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Trefry SV, Aldridge RL, Sprague TR, Lowen RG, Erasmus JH, Pitt ML, Hahn DA, Nasar F, Gibson S, Linthicum KJ. Gamma-Irradiated Female Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Exhibit Greater Susceptibility to Mayaro Virus. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2024; 111:421-428. [PMID: 38917780 PMCID: PMC11310611 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an alphavirus endemic in many parts of Central and South America transmitted to humans by Aedes aegypti. Currently, there is no vaccine or treatment of Mayaro infection, and therefore it is essential to control transmission by reducing populations of Ae. aegypti. Unfortunately, Ae. aegypti are extremely difficult to control with traditional integrated vector management (IVM) because of factors such as growing resistance to a dwindling list of registered insecticides and cryptic immature and adult habitats. The sterile insect technique (SIT) by irradiation is gaining traction as a novel supplemental tool to IVM. The SIT is being used operationally to release large numbers of sterilized colony-reared male mosquitoes in an intervention area to overwhelm females in the natural population, eventually causing population decline because of high frequencies of unfertilized eggs. However, little is known about the effect of irradiation on vector competence for mosquito-borne viruses such as MAYV in females that may be accidentally reared, irradiated, and released alongside males. In this investigation, we exposed female Ae. aegypti pupae to radiation and evaluated vector competence after inoculation with MAYV. Infection and dissemination rates of irradiated (10 and 40 Gy) Ae. aegypti were higher than those of non-irradiated cohorts at 7 and 14 days after infection. Although these results indicate a need to maintain effective sex sorting prior to irradiation and release of Ae. aegypti, our results are consistent with several previous observations that vectorial capacity and vector competence are likely lower in irradiated than in nonirradiated females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie V. Trefry
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Robert L. Aldridge
- Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Thomas R. Sprague
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland
- BioFactura Inc., Frederick, Maryland
| | - Robert G. Lowen
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Jesse H. Erasmus
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Margaret L. Pitt
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Daniel A. Hahn
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Farooq Nasar
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Seth Gibson
- Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Kenneth J. Linthicum
- Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Gainesville, Florida
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2
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Lin YH, Joubert DA, Kaeser S, Dowd C, Germann J, Khalid A, Denton JA, Retski K, Tavui A, Simmons CP, O'Neill SL, Gilles JRL. Field deployment of Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti using uncrewed aerial vehicle. Sci Robot 2024; 9:eadk7913. [PMID: 39083575 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.adk7913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Over the past 50 years, there has been a marked increase in diseases like dengue fever, chikungunya, and Zika. The World Mosquito Program (WMP) has developed an approach that, instead of attempting to eliminate vector species, introduces Wolbachia into native Aedes aegypti populations through the release of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes. Using this approach, a randomized controlled study recently demonstrated a 77% reduction in dengue across a treatment area within Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Existing release methods use the ground-based release of mosquito eggs or adults that are labor-intensive, are logistically challenging to scale up, and can be restrictive in areas where staff safety is a concern. To overcome these limitations, we developed a fully automated mosquito dosing release system that released smaller cohorts of mosquitoes over a wide area and integrated it into an uncrewed aerial vehicle. We established the effectiveness of this system using an aerial mark, release, and recapture approach. We then demonstrated that using only the aerial release method, we can establish Wolbachia infection in a naive Ae. aegypti population. In both cases, the use of aerial releases demonstrated comparable outcomes to ground-based releases without the required labor or risk. These two trials demonstrated the feasibility of using an aerial release approach for large-scale mosquito releases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Hsun Lin
- World Mosquito Program, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Anam Khalid
- World Mosquito Program, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Kate Retski
- World Mosquito Program, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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3
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Wijegunawardana NDAD, Gunawardene YINS, Abeyewickreme W, Chandrasena TGAN, Thayanukul P, Kittayapong P. Diversity of Wolbachia infections in Sri Lankan mosquitoes with a new record of Wolbachia Supergroup B infecting Aedes aegypti vector populations. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11966. [PMID: 38796552 PMCID: PMC11127934 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62476-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia bacteria are common endosymbionts of insects and have recently been applied for controlling arboviral vectors, especially Aedes aegypti mosquito populations. However, several medically important mosquito species in Sri Lanka were present with limited information for the Wolbachia infection status. Therefore, the screening of Wolbachia in indigenous mosquitoes is required prior to a successful application of Wolbachia-based vector control strategy. In this study, screening of 78 mosquito species collected from various parts of the country revealed that 13 species were positive for Wolbachia infection, giving ~ 17% infection frequency of Wolbachia among the Sri Lankan mosquitoes. Twelve Wolbachia-positive mosquito species were selected for downstream Wolbachia strain genotyping using Multi Locus Sequencing Type (MLST), wsp gene, and 16S rRNA gene-based approaches. Results showed that these Wolbachia strains clustered together with the present Wolbachia phylogeny of world mosquito populations with some variations. Almost 90% of the mosquito populations were infected with supergroup B while the remaining were infected with supergroup A. A new record of Wolbachia supergroup B infection in Ae. aegypti, the main vectors of dengue, was highlighted. This finding was further confirmed by real-time qPCR, revealing Wolbachia density variations between Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus (p = 0.001), and between males and females (p < 0.05). The evidence of natural Wolbachia infections in Ae. aegypti populations in Sri Lanka is an extremely rare incident that has the potential to be used for arboviral vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
- N D A D Wijegunawardana
- Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Phayathai, Thailand
- Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Technology, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale, Sri Lanka
| | | | - W Abeyewickreme
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, General Sir Johan Kotelawala Defence University, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka
| | - T G A N Chandrasena
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
| | - P Thayanukul
- Center of Excellence for Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Phayathai, Thailand.
| | - P Kittayapong
- Center of Excellence for Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand
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4
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Khosravi G, Akbarzadeh K, Karimian F, Koosha M, Saeedi S, Oshaghi MA. A survey of Wolbachia infection in brachyceran flies from Iran. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301274. [PMID: 38776328 PMCID: PMC11111063 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301274] [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: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia is a maternally inherited intracellular bacterium that is considered to be the most plentiful endosymbiont found in arthropods. It reproductively manipulates its host to increase the chances of being transmitted to the insect progeny; and it is currently used as a means of suppressing disease vector populations or controlling vector-borne diseases. Studies of the dissemination and prevalence of Wolbachia among its arthropod hosts are important for its possible use as a biological control agent. The molecular identification of Wolbachia relies on different primers sets due to Wolbachia strain variation. Here, we screened for the presence of Wolbachia in a broad range of Brachycera fly species (Diptera), collected from different regions of Iran, using nine genetic markers (wsp, ftsZ, fbpA, gatB, CoxA, gltA, GroEL dnaA, and 16s rRNA), for detecting, assessing the sensitivity of primers for detection, and phylogeny of this bacterium. The overall incidence of Wolbachia among 22 species from six families was 27.3%. The most commonly positive fly species were Pollenia sp. and Hydrotaea armipes. However, the bacterium was not found in the most medically important flies or in potential human disease vectors, including Musca domestica, Sarcophaga spp., Calliphora vicinia, Lucilia sericata, and Chrysomya albiceps. The primer sets of 16s rRNA with 53.0% and gatB with 52.0% were the most sensitive primers for detecting Wolbachia. Blast search, phylogenetic, and MLST analysis of the different locus sequences of Wolbachia show that all the six distantly related fly species likely belonging to supergroup A. Our study showed some primer sets generated false negatives in many of the samples, emphasizing the importance of using different loci in detecting Wolbachia. The study provides the groundwork for future studies of a Wolbachia-based program for control of flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghazal Khosravi
- Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kamran Akbarzadeh
- Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fateh Karimian
- Department of Parasitology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mona Koosha
- Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahin Saeedi
- Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Oshaghi
- Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Lim JT, Bansal S, Chong CS, Dickens B, Ng Y, Deng L, Lee C, Tan LY, Chain G, Ma P, Sim S, Tan CH, Cook AR, Ng LC. Efficacy of Wolbachia-mediated sterility to reduce the incidence of dengue: a synthetic control study in Singapore. THE LANCET. MICROBE 2024; 5:e422-e432. [PMID: 38342109 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(23)00397-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to the absence of available therapeutics and good vaccines, vector control solutions are needed to mitigate the spread of dengue. Matings between male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with the wAlbB strain of Wolbachia and wildtype females yield non-viable eggs. We evaluated the efficacy of releasing wAlbB-infected A aegypti male mosquitoes to suppress dengue incidence. METHODS In this synthetic control study, we conducted large-scale field trials in Singapore involving release of wAlbB-infected A aegypti male mosquitoes for dengue control via vector population suppression, from epidemiological week (EW) 27, 2018, to EW 26, 2022. We selected two large towns (Yishun and Tampines) to adopt an expanding release strategy and two smaller towns (Bukit Batok and Choa Chu Kang) to adopt a targeted-release approach. Releases were conducted two times a week in high-rise public housing estates. All intervention and control locations practised the same baseline dengue control protocol. The main outcome was weekly dengue incidence rate caused by any dengue virus serotype. We used incidence data collected by the Singapore Ministry of Health to assess the efficacy of the interventions. To compare interventions, we used the synthetic control method to generate appropriate counterfactuals for the intervention towns using a weighted combination of 30 control towns between EW 1, 2014 and EW 26, 2022. FINDINGS Our study comprised an at-risk population of 607 872 individuals living in intervention sites and 3 894 544 individuals living in control sites. Interventions demonstrated up to 77·28% (121/156, 95% CI 75·81-78·58) intervention efficacy despite incomplete coverage across all towns until EW 26, 2022. Intervention efficacies increased as release coverage increased across all intervention sites. Releases led to 2242 (95% CI 2092-2391) fewer cases per 100 000 people in intervention sites during the study period. Secondary analysis showed that these intervention effects were replicated across all age groups and both sexes for intervention sites. INTERPRETATION Our results demonstrated the potential of Wolbachia-mediated incompatible insect technique for strengthening dengue control in tropical cities, where dengue burden is the greatest. FUNDING Singapore Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Sustainability, and the National Environment Agency, and the Singapore National Robotics Program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jue Tao Lim
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Somya Bansal
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore
| | - Chee Seng Chong
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Borame Dickens
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore
| | - Youming Ng
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Lu Deng
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Caleb Lee
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Li Yun Tan
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Grace Chain
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Pei Ma
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore
| | - Shuzhen Sim
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Cheong Huat Tan
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Alex R Cook
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore
| | - Lee Ching Ng
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore.
