Wolbachia Natural Infection of Mosquitoes in French Guiana: Prevalence, Distribution, and Genotyping

<i>Wolbachia</i> are the most spread bacterial endosymbionts in the world. These bacteria can manipulate host reproduction or block virus transmission in mosquitoes. For this reason, <i>Wolbachia</i>-based strategies for vector control are seriously considered or have already been applied in several countries around the world. In South America, <i>Wolbachia</i> have been studied in human pathogen vectors such as sand flies and mosquitoes. In French Guiana, the diversity and distribution of <i>Wolbachia</i> are not well known in mosquitoes. In this study, we screened for <i>Wolbachia</i> natural infection in mosquitoes in French Guiana by using 16S rRNA, <i>Wolbachia</i> surface protein (WSP), and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) molecular assays. A total of 29 out of 44 (65.9%) mosquito species were positive for natural <i>Wolbachia</i> infection according to the PCR results, and two <i>Wolbachia</i> strains co-infected three specimens of <i>Mansonia titillans</i>. Then, we analyzed the phylogenetic relationships among the <i>Wolbachia</i> detected. All of the tested specimens of <i>Aedes aegypti</i>, the major dengue vector of French Guiana, were negative. These results regarding <i>Wolbachia</i> strain, distribution, and prevalence in mosquitoes from French Guiana highlight <i>Wolbachia</i>-mosquito associations and pave the way for a future <i>Wolbachia</i>-based strategy for vector control in this Amazonian territory.