Spatial-temporal distribution of chikungunya virus in Brazil: a review on the circulating viral genotypes and Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus as a potential vector

Front Public Health. 2024 Dec 11:12:1496021. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1496021. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is mainly transmitted by the invasive mosquito Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. However, genetic adaptations of the virus to the peri domestic mosquito vector Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus has resulted in enhanced vector competence and associated epidemics and may contribute to further geographic expansion of CHIKV. However, evidence-based data on the relative role of Ae. albopictus in CHIKV transmission dynamics are scarce, especially in regions where Ae. aegypti is the main vector, such as in Brazil. Here, we review the CHIKV genotypes circulating in Brazil, spatial and temporal distribution of Chikungunya cases in Brazil, and susceptibility to infection and transmission (i.e., vector competence) of Ae. albopictus for CHIKV to better understand its relative contribution to the virus transmission dynamics.

Keywords: Aedes albopictus; chikungunya; environmental/ecological determinants; vector competence; virus diversity and genotypes.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aedes* / virology
  • Animals
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Chikungunya Fever* / epidemiology
  • Chikungunya Fever* / transmission
  • Chikungunya Fever* / virology
  • Chikungunya virus* / genetics
  • Genotype*
  • Humans
  • Mosquito Vectors* / virology
  • Spatio-Temporal Analysis*

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study was supported by the Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical—Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz, Brazil, CNPq and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) - Finance Code 001 for students’ fellowship, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) - grant numbers E-26/202.736/2018 and E-26/201.207/2022 to NAH, grant numbers 303146/2022–2, E-26/202.659/2019, E-26/211.344/2021 and E-26/200.407/2023 to FBdS, the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) grant number 303146/2022–2 to FBS. Funders had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, and decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.