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Boonyuan W, Panthawong A, Thannarin T, Kongratarporn T, Khamvarn V, Chareonviriyaphap T, Nararak J. Irritant and repellent behaviors of sterile male Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes are crucial in the development of disease control strategies applying sterile insect technique. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17038. [PMID: 38529314 PMCID: PMC10962334 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17038] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The mosquito Aedes aegypti, known to transmit important arboviral diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever. Given the importance of this disease vector, a number of control programs have been proposed involving the use of the sterile insect technique (SIT). However, the success of this technique hinges on having a good understanding of the biology and behavior of the male mosquito. Behavioral responses of Ae. aegypti male populations developed for SIT technology were tested under laboratory conditions against chemical and natural irritants and repellents using an excito-repellency (ER) chamber. The results showed that there were no significant behavioral escape responses in any of the radiation-sterilized male Ae. aegypti test populations when exposed to citronella, DEET, transfluthrin, and deltamethrin, suggesting that SIT did not suppress the expected irritancy and repellency (avoidance) behaviors. The type of information reported in the current study is vital in defining the effects of SIT on vector behavior and understanding how such behavior may influence the success of SIT technology with regard to other vector control interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wasana Boonyuan
- Nuclear Technology Research and Development Center, Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (Public Organization), Nakhon Nayok, Thailand
| | - Amonrat Panthawong
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thodsapon Thannarin
- Nuclear Technology Research and Development Center, Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (Public Organization), Nakhon Nayok, Thailand
| | - Titima Kongratarporn
- Nuclear Technology Research and Development Center, Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (Public Organization), Nakhon Nayok, Thailand
| | - Vararas Khamvarn
- Nuclear Technology Research and Development Center, Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (Public Organization), Nakhon Nayok, Thailand
| | | | - Jirod Nararak
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
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7
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Miranda LS, Rudd SR, Mena O, Hudspeth PE, Barboza-Corona JE, Park HW, Bideshi DK. The Perpetual Vector Mosquito Threat and Its Eco-Friendly Nemeses. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:182. [PMID: 38534451 DOI: 10.3390/biology13030182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Mosquitoes are the most notorious arthropod vectors of viral and parasitic diseases for which approximately half the world's population, ~4,000,000,000, is at risk. Integrated pest management programs (IPMPs) have achieved some success in mitigating the regional transmission and persistence of these diseases. However, as many vector-borne diseases remain pervasive, it is obvious that IPMP successes have not been absolute in eradicating the threat imposed by mosquitoes. Moreover, the expanding mosquito geographic ranges caused by factors related to climate change and globalization (travel, trade, and migration), and the evolution of resistance to synthetic pesticides, present ongoing challenges to reducing or eliminating the local and global burden of these diseases, especially in economically and medically disadvantaged societies. Abatement strategies include the control of vector populations with synthetic pesticides and eco-friendly technologies. These "green" technologies include SIT, IIT, RIDL, CRISPR/Cas9 gene drive, and biological control that specifically targets the aquatic larval stages of mosquitoes. Regarding the latter, the most effective continues to be the widespread use of Lysinibacillus sphaericus (Ls) and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti). Here, we present a review of the health issues elicited by vector mosquitoes, control strategies, and lastly, focus on the biology of Ls and Bti, with an emphasis on the latter, to which no resistance has been observed in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Silva Miranda
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA 92504, USA
| | - Sarah Renee Rudd
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA 92504, USA
- Integrated Biomedical Graduate Studies, and School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Oscar Mena
- Undergraduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA 92504, USA
| | - Piper Eden Hudspeth
- Undergraduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA 92504, USA
| | - José E Barboza-Corona
- Departmento de Alimentos, Posgrado en Biociencias, Universidad de Guanajuato Campus Irapuato-Salamanca, Irapuato 36500, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Hyun-Woo Park
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA 92504, USA
- Undergraduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA 92504, USA
| | - Dennis Ken Bideshi
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA 92504, USA
- Undergraduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA 92504, USA
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8
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Pérez-Guerra CL, Rosado-Santiago C, Ramos SA, Marrero-Santos KM, González-Zeno G, Partridge SK, Rivera-Amill V, Paz-Bailey G, Sánchez-González L, Hayden MH. Acceptability of emergent Aedes aegypti vector control methods in Ponce, Puerto Rico: A qualitative assessment. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002744. [PMID: 38446807 PMCID: PMC10917327 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti control has been fraught with challenges in Puerto Rico. The government has implemented commonly used vector control methods, but arboviral epidemics still occur. It is necessary to explore new Ae. aegypti control methods. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of community members in Ponce, Puerto Rico about emergent and traditional Ae. aegypti vector control methods and determine their acceptability and support for these methods. We identified the type of information needed to increase support for emergent vector control methods, and the preferred strategies to disseminate this information. Four group discussions were conducted with a total of 32 participants representing eight of the 14 clusters participating in the Communities Organized for the Prevention of Arboviruses (COPA), a project designed to mobilize communities in Ponce, Puerto Rico to prevent diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. Group discussions began with an overview of different methods used for controlling Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. These overviews facilitated participant understanding of the mosquito control methods presented. Use of source reduction, autocidal gravid ovitraps (AGO), and manual application of larvicide for arboviral mosquito control received support from almost all participants. Vector control methods that use more familiar techniques in Puerto Rico such as truck-mounted larvicide spraying (TMLS) and insecticide residual spraying received support from most participants. More than half of participants supported the use of emergent mosquito control methods including Wolbachia suppression, Wolbachia replacement, or genetically modified mosquitoes (GMM). Participants preferred to receive vector control information through house-to-house visits with the distribution of written materials, followed by dissemination of information through traditional (i.e., radio, television) and social media. The detailed information resulting from this study was used to develop messages for a communications campaign to garner future community support. Community acceptance and support are critical for the success of vector control programs using emergent mosquito control methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen L. Pérez-Guerra
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dengue Branch, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Coral Rosado-Santiago
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dengue Branch, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Sue Anette Ramos
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dengue Branch, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Karla Michelle Marrero-Santos
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dengue Branch, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Gladys González-Zeno
- Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Susanna K. Partridge
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Vanessa Rivera-Amill
- Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Gabriela Paz-Bailey
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dengue Branch, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Liliana Sánchez-González
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dengue Branch, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Mary H. Hayden
- Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States of America
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9
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Aldridge RL, Gibson S, Linthicum KJ. Aedes aegypti Controls AE. Aegypti: SIT and IIT-An Overview. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MOSQUITO CONTROL ASSOCIATION 2024; 40:32-49. [PMID: 38427588 DOI: 10.2987/23-7154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
The sterile insect technique (SIT) and the incompatible insect technique (IIT) are emerging and potentially revolutionary tools for controlling Aedes aegypti (L.), a prominent worldwide mosquito vector threat to humans that is notoriously difficult to reduce or eliminate in intervention areas using traditional integrated vector management (IVM) approaches. Here we provide an overview of the discovery, development, and application of SIT and IIT to Ae. aegypti control, and innovations and advances in technology, including transgenics, that could elevate these techniques to a worldwide sustainable solution to Ae. aegypti when combined with other IVM practices.
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10
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Rahong P, Techakijvej C, Phalaraksh C. Predators as biocontrol agents of mosquito larvae in small and large habitats in Chiang Mai, Thailand. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2023; 48:78-88. [PMID: 37843450 DOI: 10.52707/1081-1710-48.2.78] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Controlling mosquito-borne disease is a major global challenge due to the rise of insecticide-resistant mosquitoes. In response, we conducted a study in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, which is one of the largest and the most popular cities for tourists in Southeast Asia, to explore the potential of local species as biological control agents for mosquito larvae. Mosquito larvae and aquatic predators were sampled from large and small habitats, while relevant physico-chemical parameters were measured. The study identified 560 predators and 1,572 mosquitoes, with most mosquito species belonging to the genus Culex. Additionally, the study identified 16 predator taxa, including four fish taxa and 12 taxa of predatory aquatic insects belonging to four orders: Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Odonata, and Diptera. The study found that several locally occurring predator species, namely Poecillia, Laccophilus, Lutzia, Toxorhynchites splendens, Agrionoptera, and Pseudarion, shared habitats with mosquitoes, indicating their potential as effective biological control agents for mosquito control. Conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and pH were the important physico-chemical parameters that affect both predators and mosquito larvae. Consequently, promoting native predators and reducing mosquito larvae through habitat management would be a sustainable and ecologically friendly approach in large habitats where it is not possible to remove mosquito oviposition sites. In smaller habitats, releasing local aquatic predators and removing oviposition sites may be a suitable strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panida Rahong
- Environmental Science Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | - Chotiwut Techakijvej
- Environmental Science Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | - Chitchol Phalaraksh
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand,
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11
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Zhang H, Trueman E, Hou X, Chew DX, Deng L, Liew J, Chia T, Xi Z, Tan CH, Cai Y. Different mechanisms of X-ray irradiation-induced male and female sterility in Aedes aegypti. BMC Biol 2023; 21:274. [PMID: 38012718 PMCID: PMC10683188 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01757-1] [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: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) is the major vector that transmits many diseases including dengue, Zika, and filariasis in tropical and subtropical regions. Due to the growing resistance to chemical-based insecticides, biological control methods have become an emerging direction to control mosquito populations. The sterile insect technique (SIT) deploys high doses of ionizing radiation to sterilize male mosquitoes before the release. The Wolbachia-based population suppression method of the incompatible insect technique (IIT) involves the release of Wolbachia-infected males to sterilize uninfected field females. Due to the lack of perfect sex separation tools, a low percentage of female contamination is detected in the male population. To prevent the unintentional release of these Wolbachia-infected females which might result in population replacement, a low dose of X-ray irradiation is deployed to sterilize any female escapees. However, it remains unclear whether these irradiation-induced male and female sterilizations share common mechanisms. RESULTS In this work, we set out to define the minimum dose of X-ray radiation required for complete female sterilization in Ae. aegypti (NEA-EHI strain). Further results showed that this minimum dose of X-ray irradiation for female sterilization significantly reduced male fertility. Similar results have been reported previously in several operational trials. By addressing the underlying causes of the sterility, our results showed that male sterility is likely due to chromosomal damage in the germ cells induced by irradiation. In contrast, female sterility appears to differ and is likely initiated by the elimination of the somatic supporting cells, which results in the blockage of the ovariole maturation. Building upon these findings, we identified the minimum dose of X-ray irradiation on the Wolbachia-infected NEA-EHI (wAlbB-SG) strain, which is currently being used in the IIT-SIT field trial. Compared to the uninfected parental strain, a lower irradiation dose could fully sterilize wAlbB-SG females. This suggests that Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes are more sensitive to irradiation, consistent with a previous report showing that a lower irradiation dose fully sterilized Wolbachia-infected Ae. aegypti females (Brazil and Mexican strains) compared to those uninfected controls. CONCLUSIONS Our findings thus reveal the distinct mechanisms of ionizing X-ray irradiation-induced male or female sterility in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, which may help the design of X-ray irradiation-based vector control methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhang
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
- Present address: Institute of Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Emma Trueman
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Xinjun Hou
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - De Xian Chew
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Lu Deng
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, 138667, Singapore
| | - Jonathan Liew
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, 138667, Singapore
| | - Tania Chia
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, 138667, Singapore
| | - Zhiyong Xi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Cheong Huat Tan
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, 138667, Singapore.
