PCR and dissection as tools to monitor filarial infection of Aedes polynesiensis mosquitoes in French Polynesia

BACKGROUND: Entomological methods may provide important tools for monitoring the transmission of filariasis in French Polynesia. In order to standardize our PCR method and refine our protocol to assess filarial infection levels in mosquitoes, we compared dissection of the vector, Aedes polynesiensis, with the poolscreening polymerase chain reaction (PS-PCR) assay. METHODS: (1) Mosquitoes were collected in human landing catches in five areas in Moorea island, French Polynesia. (2) A fraction of the captured mosquitoes was dissected for Wuchereria bancrofti larvae. (3) Laboratory-reared mosquitoes (uninfected as well as experimentally infected ones) were repeatedly tested to optimize a PS-PCR protocol (DNA extracts from 1–50 pooled mosquitoes were tested with an internal standardized system and primers specific for the Ssp1 repeat sequence. PCR products were analysed by gel electrophoresis). (4) Another fraction of the captured mosquitoes was assayed by PS-PCR according the optimized protocol. RESULTS: The prevalence of field-mosquito infection with W. bancrofti ranged from 1 to 8 % by dissection (L1–L3) and point estimates of infection prevalence, as assayed by PS-PCR, ranged from 0.4 to 3.7 %. There was a moderately strong correlation between larval infection rates as determined by dissection and PCR. DISCUSSION: Our results suggest that the PS-PCR assay is specific and highly sensitive for detecting parasite DNA. We obtained similar although not identical results with dissections of mosquitoes. PS-PCR appears to be adequate for testing large numbers of mosquitoes in the context of filariasis elimination programs. The role and advantages of using entomologic methods to monitor filariasis programs are discussed.