Zika has now been found in common Culex mosquito, signalling potentially larger risk
The more common Culex was believed to be a carrier but not able to spread the disease, until now.
This second species are more widespread, breed in dirty water and are more likely to bite at night.
Scientists say more research needs to be done to discover if the Culex mosquito is the primary or secondary carrier, potentially resulting in a significant ‘game changer’ in the war against Zika.
Constancia Ayres, a researcher from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, led the study.
She said: “It means that we have a second species of vector involved in transmission.
“And with this vector having totally different habits from Aedes aegypti, we will have to create new strategies to combat Culex as well.”
The recent research was done at Recife, a city in the Zika epicentre of northeastern Brazil where the Culex is 20 times more common than the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
It analysed 456 female Culex mosquitoes and proved the more common insect can in fact transmit Zika and could have played a role in the spread of the disease in Brazil.
Ayres said: “It can transmit Zika.
“What we need to know now is which species is the most important – if Culex is the primary vector or the secondary vector.
“We need to do more research.”
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