| | - Yu Cai
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
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Velez ID, Uribe A, Barajas J, Uribe S, Ángel S, Suaza-Vasco JD, Mejia Torres MC, Arbeláez MP, Santacruz-Sanmartin E, Duque L, Martínez L, Posada T, Patiño AC, Gonzalez SM, Velez AL, Ramírez J, Salazar M, Gómez S, Osorio JE, Iturbe-Ormaetxe I, Dong Y, Muzzi FC, Rances E, Johnson PH, Smithyman R, Col B, Green BR, Frossard T, Brown-Kenyon J, Joubert DA, Grisales N, Ritchie SA, Denton JA, Gilles JRL, Anders KL, Kutcher SC, Ryan PA, O’Neill SL. Large-scale releases and establishment of wMel Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes throughout the Cities of Bello, Medellín and Itagüí, Colombia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011642. [PMID: 38032856 PMCID: PMC10688688 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The wMel strain of Wolbachia has been successfully introduced into Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and has been shown to reduce the transmission of dengue and other Aedes-borne viruses. Here we report the entomological results from phased, large-scale releases of Wolbachia infected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes throughout three contiguous cities located in the Aburrá Valley, Colombia. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Local wMel Wolbachia-infected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were generated and then released in an initial release pilot area in 2015-2016, which resulted in the establishment of Wolbachia in the local mosquito populations. Subsequent large-scale releases, mainly involving vehicle-based releases of adult mosquitoes along publicly accessible roads and streets, were undertaken across 29 comunas throughout Bello, Medellín and Itagüí Colombia between 2017-2022. In 9 comunas these were supplemented by egg releases that were undertaken by staff or community members. By the most recent monitoring, Wolbachia was found to be stable and established at consistent levels in local mosquito populations (>60% prevalence) in the majority (67%) of areas. CONCLUSION These results, from the largest contiguous releases of wMel Wolbachia mosquitoes to date, highlight the operational feasibility of implementing the method in large urban settings. Based on results from previous studies, we expect that Wolbachia establishment will be sustained long term. Ongoing monitoring will confirm Wolbachia persistence in local mosquito populations and track its establishment in the remaining areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Darío Velez
- World Mosquito Program, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Alexander Uribe
- World Mosquito Program, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Jovany Barajas
- World Mosquito Program, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Sandra Uribe
- World Mosquito Program, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Sandra Ángel
- World Mosquito Program, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | | | | | | | - Lorena Duque
- World Mosquito Program, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Luis Martínez
- World Mosquito Program, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Tania Posada
- World Mosquito Program, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | | | - Ana Lucía Velez
- World Mosquito Program, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Jennifer Ramírez
- World Mosquito Program, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Marlene Salazar
- World Mosquito Program, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Sandra Gómez
- World Mosquito Program, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Jorge E. Osorio
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - Yi Dong
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - Edwige Rances
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - Ruth Smithyman
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Bruno Col
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - Tibor Frossard
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | | | - Nelson Grisales
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - Jai A. Denton
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Peter A. Ryan
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
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Vincent M, Paty MC, Gerardin P, Balleydier E, Etienne A, Daoudi J, Thouillot F, Jaffar-Bandjee MC, Menudier L. From dengue outbreaks to endemicity: Reunion Island, France, 2018 to 2021. Euro Surveill 2023; 28:2200769. [PMID: 37470738 PMCID: PMC10360367 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2023.28.29.2200769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundAfter 40 years of limited viral circulation, Reunion Island has since 2018 experienced recurrent dengue outbreaks of increasing intensity and severity.AimWe aimed to report on the epidemiology and characteristics of dengue in Reunion Island between 2018 and 2021.MethodsBetween 2018 and August 2021, we systematically collected data on dengue cases via an automated transmission system between the health authorities and the medical laboratories. We set up additional surveillance systems for dengue-related activity in primary care, in emergency departments and in inpatient departments.ResultsUntil 2020, despite numerous cases, outbreaks had a limited public health impact because of few severe cases, low lethality and no heavy burden for the health care system. In 2021, however, the number of severe cases increased (from 0.4% of all cases in 2018 to 0.8% in 2021), as did the number of paediatric cases (from 8% in 2018 to 15% in 2021) and atypical clinical forms of dengue (108 cases of post-dengue maculopathy). Of note, haemorrhagic forms were rare and multi-organ failure was the most frequent severity throughout the study period. In parallel, the dominant serotype switched from DENV2 to DENV1 in 2020 and DENV1 became the only serotype detected in 2021.ConclusionThese findings indicate that dengue is becoming endemic in Reunion Island. Since comorbidities associated with severity of dengue are common in the population, health authorities should carefully consider the impact of dengue when addressing public health policies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Jamel Daoudi
- Santé Publique France, Saint Denis, Réunion, France
| | - Fabian Thouillot
- Service de Lutte Anti-Vectorielle, ARS Réunion, Saint Denis, Réunion, France
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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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15
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da Moura AJF, Valadas V, Da Veiga Leal S, Montalvo Sabino E, Sousa CA, Pinto J. Screening of natural Wolbachia infection in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from the Cape Verde islands. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:142. [PMID: 37098535 PMCID: PMC10131387 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05745-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wolbachia pipientis is an endosymbiont bacterium that induces cytoplasmic incompatibility and inhibits arboviral replication in mosquitoes. This study aimed to assess Wolbachia prevalence and genetic diversity in different mosquito species from Cape Verde. METHODS Mosquitoes were collected on six islands of Cape Verde and identified to species using morphological keys and PCR-based assays. Wolbachia was detected by amplifying a fragment of the surface protein gene (wsp). Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed with five housekeeping genes (coxA, gatB, ftsZ, hcpA, and fbpA) and the wsp hypervariable region (HVR) for strain identification. Identification of wPip groups (wPip-I to wPip-V) was performed using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay on the ankyrin domain gene pk1. RESULTS Nine mosquito species were collected, including the major vectors Aedes aegypti, Anopheles arabiensis, Culex pipiens sensu stricto, and Culex quinquefasciatus. Wolbachia was only detected in Cx. pipiens s.s. (100% prevalence), Cx. quinquefasciatus (98.3%), Cx. pipiens/quinquefasciatus hybrids (100%), and Culex tigripes (100%). Based on the results of MLST and wsp hypervariable region typing, Wolbachia from the Cx. pipiens complex was assigned to sequence type 9, wPip clade, and supergroup B. PCR/RFLP analysis revealed three wPip groups in Cape Verde, namely wPip-II, wPip-III, and wPip-IV. wPip-IV was the most prevalent, while wPip-II and wPip-III were found only on Maio and Fogo islands. Wolbachia detected in Cx. tigripes belongs to supergroup B, with no attributed MLST profile, indicating a new strain of Wolbachia in this mosquito species. CONCLUSIONS A high prevalence and diversity of Wolbachia was found in species from the Cx. pipiens complex. This diversity may be related to the mosquito's colonization history on the Cape Verde islands. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to detect Wolbachia in Cx. tigripes, which may provide an additional opportunity for biocontrol initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aires Januário Fernandes da Moura
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, UNL., Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008, Lisboa, Portugal.
- Unidade de Ciências da Natureza, da Vida E Do Ambiente, Universidade Jean Piaget de Cabo Verde, Praia, Cape Verde.
| | - Vera Valadas
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, UNL., Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Silvania Da Veiga Leal
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Pública, Praia, Cape Verde
| | - Eddyson Montalvo Sabino
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, UNL., Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008, Lisboa, Portugal
- Laboratório de Simulidos, Universidad Nacional Hermilio Valdizan, Huánuco, Peru
| | - Carla A Sousa
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, UNL., Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João Pinto
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, UNL., Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008, Lisboa, Portugal
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Wang LM, Li N, Zhang M, Tang Q, Lu HZ, Zhou QY, Niu JX, Xiao L, Peng ZY, Zhang C, Liu M, Wang DQ, Deng SQ. The sex pheromone heptacosane enhances the mating competitiveness of sterile Aedes aegypti males. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:102. [PMID: 36922826 PMCID: PMC10015913 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05711-6] [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: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aedes aegypti is a vector that transmits various viral diseases, including dengue and Zika. The radiation-based sterile insect technique (SIT) has a limited effect on mosquito control because of the difficulty in irradiating males without reducing their mating competitiveness. In this study, the insect sex pheromone heptacosane was applied to Ae. aegypti males to investigate whether it could enhance the mating competitiveness of irradiated males. METHODS Heptacosane was smeared on the abdomens of Ae. aegypti males that were allowed to mate with untreated virgin females. The insemination rate was used to assess the attractiveness of heptacosane-treated males to females. The pupae were irradiated with different doses of X-rays and γ-rays, and the emergence, survival time, egg number, and hatch rate were detected to find the optimal dose of X-ray and γ-ray radiation. The males irradiated at the optimal dose were smeared with heptacosane, released in different ratios with untreated males, and mated with females. The effect of heptacosane on the mating competitiveness of irradiated mosquitoes was then evaluated by the hatch rate, induced sterility, and mating competitiveness index. RESULTS Applying heptacosane to Ae. aegypti males significantly increased the insemination rate of females by 20%. Pupal radiation did not affect egg number but significantly reduced survival time and hatch rate. The emergence of the pupae was not affected by X-ray radiation but was affected by γ-ray radiation. Pupae exposed to 60 Gy X-rays and 40 Gy γ-rays were selected for subsequent experiments. After 60 Gy X-ray irradiation or 40 Gy γ-ray irradiation, the average hatch rate was less than 0.1%, and the average survival time was more than 15 days. Moreover, at the same release ratio, the hatch rate of the irradiated group perfumed with heptacosane was lower than that of the group without heptacosane. Conversely, the male sterility and male mating competitiveness index were significantly increased due to the use of heptacosane. CONCLUSIONS The sex pheromone heptacosane enhanced the interaction between Ae. aegypti males and females. Perfuming males irradiated by X-rays or γ-rays with heptacosane led to a significant increase in mating competitiveness. This study provided a new idea for improving the application effect of SIT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Min Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ni Li
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Mao Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qi Tang
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Hong-Zheng Lu
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qing-Ya Zhou
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jia-Xuan Niu
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Liang Xiao
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhe-Yu Peng
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Miao Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
| | - Duo-Quan Wang
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shanghai, China.
| | - Sheng-Qun Deng
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
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17
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Chen C, Aldridge RL, Gibson S, Kline J, Aryaprema V, Qualls W, Xue RD, Boardman L, Linthicum KJ, Hahn DA. Developing the radiation-based sterile insect technique (SIT) for controlling Aedes aegypti: identification of a sterilizing dose. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:1175-1183. [PMID: 36424673 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The sterile insect technique (SIT) is emerging as a tool to supplement traditional pesticide-based control of Aedes aegypti, a prominent mosquito vector of microbes that has increased the global burden of human morbidity and mortality over the past 50 years. SIT relies on rearing, sterilizing and releasing large numbers of male mosquitoes that will mate with fertile wild females, thus reducing production of offspring from the target population. In this study, we investigated the effects of ionizing radiation (gamma) on male and female survival, longevity, mating behavior, and sterility of Ae. aegypti in a dose-response design. This work is a first step towards developing an operational SIT field suppression program against Ae. aegypti in St. Augustine, Florida, USA. RESULTS Exposing late-stage pupae to 50 Gy of radiation yielded 99% male sterility while maintaining similar survival of pupae to adult emergence, adult longevity and male mating competitiveness compared to unirradiated males. Females were completely sterilized at 30 Gy, and when females were dosed with 50 Gy, they had a lower incidence of blood-feeding than unirradiated females. CONCLUSION Our work suggests that an ionizing radiation dose of 50 Gy should be used for future development of operational SIT in our program area because at this dose males are 99% sterile while maintaining mating competitiveness against unirradiated males. Furthermore, females that might be accidentally released with sterile males as a result of errors in sex sorting also are sterile and less likely to blood-feed than unirradiated females at our 50 Gy dose. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Chen
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Robert L Aldridge
- US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Center for Medical, Agricultural, & Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Seth Gibson
- US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Center for Medical, Agricultural, & Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Jedidiah Kline
- US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Center for Medical, Agricultural, & Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | | | - Whitney Qualls
- Anastasia Mosquito Control District, St. Augustine, Florida, USA
| | - Rui-de Xue
- Anastasia Mosquito Control District, St. Augustine, Florida, USA
| | - Leigh Boardman
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences & Center for Biodiversity Research, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Kenneth J Linthicum
- US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Center for Medical, Agricultural, & Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Daniel A Hahn
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Ogunlade ST, Meehan MT, Adekunle AI, McBryde ES. A Systematic Review of Mathematical Models of Dengue Transmission and Vector Control: 2010-2020. Viruses 2023; 15:254. [PMID: 36680294 PMCID: PMC9862433 DOI: 10.3390/v15010254] [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: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Vector control methods are considered effective in averting dengue transmission. However, several factors may modify their impact. Of these controls, chemical methods, in the long run, may increase mosquitoes' resistance to chemicides, thereby decreasing control efficacy. The biological methods, which may be self-sustaining and very effective, could be hampered by seasonality or heatwaves (resulting in, e.g., loss of Wolbachia infection). The environmental methods that could be more effective than the chemical methods are under-investigated. In this study, a systematic review is conducted to explore the present understanding of the effectiveness of vector control approaches via dengue transmission models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samson T. Ogunlade
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
- College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
| | - Michael T. Meehan
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
| | - Adeshina I. Adekunle
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
- Defence Science and Technology Group, Department of Defence, Melbourne 3207, Australia
| | - Emma S. McBryde
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
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19
