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Maintaining Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Infected with Wolbachia
09:23

Maintaining Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Infected with Wolbachia

Published on: August 14, 2017

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Variation in Wolbachia effects on Aedes mosquitoes as a determinant of invasiveness and vectorial capacity

Jessica G King1,2, Caetano Souto-Maior3, Larissa M Sartori4

  • 1CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, 4485-661, Portugal.

Nature Communications
|April 18, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Introducing Wolbachia bacteria into Aedes aegypti mosquitoes aims to control arboviruses. However, the wMel strain surprisingly increased mosquito susceptibility to dengue virus, with potential implications for transmission dynamics.

Area of Science:

  • Vector-borne disease control
  • Arthropod-borne viral diseases
  • Mosquito population genetics
  • Microbial symbiosis in insects

Background:

  • Aedes aegypti mosquitoes transmit arboviruses like dengue, chikungunya, and Zika.
  • Wolbachia pipientis bacteria are being explored as a strategy to control these diseases.
  • Previous lab studies indicated certain Wolbachia strains (e.g., wMel) reduce arbovirus replication.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To re-evaluate the impact of wMel Wolbachia on Aedes aegypti susceptibility to dengue virus.
  • To analyze published field data on mosquito susceptibility in different genetic backgrounds.

Main Methods:

  • Application of a novel analytical approach to two existing Aedes aegypti datasets.
  • Assessment of mosquito susceptibility to dengue infection across different genetic backgrounds (Brazil, Vietnam).

Main Results:

  • The wMel Wolbachia strain significantly increased both the mean and variance of dengue infection susceptibility in Aedes aegypti.
  • This effect was observed in mosquitoes with Brazilian and Vietnamese genetic backgrounds.

Conclusions:

  • Increased mean susceptibility suggests a potential for enhanced dengue virus transmission.
  • The observed increase in variance may allow for adaptation to environmental pressures, potentially reducing overall transmission.
  • Further research is needed to understand the complex interplay of Wolbachia, mosquito genetics, and arbovirus transmission in natural settings.

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