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Montenegro D, Cortés-Cortés G, Balbuena-Alonso MG, Warner C, Camps M. Wolbachia-based emerging strategies for control of vector-transmitted disease. Acta Trop 2024; 260:107410. [PMID: 39349234 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2024] [Revised: 09/21/2024] [Accepted: 09/23/2024] [Indexed: 10/02/2024]
Abstract
Dengue fever is a mosquito-transmitted disease of great public health importance. Dengue lacks adequate vaccine protection and insecticide-based methods of mosquito control are proving increasingly ineffective. Here we review the emerging use of mosquitoes transinfected with the obligate intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis for vector control. Wolbachia often induces cytoplasmic incompatibility in its mosquito hosts, resulting in infertile progeny between an infected male and an uninfected female. Wolbachia infection also suppresses the replication of pathogens in the mosquito, a process known as "pathogen blocking". Two strategies have emerged. The first one releases Wolbachia carriers (both male and female) to replace the wild mosquito population, a process driven by cytoplasmic incompatibility and that becomes irreversible once a threshold is reached. This suppresses disease transmission mainly by pathogen blocking and frequently requires a single intervention. The second strategy floods the field population with an exclusively male population of Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes to generate infertile hybrid progeny. In this case, transmission suppression depends largely on decreasing the population density of mosquitoes driven by infertility and requires continued mosquito release. The efficacy of both Wolbachia-based approaches has been conclusively demonstrated by randomized and non-randomized studies of deployments across the world. However, results conducted in one setting cannot be directly or easily extrapolated to other settings because dengue incidence is highly affected by the conditions into which the mosquitoes are released. Compared to traditional vector control methods, Wolbachia-based approaches are much more environmentally friendly and can be effective in the medium/long term. On the flip side, they are much more complex and cost-intensive operations, requiring a substantial investment, infrastructure, trained personnel, coordination between agencies, and community engagement. Finally, we discuss recent evidence suggesting that the release of Wolbachia-transinfected mosquitoes has a moderate potential risk of spreading potentially dangerous genes in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Montenegro
- Corporación Innovation Hub, Monteria 230001, Colombia; Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; Grupo de Investigación: Salud y Tecnología 4.0. Fundación Chilloa, Santa Marta 470001, Colombia
| | - Gerardo Cortés-Cortés
- Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; Posgrado en Microbiología, Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas, Instituto de Ciencias de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Ciudad Universitaria, San Manuel, Puebla 72570, Mexico
| | - María Guadalupe Balbuena-Alonso
- Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; Posgrado en Microbiología, Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas, Instituto de Ciencias de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Ciudad Universitaria, San Manuel, Puebla 72570, Mexico
| | - Caison Warner
- Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Manel Camps
- Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
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2
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Duran-Ahumada S, Karrer L, Cheng C, Roeske I, Pilchik J, Jimenez-Vallejo D, Smith E, Roy K, Kirstein OD, Martin-Park A, Contreras-Perera Y, Che-Mendoza A, Gonzalez-Olvera G, Puerta-Guardo HN, Uribe-Soto SI, Manrique-Saide P, Vazquez-Prokopec G. Wolbachia pipientis (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) mediated effects on the fitness and performance of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) under variable temperatures and initial larval densities. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2024; 61:1155-1167. [PMID: 39077840 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjae088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Wolbachia pipientis (Hertig, 1936), also referred as Wolbachia, is a bacterium present across insect taxa, certain strains of which have been demonstrated to impact the fitness and capacity to transmit viruses in mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762). Most studies examine these impacts in limited sets of environmental regimes. Here we seek to understand the impacts of environmentally relevant conditions such as larval density, temperature, and their interaction on wAlbB-infected A. aegypti. Using a factorial design, we measured wAlbB stability (relative density, post-emergence in females, and in progeny), the ability for wAlbB to induce cytoplasmic incompatibility, and bacterial effects on mosquito fitness (fecundity, fertility, and body mass) and performance (adult survival and time to pupation) across 2 temperature regimes (fluctuating and constant) and 2 initial larval densities (low and high). Fluctuating daily regimes of temperature (27 to 40 °C) led to decreased post-emergence wAlbB density and increased wAlbB density in eggs compared to constant temperature (27 °C). An increased fecundity was found in wAlbB-carrying females reared at fluctuating temperatures compared to uninfected wild-type females. wAlbB-carrying adult females showed significantly increased survival than wild-type females. Contrarily, wAlbB-carrying adult males exhibited a significantly lower survival than wild-type males. We found differential effects of assessed treatments (Wolbachia infection status, temperature, and larval density) across mosquito sexes and life stages. Taken together, our results indicate that realistic conditions may not impact dramatically the stability of wAlbB infection in A. aegypti. Nonetheless, understanding the ecological consequence of A. aegypti-wAlbB interaction is complex due to life history tradeoffs under conditions faced by natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Duran-Ahumada
- Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution Graduate Program Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Luiza Karrer
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Chun Cheng
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Isabella Roeske
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Josie Pilchik
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - David Jimenez-Vallejo
- Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution Graduate Program Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Emily Smith
- Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution Graduate Program Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kristina Roy
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Oscar D Kirstein
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Abdiel Martin-Park
- Laboratory for the Biological Control of Aedes aegypti, Collaborative Unit for Entomological Bioassays (UCBE-LCB), Autonomous University of Yucatan, Merida, Mexico
| | - Yamili Contreras-Perera
- Laboratory for the Biological Control of Aedes aegypti, Collaborative Unit for Entomological Bioassays (UCBE-LCB), Autonomous University of Yucatan, Merida, Mexico
| | - Azael Che-Mendoza
- Laboratory for the Biological Control of Aedes aegypti, Collaborative Unit for Entomological Bioassays (UCBE-LCB), Autonomous University of Yucatan, Merida, Mexico
| | - Gabriela Gonzalez-Olvera
- Laboratory for the Biological Control of Aedes aegypti, Collaborative Unit for Entomological Bioassays (UCBE-LCB), Autonomous University of Yucatan, Merida, Mexico
| | - Henry N Puerta-Guardo
- Laboratory for the Biological Control of Aedes aegypti, Collaborative Unit for Entomological Bioassays (UCBE-LCB), Autonomous University of Yucatan, Merida, Mexico
| | - Sandra I Uribe-Soto
- Sciences Faculty, National University of Colombia, Medellin Campus, Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Pablo Manrique-Saide
- Laboratory for the Biological Control of Aedes aegypti, Collaborative Unit for Entomological Bioassays (UCBE-LCB), Autonomous University of Yucatan, Merida, Mexico
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3
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Lefteri DA, Rainey SM, Murdochy SM, Sinkins SP. Bunyamwera Virus Infection of Wolbachia-Carrying Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Reduces Wolbachia Density. Viruses 2024; 16:1336. [PMID: 39205310 PMCID: PMC11360823 DOI: 10.3390/v16081336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia symbionts introduced into Aedes mosquitoes provide a highly effective dengue virus transmission control strategy, increasingly utilised in many countries in an attempt to reduce disease burden. Whilst highly effective against dengue and other positive-sense RNA viruses, it remains unclear how effective Wolbachia is against negative-sense RNA viruses. Therefore, the effect of Wolbachia on Bunyamwera virus (BUNV) infection in Aedes aegypti was investigated using wMel and wAlbB, two strains currently used in Wolbachia releases for dengue control, as well as wAu, a strain that typically persists at a high density and is an extremely efficient blocker of positive-sense viruses. Wolbachia was found to reduce BUNV infection in vitro but not in vivo. Instead, BUNV caused significant impacts on density of all three Wolbachia strains following infection of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. The ability of Wolbachia to successfully persist within the mosquito and block virus transmission is partially dependent on its intracellular density. However, reduction in Wolbachia density was not observed in offspring of infected mothers. This could be due in part to a lack of transovarial transmission of BUNV observed. The results highlight the importance of understanding the complex interactions between multiple arboviruses, mosquitoes and Wolbachia in natural environments, the impact this can have on maintaining protection against diseases, and the necessity for monitoring Wolbachia prevalence at release sites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Steven P. Sinkins
- MRC-University of Glasgow-Centre for Virus Research, Garscube Campus, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (D.A.L.) (S.M.M.)
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Mushtaq I, Sarwar MS, Munzoor I. A comprehensive review of Wolbachia-mediated mechanisms to control dengue virus transmission in Aedes aegypti through innate immune pathways. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1434003. [PMID: 39176079 PMCID: PMC11338905 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1434003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The Dengue virus (DENV), primarily spread by Aedes aegypti and also by Aedes albopictus in some regions, poses significant global health risks. Alternative techniques are urgently needed because the current control mechanisms are insufficient to reduce the transmission of DENV. Introducing Wolbachia pipientis into Ae. aegypti inhibits DENV transmission, however, the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. Innate immune effector upregulation, the regulation of autophagy, and intracellular competition between Wolbachia and DENV for lipids are among the theories for the mechanism of inhibition. Furthermore, mainly three immune pathways Toll, IMD, and JAK/STAT are involved in the host for the suppression of the virus. These pathways are activated by Wolbachia and DENV in the host and are responsible for the upregulation and downregulation of many genes in mosquitoes, which ultimately reduces the titer of the DENV in the host. The functioning of these immune pathways depends upon the Wolbachia, host, and virus interaction. Here, we summarize the current understanding of DENV recognition by the Ae. aegypti's immune system, aiming to create a comprehensive picture of our knowledge. Additionally, we investigated how Wolbachia regulates the activation of multiple genes associated with immune priming for the reduction of DENV.
