scholarly journals Blood Meals With Active and Heat-Inactivated Serum Modifies the Gene Expression and Microbiome of Aedes albopictus

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arley Calle-Tobón ◽  
Andres F. Holguin-Rocha ◽  
Celois Moore ◽  
Meagan Rippee-Brooks ◽  
Paula Rozo-Lopez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Normal Serum ◽  
Heat Inactivation ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Host Interaction ◽  
Asian Tiger

The Asian “tiger mosquito” Aedes albopictus is currently the most widely distributed disease-transmitting mosquito in the world. Its geographical expansion has also allowed the expansion of multiple arboviruses like dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, to higher latitudes. Due to the enormous risk to global public health caused by mosquitoes species vectors of human disease, and the challenges in slowing their expansion, it is necessary to develop new and environmentally friendly vector control strategies. Among these, host-associated microbiome-based strategies have emerged as promising options. In this study, we performed an RNA-seq analysis on dissected abdomens of Ae. albopictus females from Manhattan, KS, United States fed with sugar and human blood containing either normal or heat-inactivated serum, to evaluate the effect of heat inactivation on gene expression, the bacteriome transcripts and the RNA virome of this mosquito species. Our results showed at least 600 genes with modified expression profile when mosquitoes were fed with normal vs. heat-inactivated-containing blood. These genes were mainly involved in immunity, oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, and oogenesis. Also, we observed bacteriome changes with an increase in transcripts of Actinobacteria, Rhodospirillaceae, and Anaplasmataceae at 6 h post-feeding. We also found that feeding with normal blood seems to particularly influence Wolbachia metabolism, demonstrated by a significant increase in transcripts of this bacteria in mosquitoes fed with blood containing normal serum. However, no differences were observed in the virome core of this mosquito population. These results suggest that heat and further inactivation of complement proteins in human serum may have profound effect on mosquito and microbiome metabolism, which could influence interpretation of the pathogen-host interaction findings when using this type of reagents specially when measuring the effect of Wolbachia in vector competence.

scholarly journals Chikungunya: epidemiology

F1000Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyle R. Petersen ◽  
Ann M. Powers
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Febrile Illness ◽  
Current Understanding ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Temperate Climates

Chikungunya virus is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that causes fever and debilitating joint pains in humans. Joint pains may last months or years. It is vectored primarily by the tropical and sub-tropical mosquito, Aedes aegypti, but is also found to be transmitted by Aedes albopictus, a mosquito species that can also be found in more temperate climates. In recent years, the virus has risen from relative obscurity to become a global public health menace affecting millions of persons throughout the tropical and sub-tropical world and, as such, has also become a frequent cause of travel-associated febrile illness. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the biological and sociological underpinnings of its emergence and its future global outlook.

scholarly journals Wolbachia strain wAu efficiently blocks arbovirus transmission in Aedes albopictus

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Vittoria Mancini ◽  
Christie S. Herd ◽  
Thomas H. Ant ◽  
Shivan M. Murdochy ◽  
Steven P. Sinkins
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Asian Tiger Mosquito ◽  
Native Strain ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Asian Tiger ◽  
Tiger Mosquito

AbstractThe global incidence of arboviral diseases transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, including dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika, has increased dramatically in recent decades. The release of Aedes aegypti carrying the maternally inherited symbiont Wolbachia as an intervention to control arboviruses is being trialled in several countries. However, these efforts are compromised in many endemic regions due to the co-localization of the secondary vector Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito. Ae. albopictus has an expanding global distribution following incursions into a number of new territories. To date, only the wMel and wPip strains of Wolbachia have been reported to be transferred into and characterized in this vector. A Wolbachia strain naturally infecting Drosophila simulans, wAu, was selected for transfer into a Malaysian Ae. albopictus line to create a novel triple-strain infection. The newly generated line showed self-compatibility, moderate fitness cost and complete resistance to Zika and dengue infections.Author summaryAedes albopictus, the invasive Asian tiger mosquito, is responsible for numerous outbreaks of important viruses such as dengue and Zika in various regions of the world. The need for alterative control interventions propelled the development of a novel approach that exploits a natural insect symbiont, Wolbachia; when transferred into non-native hosts, these maternally-inherited bacteria are able to interfere with the transmission of mosquito-borne viruses, and also provide reproductive advantages to the host, offering a promising tool for self-sustaining field applications. Currently, several field trials are ongoing for the primary vector of dengue and several other arboviruses, Aedes aegypti, providing encouraging results. In this study, Ae. albopictus has been targeted for a similar approach: this mosquito species naturally carries two strains of Wolbachia. The artificial introduction of a third, non-native strain made this line less able to transmit dengue and Zika viruses and had an impact on its fitness.

