scholarly journals Viral Determinants and Vector Competence of Zika Virus Transmission

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Wai Tham ◽  
Vinod Balasubramaniam ◽  
Man K. Ooi ◽  
Miaw-Fang Chew
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Viral Determinants

scholarly journals Sequential Infection of Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes with Chikungunya Virus and Zika Virus Enhances Early Zika Virus Transmission

Insects ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tereza Magalhaes ◽  
Alexis Robison ◽  
Michael Young ◽  
William Black ◽  
Brian Foy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Blood Meal ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Mosquito Vector ◽  
Molecular Aspects ◽  
Virus Interactions ◽  
Sequential Infection

In urban settings, chikungunya, Zika, and dengue viruses are transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Since these viruses co-circulate in several regions, coinfection in humans and vectors may occur, and human coinfections have been frequently reported. Yet, little is known about the molecular aspects of virus interactions within hosts and how they contribute to arbovirus transmission dynamics. We have previously shown that Aedes aegypti exposed to chikungunya and Zika viruses in the same blood meal can become coinfected and transmit both viruses simultaneously. However, mosquitoes may also become coinfected by multiple, sequential feeds on single infected hosts. Therefore, we tested whether sequential infection with chikungunya and Zika viruses impacts mosquito vector competence. We exposed Ae. aegypti mosquitoes first to one virus and 7 days later to the other virus and compared infection, dissemination, and transmission rates between sequentially and single infected groups. We found that coinfection rates were high after sequential exposure and that mosquitoes were able to co-transmit both viruses. Surprisingly, chikungunya virus coinfection enhanced Zika virus transmission 7 days after the second blood meal. Our data demonstrate heterologous arbovirus synergism within mosquitoes, by unknown mechanisms, leading to enhancement of transmission under certain conditions.

scholarly journals ESTIMATE OF VIRUS ZIKA SPREAD RISK IN THE REPUBLIC OF ABKHAZIA ASSOCIATING THE LOCAL POPULATION OF MOSQUITOES AEDES AEGYPTI AND AEDES ALBOPICTUS

2017 ◽  
pp. 10-15
Author(s):  
O. V. Maletskaya ◽  
V. M. Dubyansky ◽  
A. I. Belyaeva ◽  
L. I. Shaposhnikova ◽  
D. S. Agapitov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Control Methods ◽  
Black Sea Coast ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Virus Zika

Aim. Chracteristic of number and distribution of mosquitoes Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus in the Republic of Abkhazia and a risk assessment of virus Zika spread. Materials and methods. The accounting of mosquitoes number was made by the method «on the observer» in 20 minutes at the 70 nature landscapes points in april-oktober 2016. Results. The Black sea coast of the Republic of Abkhazia has favorable ecological conditions for the mosquitoes ingrowth of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. At 2016 the mosquitoes Ae. albopictus having vector competence to spread a Zika virus, has been revealed in the open stations in the territory from Ochamchirsky district to border with the Russian Federation. Their number is correlated with the air temperature in the region. The control of efficiency of the insecticidal works showed that in the open stations Ae. albopictus were not found within 3 - 7 days after the disinsection actions. However, their number of recovered as a result of settling from nearby natural biotopes. Conclusion. The risk of local Zika virus transmission has estimated as a low. Considering the gravity of the disease caused by the Zika virus carrying out a wider complex of the control methods of the mosquitoes number in areas of their dwelling, especially on the epidemiologically significant objects is necessary. The most effective of the population protection action is riddance of the reproduction mosquitoes places and sanitation of territory.

scholarly journals Temperature drives Zika virus transmission: evidence from empirical and mathematical models