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Bilgo E, Mancini MV, Gnambani JE, Dokpomiwa HAT, Murdochy S, Lovett B, St. Leger R, Sinkins SP, Diabate A. Wolbachia confers protection against the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium pingshaense in African Aedes aegypti. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2024; 16:e13316. [PMID: 39097980 PMCID: PMC11298244 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Symbiotic and pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi represent promising alternatives to chemical insecticides to respond to the rapid increase of insecticide resistance and vector-borne disease outbreaks. This study investigated the interaction of two strains of Wolbachia, wAlbB and wAu, with the natural entomopathogenic fungi from Burkina Faso Metarhizium pingshaense, known to be lethal against Anopheles mosquitoes. In addition to showing the potential of Metarhizium against African Aedes aegypti wild-type populations, our study shows that the wAlbB and wAu provide a protective advantage against entomopathogenic fungal infections. Compared to controls, fungal-infected wAu and wAlbB-carrying mosquitoes showed higher longevity, without any significant impact on fecundity and fertility phenotypes. This study provides new insights into the complex multipartite interaction among the mosquito host, the Wolbachia endosymbiont and the entomopathogenic fungus that might be employed to control mosquito populations. Future research should investigate the fitness costs of Wolbachia, as well as its spread and prevalence within mosquito populations. Additionally, evaluating the impact of Wolbachia on interventions involving Metarhizium pingshaense through laboratory and semi-field population studies will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of this combined approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Bilgo
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéDirection Régionale de l'OuestDioulassoBurkina Faso
- Institut National de Santé Publique/Centre MurazDioulassoBurkina Faso
| | - Maria Vittoria Mancini
- MRC‐University of Glasgow Centre for Virus ResearchGlasgowUK
- Department of Biology and BiotechnologyUniversity of PaviaPaviaItaly
| | - Jacques E. Gnambani
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéDirection Régionale de l'OuestDioulassoBurkina Faso
- Institut National de Santé Publique/Centre MurazDioulassoBurkina Faso
| | - Houeffa Adeline Tatiana Dokpomiwa
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéDirection Régionale de l'OuestDioulassoBurkina Faso
- Institut National de Santé Publique/Centre MurazDioulassoBurkina Faso
| | - Shivan Murdochy
- MRC‐University of Glasgow Centre for Virus ResearchGlasgowUK
| | - Brian Lovett
- United States Department of Agriculture Research ServiceIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | | | | | - Abdoulaye Diabate
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la SantéDirection Régionale de l'OuestDioulassoBurkina Faso
- Institut National de Santé Publique/Centre MurazDioulassoBurkina Faso
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Garambois C, Boulesteix M, Fablet M. Effects of Arboviral Infections on Transposable Element Transcript Levels in Aedes aegypti. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae092. [PMID: 38695057 PMCID: PMC11110940 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae092] [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] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements are mobile repeated sequences found in all genomes. Transposable elements are controlled by RNA interference pathways in most organisms, and this control involves the PIWI-interacting RNA pathway and the small interfering RNA pathway, which is also known to be the first line of antiviral defense in invertebrates. Using Drosophila, we recently showed that viral infections result in the modulation of transposable element transcript levels through modulation of the small RNA repertoire. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is of particular interest because almost half of its genome is made of transposable elements, and it is described as a major vector of viruses (such as the dengue [DENV], Zika [ZIKV], and chikungunya [CHIKV] arboviruses). Moreover, Aedes mosquitoes are unique among insects in that the PIWI-interacting RNA pathway is also involved in the somatic antiviral response, in addition to the transposable element control and PIWI-interacting RNA pathway genes expanded in the mosquito genome. For these reasons, we studied the impacts of viral infections on transposable element transcript levels in A. aegypti samples. We retrieved public datasets corresponding to RNA-seq data obtained from viral infections by DENV, ZIKV, and CHIKV in various tissues. We found that transposable element transcripts are moderately modulated following viral infection and that the direction of the modulation varies greatly across tissues and viruses. These results highlight the need for an in-depth investigation of the tightly intertwined interactions between transposable elements and viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Garambois
- Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive (LBBE), UMR 5558, CNRS, VAS, Villeurbanne 69622, France
| | - Matthieu Boulesteix
- Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive (LBBE), UMR 5558, CNRS, VAS, Villeurbanne 69622, France
| | - Marie Fablet
- Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive (LBBE), UMR 5558, CNRS, VAS, Villeurbanne 69622, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
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Reyes JIL, Suzuki T, Suzuki Y, Watanabe K. Detection and quantification of natural Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines using locally designed primers. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1360438. [PMID: 38562961 PMCID: PMC10982481 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1360438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The Philippines bears health and economic burden caused by high dengue cases annually. Presently, the Philippines still lack an effective and sustainable vector management. The use of Wolbachia, a maternally transmitted bacterium, that mitigate arbovirus transmission has been recommended. Cytoplasmic incompatibility and viral blocking, two characteristics that make Wolbachia suitable for vector control, depend on infection prevalence and density. There are no current Wolbachia release programs in the Philippines, and studies regarding the safety of this intervention. Here, we screened for Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti collected from Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. We designed location-specific primers for qPCR to test whether this improved Wolbachia detection in Ae. aegypti. We explored if host sex and Wolbachia strain could be potential factors affecting Wolbachia density. Methods Ae. aegypti mosquitoes (n=429) were screened for natural Wolbachia by taqman qPCR using location-specific Wolbachia surface protein primers (wspAAML) and known 16S rRNA primers. Samples positive for wspAAML (n=267) were processed for Sanger sequencing. We constructed a phylogenetic tree using IQ-TREE 2 to further characterize Wolbachia present in the Philippine Ae. aegypti. We then compared Wolbachia densities between Wolbachia groups and host sex. Statistical analyses were done using GraphPad Prism 9.0. Results Wolbachia prevalence for 16S rRNA (40%) and wspAAML (62%) markers were high. Wolbachia relative densities for 16S rRNA ranged from -3.84 to 2.71 and wspAAML from -4.02 to 1.81. Densities were higher in male than female mosquitoes. Wolbachia strains detected in Ae. aegypti clustered into supergroup B. Some 54% (123/226) of these sequences clustered under a group referred to here as "wAegML," that belongs to the supergroup B, which had a significantly lower density than wAegB/wAlbB, and wAlbA strains. Conclusion Location-specific primers improved detection of natural Wolbachia in Ae. aegypti and allowed for relative quantification. Wolbachia density is relatively low, and differed between host sexes and Wolbachia strains. An economical way of confirming sporadic or transient Wolbachia in Ae. aegypti is necessary while considering host sex and bacterial strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerica Isabel L. Reyes
- Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Takahiro Suzuki
- Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Yasutsugu Suzuki
- Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Kozo Watanabe
- Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
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Mancini MV, Murdochy SM, Bilgo E, Ant TH, Gingell D, Gnambani EJ, Failloux AB, Diabate A, Sinkins SP. Wolbachia strain wAlbB shows favourable characteristics for dengue control use in Aedes aegypti from Burkina Faso. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16588. [PMID: 38450576 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Dengue represents an increasing public health burden worldwide. In Africa, underreporting and misdiagnosis often mask its true epidemiology, and dengue is likely to be both more widespread than reported data suggest and increasing in incidence and distribution. Wolbachia-based dengue control is underway in Asia and the Americas but has not to date been deployed in Africa. Due to the genetic heterogeneity of African Aedes aegypti populations and the complexity of the host-symbiont interactions, characterization of key parameters of Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes is paramount for determining the potential of the system as a control tool for dengue in Africa. The wAlbB Wolbachia strain was stably introduced into an African Ae. aegypti population by introgression, and showed high intracellular density in whole bodies and different mosquito tissues; high intracellular density was also maintained following larval rearing at high temperatures. No effect on the adult lifespan induced by Wolbachia presence was detected. Moreover, the ability of this strain to strongly inhibit DENV-2 dissemination and transmission in the host was also demonstrated in the African background. Our findings suggest the potential of harnessing Wolbachia for dengue control for African populations of Ae. aegypti.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vittoria Mancini
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Etienne Bilgo
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Direction Régionale de l'Ouest, Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- Institut National de Santé Publique/Centre Muraz, Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Thomas H Ant
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Daniel Gingell
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Edounou Jacques Gnambani
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Direction Régionale de l'Ouest, Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- Institut National de Santé Publique/Centre Muraz, Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Anna-Bella Failloux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Arboviruses and Insect Vectors Unit, Paris, France
| | - Abdoulaye Diabate
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Direction Régionale de l'Ouest, Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- Institut National de Santé Publique/Centre Muraz, Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Steven P Sinkins
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
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Sohail A, Anders KL, McGuinness SL, Leder K. The epidemiology of imported and locally acquired dengue in Australia, 2012-2022. J Travel Med 2024; 31:taae014. [PMID: 38243558 PMCID: PMC10911064 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taae014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dengue is the most important arboviral disease globally and poses ongoing challenges for control including in non-endemic countries with competent mosquito vectors at risk of local transmission through imported cases. We examined recent epidemiological trends in imported and locally acquired dengue in Australia, where the Wolbachia mosquito population replacement method was implemented throughout dengue-prone areas of northern Queensland between 2011 and 2019. METHODS We analysed dengue cases reported to the Australian National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System between January 2012 and December 2022, and Australian traveller movement data. RESULTS Between 2012 and 2022, 13 343 dengue cases were reported in Australia (median 1466 annual cases); 12 568 cases (94.2%) were imported, 584 (4.4%) were locally acquired and 191 (1.4%) had no origin recorded. Locally acquired cases decreased from a peak in 2013 (n = 236) to zero in 2021-22. Annual incidence of imported dengue ranged from 8.29/100 000 (n = 917 cases) to 22.10/100 000 (n = 2203) annual traveller movements between 2012 and 2019, decreased in 2020 (6.74/100 000 traveller movements; n = 191) and 2021 (3.32/100 000 traveller movements; n = 10) during COVID-19-related border closures, then rose to 34.79/100 000 traveller movements (n = 504) in 2022. Imported cases were primarily acquired in Southeast Asia (n = 9323; 74%), Southern and Central Asia (n = 1555; 12%) and Oceania (n = 1341; 11%). Indonesia (n = 5778; 46%) and Thailand (n = 1483; 12%) were top acquisition countries. DENV-2 (n = 2147; 42%) and DENV-1 (n = 1526; 30%) were predominant serotypes. CONCLUSION Our analysis highlights Australia's successful control of locally acquired dengue with Wolbachia. Imported dengue trends reflect both Australian travel destinations and patterns and local epidemiology in endemic countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Sohail
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
- Infectious Diseases Department, Grampians Health Service, 1 Drummond Street North, Ballarat, Victoria 3350, Australia
| | - Katherine L Anders
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, 12 Innovation Walk, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Sarah L McGuinness
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
- Infectious Diseases Department, Alfred Health, 55 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Karin Leder
