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Copyright

Roberto Barrera;

Published On

2025-07-04

Page Range

pp. 17–20

Language

  • English

Print Length

4 pages

3. Aedes Transmitted Virus (ATV) Cycles

  • Roberto Barrera (author)
Chapter of: Surveillance and Control of Dengue Vectors in the United States and Territories(pp. 17–20)
This chapter elucidates the distinct transmission pathways of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses. It differentiates between enzootic cycles, primarily occurring in the forests of Southeast Asia and West Africa, involving sylvatic Aedes mosquitoes and nonhuman primates. Humans can become infected through bridge vectors like Ae. albopictus and Ae. furcifer in fringe-forest or rural areas. Notably, enzootic cycles of DENV are not evident in the Americas.

The chapter then details the urban cycle, which is similar for all ATVs. In this cycle, domestic or peri-domestic Aedes mosquitoes transmit the viruses to humans in urban, suburban, and rural settings. Mosquitoes acquire the virus by feeding on infected persons, undergo an extrinsic incubation period, and then transmit the virus to susceptible people through their bites. The cycle can be interrupted if infected mosquitoes bite non-amplifying hosts or immune individuals. While vertical transmission in mosquitoes is possible, its role in urban endemicity is unclear. Virus spread occurs locally within neighbourhoods and through jump dispersal via infected individuals or mosquitoes to distant areas, including through international travel, complicating control efforts and promoting endemicity.

Contributors

Roberto Barrera

(author)

Roberto Barrera, PhD, is a researcher specializing in mosquito ecology, with a focus on disease-vector ecology, control strategies, and the eco-epidemiology of diseases caused by vector-borne pathogens. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology, majoring in Ecology, from the Central University of Venezuela, where he initiated his research on urban mosquito ecology. Dr Barrera pursued his PhD in Ecology at the Pennsylvania State University, focusing on mosquito ecology. He was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Florida, studying biotic interactions among Aedes mosquitoes. After retiring as a meritorious Professor at the Central University of Venezuela, Dr Barrera joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the Team Lead of the Entomology and Ecology Activity at the Dengue Branch in Puerto Rico. His current work involves investigating the ecology and control of dengue vectors. Throughout his career, Dr Barrera has received numerous awards for his outstanding contributions to public health practice and programme evaluation. He has also helped various countries during epidemics and natural disasters across different world regions. With over 120 peer-reviewed scientific articles, a book chapter, guidelines on vector surveillance and control, and extensive participation in conferences and workshops, Dr Barrera is widely recognized for his expertise in the field of ecological studies and control measures related to vector-borne pathogens.