Experimental transmission of Chikungunya virus by Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes

The Ades aegypti mosquito has been considered the principal vector of Chikungunya (CHIK) virus. As CHIK epidemics usually occur in urban regions and Anopheles stephensi is another highly endophilic and anthropophilic mosquito, there is a very high probability of this mosquito to feed on CHIK virus-infected patients, to pick up and transmit the virus. Therefore the present study was conducted to test the CHIK virus transmission capability for the A. stephensi mosquito. The obtained results showed that this mosquito species is capable of transmitting CHIK virus. It is surmised that during any epidemic of febrile illness CHIK virus isolation attempts should also be made from this mosquito species.