Transovarial Transmission of Yellow Fever Virus in Stegomyia Mosquitoes *

Abstract

Transovarial transmission of two strains of yellow fever virus was demonstrated in three colonized geographical strains of Aedes aegypti following infection by intrathoracic inoculation. Infected progeny were detected in F1 offspring from only the first three ovarian cycles (OVC). The overall minimum filial infection rate for the first three OVC was 1:596; rates were lower in the second and third OVC. Virus survived in eggs for longer than 4 months and was recovered from progeny of three immersions of first OVC eggs. Infected progeny averaged a longer time to pupation than noninfected siblings. Transovarial transmission of virus was also demonstrated in first OVC progeny of Aedes mascarensis.