Detection of Dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) by RT-qPCR in Aedes aegypti in the state of Paraná, Brazil.

The ongoing advancement of urbanization has contributed to a wider geographic distribution of Aedes genus vectors, leading to the increased spread of arboviruses such as dengue (DENV), Zika (ZIKV), and Chikungunya (CHIKV), which share the same Aedes vectors. The development of molecular methods, such as RT-qPCR, has emerged as an important tool for virological surveillance. This study aimed to detect arboviruses in Aedes genus vectors collected in the municipality of Maringá, Paraná. Sampling area for collecting eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult insects of Aedes spp. were selected based on the distribution of dengue cases within the municipality. The mosquitoes were homogenized for total RNA extraction and subjected to two different approaches of RT-qPCR (commercial kit and in-house assay). A total of 1.022 adult mosquitoes were used in this study, then sorted into 72 pools. One pool, consisting of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes reared from eggs, tested positive for DENV-2 with a Cq of 31,382 using the commercial kit. This result highlights the potential of using this method for early virus mapping in the municipality, prior to the emergence of human cases.