Detection of<i>Wolbachia</i>in Field-Collected Mosquito Vector,<i>Aedes aegypti</i>

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>It was the impression from past literature that<jats:italic>Wolbachia</jats:italic>is not naturally found in<jats:italic>Ae. aegypti</jats:italic>. However, there are have been reports that recently reveals the presence of this endosymbiont in this mosquito vector. With this, our study presents additional support of<jats:italic>Wolbachia</jats:italic>infection in<jats:italic>Ae. aegypti</jats:italic>by screening field-collected adult mosquitoes using<jats:italic>Wolbachia</jats:italic>specific 16S rDNA and its surface protein (<jats:italic>wsp</jats:italic>) makers under optimized PCR conditions. From a total of 672<jats:italic>Ae. aegpyti</jats:italic>adult mosquito samples collected in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines, 113 (16.8%) and 89 (13.2%) individual mosquito samples were determined to be<jats:italic>Wolbachia</jats:italic>infected using the<jats:italic>wsp</jats:italic>and 16S rDNA markers, respectively. The<jats:italic>Ae. aegpyti wsp</jats:italic>sample sequences were similar or identical to five known<jats:italic>Wolbachia</jats:italic>strains belonging to supergroups A or B while majority of 16S rDNA sample sequences were similar to strains belonging to supergroup B. Overall, 80 (11.90%) individual mosquito samples revealed to show positive amplifications in both markers and 69.0% showed congruence in supergroup identification (supergroup B). Our findings illustrate that the infection status of<jats:italic>Wolbachia</jats:italic>in<jats:italic>Ae. aegypti</jats:italic>may appear common than previously recognized.</jats:p>