scholarly journals Experimental Assessment of Zika Virus Mechanical Transmission by Aedes aegypti

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Boullis ◽  
Nadège Cordel ◽  
Cécile Herrmann-Storck ◽  
Anubis Vega-Rúa
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Design ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Infectious Virus ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Mechanical Transmission ◽  
Experimental Assessment ◽  
Infected Blood ◽  
Virus Titration ◽  
Blood Meals

The pandemic emergence of several mosquito-borne viruses highlights the need to understand the different ways in which they can be transmitted by vectors to human hosts. In this study, we evaluated the propensity of Aedes aegypti to transmit mechanically Zika virus (ZIKV) using an experimental design. Mosquitoes were allowed to feed on ZIKV-infected blood and were then rapidly transferred to feed on ZIKV-free blood until they finished their meal. The uninfected blood meals, the mosquito abdomens, as well as the mouthparts dissected from fully and partially engorged mosquitoes were analyzed using RT-qPCR and/or virus titration. All the fully engorged mosquito abdomens were ZIKV-infected, whereas their mouthparts were all ZIKV-negative. Nonetheless, one of the partially engorged mosquitoes carried infectious particles on mouthparts. No infectious virus was found in the receiver blood meals, while viral RNA was detected in 9% of the samples (2/22). Thus, mechanical transmission of ZIKV may sporadically occur via Ae. aegypti bite. However, as the number of virions detected on mouthparts (2 particles) is not sufficient to induce infection in a naïve host, our results indicate that mechanical transmission does not impact ZIKV epidemiology.

scholarly journals The Extrinsic Incubation Period of Zika Virus in Florida Mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1252
Author(s):  
Rebecca A. Zimler ◽  
Barry W. Alto
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Incubation Period ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Mosquito Vectors ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Infected Blood ◽  
Extrinsic Incubation Period ◽  
Asian Lineage ◽  
Blood Meals

The Asian genotype of Zika virus (ZIKV) emerged in Brazil in 2015 and subsequently spread throughout the Americas. In July 2016, Florida experienced its first locally acquired ZIKV infection in the continental U.S. Concerns about health risks from ZIKV infection have increased the need to investigate the interactions between potential mosquito vectors and ZIKV. The time it takes for an arbovirus to propagate within a mosquito, and become transmissible, is the extrinsic incubation period (EIP). The EIP for potential mosquito vectors in Florida is unknown. To address this gap in the understanding of ZIKV epidemiology, Florida Aedes aegypti (L.) and Ae. albopictus (Skuse) were orally exposed to ZIKV infected blood meals and fully engorged mosquitoes were held at a constant temperature of 28 °C through the duration of the experiment. Saliva expectorates were collected from cohorts of mosquitoes and tested for the presence of ZIKV at three-day intervals over a period of 24 days to allow for an evaluation of the EIP of the emergent Asian lineage of ZIKV. High rates of infected bodies in Ae. albopictus (75–94%) and Ae. aegypti (68–86%) were observed throughout the incubation period, which did not differ by species. Higher rates of disseminated infection were observed later during the incubation period but did not differ between species. We calculated the 50% EIP to be shorter in Ae. albopictus than Ae. aegypti (16.2 and 18.2 days post infection, respectively). The competence for ZIKV observed in both species may contribute to high rates of ZIKV transmission in Florida populations.

The Role of Predation in Determining Traits of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and Infection With Zika Virus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shawna Bellamy ◽  
Barry W Alto
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Immature Stages ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Infected Blood ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Susceptibility To Infection ◽  
Density Reduction

Abstract Non-lethal predator-prey interactions during the immature stages can cause significant changes to mosquito life history traits and their ability to transmit pathogens as adults. Treatment manipulations using mosquitoes Aedes aegypti (L.) and Toxoryhnchites rutilus (Coquillett) were performed during the immature stages to explore the potential impacts of non-lethal interactions on adult susceptibility to infection, disseminated infection and saliva infection of Ae. aegypti following ingestion of Zika virus-infected blood. Treatments inducing density reduction resulted in reduced development time and survivorship to adulthood. However, effects of treatment did not alter infection, dissemination, or saliva infection. These observations indicate that, while non-lethal predation may impact some traits that influence population dynamics and transmission of pathogens, there were no direct effects on mosquito-arbovirus interactions.

