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RNAi-mediated Gene Knockdown and In Vivo Diuresis Assay in Adult Female Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes
Published on: July 14, 2012
Dehydration stress and Mayaro virus vector competence in Aedes aegypti
Jaime Manzano-Alvarez1,2,3, Gerard Terradas1,2,4, Christopher J Holmes5
1Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
Importance:
Relative humidity (RH) is an environmental variable that affects mosquito physiology and can impact pathogen transmission. Low RH can induce dehydration in mosquitoes, leading to alterations in physiological and behavioral responses such as blood-feeding and host-seeking behavior. We evaluated the effects of a temporal drop in RH (RH shock) on mortality and Mayaro virus vector competence in Ae. aegypti. While dehydration induced by humidity shock did not impact virus infection, we detected a significant effect of dehydration on mosquito mortality and blood-feeding frequency, which could significantly impact transmission dynamics.
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