First Report of Aedes aegypti as a Main Vector of Arboviruses in Southern Iran

Background: Mosquitoes of the genus Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae) are vectors for a variety of arboviral diseases all around the world, including dengue fever, which is considered one of the most important arboviral diseases as it can turn into dengue hemorrhagic fever.Objectives: The purpose of this study was to find main vectors of dengue fever in the region.Materials and Methods: The current study was performed throughout 2017, during which period a sum total of 16785 samples, comprising larvae and adults, were collected and identified in the course of 60 rounds of visits to 4 selected cities in Hormozgan Province, Iran. While ovitraps and the dipping method were employed for the collection and identification of the larvae, the adults were collected and identified by dint of human and animal baits, light traps, total catches, and hand catches. In this study, after morphological identification, we designed CO1 gene-specific primers to identify the Aedes aegypti. The PCR technique was employed to get the expected size bond.Results: The invasive mosquito Aedes aegypti was detected for the first time in Hormozgan, a province in the southeast of Iran (27.1387° N, 55.1376° E, altitude 9.14 m). In the current study, 3 Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were identified and subsequently confirmed through sequencing process. Ae. vittatus, could be captured using ovitraps. Ae.caspius larvae and adults were observed upon entomological investigations of ships, boats, barges, cargoes, and derelict boats abandoned in coastal waters.Conclusion: Hormozgan province has 15 wharves and 3 main ports, which can serve as primary entryways for invasive species. Disease vectors can enter Iran aboard airplanes, ships, and cargoes arriving from endemic areas. The presence of these mosquitoes in local areas serves as an important warning to Iran’s health system, with the risk of mosquito-bornediseases not being far from mind. Developing vector control plans should be a priority of the local health system in the future

کلیدواژه ها:

Aedes aegypti ، molecular identification ، Iran ، first report ، arboviruses ، entomological identification.