Venereal Transmission of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus by Culicoides sonorensis Midges

Culicoides sonorensis biting midges are well-known agricultural pests and transmission vectors of arboviruses such as vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). The epidemiology of VSV is complex and encompasses a broad range of vertebrate hosts, multiple routes of transmission, and diverse vector species. In temperate regions, viruses can overwinter in the absence of infected animals through unknown mechanisms, to reoccur the next year. Non-conventional routes for VSV vector transmission may help explain viral maintenance in midge populations during inter-epidemic periods and times of adverse conditions for bite transmission. In this study, we examined whether VSV could be transmitted venereally between male and female midges. Our results showed that VSV-infected females could venereally transmit virus to uninfected naïve males at a rate as high as 76.3% (RT-qPCR), 31.6% (virus isolation) during the third gonotrophic cycle. Additionally, VSV-infected males could venereally transmit virus to uninfected naïve females at a rate as high as 76.6% (RT-qPCR), 49.2% (virus isolation). Immunofluorescent staining of micro-dissected reproductive organs, immunochemical staining of midge histological sections, examination of internal reproductive organ morphology, and observations of mating behaviors were used to determine relevant anatomical sites for virus location and to hypothesize the potential mechanism for VSV transmission in C. sonorensis midges through copulation.

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Impacts of Infectious Dose, Feeding Behavior, and Age of Culicoides sonorensis Biting Midges on Infection Dynamics of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10070816 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 816

Author(s):

Paula Rozo-Lopez ◽

Berlin Londono-Renteria ◽

Barbara S. Drolet

Keyword(s):

Feeding Behavior ◽

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus ◽

Vector Competence ◽

Blood Feeding ◽

Whole Body ◽

Biting Midges ◽

Infectious Dose ◽

Infection Dynamics ◽

Culicoides Sonorensis ◽

Vesicular Stomatitis

Culicoides sonorensis biting midges are biological vectors of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in the U.S. Yet, little is known regarding the amount of ingested virus required to infect midges, nor how their feeding behavior or age affects viral replication and vector competence. We determined the minimum infectious dose of VSV-New Jersey for C. sonorensis midges and examined the effects of multiple blood-feeding cycles and age at the time of virus acquisition on infection dynamics. A minimum dose of 3.2 logs of virus/mL of blood resulted in midgut infections, and 5.2 logs/mL resulted in a disseminated infection to salivary glands. For blood-feeding behavior studies, ingestion of one or two non-infectious blood meals (BM) after a VSV infectious blood meal (VSV-BM) resulted in higher whole-body virus titers than midges receiving only the single infectious VSV-BM. Interestingly, this infection enhancement was not seen when a non-infectious BM preceded the infectious VSV-BM. Lastly, increased midge age at the time of infection correlated to increased whole-body virus titers. This research highlights the epidemiological implications of infectious doses, vector feeding behaviors, and vector age on VSV infection dynamics to estimate the risk of transmission by Culicoides midges more precisely.

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Blood-Feeding Behavior of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Infected Culicoides sonorensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1093/jmedent/45.5.921 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 45 (5) ◽

pp. 921-926 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Kristine E. Bennett ◽

Jessica E. Hopper ◽

Melissa A. Stuart ◽

Mark West ◽

Barbara S. Drolet

Keyword(s):

Feeding Behavior ◽

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus ◽

Blood Feeding ◽

Culicoides Sonorensis ◽

Vesicular Stomatitis

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Detection of buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) seroreactive for vesicular stomatitis virus in the state of Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil

Semina Ciências Agrárias ◽

10.5433/1679-0359.2019v40n6supl3p3769 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (6Supl3) ◽

pp. 3769

Author(s):

Camila de Sousa Bezerra ◽

Jéssica Tatiane Sauthier ◽

Juliana Felipetto Cargnelutti ◽

Gisele Cândida Ramalho ◽

Denise Batista Nogueira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus ◽

Virus Isolation ◽

Neutralization Test ◽

Bubalus Bubalis ◽

The State ◽

Virus Neutralization Test ◽

Northeastern Brazil ◽

Antibody Titers ◽

Vesicular Stomatitis

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in buffaloes in the state of Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil. The study was carried out in 14 herds in the municipalities of Alagoa Nova, Areia, Campina Grande, Guarabira, Juripiranga, Santa Helena, Sapê, Rio Tinto, Santana dos Garrotes, Itatuba, Solânea, and Cacimbas. The studied population was formed by buffalo females reared for meat and milk, comprising of mixed and Murrah breeds, at least 24 months of age. For the serological diagnosis of VSIV-3, the virus-neutralization test (VN) was performed, using the VSIV-3 isolate 2013 São Bento/Paraíba. Real prevalence was 2.6% for VSIV-3, with antibody titers ranging from 160 to 1280. This is the first study to characterize VSV circulation in the buffalo population in Northeastern Brazil, where infection is considered endemic; some aspects of virus maintenance are not fully understood, such as the role of reservoirs in endemic areas. The identification of seroreactive animals in this study demonstrates the circulation of VSIV-3 in the buffalo species. Reports of virus isolation in this species have not yet been described, which suggests the need for investigating the role of buffaloes in vesicular stomatitis epidemiology.

