Genetic diversity of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in rural and urban settings in Tamil Nadu, India

Aedes aegypti populations collected from four different localities in Tamil Nadu, India were analysed using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers to assess the level of genetic variations within and between populations. RAPDs were found to be polymorphic enough to detect genetic polymorphisms at both micro (within the city, <10 km) and macro spatial scales (between three districts, ~500 Km apart). Hetrozygosity within populations varied from 0.1150 ± 0.2140 to 0.3715± 0.1545, but pattern of genetic diversity was not found to be associated with the geographical distance between the populations and the prevalence of dengue infections.