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Melbourne Health, 300 Grattan Street, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia
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10
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Hoffmann AA, Ahmad NW, Keong WM, Ling CY, Ahmad NA, Golding N, Tierney N, Jelip J, Putit PW, Mokhtar N, Sandhu SS, Ming LS, Khairuddin K, Denim K, Rosli NM, Shahar H, Omar T, Ridhuan Ghazali MK, Aqmar Mohd Zabari NZ, Abdul Karim MA, Saidin MI, Mohd Nasir MN, Aris T, Sinkins SP. Introduction of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying wAlbB Wolbachia sharply decreases dengue incidence in disease hotspots. iScience 2024; 27:108942. [PMID: 38327789 PMCID: PMC10847733 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Partial replacement of resident Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with introduced mosquitoes carrying certain strains of inherited Wolbachia symbionts can result in transmission blocking of dengue and other viruses of public health importance. Wolbachia strain wAlbB is an effective transmission blocker and stable at high temperatures, making it particularly suitable for hot tropical climates. Following trial field releases in Malaysia, releases using wAlbB Ae. aegypti have become operationalized by the Malaysian health authorities. We report here on an average reduction in dengue fever of 62.4% (confidence intervals 50-71%) in 20 releases sites when compared to 76 control sites in high-rise residential areas. Importantly the level of dengue reduction increased with Wolbachia frequency, with 75.8% reduction (61-87%) estimated at 100% Wolbachia frequency. These findings indicate large impacts of wAlbB Wolbachia invasions on dengue fever incidence in an operational setting, with incidence expected to further decrease as wider areas are invaded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ary A. Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Research Group, School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Nazni Wasi Ahmad
- Medical Entomology Unit, Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Malaysia
| | - Wan Ming Keong
- Vector Borne Disease Control Section, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Complex E, Block E10, Persiaran Sultan Sallahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Presint 1, Putrajaya 62000, Malaysia
| | - Cheong Yoon Ling
- Biomedical Museum Unit, Special Resource Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Malaysia
| | - Noor Afizah Ahmad
- Medical Entomology Unit, Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Malaysia
| | - Nick Golding
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children’s Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6845, Australia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Nicholas Tierney
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children’s Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6845, Australia
| | - Jenarun Jelip
- Vector Borne Disease Control Section, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Complex E, Block E10, Persiaran Sultan Sallahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Presint 1, Putrajaya 62000, Malaysia
| | - Perada Wilson Putit
- Vector Borne Disease Control Section, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Complex E, Block E10, Persiaran Sultan Sallahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Presint 1, Putrajaya 62000, Malaysia
| | - Norhayati Mokhtar
- Vector Borne Disease Control Section, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Complex E, Block E10, Persiaran Sultan Sallahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Presint 1, Putrajaya 62000, Malaysia
| | - Sukhvinder Singh Sandhu
- Petaling District Health Office, Ministry of Health Malaysia, SS 6, Petaling Jaya 47301, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Lau Sai Ming
- Petaling District Health Office, Ministry of Health Malaysia, SS 6, Petaling Jaya 47301, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Khadijah Khairuddin
- Petaling District Health Office, Ministry of Health Malaysia, SS 6, Petaling Jaya 47301, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Kamilan Denim
- Vector Borne Disease Control Section, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Complex E, Block E10, Persiaran Sultan Sallahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Presint 1, Putrajaya 62000, Malaysia
| | - Norazman Mohd Rosli
- Health Department of Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur & Putrajaya, Jalan Cenderasari, Kuala Lumpur 50590, Malaysia
| | - Hanipah Shahar
- Health Department of Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur & Putrajaya, Jalan Cenderasari, Kuala Lumpur 50590, Malaysia
| | - Topek Omar
- Health Department of Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur & Putrajaya, Jalan Cenderasari, Kuala Lumpur 50590, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Kamarul Ridhuan Ghazali
- Medical Entomology Unit, Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Malaysia
| | - Nur Zatil Aqmar Mohd Zabari
- Medical Entomology Unit, Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Arif Abdul Karim
- Medical Entomology Unit, Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Malaysia
| | - Mohamad Irwan Saidin
- Medical Entomology Unit, Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Nizam Mohd Nasir
- Medical Entomology Unit, Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Malaysia
| | - Tahir Aris
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia
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11
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Mantilla-Granados JS, Castellanos JE, Velandia-Romero ML. A tangled threesome: understanding arbovirus infection in Aedes spp. and the effect of the mosquito microbiota. Front Microbiol 2024; 14:1287519. [PMID: 38235434 PMCID: PMC10792067 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1287519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Arboviral infections transmitted by Aedes spp. mosquitoes are a major threat to human health, particularly in tropical regions but are expanding to temperate regions. The ability of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus to transmit multiple arboviruses involves a complex relationship between mosquitoes and the virus, with recent discoveries shedding light on it. Furthermore, this relationship is not solely between mosquitoes and arboviruses, but also involves the mosquito microbiome. Here, we aimed to construct a comprehensive review of the latest information about the arbovirus infection process in A. aegypti and A. albopictus, the source of mosquito microbiota, and its interaction with the arbovirus infection process, in terms of its implications for vectorial competence. First, we summarized studies showing a new mechanism for arbovirus infection at the cellular level, recently described innate immunological pathways, and the mechanism of adaptive response in mosquitoes. Second, we addressed the general sources of the Aedes mosquito microbiota (bacteria, fungi, and viruses) during their life cycle, and the geographical reports of the most common microbiota in adults mosquitoes. How the microbiota interacts directly or indirectly with arbovirus transmission, thereby modifying vectorial competence. We highlight the complexity of this tripartite relationship, influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic conditions at different geographical scales, with many gaps to fill and promising directions for developing strategies to control arbovirus transmission and to gain a better understanding of vectorial competence. The interactions between mosquitoes, arboviruses and their associated microbiota are yet to be investigated in depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan S. Mantilla-Granados
- Saneamiento Ecológico, Salud y Medio Ambiente, Universidad El Bosque, Vicerrectoría de Investigaciones, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jaime E. Castellanos
- Grupo de Virología, Universidad El Bosque, Vicerrectoría de Investigaciones, Bogotá, Colombia
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12
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Muharromah AF, Reyes JIL, Kagia N, Watanabe K. Genome-wide detection of Wolbachia in natural Aedes aegypti populations using ddRAD-Seq. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1252656. [PMID: 38162582 PMCID: PMC10755911 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1252656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Wolbachia, an endosymbiotic bacterium, is globally used to control arboviruses because of its ability to block arboviral replication and manipulate the reproduction of Wolbachia host, Aedes aegypti. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based Wolbachia detection has been recently reported from natural Ae. aegypti populations. However, due to the technical limitations of PCR, such as primer incompatibility, PCR-based assays are not sufficiently reliable or accurate. In this study, we examined double digestion restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-Seq) efficiency and limitations in Wolbachia detection and quantification in field-collected Ae. aegypti natural populations in Metro Manila, the Philippines, compared with PCR-based assays. Methods A total of 217 individuals Ae. aegypti were collected from Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. We separated it into 14 populations consisting of 7 female and male populations. We constructed a library for pool ddRAD-Seq per population and also screened for Wolbachia by PCR assays using wsp and 16S rRNA. Wolbachia density per population were measured using RPS17 as the housekeeping gene. Results From 146,239,637 sequence reads obtained, 26,299 and 43,778 reads were mapped across the entire Wolbachia genome (with the wAlbA and wAlbB strains, respectively), suggesting that ddRAD-Seq complements PCR assays and supports more reliable Wolbachia detection from a genome-wide perspective. The number of reads mapped to the Wolbachia genome per population positively correlated with the number of Wolbachia-infected individuals per population based on PCR assays and the relative density of Wolbachia in the Ae. aegypti populations based on qPCR, suggesting ddRAD-Seq-based semi-quantification of Wolbachia by ddRAD-Seq. Male Ae. aegypti exhibited more reads mapped to the Wolbachia genome than females, suggesting higher Wolbachia prevalence rates in their case. We detected 150 single nucleotide polymorphism loci across the Wolbachia genome, allowing for more accurate the detection of four strains: wPip, wRi, TRS of Brugia malayi, and wMel. Conclusions Taken together, our results demonstrate the feasibility of ddRAD-Seq-based Wolbachia detection from field-collected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atikah Fitria Muharromah
- Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
- Entomology Laboratory, Department of Tropical Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Jerica Isabel L. Reyes
- Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Ngure Kagia
- Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Kozo Watanabe
- Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
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13
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Duong Thi Hue K, da Silva Goncalves D, Tran Thuy V, Thi Vo L, Le Thi D, Vu Tuyet N, Nguyen Thi G, Huynh Thi Xuan T, Nguyen Minh N, Nguyen Thanh P, Yacoub S, Simmons CP. Wolbachia wMel strain-mediated effects on dengue virus vertical transmission from Aedes aegypti to their offspring. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:308. [PMID: 37653429 PMCID: PMC10472731 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05921-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1 to -4) can be transmitted vertically in Aedes aegpti mosquitoes. Whether infection with the wMel strain of the endosymbiont Wolbachia can reduce the incidence of vertical transmission of DENV from infected females to their offspring is not well understood. METHODS A laboratory colony of Vietnamese Ae. aegypti, both with and without wMel infection, were infected with DENV-1 by intrathoracic injection (IT) to estimate the rate of vertical transmission (VT) of the virus. VT in the DENV-infected mosquitoes was calculated via the infection rate estimation from mosquito pool data using maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). RESULTS In 6047 F1 Vietnamese wild-type Ae. aegypti, the MLE of DENV-1 infection was 1.49 per 1000 mosquitoes (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.73-2.74). In 5500 wMel-infected Ae. aegypti, the MLE infection rate was 0 (95% CI 0-0.69). The VT rates between mosquito lines showed a statistically significant difference. CONCLUSIONS The results reinforce the view that VT is a rare event in wild-type mosquitoes and that infection with wMel is effective in reducing VT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kien Duong Thi Hue
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Africa Asia Programme, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
| | - Daniela da Silva Goncalves
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Africa Asia Programme, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Vi Tran Thuy
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Africa Asia Programme, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Long Thi Vo
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Africa Asia Programme, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Dui Le Thi
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Africa Asia Programme, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Nhu Vu Tuyet
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Africa Asia Programme, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Giang Nguyen Thi
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Africa Asia Programme, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Trang Huynh Thi Xuan
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Africa Asia Programme, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Nguyet Nguyen Minh
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Africa Asia Programme, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | | | - Sophie Yacoub
