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Pondeville E, Failloux AB, Simard F, Volf P, Crisanti A, Haghighat-Khah RE, Busquets N, Abad FX, Wilson AJ, Bellini R, Marsh Arnaud S, Kohl A, Veronesi E. Infravec2 guidelines for the design and operation of containment level 2 and 3 insectaries in Europe. Pathog Glob Health 2023; 117:293-307. [PMID: 35996820 PMCID: PMC10081053 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2022.2108639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
Abstract
With the current expansion of vector-based research and an increasing number of facilities rearing arthropod vectors and infecting them with pathogens, common measures for containment of arthropods as well as manipulation of pathogens are becoming essential for the design and running of such research facilities to ensure safe work and reproducibility, without compromising experimental feasibility. These guidelines and comments were written by experts of the Infravec2 consortium, a Horizon 2020-funded consortium integrating the most sophisticated European infrastructures for research on arthropod vectors of human and animal diseases. They reflect current good practice across European laboratories with experience of safely handling different mosquito species and the pathogens they transmit. As such, they provide experience-based advice to assess and manage the risks to work safely with mosquitoes and the pathogens they transmit. This document can also form the basis for research with other arthropods, for example, midges, ticks or sandflies, with some modification to reflect specific requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Crisanti
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Núria Busquets
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la UAB, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Francesc Xavier Abad
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la UAB, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | | | - Romeo Bellini
- Centro Agricoltura Ambiente “G.Nicoli”, Crevalcore, Italy
| | - Sarah Marsh Arnaud
- Institut Pasteur, Genetics and Genomics of Insect Vectors, Paris, France
| | - Alain Kohl
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Eva Veronesi
- UZH, Institute of Parasitology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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Guissou C, Quinlan MM, Sanou R, Ouédraogo RK, Namountougou M, Diabaté A. Preparing an Insectary in Burkina Faso to Support Research in Genetic Technologies for Malaria Control. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2022; 22:18-28. [PMID: 34995157 PMCID: PMC8787693 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS) of Burkina Faso, West Africa, was the first African institution to import transgenic mosquitoes for research purposes. A shift from the culture of mosquito research to regulated biotechnology research and considerable management capacity is needed to set up and run the first insectary for transgenic insects in a country that applied and adapted the existing biosafety framework, first developed for genetically modified (GM) crops, to this new area of research. The additional demands arise from the separate regulatory framework for biotechnology, referencing the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and the novelty of the research strain, making public understanding and acceptance early in the research pathway important. The IRSS team carried out extensive preparations following recommendations for containment of GM arthropods and invested efforts in local community engagement and training with scientific colleagues throughout the region. Record keeping beyond routine practice was established to maintain evidence related to regulatory requirements and risk assumptions. The National Biosafety Agency of Burkina Faso, Agence Nationale de Biosécurité (ANB), granted the permits for import of the self-limiting transgenic mosquito strain, which took place in November 2016, and for conducting studies in the IRSS facility in Bobo-Dioulasso. Compliance with permit terms and conditions of the permits and study protocols continued until the conclusion of studies, when the transgenic colonies were terminated. All this required close coordination between management and the insectary teams, as well as others. This article outlines the experiences of the IRSS to support others undertaking such studies. The IRSS is contributing to the ongoing development of genetic technologies for malaria control, as a partner of Target Malaria. The ultimate objective of the innovation is to reduce malaria transmission by using GM mosquitoes of the same species released to reduce the disease-vectoring native populations of Anopheles gambiae s.l.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Guissou
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé-Direction Régionale de l''Ouest (IRSS-DRO), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - M Megan Quinlan
- Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Roger Sanou
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé-Direction Régionale de l''Ouest (IRSS-DRO), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Robert K Ouédraogo
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé-Direction Régionale de l''Ouest (IRSS-DRO), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Moussa Namountougou
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé-Direction Régionale de l''Ouest (IRSS-DRO), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Abdoulaye Diabaté
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé-Direction Régionale de l''Ouest (IRSS-DRO), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
