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Maintaining Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Infected with Wolbachia
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Maintaining Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Infected with Wolbachia

Published on: August 14, 2017

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Pathogen blocking in Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti is not affected by Zika and dengue virus co-infection

Eric P Caragata1, Marcele N Rocha1, Thiago N Pereira1

  • 1Grupo Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Instituto René Rachou-Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases
|May 21, 2019
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes show reduced arbovirus infection and transmission, even when co-infected with multiple viruses. This indicates their effectiveness in controlling mosquito-borne diseases in complex outbreak settings.

Area of Science:

  • Medical entomology
  • Infectious disease control
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Arboviruses pose significant public health threats, often co-circulating and transmitted by mosquitoes like Aedes aegypti.
  • Co-infection with multiple arboviruses complicates diagnosis and treatment of mosquito-borne diseases.
  • Wolbachia bacteria show potential for controlling arbovirus transmission by mosquitoes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of Zika virus (ZIKV) and Dengue virus (DENV) co-infection on Wolbachia's ability to control arbovirus transmission in Aedes aegypti.
  • To assess the effect of co-infection on viral load and prevalence in Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes.
  • To examine the influence of ZIKV/DENV co-infection on the expression of immune genes in Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental oral infection of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with ZIKV and DENV.
  • Quantification of viral load and prevalence using RT-qPCR.
  • Analysis of immune gene expression (Defensin C, Transferrin 1).

Main Results:

  • Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes exhibited lower viral prevalence and load compared to wildtype mosquitoes, even under ZIKV/DENV co-infection.
  • Co-infection with ZIKV/DENV did not significantly impair Wolbachia's pathogen interference capability.
  • Wolbachia infection modulated the expression of immune genes Defensin C and Transferrin 1 in a virus-dependent manner.

Conclusions:

  • Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti effectively control arbovirus infections, including during co-infections with ZIKV and DENV.
  • Pathogen interference by Wolbachia is robust and not compromised by complex co-infection scenarios.
  • Wolbachia holds promise for controlling mosquito-borne diseases in areas with concurrent arbovirus outbreaks.

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