Evaluating the Role of Anopheles Mosquitoes in the Global Spread of Arboviruses: A Review of Laboratory-Confirmed Viral Competence.

Mosquito-borne diseases are a major global health concern, infecting up to 700 million people annually and causing over one million deaths. Of the several genera of biting mosquitoes, species of Anopheles are mostly studied for their ability (vector competence) to transmit Plasmodium protozoan parasites, some species of which cause malaria. More than 480 species of Anopheles have been described worldwide, and about 70 of these are responsible for Plasmodium spp. transmission. However, the focus on Anopheles as vectors of Plasmodium has led to a relative lack of study about the ability of Anopheles to transmit viruses. Some Anopheles species have been experimentally confirmed as competent for various arboviruses. In most cases, they are secondary vectors, with relatively low competence, contributing to overall transmission while other species of mosquito or other vectors are responsible for sustained transmission. Although secondary vectors may contribute less to transmission, they may play important epidemiological roles by extending transmission seasons and/or providing a means of overwintering viruses. Here, we conducted a review of scientific repositories to build a database of known Anopheles competence for arboviruses. After exclusions, we retained 427 laboratory-confirmed studies from 7343 papers reviewed. Our analysis suggests some Anopheles spp. could contribute to arbovirus overwintering in temperate regions.