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanka Tesla ◽  
Leah R. Demakovsky ◽  
Erin A. Mordecai ◽  
Sadie J. Ryan ◽  
Matthew H. Bonds ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Thermal Range ◽  
Environmental Suitability ◽  
Dependent Model ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
Temperature Dependent Model ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractTemperature is a strong driver of vector-borne disease transmission. Yet, for emerging arboviruses we lack fundamental knowledge on the relationship between transmission and temperature. Current models rely on the untested assumption that Zika virus responds similarly to dengue virus, potentially limiting our ability to accurately predict the spread of Zika. We conducted experiments to estimate the thermal performance of Zika virus (ZIKV) in field-derived Aedes aegypti across eight constant temperatures. We observed strong, unimodal effects of temperature on vector competence, extrinsic incubation period, and mosquito survival. We used thermal responses of these traits to update an existing temperature-dependent model to infer temperature effects on ZIKV transmission. ZIKV transmission was optimized at 29°C, and had a thermal range of 22.7°C - 34.7°C. Thus, as temperatures move toward the predicted thermal optimum (29°C) due to climate change, urbanization, or seasonally, Zika could expand north and into longer seasons. In contrast, areas that are near the thermal optimum were predicted to experience a decrease in overall environmental suitability. We also demonstrate that the predicted thermal minimum for Zika transmission is 5°C warmer than that of dengue, and current global estimates on the environmental suitability for Zika are greatly over-predicting its possible range.

scholarly journals Vector competence ofAnophelesandCulexmosquitoes for Zika virus

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brittany L. Dodson ◽  
Jason L. Rasgon
Keyword(s):  
Anopheles Gambiae ◽  
Culex Quinquefasciatus ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Anopheles Stephensi ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Plaque Assay ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Serious Disease ◽  
Blood Meals

Zika virus is a newly emergent mosquito-borne flavivirus that has caused recent large outbreaks in the new world, leading to dramatic increases in serious disease pathology including Guillain-Barre syndrome, newborn microcephaly, and infant brain damage. AlthoughAedesmosquitoes are thought to be the primary mosquito species driving infection, the virus has been isolated from dozens of mosquito species, includingCulexandAnophelesspecies, and we lack a thorough understanding of which mosquito species to target for vector control. We exposedAnopheles gambiae,Anopheles stephensi, andCulex quinquefasciatusmosquitoes to blood meals supplemented with two Zika virus strains. Mosquito bodies, legs, and saliva were collected five, seven, and 14 days post blood meal and tested for infectious virus by plaque assay. Regardless of titer, virus strain, or timepoint,Anopheles gambiae,Anopheles stephensi, andCulex quinquefasciatusmosquitoes were refractory to Zika virus infection. We conclude thatAnopheles gambiae,Anopheles stephensi, andCulex quinquefasciatusmosquitoes likely do not contribute significantly to Zika virus transmission to humans. However, future studies should continue to explore the potential for other novel potential vectors to transmit the virus.

scholarly journals Temperature drives Zika virus transmission: evidence from empirical and mathematical models

2018 ◽  
Vol 285 (1884) ◽  
pp. 20180795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanka Tesla ◽  
Leah R. Demakovsky ◽  
Erin A. Mordecai ◽  
Sadie J. Ryan ◽  
Matthew H. Bonds ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Thermal Range ◽  
Environmental Suitability ◽  
Dependent Model ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
Temperature Dependent Model ◽  
The Relationship

Temperature is a strong driver of vector-borne disease transmission. Yet, for emerging arboviruses we lack fundamental knowledge on the relationship between transmission and temperature. Current models rely on the untested assumption that Zika virus responds similarly to dengue virus, potentially limiting our ability to accurately predict the spread of Zika. We conducted experiments to estimate the thermal performance of Zika virus (ZIKV) in field-derived Aedes aegypti across eight constant temperatures. We observed strong, unimodal effects of temperature on vector competence, extrinsic incubation period and mosquito survival. We used thermal responses of these traits to update an existing temperature-dependent model to infer temperature effects on ZIKV transmission. ZIKV transmission was optimized at 29°C, and had a thermal range of 22.7°C–34.7°C. Thus, as temperatures move towards the predicted thermal optimum (29°C) owing to climate change, urbanization or seasonality, Zika could expand north and into longer seasons. By contrast, areas that are near the thermal optimum were predicted to experience a decrease in overall environmental suitability. We also demonstrate that the predicted thermal minimum for Zika transmission is 5°C warmer than that of dengue, and current global estimates on the environmental suitability for Zika are greatly over-predicting its possible range.

scholarly journals Impact of Mosquito Age and Insecticide Exposure on Susceptibility of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) to Infection with Zika Virus

