Chikungunya Virus Infection and Transmission in Five Species of Mosquito *

Five species of mosquito were studied to compare their susceptibility to infection, ability to sustain infection, and vector efficiency over a 4- to 5-week period after being infected with an African strain of chikungunya virus. Aedes triseriatus and Aedes albopictus were readily infected with the virus and maintained the highest infection and transmission rates of the mosquitoes tested during the test period. Aedes togoi also maintained a very high infection rate, but was a poor transmitter. Eretmapodites chrysogaster exhibited fairly high infection rates throughout the test and relatively high transmission rates in the latter half of the 35-day test period. Surprisingly low infection and transmission rates were found for Aedes aegypti.