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Higgs S, Vanlandingham DL, Huang YJS, Thangamani S. The Use of Arthropod-Borne Challenge Models in BSL-3Ag and BSL-4 Biocontainment. ILAR J 2021; 61:18-31. [PMID: 33951733 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilab013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of many arthropod-borne pathogens requires high biosafety considerations, including the use of specialized facilities and equipment for arthropod containment. Mosquito- and tick-borne viruses such as yellow fever, West Nile, and Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever viruses require facilities that are suitable for housing vertebrates. Multidisciplinary studies that incorporate the vector, vertebrate, and pathogens are essential for a complete understanding of the interactions between these transmission cycle components, especially if they aim to evaluate and model relative susceptibilities of different arthropods and vertebrates to infection and transmission between these. Under laboratory conditions, these studies can be relatively simple, for example, involving colonized arthropods, small animals, and attenuated viruses. Other studies are complex with large animals, high-biocontainment pathogens, and field-collected arthropods. These require a higher level of containment and special design considerations. Both of these types of experiments have their relative merits. A thorough understanding of the issues related to these types of studies and the benefits and drawbacks to using various challenge models will enable the researcher to develop realistic goals for various experiments. This review examines the varied issues that should be considered prior to starting these experiments and covers the basics from the procurement of various arthropods, rearing, high-containment facilities and operational issues specific to work with arthropods, types of infection experiments, and specific issues with arthropod and animal experiments in biosafety levels 3 and 4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Higgs
- Director of the Biosecurity Research Institute and Associate Vice President for Research at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Dana L Vanlandingham
- Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Yan-Jang S Huang
- Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Saravanan Thangamani
- Director of the SUNY Center for Environmental Health and Medicine, and Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA
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Häcker I, Koller R, Eichner G, Martin J, Liapi E, Rühl J, Rehling T, Schetelig MF. Evaluation of Hydrogen Peroxide Fumigation and Heat Treatment for Standard Emergency Arthropod Inactivation in BSL-3 Insectaries. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:602937. [PMID: 33304894 PMCID: PMC7701145 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.602937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change and global movements of people and goods have accelerated the spread of invasive species, including insects that vector infectious diseases, which threaten the health of more than half of the world’s population. Increasing research efforts to control these diseases include the study of vector – pathogen interactions, involving the handling of pathogen-infected vector insects under biosafety level (BSL) 2 and 3 conditions. Like microbiology BSL-3 laboratories, BSL-3 insectaries are usually subjected to fixed-term or emergency room decontamination using recognized methods such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or formaldehyde fumigation. While these procedures have been standardized and approved for the inactivation of diverse pathogens on surfaces, to date, there are no current standards for effective room-wide inactivation of insects in BSL-3 facilities in case of an emergency such as the accidental release of a large number of infected vectors. As H2O2 is often used for standard room decontamination in BSL-3 facilities, we evaluated H2O2 fumigation as a potential standard method for the safe, room-wide deactivation of insects in BSL-3 insectaries in comparison to heat treatment. To account for physiological diversity in vector insect species, six species from three different orders were tested. For the H2O2 fumigation we observed a strong but also varying resilience across all species. Lethal exposure time for the tested dipterans ranged from nine to more than 24 h. Furthermore, the coleopteran, Tribolium castaneum, did not respond to continuous H2O2 exposure for 48 h under standard room decontamination conditions. In contrast, temperatures of 50°C effectively killed all the tested species within 2 to 10 min. The response to lower temperatures (40–48°C) again showed a strong variation between species. In summary, results suggest that H2O2 fumigation, especially in cases where a gas generator is part of the laboratory equipment, may be used for the inactivation of selected species but is not suitable as a general emergency insect inactivation method under normal room decontamination conditions. In contrast, heat treatment at 48 to 50°C has the potential to be developed as an approved standard procedure for the effective inactivation of insects in BSL-3 facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Häcker
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Gießen, Germany.,Department of Insect Pest and Vector Control, Division of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Gießen, Germany
| | - Roland Koller
- Ortner Reinraumtechnik GmbH (Ortner Cleanrooms Unlimited), Villach, Austria
| | - Gerrit Eichner
- Mathematical Institute, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Jakob Martin
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Eleni Liapi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Johanna Rühl