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Africa Asia Programme, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Cameron P Simmons
- Institute for Vector Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton Campus, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia
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14
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Abel SM, Hong Z, Williams D, Ireri S, Brown MQ, Su T, Hung KY, Henke JA, Barton JP, Le Roch KG. Small RNA sequencing of field Culex mosquitoes identifies patterns of viral infection and the mosquito immune response. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10598. [PMID: 37391513 PMCID: PMC10313667 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37571-6] [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] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne disease remains a significant burden on global health. In the United States, the major threat posed by mosquitoes is transmission of arboviruses, including West Nile virus by mosquitoes of the Culex genus. Virus metagenomic analysis of mosquito small RNA using deep sequencing and advanced bioinformatic tools enables the rapid detection of viruses and other infecting organisms, both pathogenic and non-pathogenic to humans, without any precedent knowledge. In this study, we sequenced small RNA samples from over 60 pools of Culex mosquitoes from two major areas of Southern California from 2017 to 2019 to elucidate the virome and immune responses of Culex. Our results demonstrated that small RNAs not only allowed the detection of viruses but also revealed distinct patterns of viral infection based on location, Culex species, and time. We also identified miRNAs that are most likely involved in Culex immune responses to viruses and Wolbachia bacteria, and show the utility of using small RNA to detect antiviral immune pathways including piRNAs against some pathogens. Collectively, these findings show that deep sequencing of small RNA can be used for virus discovery and surveillance. One could also conceive that such work could be accomplished in various locations across the world and over time to better understand patterns of mosquito infection and immune response to many vector-borne diseases in field samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M Abel
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, Center for Infection Disease and Vector Research, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Zhenchen Hong
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Desiree Williams
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, Center for Infection Disease and Vector Research, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Sally Ireri
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, Center for Infection Disease and Vector Research, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Michelle Q Brown
- West Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District, Ontario, CA, 91761, USA
| | - Tianyun Su
- West Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District, Ontario, CA, 91761, USA
| | - Kim Y Hung
- Coachella Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District, Indio, CA, 92201, USA
| | - Jennifer A Henke
- Coachella Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District, Indio, CA, 92201, USA
| | - John P Barton
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Karine G Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, Center for Infection Disease and Vector Research, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
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15
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Lutrat C, Burckbuchler M, Olmo RP, Beugnon R, Fontaine A, Akbari OS, Argilés-Herrero R, Baldet T, Bouyer J, Marois E. Combining two genetic sexing strains allows sorting of non-transgenic males for Aedes genetic control. Commun Biol 2023; 6:646. [PMID: 37328568 PMCID: PMC10275924 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05030-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemical control of disease vectoring mosquitoes Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti is costly, unsustainable, and increasingly ineffective due to the spread of insecticide resistance. The Sterile Insect Technique is a valuable alternative but is limited by slow, error-prone, and wasteful sex-separation methods. Here, we present four Genetic Sexing Strains (two for each Aedes species) based on fluorescence markers linked to the m and M sex loci, allowing for the isolation of transgenic males. Furthermore, we demonstrate how combining these sexing strains enables the production of non-transgenic males. In a mass-rearing facility, 100,000 first instar male larvae could be sorted in under 1.5 h with an estimated 0.01-0.1% female contamination on a single machine. Cost-efficiency analyses revealed that using these strains could result in important savings while setting up and running a mass-rearing facility. Altogether, these Genetic Sexing Strains should enable a major upscaling in control programmes against these important vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célia Lutrat
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, F-34398, Montpellier, France.
- ASTRE, CIRAD, INRA, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
- CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U1257, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
| | | | | | - Rémy Beugnon
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Albin Fontaine
- Unité Parasitologie et Entomologie, Département Microbiologie et maladies infectieuses, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Marseille, France
| | - Omar S Akbari
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | | | - Thierry Baldet
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, F-34398, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Sainte-Clotilde, F-97490, Reunion, France
| | - Jérémy Bouyer
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, F-34398, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Saint-Pierre, F-97410, Reunion, France
- Insect Pest Control Sub-Programme, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria
| | - Eric Marois
- CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U1257, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
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16
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Ant TH, Mancini MV, McNamara CJ, Rainey SM, Sinkins SP. Wolbachia-Virus interactions and arbovirus control through population replacement in mosquitoes. Pathog Glob Health 2023; 117:245-258. [PMID: 36205550 PMCID: PMC10081064 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2022.2117939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Following transfer into the primary arbovirus vector Aedes aegypti, several strains of the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia have been shown to inhibit the transmission of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses, important human pathogens that cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. In addition to pathogen inhibition, many Wolbachia strains manipulate host reproduction, resulting in an invasive capacity of the bacterium in insect populations. This has led to the deployment of Wolbachia as a dengue control tool, and trials have reported significant reductions in transmission in release areas. Here, we discuss the possible mechanisms of Wolbachia-virus inhibition and the implications for long-term success of dengue control. We also consider the evidence presented in several reports that Wolbachia may cause an enhancement of replication of certain viruses under particular conditions, and conclude that these should not cause any concerns with respect to the application of Wolbachia to arbovirus control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H Ant
- Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Maria Vittoria Mancini
- Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Polo d’Innovazione di Genomica, Genetica e Biologia, Terni, Italy
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17
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Cheong YL, Nazni WA, Lee HL, NoorAfizah A, MohdKhairuddin IC, Kamarul GMR, Nizam NMN, Arif MAK, NurZatilAqmar ZM, Irwan SM, Khadijah K, Paid YM, Topek O, Hasnor AH, AbuBakar R, Singh Gill B, Fadzilah K, Tahir A, Sinkins SP, Hoffmann AA. Spatial Distribution and Long-Term Persistence of Wolbachia-Infected Aedes aegypti in the Mentari Court, Malaysia. INSECTS 2023; 14:373. [PMID: 37103189 PMCID: PMC10146232 DOI: 10.3390/insects14040373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Dengue is endemic in Malaysia, and vector control strategies are vital to reduce dengue transmission. The Wolbachia strain wAlbB carried by both sexes of Ae. aegypti was released in Mentari Court, a high-rise residential site, in October 2017 and stopped after 20 weeks. Wolbachia frequencies are still being monitored at multiple traps across this site, providing an opportunity to examine the spatiotemporal distribution of Wolbachia and mosquito density with respect to year, residential block, and floor, using spatial interpolation in ArcGIS, GLMs, and contingency analyses. In just 12 weeks, Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes were established right across the Mentari Court site with an overall infection frequency of >90%. To date, the Wolbachia frequency of Ae. aegypti has remained high in all areas across the site despite releases finishing four years ago. Nevertheless, the Wolbachia invaded more rapidly in some residential blocks than others, and also showed a relatively higher frequency on the eighth floor. The Ae. aegypti index tended to differ somewhat between residential blocks, whilst the Ae. albopictus index was relatively higher at the top and bottom floors of buildings. In Mentari Court, only a short release period was required to infiltrate Wolbachia completely and stably into the natural population. The results inform future releases in comparable sites in a dengue control programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon Ling Cheong
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Wasi A. Nazni
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Han Lim Lee
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Ahmad NoorAfizah
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Ibrahim C. MohdKhairuddin
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Ghazali M. R. Kamarul
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nasir M. N. Nizam
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mohd A. K. Arif
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Zabari M. NurZatilAqmar
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Saidin M. Irwan
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Khairuddin Khadijah
- Petaling District Health Office, Ministry of Health Malaysia, SS 6, Petaling Jaya 47301, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yusof M. Paid
- Petaling District Health Office, Ministry of Health Malaysia, SS 6, Petaling Jaya 47301, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Omar Topek
- Federal Territory Health Department of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Cenderasari, Tasik Perdana, Kuala Lumpur 50480, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Asim H. Hasnor
- Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13 Setia Alam, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Rahman AbuBakar
- Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13 Setia Alam, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Balvinder Singh Gill
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kamaludin Fadzilah
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Aris Tahir
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur 50588, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Steven P. Sinkins
- MRC—University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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Alomar AA, Pérez-Ramos DW, Kim D, Kendziorski NL, Eastmond BH, Alto BW, Caragata EP. Native Wolbachia infection and larval competition stress shape fitness and West Nile virus infection in Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1138476. [PMID: 37007535 PMCID: PMC10050331 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1138476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionWolbachia transinfections established in key mosquito vectors, including Aedes aegypti are typically associated with pathogen blocking—reduced susceptibility to infection with key pathogens and reduced likelihood those pathogens are transmitted to new hosts. Host-symbiont-virus interactions are less well understood in mosquitoes like Culex quinquefasciatus, which naturally harbor Wolbachia, with pathogen blocking observed in some populations but not others, potentially due to innate differences in their Wolbachia load. In nature, mosquito larvae are often subject to developmental stresses associated with larval competition, which can lead to reduced body size and differential susceptibility to arbovirus infection.MethodsIn this study, we sought to understand whether competition stress and Wolbachia infection in Cx. quinquefasciatus combine to impact host fitness and susceptibility to infection with West Nile virus. We reared Wolbachia-infected and uninfected Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae under three competition stress levels, increasing larval density without increasing the amount of food supplied. We then monitored larval development and survival, measured wing length and quantified Wolbachia density in adults, and then challenged mosquitoes from each treatment group orally with West Nile virus.Results and DiscussionWe observed that high competition stress extended development time, decreased the likelihood of eclosion, decreased body size, and increased susceptibility to West Nile virus (WNV) infection. We also observed that Wolbachia infection reduced WNV load under low competition stress, and significantly improved the rate of survival for larval reared under higher competition stress. Consequently, our data suggest that native Wolbachia infection in Cx. quinquefasciatus has differential consequences for host fitness and susceptibility to WNV infection depending on competition stress.