scholarly journals Differential outcomes of Zika virus infection in Aedes aegypti orally challenged with infectious blood meals and infectious protein meals

PLoS ONE ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. e0182386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan-Jang S. Huang ◽  
Amy C. Lyons ◽  
Wei-Wen Hsu ◽  
So Lee Park ◽  
Stephen Higgs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virus Infection ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Differential Outcomes ◽  
Zika Virus Infection ◽  
Blood Meals

scholarly journals Vector competence of selected North AmericanAnophelesandCulexmosquitoes for Zika virus

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brittany L. Dodson ◽  
Sujit Pujhari ◽  
Jason L. Rasgon
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Culex Tarsalis ◽  
Anopheles Quadrimaculatus ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
Serious Disease ◽  
Blood Meals

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a vector-borne flavivirus that has caused recent outbreaks associated with serious disease in infants and newborns in the Americas.Aedesmosquitoes are the primary vectors for ZIKV, but little is known about the diversity of mosquitoes that can transmit ZIKV in North America. We chose three abundant North American mosquito species (Anopheles freeborni,Anopheles quadrimaculatus, andCulex tarsalis) and one known vector species (Aedes aegypti), fed them blood meals supplemented with a recent outbreak ZIKV strain, and tested bodies, legs, and saliva for infectious ZIKV. ZIKV was able to infect, disseminate, and be transmitted byAedes aegypti. However,Anopheles freeborni,Anopheles quadrimaculatus, andCulex tarsaliswere unable to be infected. We conclude that these species are unlikely to be involved in ZIKV transmission in North America. However, we should continue to examine the ability for other mosquito species to potentially act as ZIKV vectors in North America.

scholarly journals A Viral Polymerase Inhibitor Reduces Zika Virus Replication in the Reproductive Organs of Male Mice

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 2122
Author(s):  
Sofie Jacobs ◽  
Leen Delang ◽  
Eric Verbeken ◽  
Johan Neyts ◽  
Suzanne J.F. Kaptein
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Infectious Virus ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Effective Strategy ◽  
Risk Of Infection ◽  
Male Mice ◽  
Epidemic Size ◽  
Polymerase Inhibitor

In humans, Zika virus and viral RNA have been detected in semen up to 2.2 months and 6 months post infection (pi), respectively. Although the contribution of sexual transmission to the spread of ZIKV is too low to sustain an outbreak, it can increase the risk of infection and the epidemic size as well as prolong the duration of an outbreak. In this study, we explored the potential of antivirals to serve as an effective strategy to prevent sexual transmission. Male AG129 mice infected with a ZIKV isolate from Suriname were treated with the nucleoside analog, 7-deaza-2′-C-methyladenosine (7DMA), that was previously shown to be efficacious in reducing ZIKV viremia and delaying ZIKV-induced disease in mice. Following treatment, viral RNA and infectious virus titers were consistently reduced in the male reproductive organs compared to vehicle-treated mice. This reduction of ZIKV loads in the testis was confirmed by the detection of lower levels of ZIKV antigens. Our data illustrate the value of this mouse model to validate the efficacy of new potential ZIKV drugs at the level of the male reproductive system.

scholarly journals High Rate of Non-Human Feeding by Aedes aegypti Reduces Zika Virus Transmission in South Texas

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark F. Olson ◽  
Martial L. Ndeffo-Mbah ◽  
Jose G. Juarez ◽  
Selene Garcia-Luna ◽  
Estelle Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Human Exposure ◽  
The United States ◽  
South Texas ◽  
Reproductive Number ◽  
Host Feeding ◽  
Northern Mexico ◽  
Blood Meals