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Zeng Q, She L, Yuan H, Luo Y, Wang R, Mao W, Wang W, She Y, Wang C, Shi M, Cao T, Gan R, Li Y, Zhou J, Qian W, Hu S, Wang Y, Zheng X, Li K, Bai L, Pan X, Xi Z. A standalone incompatible insect technique enables mosquito suppression in the urban subtropics. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1419. [PMID: 36575240 PMCID: PMC9793375 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04332-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The strong suppression of Aedes albopictus on two Guangzhou islands in China has been successfully achieved by releasing males with an artificial triple-Wolbachia infection. However, it requires the use of radiation to sterilize residual females to prevent population replacement. To develop a highly effective tool for dengue control, we tested a standalone incompatible insect technique (IIT) to control A. albopictus in the urban area of Changsha, an inland city where dengue recently emerged. Male mosquitoes were produced in a mass rearing facility in Guangzhou and transported over 670 km under low temperature to the release site. After a once-per-week release with high numbers of males (phase I) and a subsequent twice-per-week release with low numbers of males (phase II), the average numbers of hatched eggs and female adults collected weekly per trap were reduced by 97% and 85%, respectively. The population suppression caused a 94% decrease in mosquito biting at the release site compared to the control site. Remarkably, this strong suppression was achieved using only 28% of the number of males released in a previous trial. Despite the lack of irradiation to sterilize residual females, no triple-infected mosquitoes were detected in the field post release based on the monitoring of adult and larval A. albopictus populations for two years, indicating that population replacement was prevented. Our results support the feasibility of implementing a standalone IIT for dengue control in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Zeng
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Lingzhi She
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Hao Yuan
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Yuying Luo
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Renke Wang
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Wei Mao
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Weifeng Wang
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Yueting She
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Chaojun Wang
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Mengyi Shi
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Ting Cao
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Renxian Gan
- Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China
| | - Yongjun Li
- Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China ,grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Present Address: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Jiayi Zhou
- Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China
| | - Wei Qian
- Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China
| | - Shixiong Hu
- grid.508374.dHunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Yong Wang
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Xiaoying Zheng
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XSun Yat-sen University—Michigan State University Joint Center of Vector Control for Tropical Diseases, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China
| | - Kuibiao Li
- grid.508371.80000 0004 1774 3337Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China
| | - Lianyang Bai
- grid.410598.10000 0004 4911 9766Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Xiaoling Pan
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Zhiyong Xi
- Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China ,grid.17088.360000 0001 2150 1785Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI USA
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20
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Ong J, Ho SH, Soh SXH, Wong Y, Ng Y, Vasquez K, Lai YL, Setoh YX, Chong CS, Lee V, Wong JCC, Tan CH, Sim S, Ng LC, Lim JT. Assessing the efficacy of male Wolbachia-infected mosquito deployments to reduce dengue incidence in Singapore: study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Trials 2022; 23:1023. [PMID: 36528590 PMCID: PMC9758775 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-022-06976-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dengue is a severe environmental public health challenge in tropical and subtropical regions. In Singapore, decreasing seroprevalence and herd immunity due to successful vector control has paradoxically led to increased transmission potential of the dengue virus. We have previously demonstrated that incompatible insect technique coupled with sterile insect technique (IIT-SIT), which involves the release of X-ray-irradiated male Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, reduced the Aedes aegypti population by 98% and dengue incidence by 88%. This novel vector control tool is expected to be able to complement current vector control to mitigate the increasing threat of dengue on a larger scale. We propose a multi-site protocol to study the efficacy of IIT-SIT at reducing dengue incidence. METHODS/DESIGN The study is designed as a parallel, two-arm, non-blinded cluster-randomized (CR) controlled trial to be conducted in high-rise public housing estates in Singapore, an equatorial city-state. The aim is to determine whether large-scale deployment of male Wolbachia-infected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes can significantly reduce dengue incidence in intervention clusters. We will use the CR design, with the study area comprising 15 clusters with a total area of 10.9 km2, covering approximately 722,204 residents in 1713 apartment blocks. Eight clusters will be randomly selected to receive the intervention, while the other seven will serve as non-intervention clusters. Intervention efficacy will be estimated through two primary endpoints: (1) odds ratio of Wolbachia exposure distribution (i.e., probability of living in an intervention cluster) among laboratory-confirmed reported dengue cases compared to test-negative controls and (2) laboratory-confirmed reported dengue counts normalized by population size in intervention versus non-intervention clusters. DISCUSSION This study will provide evidence from a multi-site, randomized controlled trial for the efficacy of IIT-SIT in reducing dengue incidence. The trial will provide valuable information to estimate intervention efficacy for this novel vector control approach and guide plans for integration into national vector control programs in dengue-endemic settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT05505682 . Registered on 16 August 2022. Retrospectively registered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Ong
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Soon Hoe Ho
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Stacy Xin Hui Soh
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yvonne Wong
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Youming Ng
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kathryn Vasquez
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yee Ling Lai
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yin Xiang Setoh
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chee-Seng Chong
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Vernon Lee
- Communicable Diseases Division, Ministry of Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Cheong Huat Tan
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shuzhen Sim
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lee Ching Ng
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jue Tao Lim
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Novena Campus, Singapore, Singapore
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21
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Ogunlade ST, Adekunle AI, McBryde ES, Meehan MT. Modelling the ecological dynamics of mosquito populations with multiple co-circulating Wolbachia strains. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20826. [PMID: 36460676 PMCID: PMC9718785 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25242-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia intracellular bacteria successfully reduce the transmissibility of arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) when introduced into virus-carrying vectors such as mosquitoes. Despite the progress made by introducing Wolbachia bacteria into the Aedes aegypti wild-type population to control arboviral infections, reports suggest that heat-induced loss-of-Wolbachia-infection as a result of climate change may reverse these gains. Novel, supplemental Wolbachia strains that are more resilient to increased temperatures may circumvent these concerns, and could potentially act synergistically with existing variants. In this article, we model the ecological dynamics among three distinct mosquito (sub)populations: a wild-type population free of any Wolbachia infection; an invading population infected with a particular Wolbachia strain; and a second invading population infected with a distinct Wolbachia strain from that of the first invader. We explore how the range of possible characteristics of each Wolbachia strain impacts mosquito prevalence. Further, we analyse the differential system governing the mosquito populations and the Wolbachia infection dynamics by computing the full set of basic and invasive reproduction numbers and use these to establish stability of identified equilibria. Our results show that releasing mosquitoes with two different strains of Wolbachia did not increase their prevalence, compared with a single-strain Wolbachia-infected mosquito introduction and only delayed Wolbachia dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samson T. Ogunlade
- grid.1011.10000 0004 0474 1797Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD Australia ,grid.1011.10000 0004 0474 1797College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD Australia
| | - Adeshina I. Adekunle
- grid.1011.10000 0004 0474 1797Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD Australia ,grid.431245.50000 0004 0385 5290Department of Defence, Defence Science and Technology Group, Melbourne, VIC Australia
| | - Emma S. McBryde
- grid.1011.10000 0004 0474 1797Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD Australia
| | - Michael T. Meehan
- grid.1011.10000 0004 0474 1797Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD Australia
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22
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Reid W, Williams AE, Sanchez-Vargas I, Lin J, Juncu R, Olson KE, Franz AWE. Assessing single-locus CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drive variants in the mosquito Aedes aegypti via single-generation crosses and modeling. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:jkac280. [PMID: 36250791 PMCID: PMC9713460 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti is a major vector of arthropod-borne viruses, including dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses. A novel approach to mitigate arboviral infections is to generate mosquitoes refractory to infection by overexpressing antiviral effector molecules. Such an approach requires a mechanism to spread these antiviral effectors through a population, for example, by using CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drive systems. Critical to the design of a single-locus autonomous gene drive is that the selected genomic locus is amenable to both gene drive and appropriate expression of the antiviral effector. In our study, we used reverse engineering to target 2 intergenic genomic loci, which had previously shown to be highly permissive for antiviral effector gene expression, and we further investigated the use of 3 promoters (nanos, β2-tubulin, or zpg) for Cas9 expression. We then quantified the accrual of insertions or deletions (indels) after single-generation crossings, measured maternal effects, and assessed fitness costs associated with various transgenic lines to model the rate of gene drive fixation. Overall, MGDrivE modeling suggested that when an autonomous gene drive is placed into an intergenic locus, the gene drive system will eventually be blocked by the accrual of gene drive blocking resistance alleles and ultimately be lost in the population. Moreover, while genomic locus and promoter selection were critically important for the initial establishment of the autonomous gene drive, it was the fitness of the gene drive line that most strongly influenced the persistence of the gene drive in the simulated population. As such, we propose that when autonomous CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drive systems are anchored in an intergenic locus, they temporarily result in a strong population replacement effect, but as gene drive-blocking indels accrue, the gene drive becomes exhausted due to the fixation of CRISPR resistance alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Irma Sanchez-Vargas
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Jingyi Lin
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Rucsanda Juncu
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Ken E Olson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Alexander W E Franz
- Corresponding author: Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
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23
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Kittayapong P, Kittayapong R, Ninphanomchai S, Limohpasmanee W. The MosHouse ® Trap: Evaluation of the Efficiency in Trapping Sterile Aedes aegypti Males in Semi-Field Conditions. INSECTS 2022; 13:1050. [PMID: 36421953 PMCID: PMC9693147 DOI: 10.3390/insects13111050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Arbovirus diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, are important public health problems. Controlling the major vector, Aedes aegypti, is the only approach to suppressing these diseases. The surveillance of this mosquito species needs effective collecting methods. In this study, a simple MosHouse sticky trap was evaluated in a semi-field condition. Our results demonstrated the efficiency of this trap in collecting Ae. aegypti males, and no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the numbers of males was detected when compared with the widely used BG- Sentinel trap. However, there were significantly lower numbers of females (p < 0.05) collected using the MosHouse trap when compared to the BG-Sentinel trap. We also found a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the collected numbers between irradiated and non-irradiated males. More irradiated males were collected in the MosHouse traps. The improvement of male collection was achieved with the addition of a sugar stick and sticky flags. Significantly higher numbers of males were collected in the MosHouse trap with sticky flags compared to the original one when they were released independently of females, but both were collected in higher numbers when they were released together (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our experiments demonstrated that the MosHouse trap could sample Ae. aegypti, especially males, as efficiently as the established BG-Sentinel trap, while the cost was more than 50 times lower, showing the potential of the MosHouse trap for improved Ae. aegypti male and female surveillance with very large numbers of traps at affordable costs. In addition, significantly (p < 0.001) increased male sampling was achieved by adding an external sticky flag on the MosHouse trap, providing an avenue for further development of the novel male-trapping strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pattamaporn Kittayapong
- Center of Excellence for Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University at Salaya, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Go Green Company Limited, Science Building 2, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University at Salaya, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Rungrith Kittayapong
- Go Green Company Limited, Science Building 2, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University at Salaya, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Suwannapa Ninphanomchai
- Center of Excellence for Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University at Salaya, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Wanitch Limohpasmanee
- Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Nakhon Nayok 26120, Thailand
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24
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Lwin MO, Ong Z, Panchapakesan C, Sheldenkar A, Soh LT, Chen I, Li X, Niah W, Vasquez K, Sim S, Ng LC. Influence of public hesitancy and receptivity on reactive behaviours towards releases of male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes for dengue control. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010910. [PMID: 36367848 PMCID: PMC9651544 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Singapore, a highly urbanized Asian tropical country that experiences periodic dengue outbreaks, is piloting field releases of male Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with the aim of suppressing urban populations of the primary dengue vector Aedes aegypti. This study proposes and assesses a model to explain the roles of hesitancy and receptivity towards Project Wolbachia–Singapore in influencing reactive mosquito prevention behaviors (reactive behaviors) towards the release of Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes for residents living in the release sites. Interestingly, both hesitancy and receptivity predicted greater instances of reactive behaviors. The model also examines the roles of general knowledge about Wolbachia technology, perceived severity of mosquito bites, perceived density of mosquitoes, and social responsibility as predictors of hesitancy, receptivity, and reactive behaviors towards the release of Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes. Hesitancy towards the project mediated the effects of general knowledge, perceived severity of mosquito bites, and perceived density of mosquitoes on reactive behaviors towards the releases, although receptivity towards the project did not. Having less knowledge about Project Wolbachia–Singapore was associated with higher hesitancy towards the project and higher likelihood of performing reactive behaviors towards the releases. Individuals who perceive mosquito bites to be more severe and think that there are more mosquitoes in their living environments were also more likely to be hesitant about the project and practice reactive behaviors. However, both hesitancy and receptivity towards the project mediated the effect of social responsibility on reactive behaviors. Receptivity towards the project was driven by social responsibility, which was also associated with reduced hesitancy towards the project. Our findings suggest that, to address the hesitancy reported by a minority of participants, future outreach efforts should focus on strengthening the public’s sense of social responsibility and on tailored education campaigns targeting groups with low levels of knowledge of the project. The incidence of dengue, a serious mosquito-borne disease, has escalated globally in recent decades. Prevention is critical for reducing the incidence of dengue, and one way of doing so is by controlling the vector population. Singapore has been piloting the use of field releases of male Wolbachia-carrying Aedes mosquitoes to suppress the vector Aedes mosquito population (Project Wolbachia–Singapore), but the public’s perception and social impact of this community-based method is not well understood. To address this gap, this study sought to identify and explain the drivers and outcomes of the public’s perceptions towards Project Wolbachia–Singapore. Findings reveal that different combinations of individual characteristics predict for receptivity towards Project Wolbachia–Singapore, hesitancy towards Project Wolbachia–Singapore, and the tendency to behave reactively to the release of Wolbachia-carrying Aedes mosquitoes. These findings also suggest ways of increasing receptivity and reducing hesitancy towards such community-based prevention efforts, which can in turn help to ensure the success of such projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- May O. Lwin
- Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Zoe Ong
- Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- Global Asia, Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Chitra Panchapakesan
- Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- Affective Computing Group, Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Anita Sheldenkar
- Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Li Ting Soh
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Irene Chen
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Xiaoxi Li
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Weixin Niah
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Kathryn Vasquez
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Shuzhen Sim
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Lee-Ching Ng
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- * E-mail:
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25
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Chen C, Compton A, Nikolouli K, Wang A, Aryan A, Sharma A, Qi Y, Dellinger C, Hempel M, Potters M, Augustinos A, Severson DW, Bourtzis K, Tu Z. Marker-assisted mapping enables forward genetic analysis in Aedes aegypti, an arboviral vector with vast recombination deserts. Genetics 2022; 222:iyac140. [PMID: 36083009 PMCID: PMC9630976 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is a major vector of arboviruses that cause dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika. Although recent success in reverse genetics has facilitated rapid progress in basic and applied research, integration of forward genetics with modern technologies remains challenging in this important species, as up to 47% of its chromosome is refractory to genetic mapping due to extremely low rate of recombination. Here, we report the development of a marker-assisted mapping strategy to readily screen for and genotype only the rare but informative recombinants, drastically increasing both the resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Using marker-assisted mapping, we mapped a transgene that was inserted in a >100-Mb recombination desert and a sex-linked spontaneous red-eye (re) mutation just outside the region. We subsequently determined, by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout, that cardinal is the causal gene of re, which is the first forward genetic identification of a causal gene in Ae. aegypti. The identification of the causal gene of the sex-linked re mutation provides the molecular foundation for using gene editing to develop versatile and stable genetic sexing methods. To facilitate genome-wide forward genetics in Ae. aegypti, we generated and compiled a number of lines with markers throughout the genome. Thus, by overcoming the challenges presented by the vast recombination deserts and the scarcity of markers, we have shown that effective forward genetic analysis is increasingly feasible in this important arboviral vector species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chujia Chen
- Genetics Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Austin Compton
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Katerina Nikolouli
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Aihua Wang
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Azadeh Aryan
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Atashi Sharma
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Yumin Qi
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Camden Dellinger
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Melanie Hempel
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Mark Potters
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Antonios Augustinos
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - David W Severson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Zhijian Tu
- Genetics Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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Dimas Martins A, ten Bosch Q, Heesterbeek JAP. Exploring the influence of competition on arbovirus invasion risk in communities. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275687. [PMID: 36223367 PMCID: PMC9555654 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Arbovirus outbreaks in communities are affected by how vectors, hosts and non-competent species interact. In this study, we investigate how ecological interactions between species and epidemiological processes influence the invasion potential of a vector-borne disease. We use an eco-epidemiological model to explore the basic reproduction number R0 for a range of interaction strengths in key processes, using West Nile virus infection to parameterize the model. We focus our analysis on intra and interspecific competition between vectors and between hosts, as well as competition with non-competent species. We show that such ecological competition has non-linear effects on R0 and can greatly impact invasion risk. The presence of multiple competing vector species results in lower values for R0 while host competition leads to the highest values of risk of disease invasion. These effects can be understood in terms of how the competitive pressures influence the vector-to-host ratio, which has a positive relationship with R0. We also show numerical examples of how vector feeding preferences become more relevant in high competition conditions between hosts. Under certain conditions, non-competent hosts, which can lead to a dilution effect for the pathogen, can have an amplification effect if they compete strongly with the competent hosts, hence facilitating pathogen invasion in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afonso Dimas Martins
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands,* E-mail:
| | - Quirine ten Bosch
- Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - J. A. P. Heesterbeek
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Ernawan B, Anggraeni T, Yusmalinar S, Sasmita HI, Fitrianto N, Ahmad I. Assessment of Compaction, Temperature, and Duration Factors for Packaging and Transporting of Sterile Male Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) under Laboratory Conditions. INSECTS 2022; 13:847. [PMID: 36135548 PMCID: PMC9501006 DOI: 10.3390/insects13090847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Optimized conditions for the packaging and transportation of sterile males are crucial factors in successful SIT programs against mosquito vector-borne diseases. The factors influencing the quality of sterile males in packages during transportation need to be assessed to develop standard protocols. This study was aimed to investigate the impact of compaction, temperature, and duration factors during packaging and transportation on the quality of gamma-sterilized male Ae. aegypti. Aedes aegypti males were sterilized at a dose of 70 Gy, compacted into Falcon tubes with densities of 40, 80, and 120 males/2 mL; and then exposed to temperatures of 7, 14, 21, and 28 °C. Each temperature setup was held for a duration of 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h at a 60 rpm constant vibration to simulate transportation. The parameters of mortality, flight ability, induced sterility, and longevity were investigated. Results showed that increases in density, temperature, and duration significantly increased mortality and reduced flight ability and longevity, but none of the factors significantly affected induced sterility. With a mortality rate of less than 20%, an escaping rate of more than 70%, considerable longevity, and the most negligible effect on induced sterility (approximately 98%), a temperature of 7 °C and a compaction density of 80 males/2 mL were shown to be optimized conditions for short-term transportation (no more than 24 h) with the minimum adverse effects compared with other condition setups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beni Ernawan
- Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), School of Life Sciences and Technology, Jalan Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
- Research Center for Radiation Process Technology, Research Organization for Nuclear Energy, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN), Jalan Lebak Bulus Raya No. 49, Jakarta 12440, Indonesia
| | - Tjandra Anggraeni
- Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), School of Life Sciences and Technology, Jalan Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Sri Yusmalinar
- Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), School of Life Sciences and Technology, Jalan Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Hadian Iman Sasmita
- Research Center for Radiation Process Technology, Research Organization for Nuclear Energy, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN), Jalan Lebak Bulus Raya No. 49, Jakarta 12440, Indonesia
| | - Nur Fitrianto
- Research Center for Radiation Process Technology, Research Organization for Nuclear Energy, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN), Jalan Lebak Bulus Raya No. 49, Jakarta 12440, Indonesia
| | - Intan Ahmad
- Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), School of Life Sciences and Technology, Jalan Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
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Kyritsis GA, Koskinioti P, Bourtzis K, Papadopoulos NT. Effect of Wolbachia Infection and Adult Food on the Sexual Signaling of Males of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly Ceratitis capitata. INSECTS 2022; 13:737. [PMID: 36005362 PMCID: PMC9409120 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sexual signaling is a fundamental component of sexual behavior of Ceratitis capitata that highly determines males' mating success. Nutritional status and age are dominant factors known to affect males' signaling performance and define the female decision to accept a male as a sexual partner. Wolbachia pipientis, a widespread endosymbiotic bacterium of insects and other arthropods, exerts several biological effects on its hosts. However, the effects of Wolbachia infection on the sexual behavior of medfly and the interaction between Wolbachia infection and adult food remain unexplored. This study was conducted to determine the effects of Wolbachia on sexual signaling of protein-fed and protein-deprived males. Our findings demonstrate that: (a) Wolbachia infection reduced male sexual signaling rates in both food regimes; (b) the negative effect of Wolbachia infection was more pronounced on protein-fed than protein-deprived males, and it was higher at younger ages, indicating that the bacterium regulates male sexual maturity; (c) Wolbachia infection alters the daily pattern of sexual signaling; and (d) protein deprivation bears significant descent on sexual signaling frequency of the uninfected males, whereas no difference was observed for the Wolbachia-infected males. The impact of our findings on the implementation of Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) or the combined SIT/IIT towards controlling insect pests is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios A. Kyritsis
- Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou St., 38446 New Ionia, Greece
| | - Panagiota Koskinioti
- Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou St., 38446 New Ionia, Greece
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Nikos T. Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou St., 38446 New Ionia, Greece
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Hafsia S, Haramboure M, Wilkinson DA, Baldet T, Yemadje-Menudier L, Vincent M, Tran A, Atyame C, Mavingui P. Overview of dengue outbreaks in the southwestern Indian Ocean and analysis of factors involved in the shift toward endemicity in Reunion Island: A systematic review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010547. [PMID: 35900991 PMCID: PMC9333208 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dengue is the world’s most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease. It is endemic in many tropical and subtropical countries and represents a significant global health burden. The first reports of dengue virus (DENV) circulation in the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) islands date back to the early 1940s; however, an increase in DENV circulation has been reported in the SWIO in recent years. The aim of this review is to trace the history of DENV in the SWIO islands using available records from the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Seychelles, and Reunion. We focus in particular on the most extensive data from Reunion Island, highlighting factors that may explain the observed increasing incidence, and the potential shift from one-off outbreaks to endemic dengue transmission. Methods Following the PRISMA guidelines, the literature review focused queried different databases using the keywords “dengue” or “Aedes albopictus” combined with each of the following SWIO islands the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Seychelles, and Reunion. We also compiled case report data for dengue in Mayotte and Reunion in collaboration with the regional public health agencies in these French territories. References and data were discarded when original sources were not identified. We examined reports of climatic, anthropogenic, and mosquito-related factors that may influence the maintenance of dengue transmission independently of case importation linked to travel. Findings and conclusions The first report of dengue circulation in the SWIO was documented in 1943 in the Comoros. Then not until an outbreak in 1976 to 1977 that affected approximately 80% of the population of the Seychelles. DENV was also reported in 1977 to 1978 in Reunion with an estimate of nearly 30% of the population infected. In the following 40-year period, DENV circulation was qualified as interepidemic with sporadic cases. However, in recent years, the region has experienced uninterrupted DENV transmission at elevated incidence. Since 2017, Reunion witnessed the cocirculation of 3 serotypes (DENV-1, DENV-2 and DENV-3) and an increased number of cases with severe forms and deaths. Reinforced molecular and serological identification of DENV serotypes and genotypes circulating in the SWIO as well as vector control strategies is necessary to protect exposed human populations and limit the spread of dengue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hafsia
- UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical) CNRS 9192-INSERM 1187-IRD 249-Université de La Réunion, île de La Réunion, France
| | - Marion Haramboure
- CIRAD, UMR TETIS, Sainte-Clotilde, île de La Réunion, France
- TETIS, Univ Montpellier, AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, Sainte-Clotilde, île de La Réunion, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Sainte-Clotilde, île de La Réunion, France
- ASTRE, Université Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Sainte-Clotilde, île de La Réunion, France
| | - David Arthur Wilkinson
- UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical) CNRS 9192-INSERM 1187-IRD 249-Université de La Réunion, île de La Réunion, France
| | - Thierry Baldet
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Sainte-Clotilde, île de La Réunion, France
- ASTRE, Université Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Sainte-Clotilde, île de La Réunion, France
| | | | | | - Annelise Tran
- CIRAD, UMR TETIS, Sainte-Clotilde, île de La Réunion, France
- TETIS, Univ Montpellier, AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, Sainte-Clotilde, île de La Réunion, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Sainte-Clotilde, île de La Réunion, France
- ASTRE, Université Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Sainte-Clotilde, île de La Réunion, France
| | - Célestine Atyame
- UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical) CNRS 9192-INSERM 1187-IRD 249-Université de La Réunion, île de La Réunion, France
| | - Patrick Mavingui
- UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical) CNRS 9192-INSERM 1187-IRD 249-Université de La Réunion, île de La Réunion, France
- * E-mail:
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Current Status of Mosquito Handling, Transporting and Releasing in Frame of the Sterile Insect Technique. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13060532. [PMID: 35735869 PMCID: PMC9224830 DOI: 10.3390/insects13060532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The sterile insect technique (SIT) and its related technologies are considered to be a powerful weapon for fighting against mosquitoes. As an important part of the area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programs, SIT can help reduce the use of chemical pesticides for mosquito control, and consequently, the occurrence of insecticide resistance. The mosquito SIT involves several important steps, including mass rearing, sex separation, irradiation, packing, transportation, release and monitoring. To enable the application of SIT against mosquitoes to reduce vector populations, the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Centre (previously called Division) of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture (hereinafter called Joint FAO/IAEA Centre) and its Insects Pest Control sub-program promoted a coordinated research project (CRP) entitled "Mosquito handling, transport, release and male trapping methods" to enhance the success of SIT. This article summarizes the existing explorations that are critical to the handling and transporting of male mosquitoes, offers an overview of detailed steps in SIT and discusses new emerging methods for mosquito releases, covering most processes of SIT.