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Ruiz A, Gutiérrez-Bugallo G, Rodríguez-Roche R, Pérez L, González-Broche R, Piedra LA, Martínez LC, Menéndez Z, Vega-Rúa A, Bisset JA. First report of natural Wolbachia infections in mosquitoes from Cuba. Acta Trop 2023; 242:106891. [PMID: 36907292 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes are extensively responsible for the transmission of pathogens. Novel strategies using Wolbachia could transform that scenario, since these bacteria manipulate mosquito reproduction, and can confer a pathogen transmission-blocking phenotype in culicids. Here, we screened the Wolbachia surface protein region by PCR in eight Cuban mosquito species. We confirmed the natural infections by sequencing and assessed the phylogenetic relationships among the Wolbachia strains detected. We identified four Wolbachia hosts: Aedes albopictus, Culex quinquefasciatus, Mansonia titillans, and Aedes mediovittatus (first report worldwide). Knowledge of Wolbachia strains and their natural hosts is essential for future operationalization of this vector control strategy in Cuba.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Ruiz
- Department of Vector Control, Center for Research, Diagnostic, and Reference, Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kourí, PAHO-WHO Collaborating Center for Dengue and its Control, Havana, Cuba. Autopista Novia del Mediodía km 6 ½, La Lisa 11 400, Havana
| | - Gladys Gutiérrez-Bugallo
- Department of Vector Control, Center for Research, Diagnostic, and Reference, Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kourí, PAHO-WHO Collaborating Center for Dengue and its Control, Havana, Cuba. Autopista Novia del Mediodía km 6 ½, La Lisa 11 400, Havana..
| | - Rosmari Rodríguez-Roche
- Department of Virology, Center for Research, Diagnostic, and Reference, Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kourí, Havana, Cuba. Autopista Novia del Mediodía km 6 ½, La Lisa 11 400, Havana
| | - Lissette Pérez
- Department of Virology, Center for Research, Diagnostic, and Reference, Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kourí, Havana, Cuba. Autopista Novia del Mediodía km 6 ½, La Lisa 11 400, Havana
| | - Raúl González-Broche
- Department of Vector Control, Center for Research, Diagnostic, and Reference, Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kourí, PAHO-WHO Collaborating Center for Dengue and its Control, Havana, Cuba. Autopista Novia del Mediodía km 6 ½, La Lisa 11 400, Havana
| | - Luis A Piedra
- Department of Vector Control, Center for Research, Diagnostic, and Reference, Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kourí, PAHO-WHO Collaborating Center for Dengue and its Control, Havana, Cuba. Autopista Novia del Mediodía km 6 ½, La Lisa 11 400, Havana
| | - Liss C Martínez
- Department of Vector Control, Center for Research, Diagnostic, and Reference, Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kourí, PAHO-WHO Collaborating Center for Dengue and its Control, Havana, Cuba. Autopista Novia del Mediodía km 6 ½, La Lisa 11 400, Havana
| | - Zulema Menéndez
- Department of Vector Control, Center for Research, Diagnostic, and Reference, Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kourí, PAHO-WHO Collaborating Center for Dengue and its Control, Havana, Cuba. Autopista Novia del Mediodía km 6 ½, La Lisa 11 400, Havana
| | - Anubis Vega-Rúa
- Institute Pasteur of Guadeloupe, Laboratory of Vector Control research, Unit Transmission Reservoir and Pathogens Diversity, Les Abymes, France. Morne Jolivière, Les Abymes 97139, Guadeloupe
| | - Juan A Bisset
- Department of Vector Control, Center for Research, Diagnostic, and Reference, Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kourí, PAHO-WHO Collaborating Center for Dengue and its Control, Havana, Cuba. Autopista Novia del Mediodía km 6 ½, La Lisa 11 400, Havana
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20
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Ross PA, Hoffmann AA. Fitness costs of Wolbachia shift in locally-adapted Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:5749-5759. [PMID: 36200325 PMCID: PMC10947380 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti mosquito eggs can remain quiescent for many months before hatching, allowing populations to persist through unfavourable conditions. A. aegypti infected with the Wolbachia strain wMel have been released in tropical and subtropical regions for dengue control. wMel reduces the viability of quiescent eggs, but this physiological cost might be expected to evolve in natural mosquito populations that frequently experience stressful conditions. We found that the cost of wMel infection differed consistently between mosquitoes collected from different locations and became weaker across laboratory generations, suggesting environment-specific adaptation of mosquitoes to the wMel infection. Reciprocal crossing experiments show that differences in the cost of wMel to quiescent egg viability were mainly due to mosquito genetic background and not Wolbachia origin. wMel-infected mosquitoes hatching from long-term quiescent eggs showed partial loss of cytoplasmic incompatibility and female infertility, highlighting additional costs of long-term quiescence. Our study provides the first evidence for a shift in Wolbachia phenotypic effects following deliberate field release and establishment and it highlights interactions between Wolbachia infections and mosquito genetic backgrounds. The unexpected changes in fitness costs observed here suggest potential tradeoffs with undescribed fitness benefits of the wMel infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perran A. Ross
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
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21
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Martinez J, Ross PA, Gu X, Ant TH, Murdochy SM, Tong L, da Silva Filipe A, Hoffmann AA, Sinkins SP. Genomic and Phenotypic Comparisons Reveal Distinct Variants of Wolbachia Strain wAlbB. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0141222. [PMID: 36318064 PMCID: PMC9680635 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01412-22] [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] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The intracellular bacterium Wolbachia inhibits virus replication and is being harnessed around the world to fight mosquito-borne diseases through releases of mosquitoes carrying the symbiont. Wolbachia strains vary in their ability to invade mosquito populations and suppress viruses in part due to differences in their density within the insect and associated fitness costs. Using whole-genome sequencing, we demonstrate the existence of two variants in wAlbB, a Wolbachia strain being released in natural populations of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The two variants display striking differences in genome architecture and gene content. Differences in the presence/absence of 52 genes between variants include genes located in prophage regions and others potentially involved in controlling the symbiont's density. Importantly, we show that these genetic differences correlate with variation in wAlbB density and its tolerance to heat stress, suggesting that different wAlbB variants may be better suited for field deployment depending on local environmental conditions. Finally, we found that the wAlbB genome remained stable following its introduction in a Malaysian mosquito population. Our results highlight the need for further genomic and phenotypic characterization of Wolbachia strains in order to inform ongoing Wolbachia-based programs and improve the selection of optimal strains in future field interventions. IMPORTANCE Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes that threatens around half of the world population. Recent advances in dengue control involve the introduction of Wolbachia bacterial symbionts with antiviral properties into mosquito populations, which can lead to dramatic decreases in the incidence of the disease. In light of these promising results, there is a crucial need to better understand the factors affecting the success of such strategies, in particular the choice of Wolbachia strain for field releases and the potential for evolutionary changes. Here, we characterized two variants of a Wolbachia strain used for dengue control that differ at the genomic level and in their ability to replicate within the mosquito. We also found no evidence for the evolution of the symbiont within the 2 years following its deployment in Malaysia. Our results have implications for current and future Wolbachia-based health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Martinez
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Perran A. Ross
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Xinyue Gu
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Thomas H. Ant
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Shivan M. Murdochy
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Lily Tong
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Ana da Silva Filipe
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Steven P. Sinkins
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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22
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Wolbachia inhibits ovarian formation and increases blood feeding rate in female Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010913. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia, a gram-negative endosymbiotic bacterium widespread in arthropods, is well-known for changing the reproduction of its host in ways that increase its rate of spread, but there are also costs to hosts that can reduce this. Here we investigated a novel reproductive alteration of Wolbachia wAlbB on its host Aedes aegypti, using studies on mosquito life history traits, ovarian dissection, as well as gene expression assays. We found that an extended period of the larval stage as well as the egg stage (as previously shown) can increase the proportion of Wolbachia-infected females that become infertile; an effect which was not observed in uninfected females. Infertile females had incomplete ovarian formation and also showed a higher frequency of blood feeding following a prior blood meal, indicating that they do not enter a complete gonotrophic cycle. Treatments leading to infertility also decreased the expression of genes related to reproduction, especially the vitellogenin receptor gene whose product regulates the uptake of vitellogenin (Vg) into ovaries. Our results demonstrate effects associated with the development of infertility in wAlbB-infected Ae. aegypti females with implications for Wolbachia releases. The results also have implications for the evolution of Wolbachia infections in novel hosts.
