Serotypes of Dengue Virus and Kdr Mutations ( F1534C, S989P, V410L, V1016I, and V1016G ) in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus Mosquitoes from the commune of Abomey-Calavi, Southern Benin

Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes of the Aedes genus, responsible for millions of cases each year. In Benin, several outbreaks have been reported, particularly in Abomey-Calavi, where the first dengue-related death was recorded in 2019. In the absence of a specific treatment, vector control remains the primary preventive measure. However, the emergence of insecticide resistance, notably through kdr mutations, could compromise its effectiveness.

This study aims to identify the dengue virus serotypes circulating in the commune of Abomey-Calavi and to assess the frequency of kdr mutations V410L, V1016G, V1016I, F1534C, and S989P in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Mosquitoes were collected in August 2024 from four arrondissement Togba, Calavi, Akassato, and Godomey through morning and afternoon spraying. After morphological identification, molecular analyses were conducted to detect the viral serotypes and kdr mutations.

A total of 218 Aedes mosquitoes were collected, with a predominance of Aedes aegypti (68.8%) compared to Aedes albopictus (31.2%). The overall dengue positivity rate was 23.39% (95% CI: 17.9 - 29.6). The most frequent serotype was DENV-3 (12.4%), followed by DENV-2 (6.9%), DENV-1 (5%), and DENV-4 (0.09%). Six mosquitoes were co-infected with two serotypes, including three with DENV-1 and DENV-4. kdr mutations were detected in both species, with frequencies of 45% for V1016G, 44% for S989P, 40% for F1534C , 22% for V410L , and 19% for V1016I. Four mosquitoes carried three simultaneous mutations, while twenty-two carried two. Two mosquitoes co-infected with two serotypes also carried two different mutations. These results highlight the active circulation of the dengue virus and the presence of kdr mutations in Aedes mosquitoes in Abomey-Calavi. However, no significant association was observed between dengue infection and kdr mutations, and their distribution was independent of the viral serotype. These findings emphasize the need for regular monitoring of kdr mutations to adapt vector control strategies and limit the spread of dengue.