PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - D. R. D. Guedes AU - M. H. S. Paiva AU - M. M. A. Donato AU - P. P. Barbosa AU - L. Krokovsky AU - S. W. dos S. Rocha AU - K. L. A. Saraiva AU - M. M. Crespo AU - R. M. R. Barbosa AU - C. M. F. Oliveira AU - M. A. V. Melo-Santos AU - L. Pena AU - M. T. Cordeiro AU - R. F. de O. França AU - A. L. S, de Oliveira AU - W. S. Leal AU - C. A. Peixoto AU - C. F. J. Ayres TI - Zika virus replication in the mosquito <em>Culex quinquefasciatus</em> in Brazil AID - 10.1101/073197 DP - 2016 Jan 01 TA - bioRxiv PG - 073197 4099 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/09/02/073197.short 4100 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/09/02/073197.full AB - Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus that has recently been associated with increased incidence of neonatal microcephaly and other neurological disorders. The virus is primarily transmitted by mosquito bite, although other routes of infection have been implicated in some cases. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is considered to be the main vector to humans worldwide, but there is evidence of other mosquito species, including Culex quinquefasciatus, playing a role in the Brazilian outbreak. To test this hypothesis, we experimentally compared the vectorial competence of laboratory-reared A. aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus. We found ZIKV in the midgut, salivary glands, and saliva of artificially fed C. quinquefasciatus. Additionally, we collected ZIKV-infected C. quinquefasciatus from urban areas of high microcephaly incidence in Recife, Brazil. Take into account; these findings indicate that there may be a wider range of vectors for ZIKV than anticipated.