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Jiménez-Alejo A, Pacheco-Soriano AL, Liedo P, Marina CF, Bond JG, Rodríguez-Ramos JC, Valle J, Dor A. Acceptance of a Sterile Male Releases Pilot Project to Reduce Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) (Diptera: Culicidae) Populations and Its Associated Factors: A Community-based Cross-sectional Survey in South Chiapas, Mexico. Acta Trop 2022; 233:106573. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Crawford JE, Hopkins KC, Buchman A, Zha T, Howell P, Kakani E, Ohm JR, Snoad N, Upson L, Holeman J, Massaro P, Dobson SL, Mulligan FS, White BJ. Reply to: Assessing the efficiency of Verily's automated process for production and release of male Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes. Nat Biotechnol 2022; 40:1443-1446. [PMID: 35618925 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01325-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anna Buchman
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tiantian Zha
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Paul Howell
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Nigel Snoad
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Linus Upson
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jodi Holeman
- Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District, Parlier, CA, USA
| | | | - Stephen L Dobson
- MosquitoMate Inc., Lexington, KY, USA.,Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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Thayanukul P, Lertanantawong B, Sirawaraporn W, Charasmongkolcharoen S, Chaibun T, Jittungdee R, Kittayapong P. Simple, sensitive, and cost-effective detection of wAlbB Wolbachia in Aedes mosquitoes, using loop mediated isothermal amplification combined with the electrochemical biosensing method. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0009600. [PMID: 35560029 PMCID: PMC9132313 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Wolbachia is an endosymbiont bacterium generally found in about 40% of insects, including mosquitoes, but it is absent in Aedes aegypti which is an important vector of several arboviral diseases. The evidence that Wolbachia trans-infected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes lost their vectorial competence and became less capable of transmitting arboviruses to human hosts highlights the potential of using Wolbachia-based approaches for prevention and control of arboviral diseases. Recently, release of Wolbachia trans-infected Ae. aegypti has been deployed widely in many countries for the control of mosquito-borne viral diseases. Field surveillance and monitoring of Wolbachia presence in released mosquitoes is important for the success of these control programs. So far, a number of studies have reported the development of loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays to detect Wolbachia in mosquitoes, but the methods still have some specificity and cost issues. Methodology/Principal findings We describe here the development of a LAMP assay combined with the DNA strand displacement-based electrochemical sensor (BIOSENSOR) method to detect wAlbB Wolbachia in trans-infected Ae. aegypti. Our developed LAMP primers used a low-cost dye detecting system and 4 oligo nucleotide primers which can reduce the cost of analysis while the specificity is comparable to the previous methods. The detection capacity of our LAMP technique was 1.4 nM and the detection limit reduced to 2.2 fM when combined with the BIOSENSOR. Our study demonstrates that a BIOSENSOR can also be applied as a stand-alone method for detecting Wolbachia; and it showed high sensitivity when used with the crude DNA extracts of macerated mosquito samples without DNA purification. Conclusions/Significance Our results suggest that both LAMP and BIOSENSOR, either used in combination or stand-alone, are robust and sensitive. The methods have good potential for routine detection of Wolbachia in mosquitoes during field surveillance and monitoring of Wolbachia-based release programs, especially in countries with limited resources. Mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, zika, and yellow fever are transmitted to humans mainly by the bites of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Controlling the vectors of these diseases relies mostly on the use of insecticides. However, the efficiency has been reduced through the development of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes. Wolbachia is an endosymbiotic bacterium that is naturally found in 40% of insects, including mosquitoes. The bacterium can protect its insect hosts from viral infections and can also cause sterility in insect host populations, therefore, providing an opportunity to use it for human disease control. Application of a Wolbachia trans-infected mosquitoes needs simple, rapid and sensitive methods for detecting the bacteria in released mosquitoes. In this paper, we develop the methods of LAMP and BIOSENSORS for detecting wAlbB Wolbachia in mosquitoes. Our positive LAMP reaction can be visualized by color change from violet to blue at a sensitivity of ≥ 10 pg of genomic DNA. When used in combination with the BIOSENSOR method, the sensitivity increases a millionfold without losing specificity. Our study suggests that both developed methods, either used in combination or stand-alone, are efficient and cost-effective, hence, they could be applied for routine surveys of Wolbachia in mosquito control programs that use Wolbachia-based approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parinda Thayanukul
- Center of Excellence for Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University at Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Benchaporn Lertanantawong
- Biosensors Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Worachart Sirawaraporn
- Center of Excellence for Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University at Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | | | - Thanyarat Chaibun
- Biosensors Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | | | - Pattamaporn Kittayapong
- Center of Excellence for Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University at Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- * E-mail:
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Pilot trial using mass field-releases of sterile males produced with the incompatible and sterile insect techniques as part of integrated Aedes aegypti control in Mexico. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010324. [PMID: 35471983 PMCID: PMC9041844 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The combination of Wolbachia-based incompatible insect technique (IIT) and radiation-based sterile insect technique (SIT) can be used for population suppression of Aedes aegypti. Our main objective was to evaluate whether open-field mass-releases of wAlbB-infected Ae. aegypti males, as part of an Integrated Vector Management (IVM) plan led by the Mexican Ministry of Health, could suppress natural populations of Ae. aegypti in urbanized settings in south Mexico. Methodology/Principal findings We implemented a controlled before-and-after quasi-experimental study in two suburban localities of Yucatan (Mexico): San Pedro Chimay (SPC), which received IIT-SIT, and San Antonio Tahdzibichén used as control. Release of wAlbB Ae. aegypti males at SPC extended for 6 months (July-December 2019), covering the period of higher Ae. aegypti abundance. Entomological indicators included egg hatching rates and outdoor/indoor adult females collected at the release and control sites. Approximately 1,270,000 lab-produced wAlbB-infected Ae. aegypti males were released in the 50-ha treatment area (2,000 wAlbB Ae. aegypti males per hectare twice a week in two different release days, totaling 200,000 male mosquitoes per week). The efficacy of IIT-SIT in suppressing indoor female Ae. aegypti density (quantified from a generalized linear mixed model showing a statistically significant reduction in treatment versus control areas) was 90.9% a month after initiation of the suppression phase, 47.7% two months after (when number of released males was reduced in 50% to match local abundance), 61.4% four months after (when initial number of released males was re-established), 88.4% five months after and 89.4% at six months after the initiation of the suppression phase. A proportional, but lower, reduction in outdoor female Ae. aegypti was also quantified (range, 50.0–75.2% suppression). Conclusions/Significance Our study, the first open-field pilot implementation of Wolbachia IIT-SIT in Mexico and Latin-America, confirms that inundative male releases can significantly reduce natural populations of Ae. aegypti. More importantly, we present successful pilot results of the integration of Wolbachia IIT-SIT within a IVM plan implemented by Ministry of Health personnel. Wild-type female Ae. aegypti mating with released males carrying the maternally inherited bacteria Wolbachia produce infertile eggs, leading to important reductions in mosquito population size. We present results from pilot open-field mass-releases of Ae. aegypti males infected with the Wolbachia strain wAlbB (termed incompatible insect technique, IIT) and irradiated to prevent accidental female mosquito colonization (termed sterile insect technique, SIT). Our IIT-SIT approach was implemented by the Mexican Ministry of Health within an Integrated Vector Management (IVM) plan to suppress natural populations of Ae. aegypti. Approximately 1,270,000 lab-produced wAlbB-infected Ae. aegypti males were released in a 50-ha. town of Yucatan over a period of 24 weeks. Throughout the suppression phase, we observed significant reductions in egg hatching, outdoor and indoor female Ae. aegypti densities in the release town compared to a similar town used as control. The largest effect was on the number of indoor Ae. aegypti females per house (Prokopack collections) which reached a 90% efficacy. Our study, the first report of an open-field pilot-study with mass-releases of sterile Ae. aegypti males produced with IIT-SIT in Mexico and Latin-America, confirms findings from other settings showing important reductions in entomological indices due to inundative incompatible male releases.
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Sun H, Koo J, Dickens BL, Clapham HE, Cook AR. Short-term and long-term epidemiological impacts of sustained vector control in various dengue endemic settings: A modelling study. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009979. [PMID: 35363786 PMCID: PMC8975162 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
As the most widespread viral infection transmitted by the Aedes mosquitoes, dengue has been estimated to cause 51 million febrile disease cases globally each year. Although sustained vector control remains key to reducing the burden of dengue, current understanding of the key factors that explain the observed variation in the short- and long-term vector control effectiveness across different transmission settings remains limited. We used a detailed individual-based model to simulate dengue transmission with and without sustained vector control over a 30-year time frame, under different transmission scenarios. Vector control effectiveness was derived for different time windows within the 30-year intervention period. We then used the extreme gradient boosting algorithm to predict the effectiveness of vector control given the simulation parameters, and the resulting machine learning model was interpreted using Shapley Additive Explanations. According to our simulation outputs, dengue transmission would be nearly eliminated during the early stage of sustained and intensive vector control, but over time incidence would gradually bounce back to the pre-intervention level unless the intervention is implemented at a very high level of intensity. The time point at which intervention ceases to be effective is strongly influenced not only by the intensity of vector control, but also by the pre-intervention transmission intensity and the individual-level heterogeneity in biting risk. Moreover, the impact of many transmission model parameters on the intervention effectiveness is shown to be modified by the intensity of vector control, as well as to vary over time. Our study has identified some of the critical drivers for the difference in the time-varying effectiveness of sustained vector control across different dengue endemic settings, and the insights obtained will be useful to inform future model-based studies that seek to predict the impact of dengue vector control in their local contexts. Sustained vector control remains key to reducing the global burden of dengue. However, current understanding of the main drivers for the differences in the time-varying epidemiological impact of dengue vector control across different transmission settings remains limited. We developed an agent-based model and showed that in the absence of a highly effective intervention technology that is able to eliminate dengue transmission even in an entirely susceptible population, a fixed level of reduction in the Aedes abundance would only cause temporary reduction in dengue incidence. Furthermore, the time point at which intervention ceases to be effective is strongly influenced not only by the intensity of vector control and the pre-intervention transmission intensity, but also by the individual-level heterogeneity in biting risk. Besides, the intensity of vector control interacts with the other two factors mentioned earlier, and the interaction magnitude also changes over time. These insights will be useful to inform future modelling studies that seek to predict the impact of Aedes control on dengue transmission in their local contexts, and have important implications for the design of intervention strategies to achieve sustained reduction in the global burden of dengue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyang Sun
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
- * E-mail: (HS); (ARC)
| | - Joel Koo
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Borame L. Dickens
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Hannah E. Clapham
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Alex R. Cook
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
- * E-mail: (HS); (ARC)
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Marina CF, Liedo P, Bond JG, R. Osorio A, Valle J, Angulo-Kladt R, Gómez-Simuta Y, Fernández-Salas I, Dor A, Williams T. Comparison of Ground Release and Drone-Mediated Aerial Release of Aedes aegypti Sterile Males in Southern Mexico: Efficacy and Challenges. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13040347. [PMID: 35447790 PMCID: PMC9025923 DOI: 10.3390/insects13040347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Sterile males of Aedes aegypti were released once a week for 8 weeks to evaluate the dispersal efficiency of ground and aerial drone release methods in a rural village of 26 Ha in southern Mexico. Indoor and outdoor BG-Sentinel traps were placed in 13−16 houses distributed throughout the village. The BG traps were activated 48 h after the release of the sterile males and functioned for a 24 h period following each release. Over the 8-week period of simultaneous ground and aerial releases, an average of 85,117 ± 6457 sterile males/week were released at ground level and 86,724 ± 6474 sterile males/week were released using an aerial drone. The ground release method resulted in higher numbers of captured males (mean = 5.1 ± 1.4, range 1.1−15.7 sterile males/trap) compared with the aerial release method (mean = 2.6 ± 0.8, range 0.5−7.3 sterile males/trap) (p < 0.05). Similarly, the prevalence of traps that captured at least one sterile male was significantly higher for ground release compared to the aerial release method (p < 0.01). The lower numbers of sterile males captured in the aerial release method could be due to mortality or physical injury caused by the chilling process for immobilization, or the compaction of these insects during transport and release. However, aerial releases by a two-person team distributed insects over the entire village in just 20 min, compared to ~90 min of work for a five-person team during the ground release method. Ground release also resulted in higher aggregations of males and some villagers reported feeling discomfort from the presence of large numbers of mosquitoes in and around their houses. We conclude that modifications to the handling and transport of sterile males and the design of containers used to store males are required to avoid injury and to improve the efficiency of aerial releases for area-wide SIT-based population suppression programs targeted at mosquito vectors of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos F. Marina
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública—Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico; (J.G.B.); (A.R.O.); (I.F.-S.)