Pathogens ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Knecht ◽  
Stephanie Richards ◽  
Jo Balanay ◽  
Avian White
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Sublethal Dose ◽  
Oral Exposure ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Source Reduction ◽  
Time Of Infection ◽  
Virus Interactions

Zika virus (ZIKV) is primarily transmitted to humans by Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Vector–virus interactions influencing vector competence vary and depend on biological and environmental factors. A mosquito’s chronological age may impact its immune response against virus infection. Insecticides, source reduction, and/or public education are currently the best defense against mosquitoes that transmit ZIKV. This study assessed the effects of a mosquito’s chronological age at time of infection on its response to ZIKV infection. We exposed young (6–7 d post-emergence) and old (11–12 d post-emergence) Ae. albopictus to a sublethal dose of bifenthrin prior to oral exposure to blood meals containing ZIKV (7-day incubation period). Old mosquitoes experienced a significantly (p < 0.01) higher rate of mortality than young mosquitoes. Significantly higher ZIKV body titers (p < 0.01) were observed in the old control group compared to the young control group. Significantly higher (p < 0.01) ZIKV dissemination rates and leg titers (p < 0.01) were observed in old bifenthrin-exposed mosquitoes compared to old control mosquitoes or young bifenthrin-exposed or control mosquitoes. Hence, bifenthrin exposure may increase the potential for virus transmission; however, the degree of these impacts varies with mosquito age. Impacts of insecticides should be considered in risk assessments of potential vector populations.

scholarly journals Vector competence of Culex mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Zika virus transmission: an integrative review

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Sandro G. Viveiros-Rosa ◽  
Eduardo G. Regis ◽  
Wilson C. Santos
Keyword(s):  
Salivary Glands ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
Culex Tarsalis ◽  
Compelling Evidence ◽  
Culex Mosquitoes ◽  
Nature Publishing Group ◽  
Publishing Group

Objective. To identify studies on the competence of Culex mosquitoes as vectors for the transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) around the globe. Methods. We performed an integrative review to identify relevant articles on specific experiments to determine whether Culex mosquitoes are vectors for ZIKV. The sources we used for our research were the Brazilian Periódicos CAPES electronic portal (MEDLINE/PubMed, ScienceDirect Journals, Nature Publishing Group, SciELO, Springer Link, and 250 other databases) and gray literature. Results. We identified 344 studies, of which 36 were considered for this review. In 8 studies, infection in salivary glands of Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex restuans, Culex tarsalis, and Culex coronator was detected. Cx. quinquefasciatus was the most studied among those confirmed as potential ZIKV vectors, and only strains of Asian lineages (THA/2014/SV0127-14; SZ01 (2016)) and American lineages (BRPE243 (2015); PRVABC59 (2015)) can infect the salivary glands of Culex mosquitoes. The tested African strains (MR766 and DAK AR 41525) were unable to infect salivary glands. Conclusions. There is still a lack of compelling evidence that indicates Culex spp. are a competent ZIKV vector, but they should remain a target for further monitoring studies, especially regarding ZIKV transmission to other species. Furthermore, studies should not be limited to studying whether their salivary glands are infected.

scholarly journals Forced Zika Virus Infection of Culex pipiens Leads to Limited Virus Accumulation in Mosquito Saliva

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra R. Abbo ◽  
Chantal B. F. Vogels ◽  
Tessa M. Visser ◽  
Corinne Geertsema ◽  
Monique M. van Oers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Culex Pipiens ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Oral Exposure ◽  
Mosquito Saliva ◽  
Large Outbreak ◽  
Tropical Areas ◽  
Congenital Microcephaly

