Screening in and Mosquitoes from Madeira Island, Portugal.

Mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and West Nile virus pose serious public health risks. On Madeira Island, the presence of the mosquito species (Linnaeus, 1762) and (Linnaeus, 1758) raises concerns about local transmission. In this study, we tested 100 and 40 mosquitoes collected exclusively in the municipality of Funchal, Madeira Island, to assess the presence and diversity of , a naturally occurring bacterium known to reduce mosquitos' ability to transmit viruses. Molecular identification confirmed that all specimens belonged to the biotype, with three individuals identified as hybrids between and biotypes. This is the first evidence of such hybrids in Madeira. was not detected in any of the samples. In contrast, all mosquitoes were positive, showing a 100% prevalence. Genetic characterization placed these infections within the Pip clade, supergroup B, sequence type 9. These findings provide key baseline data to inform future mosquito control strategies on the island. As showed no natural infection, introducing -infected mosquitoes may be necessary to implement such biocontrol approaches in Madeira.