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23
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Mejia AJ, Jimenez L, Dutra HLC, Perera R, McGraw EA. Attempts to use breeding approaches in Aedes aegypti to create lines with distinct and stable relative Wolbachia densities. Heredity (Edinb) 2022; 129:215-224. [PMID: 35869302 PMCID: PMC9519544 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-022-00553-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia is an insect endosymbiont being used for biological control in the mosquito Aedes aegypti because it causes cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) and limits viral replication of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses. While the genetic mechanism of pathogen blocking (PB) is not fully understood, the strength of both CI and PB are positively correlated with Wolbachia densities in the host. Wolbachia densities are determined by a combination of Wolbachia strain and insect genotype, as well as interactions with the environment. We employed both artificial selection and inbreeding with the goal of creating lines of Ae. aegypti with heritable and distinct Wolbachia densities so that we might better dissect the mechanism underlying PB. We were unable to shift the mean relative Wolbachia density in Ae. aegypti lines by either strategy, with relative densities instead tending to cycle over a narrow range. In lieu of this, we used Wolbachia densities in mosquito legs as predictors of relative densities in the remaining individual's carcass. Because we worked with outbred mosquitoes, our findings indicate either a lack of genetic variation in the mosquito for controlling relative density, natural selection against extreme densities, or a predominance of environmental factors affecting densities. Our study reveals that there are moderating forces acting on relative Wolbachia densities that may help to stabilize density phenotypes post field release. We also show a means to accurately bin vector carcasses into high and low categories for non-DNA omics-based studies of Wolbachia-mediated traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. J. Mejia
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics & Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - L. Jimenez
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857School of Life Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Vic 3800 Australia
| | - H. L. C. Dutra
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics & Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - R. Perera
- grid.47894.360000 0004 1936 8083Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases and Center for Metabolism of Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO USA
| | - E. A. McGraw
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics & Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
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24
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Hugo LE, Rašić G, Maynard AJ, Ambrose L, Liddington C, Thomas CJE, Nath NS, Graham M, Winterford C, Wimalasiri-Yapa BMCR, Xi Z, Beebe NW, Devine GJ. Wolbachia wAlbB inhibit dengue and Zika infection in the mosquito Aedes aegypti with an Australian background. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010786. [PMID: 36227923 PMCID: PMC9562151 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological control of mosquito vectors using the endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia is an emerging strategy for the management of human arboviral diseases. We recently described the development of a strain of Aedes aegypti infected with the Wolbachia strain wAlbB (referred to as the wAlbB2-F4 strain) through simple backcrossing of wild type Australian mosquitoes with a wAlbB infected Ae. aegypti strain from the USA. Field releases of male wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes resulted in the successful suppression of wild populations of mosquitoes in the trial sites by exploiting the strain's Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility. We now demonstrate that the strain is resistant to infection by dengue and Zika viruses and is genetically similar to endemic Queensland populations. There was a fourfold reduction in the proportion of wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes that became infected following a blood meal containing dengue 2 virus (16.7%) compared to wild type mosquitoes (69.2%) and a 6-7 fold reduction in the proportion of wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes producing virus in saliva following a blood meal containing an epidemic strain of Zika virus (8.7% in comparison to 58.3% in wild type mosquitoes). Restriction-site Associated DNA (RAD) sequencing revealed that wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes have > 98% Australian ancestry, confirming the successful introduction of the wAlbB2 infection into the Australian genomic background through backcrossing. Genotypic and phenotypic analyses showed the wAlbB2-F4 strain retains the insecticide susceptible phenotype and genotype of native Australian mosquitoes. We demonstrate that the Wolbachia wAlbB2-F4, in addition to being suitable for population suppression programs, can also be effective in population replacement programs given its inhibition of virus infection in mosquitoes. The ease at which a target mosquito population can be transfected with wAlbB2, while retaining the genotypes and phenotypes of the target population, shows the utility of this strain for controlling the Ae. aegypti mosquitoes and the pathogens they transmit.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andrew J. Maynard
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Luke Ambrose
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Callum J. E. Thomas
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Zhiyong Xi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Nigel W. Beebe
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- CSIRO, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Liang X, Tan CH, Sun Q, Zhang M, Wong PSJ, Li MI, Mak KW, Martín-Park A, Contreras-Perera Y, Puerta-Guardo H, Manrique-Saide P, Ng LC, Xi Z. Wolbachia wAlbB remains stable in Aedes aegypti over 15 years but exhibits genetic background-dependent variation in virus blocking. PNAS NEXUS 2022; 1:pgac203. [PMID: 36714832 PMCID: PMC9802048 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The ability of the maternally transmitted endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia to induce cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) and virus blocking makes it a promising weapon for combatting mosquito-borne diseases through either suppression or replacement of wild-type populations. Recent field trials show that both approaches significantly reduce the incidence of dengue fever in humans. However, new questions emerge about how Wolbachia-mosquito associations will co-evolve over time and whether Wolbachia-mediated virus blocking will be affected by the genetic diversity of mosquitoes and arboviruses in the real world. Here, we have compared the Wolbachia density and CI expression of two wAlbB-infected Aedes aegypti lines transinfected 15 years apart. We have also assessed wAlbB-mediated virus blocking against dengue (DENV), Zika (ZIKV), and Chikungunya (CHIKV) viruses and examined whether host genetic backgrounds modulate viral blocking effects by comparing ZIKV infection in mosquitoes with a Mexican genetic background to those with a Singaporean background. Our results show that over 15 years, wAlbB maintained the capacity to form a stable association with Ae. aegypti in terms of both density and CI expression. There were variations in wAlbB-induced virus blocking against CHIKV, DENV, and ZIKV, and higher inhibitory effects on ZIKV in mosquitoes on the Singaporean genetic background than on the Mexican background. These results provide important information concerning the robustness and long-term stability of Wolbachia as a biocontrol agent for arbovirus disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Qiang Sun
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Meichun Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Pei Sze Jeslyn Wong
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore 138667
| | - Meizhi Irene Li
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore 138667
| | - Keng Wai Mak
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore 138667
| | - Abdiel Martín-Park
- Laboratorio para el Control Biologico de Aedes aegypti (LCB-UADY), Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomologicos, Campus de Ciencias Biologicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Mérida, Yucatán CP 97315, Mexico
| | - Yamili Contreras-Perera
- Laboratorio para el Control Biologico de Aedes aegypti (LCB-UADY), Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomologicos, Campus de Ciencias Biologicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Mérida, Yucatán CP 97315, Mexico
| | - Henry Puerta-Guardo
- Laboratorio para el Control Biologico de Aedes aegypti (LCB-UADY), Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomologicos, Campus de Ciencias Biologicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Mérida, Yucatán CP 97315, Mexico
| | - Pablo Manrique-Saide
- Laboratorio para el Control Biologico de Aedes aegypti (LCB-UADY), Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomologicos, Campus de Ciencias Biologicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Mérida, Yucatán CP 97315, Mexico
| | - Lee Ching Ng
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore 138667,School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological Institute, Singapore 637551
| | - Zhiyong Xi
- To whom correspondence should be addressed:
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26
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Sarwar MS, Jahan N, Ali A, Yousaf HK, Munzoor I. Establishment of Wolbachia infection in Aedes aegypti from Pakistan via embryonic microinjection and semi-field evaluation of general fitness of resultant mosquito population. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:191. [PMID: 35668540 PMCID: PMC9169386 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05317-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease that is mainly spread by Aedes aegypti. It is prevalent on five continents, predominantly in tropical and sub-tropical zones across the world. Wolbachia bacteria have been extensively used in vector control strategies worldwide. The focus of the current study was to obtain a natural population of Ae. aegypti harbouring Wolbachia and to determine the impact of this bacteria on the new host in a semi-field environment. Methods Wolbachia-infected Aedes albopictus was collected from the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, and Wolbachia were successfully introduced into laboratory-reared Ae. aegypti via embryonic microinjection. The stable vertical transmission of wAlbB in the host population was observed for eight generations, and the impact of Wolbachia on the general fitness of the host was evaluated in semi-field conditions. Results In the laboratory and semi-field experiments, wAlbB Wolbachia presented a strong cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) effect, evidenced as zero egg hatching, in crosses between Wolbachia-infected males and wild (uninfected) females of Ae. aegypti. Wolbachia infection had no noticeable impact on the general fitness (P > 0.05), fecundity, body size (females and males) and mating competitiveness of the new host, Ae. aegypti. However, there was a significant decrease in female fertility (egg hatch) (P < 0.001). In addition, under starvation conditions, there was a remarkable decrease (P < 0.0001) in the life span of Wolbachia-infected females compared to uninfected females (4 vs. > 5 days, respectively). Conclusions Wolbachia strain wAlbB has a great potential to control the dengue vector in Ae. aegypti populations by producing 100% CI with a limited burden on its host in natural field conditions. This strain can be used as a biological tool against vector-borne diseases. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05317-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Sajjad Sarwar
- Department of Zoology, University of Okara, Okara, 56300, Pakistan. .,Department of Zoology, Government College University, Katchery Road, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Nusrat Jahan
- Department of Zoology, Government College University, Katchery Road, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Azeem Ali
- Department of Statistics and Computer Science, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Iqra Munzoor
- Department of Zoology, University of Okara, Okara, 56300, Pakistan
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Agarwal A, Sarma DK, Chaurasia D, Maan HS. Novel molecular approaches to combat vectors and vector-borne viruses: Special focus on RNA interference (RNAi) mechanisms. Acta Trop 2022; 233:106539. [PMID: 35623398 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, zika, yellow fever etc pose significant burden among the infectious diseases globally, especially in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Globalization, deforestation, urbanization, climate change, uncontrolled population growth, inadequate waste management and poor vector-management infrastructure have all contributed to the expansion of vector habitats and subsequent increase in vector-borne diseases throughout the world. Conventional vector control methods, such as use of insecticides, have significant negative environmental repercussions in addition to developing resistance in vectors. Till date, a very few vaccines or antiviral therapies have been approved for the treatment of vector borne diseases. In this review, we have discussed emerging molecular approaches like CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas-9, sterile insect technique (SIT), release of insects carrying a dominant lethal (RIDL), Wolbachia (virus transmission blocking) and RNA interference (RNAi) to combat vector and vector-borne viruses. Due to the extensive advancements in RNAi research, a special focus has been given on its types, biogenesis, mechanism of action, delivery and experimental studies evaluating their application as anti-mosquito and anti-viral agent. These technologies appear to be highly promising in terms of contributing to vector control and antiviral drug development, and hence can be used to reduce global vector and vector-borne disease burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Agarwal
- State Virology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal 462001, Madhya Pradesh, India.
