Natural infection of Aedes albopictus with the wAlbB strain and Ae. aegypti with the wPip strain of Wolbachia in Iran

Abstract

Abstract The global resurgence of Aedes -borne arboviruses (dengue, chikungunya, and Zika) underscores the need for innovative vector control strategies. In Iran—a region at risk for arbovirus emergence due to invasive Aedes albopictus and Ae. aegypti mosquitoes— we investigated the natural occurrence of Wolbachia infections. Screening of field-collected and laboratory-reared mosquitoes revealed the presence of two Wolbachia strains: w AlbB in Ae. albopictus and w Pip in Ae. aegypti . Notably, detection of w Pip in the wild Ae. aegypti represents a potential first report globally, as this species has been historically considered uninfected in natural populations. Wolbachia prevalence was significantly higher in laboratory-reared mosquitoes and Ae. albopictus . Multivariable analysis confirmed that Ae. aegypti had significantly lower odds of Wolbachia infection compared to Ae. albopictus (adjusted OR = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03–0.45, p  = 0.002), and infection odds were also significantly lower in field-collected mosquitoes from Guilan (OR = 0.28), Mazandaran (OR = 0.05), and Hormozgan (OR = 0.14) provinces relative to insectary-reared specimens (all p  < 0.05). These findings provide critical baseline data for evaluating the feasibility of Wolbachia -based interventions in Iran, where invasive Aedes populations could facilitate arbovirus transmission. This study highlights the importance of characterizing native Wolbachia infections to inform future biocontrol strategies against emerging mosquito-borne diseases.