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Tanja Rehling
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Marc F Schetelig
- Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Gießen, Germany.,Department of Insect Pest and Vector Control, Division of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Gießen, Germany
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6
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Simoni A, Hammond AM, Beaghton AK, Galizi R, Taxiarchi C, Kyrou K, Meacci D, Gribble M, Morselli G, Burt A, Nolan T, Crisanti A. A male-biased sex-distorter gene drive for the human malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. Nat Biotechnol 2020; 38:1054-1060. [PMID: 32393821 PMCID: PMC7473848 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-020-0508-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Only female insects transmit diseases such as malaria, dengue and Zika; therefore, control methods that bias the sex ratio of insect offspring have long been sought. Genetic elements such as sex-chromosome drives can distort sex ratios to produce unisex populations that eventually collapse, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. We report a male-biased sex-distorter gene drive (SDGD) in the human malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. We induced super-Mendelian inheritance of the X-chromosome-shredding I-PpoI nuclease by coupling this to a CRISPR-based gene drive inserted into a conserved sequence of the doublesex (dsx) gene. In modeling of invasion dynamics, SDGD was predicted to have a quicker impact on female mosquito populations than previously developed gene drives targeting female fertility. The SDGD at the dsx locus led to a male-only population from a 2.5% starting allelic frequency in 10–14 generations, with population collapse and no selection for resistance. Our results support the use of SDGD for malaria vector control. A sex-distorter gene drive causes population collapse in the malaria mosquito.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alekos Simoni
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Polo d'Innovazione Genomica, Genetica e Biologia, Terni, Italy
| | - Andrew M Hammond
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Roberto Galizi
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Centre for Applied Entomology and Parasitology, School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Keele, UK
| | | | - Kyros Kyrou
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Dario Meacci
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Matthew Gribble
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Giulia Morselli
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Austin Burt
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, UK
| | - Tony Nolan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Andrea Crisanti
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK. .,Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
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Kyrou K, Hammond AM, Galizi R, Kranjc N, Burt A, Beaghton AK, Nolan T, Crisanti A. A CRISPR-Cas9 gene drive targeting doublesex causes complete population suppression in caged Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. Nat Biotechnol 2018; 36:1062-1066. [PMID: 30247490 PMCID: PMC6871539 DOI: 10.1038/nbt.4245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 458] [Impact Index Per Article: 76.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Complete population collapse of malaria vector Anopheles gambiae in cages is achieved using a gene drive that targets doublesex. In the human malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, the gene doublesex (Agdsx) encodes two alternatively spliced transcripts, dsx-female (AgdsxF) and dsx-male (AgdsxM), that control differentiation of the two sexes. The female transcript, unlike the male, contains an exon (exon 5) whose sequence is highly conserved in all Anopheles mosquitoes so far analyzed. We found that CRISPR–Cas9-targeted disruption of the intron 4–exon 5 boundary aimed at blocking the formation of functional AgdsxF did not affect male development or fertility, whereas females homozygous for the disrupted allele showed an intersex phenotype and complete sterility. A CRISPR–Cas9 gene drive construct targeting this same sequence spread rapidly in caged mosquitoes, reaching 100% prevalence within 7–11 generations while progressively reducing egg production to the point of total population collapse. Owing to functional constraint of the target sequence, no selection of alleles resistant to the gene drive occurred in these laboratory experiments. Cas9-resistant variants arose in each generation at the target site but did not block the spread of the drive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyros Kyrou
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
| | | | - Roberto Galizi
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Nace Kranjc
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Austin Burt
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
| | | | - Tony Nolan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
