A metatranscriptomic evaluation of viruses in field-collected bed bugs

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Entomology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Cimex lectularius (common bed bug) is a prevalent human ectoparasite and urban pest.
• Limited research exists on microorganisms within field populations of bed bugs using modern molecular techniques.
• Bed bugs are not currently known vectors of human infectious diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the viral communities within a large international sample of common bed bugs and bat bugs (Cimex pipistrelle).
• To identify and characterize viruses harbored by these insect populations.

Main Methods:

• RNA sequencing was performed on over 500 field-collected bed bugs and bat bugs from various international locations.
• Multiple bioinformatics workflows were employed to assemble viral contigs.
• Assembled contigs were queried against reference nucleotide databases to identify viral genomes.

Main Results:

• Shuangao bed bug virus 2 (a rhabdovirus) was detected in bed bugs from the USA and Europe, and in bat bugs, indicating its prevalence.
• Shuangao bed bug virus 1 was found in a Chinese bed bug sample, and Enterobacteria phage P7 sequences were ubiquitous.
• Overall viral diversity in the sampled bed bugs was low, with no other viral genomes detected at significant coverage.

Conclusions:

• The findings suggest that frequent virus infection is uncommon in common bed bugs and bat bugs.
• The study identified Shuangao bed bug virus 2 as a common virus among these populations.
• Limitations include a focus on urban areas in industrialized nations, potentially missing infections in other environments.