Chikungunya Virusโ Genome Found in Chinese Mosquitoes Signals Potential for Local Transmission
Foshan, China – In a advancementโ raising public health concerns, researchers have detected the complete โคgenome sequence of the chikungunya virusโ (CHIKV) within Aedes albopictus mosquitoes โคcollected during the 2025 outbreak in Foshan, Guangdong Province. This marks the first confirmed identification of a fullโ CHIKV genome in mosquitoes inโ China, providing direct evidence of field vector infection and highlighting the potential โขfor sustained localโ transmission.
Chikungunya fever,characterized by debilitating joint pain,fever,and rash,is typically spread through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes.While previouslyโ reported in China through imported cases, this discovery-published in Infectious Diseases of Poverty-demonstratesโข the virus hasโฃ established itself within the โขlocal mosquito population. This findingโ is particularly meaningful given China’s large population density and extensive mosquito habitats, creating conditions ripe for widespread outbreaks.the identification of โฃthe virus genome โwithin mosquitoes underscores the urgent need for enhanced surveillance, vector control strategies, and public health preparedness to mitigate the risk of future epidemics.
The study, conductedโข by a team investigating the Foshan outbreak, analyzed mosquitoโ samples collected from affected areas. Researchers successfully sequenced the viral genome from multiple mosquito specimens,confirming the presence of the East,Central,and South African (ECSA) โคgenotype-a lineage previously associatedโ with outbreaks in Africa and Asia. This geneticโข profile suggests the virus likely arrivedโฃ in Foshan through imported cases before becoming established in the local mosquito population.
Previous research has established thatโ early neutralizing IgG responses to chikungunya virus inโ infected patients target a dominant linear epitope on the E2 glycoprotein (Kam et al., 2012). Understanding the virus’s genetic makeup and transmission dynamics, as demonstrated by the work in Foshan, is crucial for developing effective diagnostic tools, vaccines, and control measures.
A 2009 studyโข on chikungunya virus infection in Malaysia highlighted the clinicalโ and virological features of the disease, noting โthe significant impact of the virus โon affected populations (Sam etโ al., 2009). The current findings in China emphasize the global threat โขposed by CHIKV and the importance of international collaboration to prevent and โcontrol it’s spread. Further research will focus on monitoring the virus’s evolution, tracking its geographic distribution, and assessingโ the effectiveness of existing control โคmeasures.
References
Kam, YW, Lum, FM, โขTeo, TH, Lee,โข WW, Simarmata, D, & โHarjanto, CS. (2012). Early neutralizing IgG response to โchikungunya virus in infected patients targets a dominant linear epitope on the E2 glycoprotein. EMBO molecular medicine,โข 4*(4),โข 330-343.
Sam, IC, kamarulzaman A, Ong GS, Chan YF, & AbuBakar S. (2009).Chikungunya virus infection inโ Malaysia: clinical and virological features. *medical journal of Malaysia, 64(3), โ220-222.