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Grabowski JM, Offerdahl DK, Bloom ME. The Use of Ex Vivo Organ Cultures in Tick-Borne Virus Research. ACS Infect Dis 2018; 4:247-256. [PMID: 29473735 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.7b00274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Each year there are more than 15 000 cases of human disease caused by infections with tick-borne viruses (TBVs). These illnesses occur worldwide and can range from very mild illness to severe encephalitis and hemorrhagic fever. Although TBVs are currently identified as neglected vector-borne pathogens and receive less attention than mosquito-borne viruses, TBVs are expanding into new regions, and infection rates are increasing. Furthermore, effective vaccines, diagnostic tools, and other countermeasures are limited. The application of contemporary technologies to TBV infections presents an excellent opportunity to develop improved, effective countermeasures. Experimental tick and mammal models of infection can be used to characterize determinants of infection, transmission, and virulence and to test candidate countermeasures. The use of ex vivo tick cultures in TBV research provides a unique way to look at infection in specific tick organs. Mammal ex vivo organ slice and, more recently, organoid cultures are additional models that can be used to elucidate direct tissue-specific responses to infection. These ex vivo model systems are convenient for testing methods involving transcript knockdown and small molecules under tightly controlled conditions. They can also be combined with in vitro and in vivo studies to tease out possible host factors and potential vaccine or therapeutic candidates. In this brief perspective, we describe how ex vivo cultures can be combined with modern technologies to advance research on TBV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M. Grabowski
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID/NIH, 903 South Fourth Street, Hamilton, Montana 59840, United States
| | - Danielle K. Offerdahl
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID/NIH, 903 South Fourth Street, Hamilton, Montana 59840, United States
| | - Marshall E. Bloom
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID/NIH, 903 South Fourth Street, Hamilton, Montana 59840, United States
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van der Vlugt CJB, Brown DD, Lehmann K, Leunda A, Willemarck N. A Framework for the Risk Assessment and Management of Gene Drive Technology in Contained Use. APPLIED BIOSAFETY 2018. [DOI: 10.1177/1535676018755117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - David D. Brown
- Microbiology and Biotechnology Unit, Bootle, Merseyside, UK
| | - Kathleen Lehmann
- Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Berlin, Germany
| | - Amaya Leunda
- Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP), Brussels, Belgium
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10
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Quinlan MM, Mutunga JM, Diabaté A, Namountougou M, Coulibaly MB, Sylla L, Kayondo J, Balyesima V, Clark L, Benedict MQ, Raymond P. Studies of Transgenic Mosquitoes in Disease-Endemic Countries: Preparation of Containment Facilities. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018; 18:21-30. [PMID: 29337662 PMCID: PMC5770122 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2017.2192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel approaches to area-wide control of vector species offer promise as additional tools in the fight against vectored diseases. Evaluation of transgenic insect strains aimed at field population control in disease-endemic countries may involve international partnerships and should be done in a stepwise approach, starting with studies in containment facilities. The preparations of both new-build and renovated facilities are described, including working with local and national regulations regarding land use, construction, and biosafety requirements, as well as international guidance to fill any gaps in regulation. The examples given are for containment categorization at Arthropod Containment Level 2 for initial facility design, classification of wastes, and precautions during shipping. Specific lessons were derived from preparations to evaluate transgenic (non-gene drive) mosquitoes in West and East African countries. Documented procedures and the use of a non-transgenic training strain for trial shipments and culturing were used to develop competence and confidence among the African facility staff, and along the chain of custody for transport. This practical description is offered to support other research consortia or institutions preparing containment facilities and operating procedures in conditions where research on transgenic insects is at an early stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Megan Quinlan
- Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - James Mutuku Mutunga
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Mbita Point, Kenya
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Kenya University, Thika, Kenya
| | - Abdoulaye Diabaté
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, (IRSS)/Centre Muraz, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Moussa Namountougou
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, (IRSS)/Centre Muraz, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Mamadou B. Coulibaly
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (MRTC/USTTB), Bamako, Mali
| | - Lakamy Sylla
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (MRTC/USTTB), Bamako, Mali
| | | | | | - Lorna Clark
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Q. Benedict
- Entomology Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Peter Raymond
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, Missouri