Practical management plan for invasive mosquito species in Europe: I. Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus)

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 101691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romeo Bellini ◽  
Antonios Michaelakis ◽  
Dušan Petrić ◽  
Francis Schaffner ◽  
Bulent Alten ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Asian Tiger Mosquito ◽  
Invasive Mosquito Species ◽  
Practical Management ◽  
Asian Tiger ◽  
Invasive Mosquito ◽  
Tiger Mosquito

scholarly journals RNA-Seq reveals early distinctions and late convergence of gene expression between diapause and quiescence in the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus

2013 ◽  
Vol 216 (21) ◽  
pp. 4082-4090 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. F. Poelchau ◽  
J. A. Reynolds ◽  
C. G. Elsik ◽  
D. L. Denlinger ◽  
P. A. Armbruster
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Asian Tiger Mosquito ◽  
Rna Seq ◽  
Asian Tiger ◽  
Tiger Mosquito

scholarly journals A Novel Anphevirus in Aedes albopictus Mosquitoes Is Distributed Worldwide and Interacts with the Host RNA Interference Pathway

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1264
Author(s):  
Mosè Manni ◽  
Evgeny M. Zdobnov
Keyword(s):  
Rna Interference ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Asian Tiger ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Persistent Virus ◽  
Laboratory Colonies ◽  
Body Compartments ◽  
Rnai Response

The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is a competent vector for several human arboviruses including dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses. Mosquitoes also harbor insect-specific viruses (ISVs) that may modulate host physiology and potentially affect the transmission of viruses that are pathogenic to vertebrates, thus representing a potential tool for vector control strategies. In Ae. albopictus we identified a novel anphevirus (family Xinmoviridae; order Mononegavirales) provisionally designated here as Aedes albopictus anphevirus (AealbAV). AealbAV contains a ~12.4 kb genome that is highly divergent from currently known viruses but displays gene content and genomic organization typical of known anpheviruses. We identified AealbAV in several publicly available RNA-Seq datasets from different geographical regions both in laboratory colonies and field collected mosquitoes. Coding-complete genomes of AealbAV strains are highly similar worldwide (>96% nucleotide identity) and cluster according to the geographical origin of their hosts. AealbAV appears to be present in various body compartments and mosquito life stages, including eggs. We further detected AealbAV-derived vsiRNAs and vpiRNAs in publicly available miRNA-Seq libraries of Ae. albopictus and in samples experimentally coinfected with chikungunya virus. This suggests that AealbAV is targeted by the host RNA interference (RNAi) response, consistent with persistent virus replication. The discovery and characterization of AealbAV in Ae. albopictus will now allow us to identify its infection in mosquito populations and laboratory strains, and to assess its potential impact on Ae. albopictus physiology and ability to transmit arboviruses.

scholarly journals Dengue virus serotype 2 infection alters midgut and carcass gene expression in the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus

PLoS ONE ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. e0171345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hitoshi Tsujimoto ◽  
Kathryn A. Hanley ◽  
Anitha Sundararajan ◽  
Nicholas P. Devitt ◽  
Faye D. Schilkey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Dengue Virus ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Asian Tiger Mosquito ◽  
Asian Tiger ◽  
Virus Serotype ◽  
Tiger Mosquito ◽  
Dengue Virus Serotype 2

scholarly journals Yellow-y Functions in Egg Melanization and Chorion Morphology of the Asian Tiger Mosquito, Aedes albopictus

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mi Young Noh ◽  
Seulgi Mun ◽  
Karl J. Kramer ◽  
Subbaratnam Muthukrishnan ◽  
Yasuyuki Arakane
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Desiccation Resistance ◽  
Asian Tiger Mosquito ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Asian Tiger ◽  
Low Humidity ◽  
Tiger Mosquito