Mosquito-borne viruses are emerging or re-emerging globally, afflicting millions of people around the world. Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, is the principal vector of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses, and has well-established populations across tropical and subtropical urban areas of the Americas, including the southern United States. While intense arboviral epidemics have occurred in Mexico and further south in the Americas, local transmission in the United States has been minimal. Here, we study Ae. aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus host feeding patterns and vertebrate host communities in residential environments of South Texas to identify host-utilization relative to availability. Only 31% of Ae. aegypti blood meals were derived from humans, while 50% were from dogs and 19% from other wild and domestic animals. In Cx. quinquefasciatus, 67% of blood meals were derived from chicken, 22% came from dogs, 9% from various wild avian species, and 2% from other mammals including one human, one cat, and one pig. We developed a model for the reproductive number, R0, for Zika virus (ZIKV) in South Texas relative to northern Mexico using human disease data from Tamaulipas, Mexico. We show that ZIKV R0 in South Texas communities could be greater than one if the risk of human exposure to Ae. aegypti bites in these communities is at least 60% that of Northern Mexico communities. The high utilization of non-human vertebrates and low risk of human exposure in South Texas diminishes the outbreak potential for human-amplified urban arboviruses transmitted by Ae. aegypti.

scholarly journals Mechanical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by house flies

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Velmurugan Balaraman ◽  
Barbara S. Drolet ◽  
Dana N. Mitzel ◽  
William C. Wilson ◽  
Jeana Owens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Infectious Virus ◽  
House Fly ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Severe Illness ◽  
Mechanical Transmission ◽  
Live Virus ◽  
House Flies ◽  
Post Exposure ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a recently emerged coronavirus that is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. COVID-19 in humans is characterized by a wide range of symptoms that range from asymptomatic to mild or severe illness including death. SARS-CoV-2 is highly contagious and is transmitted via the oral–nasal route through droplets and aerosols, or through contact with contaminated fomites. House flies are known to transmit bacterial, parasitic and viral diseases to humans and animals as mechanical vectors. Previous studies have shown that house flies can mechanically transmit coronaviruses, such as turkey coronavirus; however, the house fly’s role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission has not yet been explored. The goal of this work was to investigate the potential of house flies to mechanically transmit SARS-CoV-2. For this purpose, it was determined whether house flies can acquire SARS-CoV-2, harbor live virus and mechanically transmit the virus to naive substrates and surfaces. Methods Two independent studies were performed to address the study objectives. In the first study, house flies were tested for infectivity after exposure to SARS-CoV-2-spiked medium or milk. In the second study, environmental samples were tested for infectivity after contact with SARS-CoV-2-exposed flies. During both studies, samples were collected at various time points post-exposure and evaluated by SARS-CoV-2-specific RT-qPCR and virus isolation. Results All flies exposed to SARS-CoV-2-spiked media or milk substrates were positive for viral RNA at 4 h and 24 h post-exposure. Infectious virus was isolated only from the flies exposed to virus-spiked milk but not from those exposed to virus-spiked medium. Moreover, viral RNA was detected in environmental samples after contact with SARS-CoV-2 exposed flies, although no infectious virus was recovered from these samples. Conclusions Under laboratory conditions, house flies acquired and harbored infectious SARS-CoV-2 for up to 24 h post-exposure. In addition, house flies were able to mechanically transmit SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA to the surrounding environment up to 24 h post-exposure. Further studies are warranted to determine if house fly transmission occurs naturally and the potential public health implications of such events.