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Quinlan MM, Birungi J, Coulibaly MB, Diabaté A, Facchinelli L, Mukabana WR, Mutunga JM, Nolan T, Raymond P, Traoré SF. Containment Studies of Transgenic Mosquitoes in Disease Endemic Countries: The Broad Concept of Facilities Readiness. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018; 18:14-20. [PMID: 29337664 PMCID: PMC5770120 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2017.2189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic strategies for large scale pest or vector control using modified insects are not yet operational in Africa, and currently rely on import of the modified strains to begin preliminary, contained studies. Early involvement of research teams from participating countries is crucial to evaluate candidate field interventions. Following the recommended phased approach for novel strategies, evaluation should begin with studies in containment facilities. Experiences to prepare facilities and build international teams for research on transgenic mosquitoes revealed some important organizing themes underlying the concept of "facilities readiness," or the point at which studies in containment may proceed, in sub-Saharan African settings. First, "compliance" for research with novel or non-native living organisms was defined as the fulfillment of all legislative and regulatory requirements. This is not limited to regulations regarding use of transgenic organisms. Second, the concept of "colony utility" was related to the characteristics of laboratory colonies being produced so that results of studies may be validated across time, sites, and strains or technologies; so that the appropriate candidate strains are moved forward toward field studies. Third, the importance of achieving "defensible science" was recognized, including that study conclusions can be traced back to evidence, covering the concerns of various stakeholders over the long term. This, combined with good stewardship of resources and appropriate funding, covers a diverse set of criteria for declaring when "facilities readiness" has been attained. It is proposed that, despite the additional demands on time and resources, only with the balance of and rigorous achievement of each of these organizing themes can collaborative research into novel strategies in vector or pest control reliably progress past initial containment studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Megan Quinlan
- 1 Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London , Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - Josephine Birungi
- 2 Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) , Entebbe, Uganda
- 3 International Livestock Research Institute , Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Mamadou B Coulibaly
- 4 Université des Sciences , des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Abdoulaye Diabaté
- 5 Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS)/Centre Muraz , Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Luca Facchinelli
- 6 Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine , Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Wolfgang Richard Mukabana
- 7 School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi , Nairobi, Kenya
- 8 Science for Health , Nairobi, Kenya
| | - James Mutuku Mutunga
- 9 International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) , Mbita Point, Kenya
| | - Tony Nolan
- 1 Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London , Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Raymond
- 10 Donald Danforth Plant Science Center , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Sékou F Traoré
- 4 Université des Sciences , des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako, Bamako, Mali
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Zuharah WF, Ahbirami R, Dieng H, Thiagaletchumi M, Fadzly N. EVALUATION OF SUBLETHAL EFFECTS OF Ipomoea cairica LINN. EXTRACT ON LIFE HISTORY TRAITS OF DENGUE VECTORS. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2016; 58:44. [PMID: 27253746 PMCID: PMC4880001 DOI: 10.1590/s1678-9946201658044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant derived insecticides have considerable potential for mosquito control because these products are safer than conventional insecticides. This study aimed to investigate sublethal activities of Ipomoea carica or railway creeper crude acethonilic extract against life history trait of dengue vectors, Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti. The late third instar larvae of Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti were exposed to a sublethal dose at LC50 and larvae that survived were further cultured. Overall, Ipomea cairica crude extracts affected the whole life history of both Aedes species. The study demonstrated significantly lower egg production (fecundity) and eggs hatchability (fertility) in Ae. albopictus. The sublethal dose of crude extracts reduced significantly the width of larval head capsule and the wing length of both sexes in both Aedes species. The significance of sublethal effects of I. cairica against Aedes mosquitoes was an additional hallmark to demonstrate further activity of this plant despite its direct toxicity to the larvae. The reduced reproductive capacity as well as morphological and physiological anomalies are some of the effects that make I. cairica a potential candidate to be used as a new plant-based insecticide to control dengue vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Fatma Zuharah
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, , , ,
| | - Rattanam Ahbirami
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, , , ,
| | - Hamady Dieng
- Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Sarawak, Malaysia,
| | | | - Nik Fadzly
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, , , ,
