Evaluating vector competence for Yellow fever in the Caribbean
The mosquito-borne disease, Yellow fever (YF), has been largely controlled via mass delivery of an effective vaccine and mosquito control interventions. However, there are warning signs that YF is re-emerging in both Sub-Saharan Africa and South America. Imported from Africa in slave ships, YF was responsible for devastating outbreaks in the Caribbean. In Martinique, the last YF outbreak was reported in 1908 and the mosquito Aedes aegypti was incriminated as the main vector. Our vector competence data suggest that the threat of re-emergence of YF in Martinique and the subsequent spread to Caribbean nations and beyond is plausible.
Gabiane, G., Bohers, C., Mousson, L. et al. Evaluating vector competence for Yellow fever in the Caribbean. Nat Commun 15, 1236 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45116-2