scholarly journals Engineered resistance to Zika virus in transgenic Aedes aegypti expressing a polycistronic cluster of synthetic small RNAs

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (9) ◽  
pp. 3656-3661 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Buchman ◽  
Stephanie Gamez ◽  
Ming Li ◽  
Igor Antoshechkin ◽  
Hsing-Han Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Small Rnas ◽  
Sterile Insect Technique ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Gene Drive ◽  
Artificial Infection ◽  
Transmission Rates ◽  
Arboviral Transmission

Recent Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreaks have highlighted the necessity for development of novel vector control strategies to combat arboviral transmission, including genetic versions of the sterile insect technique, artificial infection with Wolbachia to reduce population size and/or vectoring competency, and gene drive-based methods. Here, we describe the development of mosquitoes synthetically engineered to impede vector competence to ZIKV. We demonstrate that a polycistronic cluster of engineered synthetic small RNAs targeting ZIKV is expressed and fully processed in Aedes aegypti, ensuring the formation of mature synthetic small RNAs in the midgut where ZIKV resides in the early stages of infection. Critically, we demonstrate that engineered Ae. aegypti mosquitoes harboring the anti-ZIKV transgene have significantly reduced viral infection, dissemination, and transmission rates of ZIKV. Taken together, these compelling results provide a promising path forward for development of effective genetic-based ZIKV control strategies, which could potentially be extended to curtail other arboviruses.

scholarly journals Engineered resistance to Zika virus in transgenic Ae. aegypti expressing a polycistronic cluster of synthetic miRNAs

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Buchman ◽  
Stephanie Gamez ◽  
Ming Li ◽  
Igor Antoshechkin ◽  
Shin-Hang Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Sterile Insect Technique ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Gene Drive ◽  
Artificial Infection ◽  
Major Health ◽  
Transmission Rates ◽  
Synthetic Mirnas ◽  
Arboviral Transmission

AbstractRecent Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreaks have highlighted the necessity for development of novel vector control strategies to combat arboviral transmission, including genetic versions of the sterile insect technique, artificial infection with Wolbachia to reduce population size and/or vectoring competency, and gene drive based methods. Here, we describe the development of mosquitoes synthetically engineered to impede vector competence to ZIKV. We demonstrate that a polycistronic cluster of engineered microRNAs (miRNAs) targeting ZIKV is expressed and fully processed following a blood meal in Ae. aegypti, ensuring the formation of mature synthetic miRNAs in the midgut where ZIKV resides in the early stages of infection. Critically, we demonstrate that engineered Ae. aegypti mosquitoes harboring the anti-ZIKV transgene have significantly reduced viral infection, dissemination, and transmission rates of ZIKV. Taken together, these compelling results provide a promising path forward for development of effective genetic-based ZIKV control strategies, which could potentially be extended to curtail other arboviruses.One Sentence SummaryHere we describe the generation of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes that are engineered to confer reduced vector competence to Zika virus (ZIKV) and we discuss how such engineering approach can be used to combat the major health burden of ZIKV and potentially other arboviruses in the future.

scholarly journals Low Aedes aegypti Vector Competence for Zika Virus from Viremic Rhesus Macaques

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1345
Author(s):  
Rosilainy Surubi Fernandes ◽  
Mariana Rocha David ◽  
Filipe Vieira Santos De Abreu ◽  
Anielly Ferreira-de-Brito ◽  
Noemi R. Gardinali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Viral Load ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Short Duration ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Transmission Dynamics ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Transmission Rates ◽  
Time Points

Despite worldwide efforts to understand the transmission dynamics of Zika virus (ZIKV), scanty evaluation has been made on the vector competence of Aedes aegypti fed directly on viremic human and non-human primates (NHPs). We blood-fed Ae. aegypti from two districts in Rio de Janeiro on six ZIKV infected pregnant rhesus macaques at several time points, half of which were treated with Sofosbuvir (SOF). Mosquitoes were analyzed for vector competence after 3, 7 and 14 days of incubation. Although viremia extended up to eight days post monkey inoculation, only mosquitoes fed on the day of the peak of viremia, recorded on day two, became infected. The influence of SOF treatment could not be assessed because the drug was administered just after mosquito feeding on day two. The global infection, dissemination and transmission rates were quite low (4.09%, 1.91% and 0.54%, respectively); no mosquito was infected when viremia was below 1.26 × 105 RNA copies/mL. In conclusion, Ae. aegypti vector competence for ZIKV from macaques is low, likely to be due to low viral load and the short duration of ZIKV viremia in primates suitable for infecting susceptible mosquitoes. If ZIKV infection in human and macaques behaves similarly, transmission of the Zika virus in nature is most strongly affected by vector density.