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Hammond A, Galizi R, Kyrou K, Simoni A, Siniscalchi C, Katsanos D, Gribble M, Baker D, Marois E, Russell S, Burt A, Windbichler N, Crisanti A, Nolan T. A CRISPR-Cas9 gene drive system targeting female reproduction in the malaria mosquito vector Anopheles gambiae. Nat Biotechnol 2015; 34:78-83. [PMID: 26641531 PMCID: PMC4913862 DOI: 10.1038/nbt.3439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 680] [Impact Index Per Article: 75.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Gene drive systems that enable super-Mendelian inheritance of a transgene have the potential to modify insect populations over a timeframe of a few years. We describe CRISPR-Cas9 endonuclease constructs that function as gene drive systems in Anopheles gambiae, the main vector for malaria. We identified three genes (AGAP005958, AGAP011377 and AGAP007280) that confer a recessive female-sterility phenotype upon disruption, and inserted into each locus CRISPR-Cas9 gene drive constructs designed to target and edit each gene. For each targeted locus we observed a strong gene drive at the molecular level, with transmission rates to progeny of 91.4 to 99.6%. Population modeling and cage experiments indicate that a CRISPR-Cas9 construct targeting one of these loci, AGAP007280, meets the minimum requirement for a gene drive targeting female reproduction in an insect population. These findings could expedite the development of gene drives to suppress mosquito populations to levels that do not support malaria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Hammond
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Roberto Galizi
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Kyros Kyrou
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Alekos Simoni
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Carla Siniscalchi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale Via Gambuli, Centro di Genomica Funzionale, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Matthew Gribble
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Dean Baker
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Eric Marois
- INSERM U963, CNRS UPR9022, Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
| | - Steven Russell
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Austin Burt
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Andrea Crisanti
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Tony Nolan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
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15
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Johnson B. Animal Bytes. APPLIED BIOSAFETY 2015. [DOI: 10.1177/153567601502000108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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16
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Thangamani S, Bente D. Establishing protocols for tick containment at Biosafety Level 4. Pathog Dis 2014; 71:282-5. [PMID: 24838773 PMCID: PMC4107070 DOI: 10.1111/2049-632x.12187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2014] [Revised: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 05/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases continue to emerge and have a great impact on public health and agriculture. In addition, many of the agents of tick-borne diseases, which are classified as Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) viruses, have the potential to be used as biothreat agents. In spite of the known importance of these pathogens, there is an acute shortage of facilities and trained personnel to study the pathogenesis of tick-borne diseases and to assess vaccine as well as other therapeutic interventions against tick-borne diseases as they are transmitted in nature. We, at the Galveston National Laboratory, have developed facilities and protocols to safely work with BSL4 virus-infected ticks. This capability adds tremendous value to the Nation's training and research endeavors. In this report we describe the procedures and protocols to establish tick work in a BSL4 laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saravanan Thangamani
- Galveston National Laboratory, Galveston, Tx, 77555, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Tx 77555, USA
| | - Dennis Bente
- Galveston National Laboratory, Galveston, Tx, 77555, USA
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Tx 77555, USA
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17
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Gargili A, Thangamani S, Bente D. Influence of laboratory animal hosts on the life cycle of Hyalomma marginatum and implications for an in vivo transmission model for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2013; 3:39. [PMID: 23971007 PMCID: PMC3747357 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2013.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 07/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is one of the most geographically widespread arboviruses and causes a severe hemorrhagic syndrome in humans. The virus circulates in nature in a vertebrate-tick cycle and ticks of the genus Hyalomma are the main vectors and reservoirs. Although the tick vector plays a central role in the maintenance and transmission of CCHFV in nature, comparatively little is known of CCHFV-tick interactions. This is mostly due to the fact that establishing tick colonies is laborious, and working with CCHFV requires a biosafety level 4 laboratory (BSL4) in many countries. Nonetheless, an in vivo transmission model is essential to understand the epidemiology of the transmission cycle of CCHFV. In addition, important parameters such as vectorial capacity of tick species, levels of infection in the host necessary to infect the tick, and aspects of virus transmission by tick bite including the influence of tick saliva, cannot be investigated any other way. Here, we evaluate the influence of different laboratory animal species as hosts supporting the life cycle of Hyalomma marginatum, a two-host tick. Rabbits were considered the host of choice for the maintenance of the uninfected colonies due to high larval attachment rates, shorter larval-nymphal feeding times, higher nymphal molting rates, high egg hatching rates, and higher conversion efficiency index (CEI). Furthermore, we describe the successful establishment of an in vivo transmission model for CCHFV in a BSL4 biocontainment setting using interferon knockout mice. This will give us a new tool to study the transmission and interaction of CCHFV with its tick vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aysen Gargili