- Correspondence: (C.F.M.); (T.W.)
| | - Pablo Liedo
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Unidad Tapachula, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico; (P.L.); (J.V.); (A.D.)
| | - J. Guillermo Bond
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública—Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico; (J.G.B.); (A.R.O.); (I.F.-S.)
| | - Adriana R. Osorio
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública—Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico; (J.G.B.); (A.R.O.); (I.F.-S.)
| | - Javier Valle
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Unidad Tapachula, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico; (P.L.); (J.V.); (A.D.)
| | | | - Yeudiel Gómez-Simuta
- Programa Moscas de la Fruta (SADER-IICA), Metapa de Domínguez 30860, Chiapas, Mexico;
| | - Ildefonso Fernández-Salas
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública—Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico; (J.G.B.); (A.R.O.); (I.F.-S.)
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Ariane Dor
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Unidad Tapachula, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico; (P.L.); (J.V.); (A.D.)
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologiá (Investigadora por México CONACYT), El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Tapachula, Tapachula 30700, Chiapas, Mexico
| | - Trevor Williams
- Instituto de Ecología AC (INECOL), Xalapa 91073, Veracruz, Mexico
- Correspondence: (C.F.M.); (T.W.)
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Aikawa T, Maehara N, Ichihara Y, Masuya H, Nakamura K, Anbutsu H. Cytoplasmic incompatibility in the semivoltine longicorn beetle Acalolepta fraudatrix (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) double infected with Wolbachia. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261928. [PMID: 35030199 PMCID: PMC8759696 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia are obligatory endosymbiotic α-proteobacteria found in many arthropods. They are maternally inherited, and can induce reproductive alterations in the hosts. Despite considerable recent progress in studies on the associations between Wolbachia and various taxonomic groups of insects, none of the researches have revealed the effects of Wolbachia on longicorn beetles as the host insect. Acalolepta fraudatrix is a forest longicorn beetle that is distributed in East Asia. In this study, the relationship between Wolbachia and A. fraudatrix was investigated. Out of two populations of A. fraudatrix screened for Wolbachia using the genes ftsZ, wsp, and 16S rRNA, only one of the populations showed detection of all three genes indicating the presence of Wolbachia. Electron microscopy and fluorescent in situ hybridization also confirmed that the A. fraudatrix population was infected with Wolbachia. Sequencing the wsp genes derived from single insects revealed that two strains of Wolbachia coexisted in the insects based on the detection of two different sequences of the wsp gene. We designated these strains as wFra1 and wFra2. The bacterial titers of wFra1 were nearly 2-fold and 3-fold higher than wFra2 in the testes and ovaries, respectively. The two strains of Wolbachia in the insects were completely eliminated by rearing the insects on artificial diets containing 1% concentration of tetracycline for 1 generation. Reciprocal crosses between Wolbachia-infected and Wolbachia-uninfected A. fraudatrix demonstrated that only eggs produced by the crosses between Wolbachia-infected males and Wolbachia-uninfected females did not hatch, indicating that Wolbachia infecting A. fraudatrix causes cytoplasmic incompatibility in the host insect. This is the first report showing the effect of Wolbachia on reproductive function in a longicorn beetle, A. fraudatrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Aikawa
- Tohoku Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Noritoshi Maehara
- Department of Forest Entomology, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yu Ichihara
- Kansai Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hayato Masuya
- Department of Mushroom Science and Forest Microbiology, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Katsunori Nakamura
- Tohoku Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
| | - Hisashi Anbutsu
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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Yu S, Wang J, Luo X, Zheng H, Wang L, Yang X, Wang Y. Transmission-Blocking Strategies Against Malaria Parasites During Their Mosquito Stages. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:820650. [PMID: 35252033 PMCID: PMC8889032 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.820650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is still the most widespread parasitic disease and causes the most infections globally. Owing to improvements in sanitary conditions and various intervention measures, including the use of antimalarial drugs, the malaria epidemic in many regions of the world has improved significantly in the past 10 years. However, people living in certain underdeveloped areas are still under threat. Even in some well-controlled areas, the decline in malaria infection rates has stagnated or the rates have rebounded because of the emergence and spread of drug-resistant malaria parasites. Thus, new malaria control methods must be developed. As the spread of the Plasmodium parasite is dependent on the part of its life cycle that occurs in mosquitoes, to eliminate the possibility of malaria infections, transmission-blocking strategies against the mosquito stage should be the first choice. In fact, after the gametocyte enters the mosquito body, it undergoes a series of transformation processes over a short period, thus providing numerous potential blocking targets. Many research groups have carried out studies based on targeting the blocking of transmission during the mosquito phase and have achieved excellent results. Meanwhile, the direct killing of mosquitoes could also significantly reduce the probability of malaria infections. Microorganisms that display complex interactions with Plasmodium, such as Wolbachia and gut flora, have shown observable transmission-blocking potential. These could be used as a biological control strategy and play an important part in blocking the transmission of malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Yu
- Department of Tropical Medicine, College of Military Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Tropical Medicine, College of Military Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xue Luo
- Department of Tropical Medicine, College of Military Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Zheng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Luhan Wang
- Department of Tropical Medicine, College of Military Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuesen Yang
- Department of Tropical Medicine, College of Military Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Tropical Medicine, College of Military Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Wang,
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Augustinos AA, Nikolouli K, Duran de la Fuente L, Misbah-ul-Haq M, Carvalho DO, Bourtzis K. Introgression of the Aedes aegypti Red-Eye Genetic Sexing Strains Into Different Genomic Backgrounds for Sterile Insect Technique Applications. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:821428. [PMID: 35186905 PMCID: PMC8847382 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.821428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is an invasive mosquito species and major vector of human arboviruses. A wide variety of control methods have been employed to combat mosquito populations. One of them is the sterile insect technique (SIT) that has recently attracted considerable research efforts due to its proven record of success and the absence of harmful environmental footprints. The efficiency and cost-effectiveness of SIT is significantly enhanced by male-only releases. For mosquito SIT, male-only releases are ideally needed since females bite, blood-feed and transmit the pathogens. Ae. aegypti genetic sexing strains (GSS) have recently become available and are based on eye colour mutations that were chosen as selectable markers. These genetic sexing strains were developed through classical genetics and it was shown to be subjected to genetic recombination, a phenomenon that is not suppressed in males as is the case in many Diptera. The genetic stability of these GSS was strengthened by the induction and isolation of radiation-induced inversions. In this study, we used the red eye mutation and the inversion Inv35 line of the Ae. aegypti red-eye GSS s and introgressed them in six different genomic backgrounds to develop GSS with the respective local genomic backgrounds. Our goal was to assess whether the recombination frequencies in the strains with and without the inversion are affected by the different genomic backgrounds. In all cases the recombination events were suppressed in all Inv35 GSS strains, thus indicating that the genomic background does not negatively affect the inversion result. Absence of any effect that could be ascribed to genetic differences, enables the introgression of the key elements of the GSS into the local genomic background prior to release to the target areas. Maintaining the local background increases the chances for successful matings between released males and wild females and addresses potential regulatory concerns regarding biosafety and biosecurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios A. Augustinos
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, Seibersdorf, Austria
- *Correspondence: Antonios A. Augustinos,
| | - Katerina Nikolouli
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Lucia Duran de la Fuente
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Muhammad Misbah-ul-Haq
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, Seibersdorf, Austria
- Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Danilo O. Carvalho
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, Seibersdorf, Austria
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Assessment of packing density and transportation effect on sterilized pupae and adult Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in non-chilled conditions. Acta Trop 2022; 226:106243. [PMID: 34800376 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Long-distance transportation from a radiation facility to a target site potentially affects the quantity and quality of sterile male mosquitoes. This study tested the effects of multi-hour land transportation on the survival, longevity, and mating performance of gamma-rays sterilized adult and pupal male mosquitoes at different densities in non-chilled condition. The results demonstrated that mortality rate, longevity, induced sterility (IS) level, and mating competitiveness (C index) were significantly affected by life stage, transportation treatment, and density. Transportation was detrimental to the survival and longevity of the adults, and transporting pupae was restricted by the overcrowding effect; particularly, those packing density of 200 pupae. The longevity of transported mosquitoes were 1-5 days shorter than that of non-transported mosquitoes regardless of packing density. The irradiated transported adult males exhibited an equal IS and C index to their non-transported counterparts. Although there was no evidence suggested an association between low mating competitiveness and packing density in the transported adults, the mating competitiveness of adult mosquitoes decreased with increased packing density. Additionally, the effects of transportation and packing density on the mating ability of transported pupal males were also notable. The results indicate the factors of packing density and life stages in transporting sterile males under non-chilled conditions should be taken into account in formulating the procedure in SIT operation.
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Mysore K, Sun L, Li P, Roethele JB, Misenti JK, Kosmach J, Igiede J, Duman-Scheel M. A Conserved Female-Specific Requirement for the GGT Gene in Mosquito Larvae Facilitates RNAi-Mediated Sex Separation in Multiple Species of Disease Vector Mosquitoes. Pathogens 2022; 11:169. [PMID: 35215113 PMCID: PMC8879970 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11020169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Although several emerging mosquito control technologies are dependent on mass releases of adult males, methods of sex-sorting that can be implemented globally have not yet been established. RNAi screens led to the discovery of siRNA, which targets gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), a gene which is well conserved in multiple species of mosquitoes and located at the sex-determining M locus region in Aedes aegypti. Silencing the A. aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Anopheles gambiae, Culex pipiens, and Culex quinquefasciatus GGT genes resulted in female larval death, with no significant impact on male survival. Generation of yeast strains that permitted affordable expression and oral delivery of shRNA corresponding to mosquito GGT genes facilitated larval target gene silencing and generated significantly increased 5 males:1 female adult ratios in each species. Yeast targeting a conserved sequence in Culex GGT genes was incorporated into a larval mass-rearing diet, permitting the generation of fit adult male C. pipiens and C. quinquefasciatus, two species for which labor-intensive manual sex separation had previously been utilized. The results of this study indicate that female-specific yeast-based RNAi larvicides may facilitate global implementation of population-based control strategies that require releases of sterile or genetically modified adult males, and that yeast RNAi strategies can be utilized in various species of mosquitoes that have progressed to different stages of sex chromosome evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshava Mysore
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN 46617, USA; (K.M.); (L.S.); (P.L.); (J.B.R.); (J.K.M.); (J.K.); (J.I.)
- Eck Institute for Global Health, The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Longhua Sun
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN 46617, USA; (K.M.); (L.S.); (P.L.); (J.B.R.); (J.K.M.); (J.K.); (J.I.)
- Eck Institute for Global Health, The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN 46617, USA; (K.M.); (L.S.); (P.L.); (J.B.R.); (J.K.M.); (J.K.); (J.I.)
- Eck Institute for Global Health, The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Joseph B. Roethele
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN 46617, USA; (K.M.); (L.S.); (P.L.); (J.B.R.); (J.K.M.); (J.K.); (J.I.)
- Eck Institute for Global Health, The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Joi K. Misenti
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN 46617, USA; (K.M.); (L.S.); (P.L.); (J.B.R.); (J.K.M.); (J.K.); (J.I.)
- Eck Institute for Global Health, The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - John Kosmach
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN 46617, USA; (K.M.); (L.S.); (P.L.); (J.B.R.); (J.K.M.); (J.K.); (J.I.)
- Eck Institute for Global Health, The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Jessica Igiede
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN 46617, USA; (K.M.); (L.S.); (P.L.); (J.B.R.); (J.K.M.); (J.K.); (J.I.)
- Eck Institute for Global Health, The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Molly Duman-Scheel
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN 46617, USA; (K.M.); (L.S.); (P.L.); (J.B.R.); (J.K.M.); (J.K.); (J.I.)