| | - Devojit Kumar Sarma
- ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal 462030, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Deepti Chaurasia
- State Virology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal 462001, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Harjeet Singh Maan
- State Virology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal 462001, Madhya Pradesh, India
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Transient Introgression of Wolbachia into Aedes aegypti Populations Does Not Elicit an Antibody Response to Wolbachia Surface Protein in Community Members. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11050535. [PMID: 35631057 PMCID: PMC9142965 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11050535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia is an endosymbiotic bacterium that can restrict the transmission of human pathogenic viruses by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Recent field trials have shown that dengue incidence is significantly reduced when Wolbachia is introgressed into the local Ae. aegypti population. Female Ae. aegypti are anautogenous and feed on human blood to produce viable eggs. Herein, we tested whether people who reside on Tri Nguyen Island (TNI), Vietnam developed antibodies to Wolbachia Surface Protein (WSP) following release of Wolbachia-infected Ae. aegypti, as a measure of exposure to Wolbachia. Paired blood samples were collected from 105 participants before and after mosquito releases and anti-WSP titres were measured by ELISA. We determined no change in anti-WSP titres after ~30 weeks of high levels of Wolbachia-Ae. aegypti on TNI. These data suggest that humans are not exposed to the major Wolbachia surface antigen, WSP, following introgression of Wolbachia-infected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes.
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Gu X, Ross PA, Rodriguez-Andres J, Robinson KL, Yang Q, Lau MJ, Hoffmann AA. A wMel Wolbachia variant in Aedes aegypti from field-collected Drosophila melanogaster with increased phenotypic stability under heat stress. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:2119-2135. [PMID: 35319146 PMCID: PMC9544352 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Mosquito‐borne diseases remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Population replacement strategies involving the wMel strain of Wolbachia are being used widely to control mosquito‐borne diseases. However, these strategies may be influenced by temperature because wMel is vulnerable to heat. wMel infections in Drosophila melanogaster are genetically diverse, but few transinfections of wMel variants have been generated in Aedes aegypti. Here, we successfully transferred a wMel variant (termed wMelM) originating from a field‐collected D. melanogaster into Ae. aegypti. The new wMelM variant (clade I) is genetically distinct from the original wMel transinfection (clade III), and there are no genomic differences between wMelM in its original and transinfected host. We compared wMelM with wMel in its effects on host fitness, temperature tolerance, Wolbachia density, vector competence, cytoplasmic incompatibility and maternal transmission under heat stress in a controlled background. wMelM showed a higher heat tolerance than wMel, likely due to higher overall densities within the mosquito. Both wMel variants had minimal host fitness costs, complete cytoplasmic incompatibility and maternal transmission, and dengue virus blocking under laboratory conditions. Our results highlight phenotypic differences between Wolbachia variants and wMelM shows potential as an alternative strain in areas with strong seasonal temperature fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Gu
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | - Perran A Ross
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | - Julio Rodriguez-Andres
- Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity and Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, 3000, Australia
| | - Katie L Robinson
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | - Qiong Yang
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | - Meng-Jia Lau
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | - Ary A Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
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Konorov EA, Lukashev AN, Oyun NY. Genome Variation of Endosymbiotic Wolbachia in Introduced Populations of Asian Tiger Mosquito Aedes albopictus from Krasnodar Krai. RUSS J GENET+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795422020065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Mancini MV, Ant TH, Herd CS, Martinez J, Murdochy SM, Gingell DD, Mararo E, Johnson PCD, Sinkins SP. High Temperature Cycles Result in Maternal Transmission and Dengue Infection Differences Between Wolbachia Strains in Aedes aegypti. mBio 2021; 12:e0025021. [PMID: 34749528 PMCID: PMC8576525 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00250-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors play a crucial role in the population dynamics of arthropod endosymbionts, and therefore in the deployment of Wolbachia symbionts for the control of dengue arboviruses. The potential of Wolbachia to invade, persist, and block virus transmission depends in part on its intracellular density. Several recent studies have highlighted the importance of larval rearing temperature in modulating Wolbachia densities in adults, suggesting that elevated temperatures can severely impact some strains, while having little effect on others. The effect of a replicated tropical heat cycle on Wolbachia density and levels of virus blocking was assessed using Aedes aegypti lines carrying strains wMel and wAlbB, two Wolbachia strains currently used for dengue control. Impacts on intracellular density, maternal transmission fidelity, and dengue inhibition capacity were observed for wMel. In contrast, wAlbB-carrying Ae. aegypti maintained a relatively constant intracellular density at high temperatures and conserved its capacity to inhibit dengue. Following larval heat treatment, wMel showed a degree of density recovery in aging adults, although this was compromised by elevated air temperatures. IMPORTANCE In the past decades, dengue incidence has dramatically increased all over the world. An emerging dengue control strategy utilizes Aedes aegypti mosquitoes artificially transinfected with the bacterial symbiont Wolbachia, with the ultimate aim of replacing wild mosquito populations. However, the rearing temperature of mosquito larvae is known to impact on some Wolbachia strains. In this study, we compared the effects of a temperature cycle mimicking natural breeding sites in tropical climates on two Wolbachia strains, currently used for open field trials. When choosing the Wolbachia strain to be used in a dengue control program it is important to consider the effects of environmental temperatures on invasiveness and virus inhibition. These results underline the significance of understanding the impact of environmental factors on released mosquitoes, in order to ensure the most efficient strategy for dengue control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas H. Ant
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Christie S. Herd
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Julien Martinez
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | | | | | - Enock Mararo
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Paul C. D. Johnson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Khalil SMS, Munawar K, Alahmed AM, Mohammed AMA. RNAi-Mediated Screening of Selected Target Genes Against Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:2177-2185. [PMID: 34197598 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Culex quinquefasciatus, a member of the Culex pipiens complex, is widespread in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world. It is a vector for lymphatic filariasis, Rift Valley fever, and West Nile virus. Studies have shown the deleterious effect of RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of various lethal genes in model and agricultural pest insects. RNAi was proposed as a tool for mosquito control with a focus on Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae. In this study, we examined the effect of RNAi of selected target genes on both larval mortality and adult emergence of Cx. quinquefasciatus through two delivery methods: soaking and nanoparticles. Ten candidate genes were selected for RNAi based on their known lethal effect in other insects. Disruption of three genes, chitin synthase-1, inhibitor of apoptosis 1, and vacuolar adenosine triphosphatase, resulted in the highest mortality among the selected genes using the two treatment methods. Silencing the other seven genes resulted in a medium to low mortality in both assays. These three genes are also active against a wide range of insects and could be used for RNAi-based mosquito control in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayed M S Khalil
- Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, 9 Gamaa Street, Giza, Egypt
| | - Kashif Munawar
- Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Azzam M Alahmed
- Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed M A Mohammed
- Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, 9 Gamaa Street, Giza, Egypt
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Ross PA. Designing effective Wolbachia release programs for mosquito and arbovirus control. Acta Trop 2021; 222:106045. [PMID: 34273308 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes carrying endosymbiotic bacteria called Wolbachia are being released in mosquito and arbovirus control programs around the world through two main approaches: population suppression and population replacement. Open field releases of Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes have achieved over 95% population suppression by reducing the fertility of wild mosquito populations. The replacement of populations with Wolbachia-infected females is self-sustaining and can greatly reduce local dengue transmission by reducing the vector competence of mosquito populations. Despite many successful interventions, significant questions and challenges lie ahead. Wolbachia, viruses and their mosquito hosts can evolve, leading to uncertainty around the long-term effectiveness of a given Wolbachia strain, while few ecological impacts of Wolbachia releases have been explored. Wolbachia strains are diverse and the choice of strain to release should be made carefully, taking environmental conditions and the release objective into account. Mosquito quality control, thoughtful community awareness programs and long-term monitoring of populations are essential for all types of Wolbachia intervention. Releases of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes show great promise, but existing control measures remain an important way to reduce the burden of mosquito-borne disease.