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Marmara UniversityIstanbul, Turkey
| | - Saravanan Thangamani
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
| | - Dennis Bente
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
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18
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Hamady D, Ruslan NB, Ahmad AH, Rawi CSM, Ahmad H, Satho T, Miake F, Zuharah WF, FuKumitsu Y, Saad AR, Rajasaygar S, Vargas REM, Majid AHA, Fadzly N, Ghani IA, AbuBakar S. Colonized Aedes albopictus and its sexual performance in the wild: implications for SIT technology and containment. Parasit Vectors 2013; 6:206. [PMID: 23856274 PMCID: PMC3726284 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2013] [Accepted: 07/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mating is a physiological process of crucial importance underlying the size and maintenance of mosquito populations. In sterile and incompatible insect technologies (SIT and IIT), mating is essential for mass production, persistence, and success of released individuals, and is a central parameter for judging the effectiveness of SIT/IIT programs. Some mosquitoes have an enormous reproductive potential for both themselves and pathogens and mating may contribute to persistence of infection in nature. As Aedes albopictus can transmit flaviviruses both sexually and horizontally, and as infected insects are usually derived from laboratory colonies, we investigated the implications of mating between a long-term laboratory colony of Ae. albopictus and wild populations. Methods Through a series of mating experiments, we examined the reproductive outcomes of sexual cross-affinity between laboratory-raised and wild adults of Ae. albopictus. Results The results indicated appreciable mating compatibility between laboratory-reared and wild adults, and equivalent levels of egg production among reciprocal crosses. We also observed comparable larval eclosion in lab females mated with wild males, and increased adult longevity in female offspring from wild females|×|laboratory males crosses. Conclusions Taken together, these data suggest that Ae. albopictus can preserve its reproductive fitness over a long period of time in the laboratory environment and has valuable attributes for SIT application. These observations together with the ability to successfully inseminate heterospecific females indicate the potential of Ae. albopictus to act as an ecological barrier if non-sterilized males are massively released in areas occupied by Aedes aegypti. The observed substantial reproductive fitness combined with the capability to reproduce both, itself and viruses illustrates the potential of Ae. albopictus to pose a serious threat if infected and released accidentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieng Hamady
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.
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Facchinelli L, Valerio L, Bond JG, Wise de Valdez MR, Harrington LC, Ramsey JM, Casas-Martinez M, Scott TW. Development of a semi-field system for contained field trials with Aedes aegypti in southern Mexico. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2011; 85:248-56. [PMID: 21813843 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract. Development of new genetic approaches to either interfere with the ability of mosquitoes to transmit dengue virus or to reduce vector population density requires progressive evaluation from the laboratory to contained field trials, before open field release. Trials in contained outdoor facilities are an important part of this process because they can be used to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of modified strains in settings that include natural environmental variations without releasing mosquitoes into the open field. We describe a simple and cost-effective semi-field system designed to study Aedes aegypti carrying a dominant lethal gene (fsRIDL) in semi-field conditions. We provide a protocol for establishing, maintaining, and monitoring stable Ae. aegypti population densities inside field cages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Facchinelli
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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20
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Tabachnick WJ. Laboratory containment practices for arthropod vectors of human and animal pathogens. Lab Anim (NY) 2006; 35:28-33. [PMID: 16505823 DOI: 10.1038/laban0306-28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2006] [Accepted: 01/27/2006] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Arthropod-borne pathogens have an impact on the health and well-being of humans and animals throughout the world. Research involving arthropod vectors of disease is often dependent on the ability to maintain the specific arthropod species in laboratory colonies. The author reviews current arthropod containment practices and discusses their importance from public health and ecological perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter J Tabachnick
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida-IFAS, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA.
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21
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen W Barthold
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA
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