RELAÇÃO DE CAUSALIDADE ENTRE A FEBRE DA ZIKA E MICROCEFALIA NO BRASIL: REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
André Emanuel Dantas Mercês ◽  
Angela de Souza Cajuhi ◽  
Lorena Conceição Souza dos Santos ◽  
Rudval Souza da Silva ◽  
Cleuma Sueli Santos Suto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Electronic Library

O Zika vírus é um arbovírus transmitido pela picada dos mosquitos Aedes aegypti e Aedes albopictus infectados e apresentam como principais manifestações clínicas: febre aguda, exantema, prurido e conjuntivite. Em 2015 causou uma epidemia no Brasil, desencadeando casos de microcefalia em bebês cujas gestantes tiveram a febre da Zika. O Nordeste notificou o maior número de casos. Objetivou-se identificar, a partir de uma revisão integrativa, a relação entre a febre da Zika e a microcefalia. Trata-se de revisão integrativa, realizada a partir de buscas desenvolvidas nas bases de dados da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS) e da Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) com publicações dos anos de 2015 e 2016, idiomas português e inglês. Foram encontradas 191 publicações, as quais passaram por um processo de leitura e análise quanto ao atendimento do objetivo e aplicação dos critérios de inclusão. Restaram oito publicações que integraram o corpus desta revisão. Os resultados apontam para uma relação de causa e efeito entre o contato das gestantes com o Zika vírus e o desenvolvimento de microcefalia em seus bebês. Necessita-se de maiores evidências que demonstrem os reais fatores envolvidos nesse processo, como os genéticos, ambientais e até mesmo interferência de outras infecções. Palavras-chave: Zika vírus. Microcefalia. Aplicações da epidemiologia.

scholarly journals Transmission Potential of Zika Virus by Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and Ae. mediovittatus (Diptera: Culicidae) Populations From Puerto Rico

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca A Zimler ◽  
Donald A Yee ◽  
Barry W Alto
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
The United States ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Transmission Potential ◽  
Transmission Rates ◽  
Higher Doses ◽  
Local Transmission

Abstract Recurrence of local transmission of Zika virus in Puerto Rico is a major public health risk to the United States, where mosquitoes Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Aedes mediovittatus (Coquillett) are abundant. To determine the extent to which Ae. mediovittatus are capable of transmitting Zika virus and the influence of viremia, we evaluated infection and transmission in Ae. mediovittatus and Ae. aegypti from Puerto Rico using serial dilutions of infectious blood. Higher doses of infectious blood resulted in greater infection rates in both mosquitoes. Aedes aegypti females were up to twice as susceptible to infection than Ae. mediovittatus, indicating a more effective midgut infection barrier in the latter mosquito species. Aedes aegypti exhibited higher disseminated infection (40–95%) than Ae. mediovittatus (<5%), suggesting a substantial midgut escape barrier in Ae. mediovittatus. For Ae. aegypti, transmission rates were low over a range of doses of Zika virus ingested, suggesting substantial salivary gland barriers.

scholarly journals In Vitro Effects of Doxycycline on Replication of Feline Coronavirus

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 312
Author(s):  
Magdalena Dunowska ◽  
Sayani Ghosh
Keyword(s):  
Inhibitory Concentration ◽  
Infectious Virus ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Virus Titration ◽  
Reverse Transcription Quantitative Pcr ◽  
In Vitro Effects ◽  
Dose Dependent ◽  
Feline Coronavirus

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a sporadic fatal disease of cats caused by a virulent variant of feline coronavirus (FCoV), referred to as FIP virus (FIPV). Treatment options are limited, and most of the affected cats die or are euthanized. Anecdotally, doxycycline has been used to treat FIP-affected cats, but there are currently no data to support or discourage such treatment. The aim of this study was to establish whether doxycycline inhibits replication of FIPV in vitro. The virus was cultured in Crandell-Rees feline kidney cells with various concentrations of doxycycline (0 to 50 µg/mL). The level of FIPV in cultures was determined by virus titration and FCoV-specific reverse-transcription quantitative PCR. Cell viability was also monitored. There was no difference in the level of infectious virus or viral RNA between doxycycline-treated and untreated cultures at 3, 12- and 18-hours post-infection. However, at 24 h, the growth of FIPV was inhibited by approximately two logs in cultures with >10 µg/mL doxycycline. This inhibition was dose-dependent, with inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) 4.1 µg/mL and IC90 5.4 µg/mL. Our data suggest that doxycycline has some inhibitory effect on FIPV replication in vitro, which supports future clinical trials of its use for the treatment of FIP-affected cats.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document