dengue virus types 1, 2, 3, or 4 transmitted their infection sexually to female Ae. albopictus. Such transmission was enhanced if the females had taken a bloodmeal 2 to 7 days prior to mating. Male Ae. albopictus also transmitted dengue virus vertically to their F1 progeny. Infected progeny were found among those derived from eggs laid greater than or equal to 73 hr after mating but not among those derived from eggs laid prior to that time. This suggests that virus probably was not transmitted directly to ova but, rather, underwent prior replication in the female genital tract. Female Ae. albopictus experimentally infected with dengue type 1 virus did not transmit their infection sexually to males. This finding supports the hypothesis that male mosquitoes naturally infected with dengue virus acquired their infection vertically.