First observation of Aedes albopictus in the Tshuapa province (Boende) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

In May-June 2021, we detected Aedes albopictus adults near the central hospital in Boende, the capital city of the Tshuapa province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We identified the mosquitoes using morphological and molecular techniques (COI barcoding). This is the first report of this species in the DRC outside of Kinshasa and Kongo Central. Given the central location of Boende in the Congo Basin, our finding suggests that the vector might also have spread to other cities which are located upstream of the Congo River and its major tributaries. Because Aedes albopictus is an important vector for human arbovirus transmission, we highlight the need to investigate its distribution range and to update disease risk maps in Central Africa.

Mosquito-Borne Arboviruses Occurrence and Distribution in the Last Three Decades in Central Africa: A Systematic Literature Review

“…In addition to YF, dengue (DENV) accounts for over 390 million infections per year [ 5 ], and other viruses, such as chikungunya (CHIKV), Zika virus (ZIKV), Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), and West Nile virus (WNV), have also caused epidemics in Central Africa [ 6 ] and are also considered to be arboviruses of major public health concern in this region [ 7 ]. These medically important arboviruses have been reported to be silently and actively circulating during major epidemics in Central African countries such as Angola [ 8 ], Cameroon [ 6 , 9 ], the Central African Republic [ 10 ], Chad [ 11 ], Gabon [ 12 ], the Democratic republic of Congo [ 13 ], Guinea Equatorial [ 14 ], and the Republic of the Congo [ 15 ]. So far, despite the public health danger of these arboviruses in the subregion, regular surveillance is weak and/or almost absent [ 16 ], and some challenges for its non-implementation are as follows: (i) the lack of serological and molecular diagnostic platforms [ 8 ]; and (ii) the arbovirus topic is not a priority for research and surveillance for most countries due to other health, security, and political issues [ 16 ].…”