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Manrique-Saide P, Herrera-Bojórquez J, Villegas-Chim J, Puerta-Guardo H, Ayora-Talavera G, Parra-Cardeña M, Medina-Barreiro A, Ramírez-Medina M, Chi-Ku A, Trujillo-Peña E, Méndez-Vales RE, Delfín-González H, Toledo-Romaní ME, Bazzani R, Bolio-Arceo E, Gómez-Dantés H, Che-Mendoza A, Pavía-Ruz N, Kirstein OD, Vazquez-Prokopec GM. Protective effect of house screening against indoor Aedes aegypti in Mérida, Mexico: A cluster randomised controlled trial. Trop Med Int Health 2021; 26:1677-1688. [PMID: 34587328 PMCID: PMC9298035 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the protective effect of house screening (HS) on indoor Aedes aegypti infestation, abundance and arboviral infection in Merida, Mexico. METHODS In 2019, we performed a cluster randomised controlled trial (6 control and 6 intervention areas: 100 households/area). Intervention clusters received permanently fixed fiberglass HS on all windows and doors. The study included two cross-sectional entomologic surveys, one baseline (dry season in May 2019) and one post-intervention (PI, rainy season between September and October 2019). The presence and number of indoor Aedes females and blood-fed females (indoor mosquito infestation) as well as arboviral infections with dengue (DENV) and Zika (ZIKV) viruses were evaluated in a subsample of 30 houses within each cluster. RESULTS HS houses had significantly lower risk for having Aedes aegypti female mosquitoes (odds ratio [OR] = 0.56, 95% CI 0.33-0.97, p = 0.04) and blood-fed females (OR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.28-0.97, p = 0.04) than unscreened households from the control arm. Compared to control houses, HS houses had significantly lower indoor Ae. aegypti abundance (rate ratio [RR] = 0.50, 95% CI 0.30-0.83, p = 0.01), blood-fed Ae. aegypti females (RR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.27-0.85, p = 0.01) and female Ae. aegypti positive for arboviruses (OR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.10-0.86, p = 0.02). The estimated intervention efficacy in reducing Ae. aegypti arbovirus infection was 71%. CONCLUSIONS These results provide evidence supporting the use of HS as an effective pesticide-free method to control house infestations with Aedes aegypti and reduce the transmission of Aedes-transmitted viruses such as DENV, chikungunya (CHIKV) and ZIKV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Manrique-Saide
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Josué Herrera-Bojórquez
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Josué Villegas-Chim
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Henry Puerta-Guardo
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Guadalupe Ayora-Talavera
- Laboratorio de Virología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales 'Dr. Hideyo Noguchi', Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Manuel Parra-Cardeña
- Laboratorio de Virología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales 'Dr. Hideyo Noguchi', Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Anuar Medina-Barreiro
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Marypaz Ramírez-Medina
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Aylin Chi-Ku
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Emilio Trujillo-Peña
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | | | - Hugo Delfín-González
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - María E Toledo-Romaní
- Departamento de Epidemiología, Instituto de Medicina Tropical 'Pedro Kourí', La Habana, Cuba
| | - Roberto Bazzani
- International Development Research Centre of Canada, Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Hector Gómez-Dantés
- Centro de Investigación en Sistemas de Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Azael Che-Mendoza
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Norma Pavía-Ruz
- Laboratorio de Hematología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales 'Dr. Hideyo Noguchi', Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Oscar D Kirstein
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Sasaki T, Moi ML, Saito K, Isawa H, Takasaki T, Sawabe K. Aedes albopictus Strain and Dengue Virus Serotype in the Dengue Fever Outbreaks in Japan: Implications of Wolbachia Infection. Jpn J Infect Dis 2021; 75:140-143. [PMID: 34470970 DOI: 10.7883/yoken.jjid.2021.376] [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] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
From August 27 to October 15, 2014, a dengue fever outbreak with 158 autochthonous cases occurred after nearly 70 years of no reports of autochthonous cases in Japan. The most competent mosquito vector for dengue virus (DENV) transmission in Japan is Aedes albopictus. Since A. albopictus is widely distributed throughout Japan, we examined the susceptibility of this species to infection by DENV and the relationship of the endosymbiont Wolbachia (wAlbA and wAlbB) with susceptibility to DENV. The A. albopictus YYG strain, collected from Yoyogi Park in 2014, the epicenter of the dengue fever outbreak, was found to have lower susceptibility to DENV 1 and 3 than that of indigenous Japanese strains A. albopictus EBN 201808 (F1 from the field) and A. albopictus ISG 201603. Further, the A. albopictus EBN 201808 strain showed a same susceptibility to DENV3 as A. albopictus ISG 201603tet strain (Wolbachia-free). Susceptibility to DENV3 was not related to Wolbachia strains wAlbA or wAlbB in the A. albopictus ISG 201603 strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshinori Sasaki
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
| | - Meng Ling Moi
- Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
| | - Kazumi Saito
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Isawa
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Takasaki
- Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
| | - Kyoko Sawabe
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
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A wAlbB Wolbachia transinfection displays stable phenotypic effects across divergent Aedes aegypti mosquito backgrounds. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0126421. [PMID: 34379518 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01264-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes mosquitoes harboring intracellular Wolbachia bacteria are being released in arbovirus and mosquito control programs. With releases taking place around the world, understanding the contribution of host variation to Wolbachia phenotype is crucial. We generated a Wolbachia transinfection (wAlbBQ) in Aedes aegypti and performed backcrossing to introduce the infection into Australian or Malaysian nuclear backgrounds. Whole Wolbachia genome sequencing shows that the wAlbBQ transinfection is near-identical to the reference wAlbB genome, suggesting few changes since the infection was first introduced to Ae. aegypti over 15 years ago. However, these sequences were distinct from other available wAlbB genome sequences, highlighting the potential diversity of wAlbB in natural Ae. albopictus populations. Phenotypic comparisons demonstrate effects of wAlbB infection on egg hatch and nuclear background on fecundity and body size, but no interactions between wAlbB infection and nuclear background for any trait. The wAlbB infection was stable at high temperatures and showed perfect maternal transmission and cytoplasmic incompatibility regardless of host background. Our results demonstrate the stability of wAlbB across host backgrounds and point to its long-term effectiveness for controlling arbovirus transmission and mosquito populations. Importance Wolbachia bacteria are being used to control the transmission of dengue and other arboviruses by mosquitoes. For Wolbachia release programs to be effective globally, Wolbachia infections must be stable across mosquito populations from different locations. In this study, we transferred Wolbachia (strain wAlbB) to Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with an Australian genotype and introduced the infection to Malaysian mosquitoes through backcrossing. We found that the phenotypic effects of Wolbachia are stable across both mosquito backgrounds. We sequenced the genome of wAlbB and found very few genetic changes despite spending over 15 years in a novel mosquito host. Our results suggest that the effects of Wolbachia infections are likely to remain stable across time and host genotype.
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Caragata EP, Dutra HLC, Sucupira PHF, Ferreira AGA, Moreira LA. Wolbachia as translational science: controlling mosquito-borne pathogens. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:1050-1067. [PMID: 34303627 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
In this review we examine how exploiting the Wolbachia-mosquito relationship has become an increasingly popular strategy for controlling arbovirus transmission. Field deployments of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes have led to significant decreases in dengue virus incidence via high levels of mosquito population suppression and replacement, emphasizing the success of Wolbachia approaches. Here, we examine how improved knowledge of Wolbachia-host interactions has provided key insight into the mechanisms of the essential phenotypes of pathogen blocking and cytoplasmic incompatibility. And we discuss recent studies demonstrating that extrinsic factors, such as ambient temperature, can modulate Wolbachia density and maternal transmission. Finally, we assess the prospects of using Wolbachia to control other vectors and agricultural pest species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric P Caragata
- Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL, USA.
| | - Heverton L C Dutra
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Pedro H F Sucupira
- Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Instituto René Rachou - Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Alvaro G A Ferreira
- Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Instituto René Rachou - Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Luciano A Moreira
- Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Instituto René Rachou - Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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Wang GH, Gamez S, Raban RR, Marshall JM, Alphey L, Li M, Rasgon JL, Akbari OS. Combating mosquito-borne diseases using genetic control technologies. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4388. [PMID: 34282149 PMCID: PMC8290041 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24654-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue and malaria, pose significant global health burdens. Unfortunately, current control methods based on insecticides and environmental maintenance have fallen short of eliminating the disease burden. Scalable, deployable, genetic-based solutions are sought to reduce the transmission risk of these diseases. Pathogen-blocking Wolbachia bacteria, or genome engineering-based mosquito control strategies including gene drives have been developed to address these problems, both requiring the release of modified mosquitoes into the environment. Here, we review the latest developments, notable similarities, and critical distinctions between these promising technologies and discuss their future applications for mosquito-borne disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Hong Wang
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Stephanie Gamez
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Robyn R Raban
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - John M Marshall
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Luke Alphey
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, UK
| | - Ming Li
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jason L Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Omar S Akbari
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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Abstract
Recent field trials have demonstrated that dengue incidence can be substantially reduced by introgressing strains of the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia into Aedes aegypti mosquito populations. This strategy relies on Wolbachia reducing the susceptibility of Ae. aegypti to disseminated infection by positive-sense RNA viruses like dengue. However, RNA viruses are well known to adapt to antiviral pressures. Here, we review the viral infection stages where selection for Wolbachia-resistant virus variants could occur. We also consider the genetic constraints imposed on viruses that alternate between vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, and the likely selection pressures to which dengue virus might adapt in order to be effectively transmitted by Ae. aegypti that carry Wolbachia. While there are hurdles to dengue viruses developing resistance to Wolbachia, we suggest that long-term surveillance for resistant viruses should be an integral component of Wolbachia-introgression biocontrol programs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Heather A. Flores
- Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cameron P. Simmons
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Johanna E. Fraser
- Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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40
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Jones RT, Ant TH, Cameron MM, Logan JG. Novel control strategies for mosquito-borne diseases. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20190802. [PMID: 33357056 PMCID: PMC7776938 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases are an increasing global health challenge, threatening over 40% of the world's population. Despite major advances in malaria control since 2000, recent progress has stalled. Additionally, the risk of Aedes-borne arboviruses is rapidly growing, with the unprecedented spread of dengue and chikungunya viruses, outbreaks of yellow fever and the 2015 epidemic of Zika virus in Latin America. To counteract this growing problem, diverse and innovative mosquito control technologies are currently under development. Conceptually, these span an impressive spectrum of approaches, from invasive transgene cassettes with the potential to crash mosquito populations or reduce the vectorial capacity of a population, to low-cost alterations in housing design that restrict mosquito entry. This themed issue will present articles providing insight into the breadth of mosquito control research, while demonstrating the requirement for an interdisciplinary approach. The issue will highlight mosquito control technologies at varying stages of development and includes both opinion pieces and research articles with laboratory and field-based data on control strategy development. This article is part of the theme issue 'Novel control strategies for mosquito-borne diseases'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert T. Jones
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Thomas H. Ant
- Centre for Virus Research, Bearsden Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - Mary M. Cameron
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - James G. Logan
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HT, UK
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