Research Projects

Dengue is one of the six major vectors borne disease in the state of Mizoram and is on the rise. The present study will target to identify and characterize mosquito vector species of dengue viruses , to detect and characterize different genotypes of dengue viruses circulating in Mizoram, North-East India. Mosquito specimens will be collected study sites in different districts of Mizoram state. Molecular detection of dengue virus will be done by real-time PCR described by Morrison et al. (1999). Taxonomical identification of DENV positive mosquitoes to the species level will be done using taxonomical keys described by Wilkerson et al. (1990) and Clark and Darsie (1983). Molecular characterization of mosquito species will also be done by PCR via mitochondrial COI gene. cDNA will be synthesized using dengue viral RNA extracted from infected mosquitoes. Genotyping of DENV through nested PCR method using genotype-specific primers targeting C-prM gene junction.

A total of 1470 female mosquitoes have been collected in Aizawl and its neighboring districts in Mizoram, and three species such as Armigeres subalbatus, Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti were identified. Real-time detection of DENV revealed that 5 pools of A. albopictus and 6 pools of A. aegypti showed DENV positivity. Mosquito species were characterized by both morphological and molecular methods. NV type 2 and 3 were detected and identified from vector Aedes mosquitoes by real-time and conventional PCR respectively using type-specific primers, and phylogenetic analysis of C-prM gene sequences was also done.