Towards the Laboratory Maintenance of Haemagogus janthinomys (Dyar, 1921), the Major Neotropical Vector of Sylvatic Yellow Fever

Haemagogus (Haemagogus) janthinomys (Dyar, 1921), the major neotropical vector of sylvatic yellow fever virus, is notoriously difficult to maintain in captivity. It has never been reared beyond an F-1 generation, and almost no experimental transmission studies have been performed with this species since the 1940s. Herein we describe installment hatching, artificial blood feeding, and forced-mating techniques that enabled us to produce small numbers of F-3 generation Hg. janthinomys eggs for the first time. A total of 62.8% (1562/2486) F-1 generation eggs hatched during <= 10 four-day cycles of immersion in a bamboo leaf infusion followed by partial drying. Hatching decreased to 20.1% (190/944) in the F-2 generation for eggs laid by mosquitoes copulated by forced mating. More than 85% (79/92) female F-2 mosquitoes fed on an artificial blood feeding system. While we were unable to maintain a laboratory colony of Hg. janthinomys past the F-3 generation, our methods provide a foundation for experimental transmission studies with this species in a laboratory setting, a critical capacity in a region with hyper-endemic transmission of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses, all posing a risk of spillback into a sylvatic cycle.

Automated summary

We described the techniques of installment hatching, artificial blood feeding, and forced-mating, which allowed us to produce small numbers of F-3 generation Hg. janthinomys eggs for the first time. Although we were unable to maintain a laboratory colony of Hg. janthinomys past the F-3 generation, our methods provide a foundation for experimental transmission studies with this species in a laboratory setting.