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Blood-Feeding Behavior of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Infected Culicoides sonorensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1603/0022-2585(2008)45[921:bbovsv]2.0.co;2 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 45 (5) ◽

pp. 921-926 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kristine E. Bennett ◽

Jessica E. Hopper ◽

Melissa A. Stuart ◽

Mark West ◽

Barbara S. Drolet

Keyword(s):

Feeding Behavior ◽

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus ◽

Blood Feeding ◽

Culicoides Sonorensis ◽

Vesicular Stomatitis

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Detection of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Indiana from Insects Collected during the 2020 Outbreak in Kansas, USA

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10091126 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1126

Author(s):

Bethany L. McGregor ◽

Paula Rozo-Lopez ◽

Travis M. Davis ◽

Barbara S. Drolet

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus ◽

Viral Disease ◽

The United States ◽

Black Flies ◽

Vector Species ◽

Biting Midges ◽

First Report ◽

Vesicular Stomatitis ◽

Culicoides Variipennis

Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is a reportable viral disease which affects horses, cattle, and pigs in the Americas. Outbreaks of vesicular stomatitis virus New Jersey serotype (VSV-NJ) in the United States typically occur on a 5–10-year cycle, usually affecting western and southwestern states. In 2019–2020, an outbreak of VSV Indiana serotype (VSV-IN) extended eastward into the states of Kansas and Missouri for the first time in several decades, leading to 101 confirmed premises in Kansas and 37 confirmed premises in Missouri. In order to investigate which vector species contributed to the outbreak in Kansas, we conducted insect surveillance at two farms that experienced confirmed VSV-positive cases, one each in Riley County and Franklin County. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention miniature light traps were used to collect biting flies on the premises. Two genera of known VSV vectors, Culicoides biting midges and Simulium black flies, were identified to species, pooled by species, sex, reproductive status, and collection site, and tested for the presence of VSV-IN RNA by RT-qPCR. In total, eight positive pools were detected from Culicoides sonorensis (1), Culicoides stellifer (3), Culicoides variipennis (1), and Simulium meridionale (3). The C. sonorensis- and C. variipennis-positive pools were from nulliparous individuals, possibly indicating transovarial or venereal transmission as the source of virus. This is the first report of VSV-IN in field caught C. stellifer and the first report of either serotype in S. meridionale near outbreak premises. These results improve our understanding of the role midges and black flies play in VSV epidemiology in the United States and broadens the scope of vector species for targeted surveillance and control.

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Vector Competence of Culicoides sonorensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) for Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1603/0022-2585(2005)042[0409:vcocsd]2.0.co;2 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 42 (3) ◽

pp. 409-418 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Barbara S. Drolet ◽

Corey L. Campbell ◽

Melissa A. Stuart ◽

William C. Wilson

Keyword(s):

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus ◽

Vector Competence ◽

Culicoides Sonorensis ◽

Vesicular Stomatitis

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Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Transmission: A Comparison of Incriminated Vectors

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects9040190 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 190 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Paula Rozo-Lopez ◽

Barbara Drolet ◽

Berlin Londoño-Renteria

Keyword(s):

Virus Transmission ◽

Viral Disease ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Vector Species ◽

Biting Midges ◽

Virus Serotype ◽

Multiple Routes ◽

Veterinary Importance ◽

Vesicular Stomatitis ◽

Occurrence Pattern

Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is a viral disease of veterinary importance, enzootic in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. In the U.S., VS produces devastating economic losses, particularly in the southwestern states where the outbreaks display an occurrence pattern of 10-year intervals. To date, the mechanisms of the geographic spread and maintenance cycles during epizootics remain unclear. This is due, in part, to the fact that VS epidemiology has a complex of variables to consider, including a broad range of vertebrate hosts, multiple routes of transmission, and an extensive diversity of suspected vector species acting as both mechanical and biological vectors. Infection and viral progression within vector species are highly influenced by virus serotype, as well as environmental factors, including temperature and seasonality; however, the mechanisms of viral transmission, including non-conventional pathways, are yet to be fully studied. Here, we review VS epidemiology and transmission mechanisms, with comparisons of transmission evidence for the four most incriminated hematophagous dipteran taxa: Aedes mosquitoes, Lutzomyia sand flies, Simulium black flies, and Culicoides biting midges.

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