scholarly journals Experimental transmission of Zika virus by mosquitoes from central Europe

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Heitmann ◽  
Stephanie Jansen ◽  
Renke Lühken ◽  
Mayke Leggewie ◽  
Marlis Badusche ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Culex Pipiens ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Experimental Transmission ◽  
Transmission Rates ◽  
Culex Pipiens Pipiens ◽  
Laboratory Colony

Mosquitoes collected in Germany in 2016, including Culex pipiens pipiens biotype pipiens, Culex torrentium and Aedes albopictus, as well as Culex pipiens pipiens biotype molestus (in colony since 2011) were experimentally infected with Zika virus (ZIKV) at 18 °C or 27 °C. None of the Culex taxa showed vector competence for ZIKV. In contrast, Aedes albopictus were susceptible for ZIKV but only at 27 °C, with transmission rates similar to an Aedes aegypti laboratory colony tested in parallel.

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 Vector competence and transovarial transmission of two Aedes aegypti strains to Zika virus

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-xiao Li ◽  
Xiao-xia Guo ◽  
Yong-qiang Deng ◽  
Dan Xing ◽  
Ai-juan Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Transovarial Transmission

scholarly journals Sequential Infection of Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes with Chikungunya Virus and Zika Virus Enhances Early Zika Virus Transmission

Insects ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tereza Magalhaes ◽  
Alexis Robison ◽  
Michael Young ◽  
William Black ◽  
Brian Foy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Blood Meal ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Mosquito Vector ◽  
Molecular Aspects ◽  
Virus Interactions ◽  
Sequential Infection

In urban settings, chikungunya, Zika, and dengue viruses are transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Since these viruses co-circulate in several regions, coinfection in humans and vectors may occur, and human coinfections have been frequently reported. Yet, little is known about the molecular aspects of virus interactions within hosts and how they contribute to arbovirus transmission dynamics. We have previously shown that Aedes aegypti exposed to chikungunya and Zika viruses in the same blood meal can become coinfected and transmit both viruses simultaneously. However, mosquitoes may also become coinfected by multiple, sequential feeds on single infected hosts. Therefore, we tested whether sequential infection with chikungunya and Zika viruses impacts mosquito vector competence. We exposed Ae. aegypti mosquitoes first to one virus and 7 days later to the other virus and compared infection, dissemination, and transmission rates between sequentially and single infected groups. We found that coinfection rates were high after sequential exposure and that mosquitoes were able to co-transmit both viruses. Surprisingly, chikungunya virus coinfection enhanced Zika virus transmission 7 days after the second blood meal. Our data demonstrate heterologous arbovirus synergism within mosquitoes, by unknown mechanisms, leading to enhancement of transmission under certain conditions.

scholarly journals Vector Competence of French Polynesian Aedes aegypti and Aedes polynesiensis for Zika Virus

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. e0005024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vaea Richard ◽  
Tuterarii Paoaafaite ◽  
Van-Mai Cao-Lormeau
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Aedes Polynesiensis

scholarly journals Zika mosquito vectors: the jury is still out

F1000Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 2546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter S. Leal
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Yellow Fever ◽  
Culex Quinquefasciatus ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Mosquito Vectors ◽  
Yellow Fever Mosquito ◽  
The Common

After a 40-year hiatus, the International Congress of Entomology (ICE 2016) convened in Orlando, Florida (September 25-30, 2016). One of the symposia at ICE 2016, the Zika Symposium, covered multiple aspects of the Zika epidemic, including epidemiology, sexual transmission, genetic tools for reducing transmission, and particularly vector competence. While there was a consensus among participants that the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, is a vector of the Zika virus, there is growing evidence indicating that the range of mosquito vectors might be wider than anticipated. In particular, three independent groups from Canada, China, and Brazil presented and discussed laboratory and field data strongly suggesting that the southern house mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, also known as the common mosquito, is highly likely to be a vector in certain environments.

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