Analysis of Salivary Glands and Saliva from and Infected with Chikungunya Viruses.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a medically important mosquito-borne virus transmitted to humans by infected () species. In 2013⁻2014, transmitted CHIKV to humans in the Caribbean and in 2005⁻2006, transmitted CHIKV on La Réunion Island (Indian Ocean basin). CHIKV LR2006 OPY1 from the La Réunion epidemic was associated with a mutation (E1:A226V) in the viral E1 glycoprotein that enhanced CHIKV transmission by . CHIKV R99659 from the Caribbean outbreak did not have the E1:A226V mutation. Here, we analyzed the salivary glands and saliva of strains from New Jersey, Florida, Louisiana and La Réunion after infection with each virus to determine their transmission potential. We infected the strains with blood meals containing 3⁻7 × 10⁷ PFU/mL of each virus and analyzed the mosquitoes nine days later to maximize infection of their salivary glands. All four strains were highly susceptible to LR2006 OPY1 and R99659 viruses and their CHIKV disseminated infection rates (DIR) were statistically similar ( = 0.3916). The transmission efficiency rate (TER) was significantly lower for R99659 virus compared to LR2006 OPY1 virus in all strains and (Poza Rica) ( = 0.012) suggesting a salivary gland exit barrier to R99659 virus not seen with LR2006 OPY1 infections. If introduced, LR2006 OPY1 virus poses an increased risk of transmission by both species in the western hemisphere.