Abiotic factors affecting the prevalence of Wolbachia (Rickettsiaceae) in immature Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Culicidae)

ALONSO, ANA C.; STEIN, MARINA; MATÍAS HISGEN, CARLOS; MICIELI, MARÍA V.

JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Año: 2022 vol. 189

0022-2011

Wolbachia is a genus of gram-negative endosymbiotic bacterium of maternal transmission, located mainly in thegonads of arthropods, including mosquitoes such as Aedes albopictus. The current distribution of Ae. albopictus inArgentina is restricted to the subtropical northeastern region of the country. Here, we studied the seasonalprevalence of Wolbachia detected in Ae. albopictus larvae and the relationship between the abiotic factors of thelarval microhabitat and the infection status, in Eldorado city, Misiones province, subtropical region. The prevalence of Wolbachia infection found was 76.89% (n = 312). From the total samples examined, 52.80% (n = 214)showed double infection with the wAlbA/wAlbB strains, 23.84% (n = 97) infection only with wAlbB, and 0.25%(n = 1) only with wAlbA. The prevalence of double infection did not present statistically significant differencesbetween the sites studied. For single infection, the lowest prevalence value of the wAlbB strain (13.33%) wasfound in the natural park, whereas the highest was found in the family dwellings and cemeteries. Tire repairshops showed an intermediate value. The wAlbA single infection was identified once. Our results also showed anassociation between temperature and slightly turbid waters with exposure to the sun in the larval habitats andthe probability of infection by Wolbachia.