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that caused a large outbreak in the Americas in 2015 and 2016. The virus is currently present in tropical areas around the globe and can cause severe disease in humans, including Guillain-Barré syndrome and congenital microcephaly. The tropical yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, is the main vector in the urban transmission cycles of ZIKV. The discovery of ZIKV in wild-caught Culex mosquitoes and the ability of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes to transmit ZIKV in the laboratory raised the question of whether the common house mosquito Culex pipiens, which is abundantly present in temperate regions in North America, Asia and Europe, could also be involved in ZIKV transmission. In this study, we investigated the vector competence of Cx. pipiens (biotypes molestus and pipiens) from the Netherlands for ZIKV, using Usutu virus as a control. After an infectious blood meal containing ZIKV, none of the tested mosquitoes accumulated ZIKV in the saliva, although 2% of the Cx. pipiens pipiens mosquitoes showed ZIKV–positive bodies. To test the barrier function of the mosquito midgut on virus transmission, ZIKV was forced into Cx. pipiens mosquitoes by intrathoracic injection, resulting in 74% (molestus) and 78% (pipiens) ZIKV–positive bodies. Strikingly, 14% (molestus) and 7% (pipiens) of the tested mosquitoes accumulated ZIKV in the saliva after injection. This is the first demonstration of ZIKV accumulation in the saliva of Cx. pipiens upon forced infection. Nevertheless, a strong midgut barrier restricted virus dissemination in the mosquito after oral exposure and we, therefore, consider Cx. pipiens as a highly inefficient vector for ZIKV.

scholarly journals Vector competence of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus from the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico for Zika virus

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Darwin Elizondo-Quiroga ◽  
Miriam Ramírez-Medina ◽  
Abel Gutiérrez-Ortega ◽  
Armando Elizondo-Quiroga ◽  
José Esteban Muñoz-Medina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Culex Quinquefasciatus ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Surveillance Program ◽  
Virus Spread ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Almost All

AbstractZika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen discovered in the late 40’s in Uganda during a surveillance program for yellow fever. By 2014 the virus reached Eastern Island in the Americas, and two years later, the virus spread to almost all countries and territories of the Americas. The mosquito Aedes aegypti has been identified as the main vector of the disease, and several researchers have also studied the vector competence of Culex quinquefasciatus in virus transmission. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the vector competence of Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus in order to understand their roles in the transmission of ZIKV in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. In blood feeding laboratry experiments, we found that Ae. aegypti mosquitoes showed to be a competent vector able to transmit ZIKV in this area. On the other hand, we found that F0 Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes are refractory to ZIKV infection, dissemination and transmission.

scholarly journals Detailed Analyses of Zika Virus Tropism in Culex quinquefasciatus Reveal Systemic Refractoriness

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah J. MacLeod ◽  
George Dimopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Culex Quinquefasciatus ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Quantitative Real Time Pcr ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qrt Pcr

ABSTRACT The role of Culex quinquefasciatus in Zika virus transmission has been debated since the epidemic of Zika occurred in the Americas in 2015 to 2016. The majority of studies have found no evidence that C. quinquefasciatus or other Culex species are competent vectors of Zika virus, and the few studies that have proposed Zika vector status for C. quinquefasciatus have relied predominantly on quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) for viral detection. We assessed the infectious range of pre- and post-epidemic Zika virus isolates in order to classify mosquito samples based on titer infectiousness and demonstrated that two strains of C. quinquefasciatus, including one previously found to be competent, are highly resistant to infection with these Zika isolates compared to Aedes aegypti and are not competent for virus transmission. Further dissection of the dynamics of Zika exposure in both A. aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus revealed that while virus transmission by C. quinquefasciatus is blocked at the levels of the midgut and salivary glands, viral RNA persists in these tissues for prolonged periods post-exposure. We assessed Zika entry dynamics in both Aedes and Culex cells, and our results suggest that Zika virus infection in Culex cells may be blocked downstream of cell entry. These findings strongly suggest that C. quinquefasciatus is not a vector of Zika virus and additionally inform the use of qRT-PCR in vector competence assays as well as our understanding of barriers to arbovirus infection in non-susceptible mosquito species. IMPORTANCE Understanding which mosquito species transmit an emerging arbovirus is critical to effective vector control. During the Zika virus epidemic in 2015 to 2016, Aedes mosquitoes were confirmed as vectors. However, studies addressing the vector status of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes presented conflicting evidence and remain an outstanding source of confusion in the field. Here, we established a robust cell-based assay to identify infectious titers of Zika virus and assessed the virus titers in C. quinquefasciatus by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). We found that while low levels of virus were detected in C. quinquefasciatus, these titers did not correspond to infectious virus, and these mosquitoes did not transmit virus in the saliva. We also present evidence that the virus may enter Culex cells before infection is disrupted. Our findings are important for future studies incriminating vector species using qRT-PCR for virus detection and offer new information on how virus transmission is blocked by mosquitoes.

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