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is one of the most serious public health pests, which can transmit various vector-borne diseases. Eggs from this mosquito species become dark black shortly after oviposition and exhibit high desiccation resistance. Some of the Yellow proteins that act as dopachrome conversion enzymes (DCEs) are involved in the tyrosine-mediated tanning (pigmentation and sclerotization) metabolic pathway that significantly accelerates melanization reactions in insects. In this research, we analyzed the function of one of the yellow genes, yellow-y (AalY-y), in eggshell/chorion melanization of Ae. albopictus eggs. Developmental and tissue-specific expression measured by real-time PCR showed that AalY-y transcripts were detected at all stages of development analyzed, with significantly higher levels in the ovaries from blood-fed adult females. Injection of double-stranded RNA for AalY-y (dsAalY-y) had no significant effect on fecundity. However, unlike dsEGFP-treated control eggs that become black by 2–3 h after oviposition (HAO), dsAalY-y eggs were yellow-brown at 2 HAO, and reddish-brown even at 48 HAO. dsEGFP eggs exhibited resistance to desiccation at 48 HAO, whereas approximately 50% of the dsAalY-y eggs collapsed when they were moved to a low humidity condition. In addition, TEM analysis revealed an abnormal morphology and ultrastructure of the outer-endochorion in the dsAalY-y eggs. These results support the hypothesis that AalY-y is involved in the tyrosine-induced melanin biosynthetic pathway, plays an important role in black melanization of the chorion and functions in conferring proper morphology of the outer-endochorion, a structure that is presumably required for egg desiccation resistance in Ae. albopictus.

scholarly journals Exploring Public Preferences, Priorities, and Policy Perspectives for Controlling Invasive Mosquito Species in Greece

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 83
Author(s):  
Antonios Kolimenakis ◽  
Dionysios Latinopoulos ◽  
Kostas Bithas ◽  
Clive Richardson ◽  
Konstantinos Lagouvardos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Urban Ecosystems ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Public Preferences ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Invasive Mosquito Species ◽  
Asian Tiger ◽  
Invasive Mosquito

Climate change, urbanization, and financial crisis have created a dramatic mixture of challenges in Southern Europe, increasing further the risks of transmission of new vector-borne diseases. In the last decade, there has been a wide spread of an invasive mosquito species Aedes albopictus, commonly known as the Asian tiger mosquito, in various urban ecosystems of Greece accompanied by greater risks of infectious diseases, higher nuisance levels, and increased expenses incurred for their control. The aim of the present paper is to investigate citizens’ perception of the Aedes albopictus problem and to evaluate various policy aspects related to its control. Findings are based on the conduct of a web-based survey at a national scale and the production of national surveillance maps. Results indicate that citizens are highly concerned with the health risks associated with the new mosquito species and consider public prevention strategies highly important for the confrontation of the problem while, at the same time, surveillance maps indicate a constant intensification of the problem. The spatial patterns of these results are further investigated aiming to define areas (regions) with different: (a) Levels of risk and/or (b) policy priorities. It appears that citizens are aware of the invasive mosquito problem and appear prone to act against possible consequences. Climate change and the complex socio-ecological context of South Europe are expected to favor a deterioration of the problem and an increasing risk of the transmission of new diseases, posing, in this respect, new challenges for policy makers and citizens.

scholarly journals Vector competence of Aedes albopictus for the Indian Ocean lineage (IOL) chikungunya viruses of the 2007 and 2017 outbreaks in Italy: a comparison between strains with and without the E1:A226V mutation

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Fortuna ◽  
Luciano Toma ◽  
Maria Elena Remoli ◽  
Antonello Amendola ◽  
Francesco Severini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Italian Population ◽  
Emilia Romagna Region ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
A226v Mutation

We compared the vector competence of an Italian population of Aedes albopictus for two strains of chikungunya virus (CHIKV), with and without E1:A226V mutation, responsible for outbreaks in 2007 in the Emilia Romagna region and 2017 in the Lazio and Calabria regions, respectively. Ae. albopictus showed similar vector competence for both viral strains indicating that E1:A226V mutation is not exclusively responsible for ability of CHIKV to replicate well in this mosquito species.

scholarly journals First report of a North American invasive mosquito species Ochlerotatus atropalpus (Coquillett) in the Netherlands, 2009

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (45) ◽  
Author(s):  
E J Scholte ◽  
W Den Hartog ◽  
M Braks ◽  
C Reusken ◽  
M Dik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Invasive Mosquito ◽  
Southern Netherlands

In late August and early September 2009, numerous larvae, pupae, and actively flying adult specimens of Ochlerotatus atropalpus were discovered in the Province of Brabant, southern Netherlands, during surveillance activities for Aedes albopictus at two trading companies that import used tires. No Ae. albopictus were found. Both companies mainly import used tires from countries in Europe, but also from North America. Oc. atropalpus is endemic to North America and has so far only been found outside of its endemic range in Europe, namely France and Italy, where it was subsequently eradicated. A preliminary modelling study shows that the weather conditions in the Netherlands are unlikely to prevent establishment of Oc. atropalpus. This species has so far only been shown to serve as a vector for virus transmission under laboratory conditions. Studies on potential human and veterinary health risks, as well as possible control strategies are currently ongoing.

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