Determination of flaviviruses in arbovirus vector mosquitoes by molecular techniques

Objective: To determine whether flaviviruses are transmitted by female mosquitoes in populations of the arbovirus vectors Aedes albopictus and Culex pipiens in Aydın Province, and if so, to determine the prevalence of each virus in the populations using molecular techniques. Material and Methods: The study was conducted between September and October 2024 using mouth aspirators to collect adult female mosquito samples of the species Ae. albopictus and Cx. pipiens from the localities of Kuşadası, Güzelçamlı, Didim, and Aydın-Merkez. Pools containing 30–50 female mosquitoes were created from the collected female mosquitoes. RNA isolation was performed from these pools using molecular techniques such as one-step reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (One-Step RT-PCR), nested PCR, and agarose gel electrophoresis to detect flaviviruses. Results: A total of 1,720 adult female mosquitoes were collected through field studies, including 1,560 Ae. albopictus and 160 Cx. pipiens. A total of 39 Ae. albopictus and 4 Cx. pipiens pools were obtained from the collected mosquitoes. No positive bands were observed on the agarose gel. Conclusion: In this study, it was determined that the 1,720 mosquitoes collected from the Ae. albopictus and Cx. pipiens populations present in Aydın Province did not carry flaviviruses.