- Eck Institute for Global Health, The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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Ernawan B, Anggraeni T, Yusmalinar S, Ahmad I. Investigation of Developmental Stage/Age, Gamma Irradiation Dose, and Temperature in Sterilization of Male Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in a Sterile Insect Technique Program. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 59:320-327. [PMID: 34595516 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The sterilization process using gamma irradiation is a crucial component in a program using sterile insect technique (SIT) to control Aedes aegypti. Unfortunately, there is no efficient standard protocol for sterilizing mosquitoes that can produce a high level of sterility while maintaining mating ability and longevity. Therefore, we conducted a study of the critical factors necessary to develop such a standard protocol. In this study, male Ae. aegypti pupae, as well as adults aged 1 d and 3 d, were irradiated using a Gamma-cell 220 irradiator doses of 0, 20, 40, 60, 70, 80, and 100 Gray (Gy). In addition, male Ae. aegypti in the pupal and adult stage aged 1 d were irradiated at a dose of 70 Gy at various temperatures. Changes in emergence rates, longevity, sterility, and mating competitiveness were recorded for each combination of parameters. Results showed that an increase of irradiation dose leads to a rise of induced sterility at all developmental stages, while simultaneously reducing emergence rate, survival, and mating competitiveness. Higher temperatures resulted in increased levels of sterility, reduced longevity, and did not affect the ability to mate. This study found that an irradiation dose of 70 Gy at a temperature between 20.00 and 22.30°C administered in the pupal stage induced a high level of sterility (around 98%), while maintaining mating competitiveness and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beni Ernawan
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Jalan Ganesha No. 10, Bandung, Indonesia
- Center for Isotopes and Radiation Application (CIRA), National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia (BATAN), Jalan Lebak Bulus Raya No. 49, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Tjandra Anggraeni
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Jalan Ganesha No. 10, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Sri Yusmalinar
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Jalan Ganesha No. 10, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Intan Ahmad
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Jalan Ganesha No. 10, Bandung, Indonesia
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Becker N, Langentepe-Kong SM, Tokatlian Rodriguez A, Oo TT, Reichle D, Lühken R, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Lüthy P, Puggioli A, Bellini R. Integrated control of Aedes albopictus in Southwest Germany supported by the Sterile Insect Technique. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:9. [PMID: 34983608 PMCID: PMC8727083 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05112-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The invasive species Aedes albopictus, commonly known as the Asian tiger mosquito, has undergone extreme range expansion by means of steady introductions as blind passengers in vehicles traveling from the Mediterranean to south-west Germany. The more than 25 established populations in the State of Baden-Württemberg, Palatine and Hesse (south-west Germany) have become a major nuisance and public health threat. Aedes albopictus deserves special attention as a vector of arboviruses, including dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses. In Germany, Ae. albopictus control programs are implemented by local communities under the auspices of health departments and regulatory offices. Methods The control strategy comprised three pillars: (i) community participation (CP) based on the elimination of breeding sites or improved environmental sanitation, using fizzy tablets based on Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (fizzy Bti tablets; Culinex® Tab plus); (ii) door-to-door (DtD) control by trained staff through the application of high doses of a water-dispersible Bti granular formulation (Vectobac® WG) aimed at achieving a long-lasting killing effect; and (iii) implementation of the sterile insect technique (SIT) to eliminate remaining Ae. albopictus populations. Prior to initiating large-scale city-wide treatments on a routine basis, the efficacy of the three elements was evaluated in laboratory and semi-field trials. Special emphasis was given to the mass release of sterile Ae. albopictus males. Results More than 60% of the local residents actively participated in the first pillar (CP) of the large-scale control program. The most effective element of the program was found to be the DtD intervention, including the application of Vectobac® WG (3000 ITU/mg) to potential breeding sites (10 g per rainwater container, maximum of 200 l = maximum of approx. 150,000 ITU/l, and 2.5 g per container < 50 l) with a persistence of at least 3 weeks. In Ludwigshafen, larval source management resulted in a Container Index for Ae. albopictus of < 1% in 2020 compared to 10.9% in 2019. The mean number of Aedes eggs per ovitrap per 2 weeks was 4.4 in Ludwigshafen, 18.2 in Metzgergrün (Freiburg) (SIT area) and 22.4 in the control area in Gartenstadt (Freiburg). The strong reduction of the Ae. albopictus population by Bti application was followed by weekly releases of 1013 (Ludwigshafen) and 2320 (Freiburg) sterile Ae. albopictus males per hectare from May until October, resulting in a high percentage of sterile eggs. In the trial areas of Ludwigshafen and Frieburg, egg sterility reached 84.7 ± 12.5% and 62.7 ± 25.8%, respectively; in comparison, the natural sterility in the control area was 14.6 ± 7.3%. The field results were in line with data obtained in cage tests under laboratory conditions where sterility rates were 87.5 ± 9.2% after wild females mated with sterile males; in comparison, the sterility of eggs laid by females mated with unirradiated males was only 3.3 ± 2.8%. The overall egg sterility of about 84% in Ludwigshafen indicates that our goal to almost eradicate the Ae. albopictus population could be achieved. The time for inspection and treatment of a single property ranged from 19 to 26 min depending on the experience of the team and costs 6–8 euros per property. Conclusions It is shown that an integrated control program based on a strict monitoring scheme can be most effective when it comprises three components, namely CP, DtD intervention that includes long-lasting Bti-larviciding to strongly reduce Ae. albopictus populations and SIT to reduce the remaining Ae. albopictus population to a minimum or even to eradicate it. The combined use of Bti and SIT is the most effective and selective tool against Ae. albopictus, one of the most dangerous mosquito vector species. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-05112-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norbert Becker
- Faculty of Biosciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. .,Institute of Dipterology (IfD), Georg-Peter-Süß-Str. 3, 67346, Speyer, Germany. .,IcyBac-Biologische Stechmückenbekämpfung GmbH (ICYBAC), Georg-Peter-Süß-Str. 1, 67346, Speyer, Germany.
| | | | - Artin Tokatlian Rodriguez
- IcyBac-Biologische Stechmückenbekämpfung GmbH (ICYBAC), Georg-Peter-Süß-Str. 1, 67346, Speyer, Germany
| | - Thin Thin Oo
- Institute of Dipterology (IfD), Georg-Peter-Süß-Str. 3, 67346, Speyer, Germany.,Kommunale Aktionsgemeinschaft zur Bekämpfung der Schnakenplage e.V. (KABS), Georg-Peter-Süß-Str. 3, 67346, Speyer, Germany
| | - Dirk Reichle
- Kommunale Aktionsgemeinschaft zur Bekämpfung der Schnakenplage e.V. (KABS), Georg-Peter-Süß-Str. 3, 67346, Speyer, Germany
| | - Renke Lühken
- Department of Arbovirology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit
- Department of Arbovirology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany.,Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Universität Hamburg, Ohnhorststrasse 18, 22609, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Peter Lüthy
- Institute of Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Arianna Puggioli
- Centro Agricoltura Ambiente "G. Nicoli" (CAA), Via Sant'Agata 835, 40014, Crevalcore, Italy
| | - Romeo Bellini
- Centro Agricoltura Ambiente "G. Nicoli" (CAA), Via Sant'Agata 835, 40014, Crevalcore, Italy
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Lab-scale characterization and semi-field trials of Wolbachia Strain wAlbB in a Taiwan Wolbachia introgressed Ae. aegypti strain. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010084. [PMID: 35015769 PMCID: PMC8752028 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue fever is one of the most severe viral diseases transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, with traditional approaches of disease control proving insufficient to prevent significant disease burden. Release of Wolbachia-transinfected mosquitoes offers a promising alternative control methodologies; Wolbachia-transinfected female Aedes aegypti demonstrate reduced dengue virus transmission, whilst Wolbachia-transinfected males cause zygotic lethality when crossed with uninfected females, providing a method for suppressing mosquito populations. Although highly promising, the delicate nature of population control strategies and differences between local species populations means that controlled releases of Wolbachia-transinfected mosquitoes cannot be performed without extensive testing on specific local Ae. aegypti populations. In order to investigate the potential for using Wolbachia to suppress local Ae. aegypti populations in Taiwan, we performed lab-based and semi-field fitness trials. We first transinfected the Wolbachia strain wAlbB into a local Ae. aegypti population (wAlbB-Tw) and found no significant changes in lifespan, fecundity and fertility when compared to controls. In the laboratory, we found that as the proportion of released male mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia was increased, population suppression could reach up to 100%. Equivalent experiments in semi-field experiments found suppression rates of up to 70%. The release of different ratios of wAlbB-Tw males in the semi-field system provided an estimate of the optimal size of male releases. Our results indicate that wAlbB-Tw has significant potential for use in vector control strategies aimed at Ae. aegypti population suppression in Taiwan. Open field release trials are now necessary to confirm that wAlbB-Tw mediated suppression is feasible in natural environments.
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Manoj RRS, Latrofa MS, Bezerra-Santos MA, Sgroi G, Samarelli R, Mendoza-Roldan JA, Otranto D. Molecular detection and characterization of the endosymbiont Wolbachia in the European hedgehog flea, Archaeopsylla erinacei. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 97:105161. [PMID: 34843992 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Wolbachia, the endosymbiont of arthropods and onchocercid nematodes is present in many medically important insect species, being also considered for the indirect control of parasitic ones. Archaeopsylla erinacei is a flea species infesting hedgehogs acting as vector of Rickettsia felis, Bartonella henselae, and Rickettsia helvetica, thus having public health relevance. The Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) and 16S rRNA genes were used to determine the presence, prevalence and molecular typing of Wolbachia in this flea species collected in two regions of southern Italy. Of the 45 fleas tested (n = 16 males, 35.6%; n = 29 females, 64.4%), 43 (95.6%; 95% CI: 84.8-99.2) scored positive for Wolbachia, of which 15 (33.3%) and 28 (62.2%) were males and females, respectively. The sex-wise prevalence of this endosymbiont was almost equal in both sexes (males 93.8%; 95% CI: 69.5-99.7; females 96.7%; 95% CI: 83.1-99.8). Single locus sequence analysis (SLST) of Wolbachia revealed two sequence types for 16S rRNA gene, named as wAr_15227 and wAr_15234, which came from two different areas, equally distributed in male and female fleas, whilst only one sequence type was identified for wsp gene. The phylogenetic analysis placed the two 16S rRNA sequence types in paraphyletic clades belonging to the supergroup A and B, respectively. Whilst, the tree of wsp gene clustered the corresponding sequence in the same clade including those of Wolbachia supergroup A. In MLST analyses, both Wolbachia sequence types clustered in a monophyletic clade with Drosophila nikananu (wNik) and Drosophila sturtevanti (wStv) from supergroup A. ClonalFrame analysis revealed a recombination event in the wAr_15234 strain which came from Apulia region. Scientific knowledge of the presence/prevalence of Wolbachia among medically important fleas, may contribute to develop an alternative biological method for the vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Giovanni Sgroi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | | | | | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy; Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.
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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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47
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Dobson SL. When More is Less: Mosquito Population Suppression Using Sterile, Incompatible and Genetically Modified Male Mosquitoes. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:1980-1986. [PMID: 33704487 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The current review of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is motivated by new technologies and the recent renaissance of male release field trials, which is driving an evolution in mosquito control and regulation. Practitioners that are releasing male mosquitoes would do well to learn from past successes and failures, including political and public engagement complications. With examples that include nuanced integrations of the different technologies, e.g., combinations of Wolbachia and irradiation, it is critical that scientists understand and communicate accurately about the technologies, including their evolving management by different regulatory agencies in the USA. Some male release approaches are considered 'pesticides' and regulated by federal and state agencies, while other male release approaches are unregulated. It is important to consider how the new technologies fit with the more 'traditional' chemical applications of adulticides and larvicides. The economics of male release programs are substantially different from traditional control costs, which can be a challenge to their adoption by abatement districts. However, there is substantial need to overcome these complications and challenges, because the problem with invasive mosquitoes grows ever worse with factors that include insecticide resistance, globalization and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen L Dobson
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- MosquitoMate, Inc., Lexington, KY
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Benedict MQ. Sterile Insect Technique: Lessons From the Past. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:1974-1979. [PMID: 33629719 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
When E.F. Knipling conceived of the release of sexually sterile insects to suppress wild populations, he laid down several fundamental qualities that characterized suitable target species-some of which mosquitoes generally violate-including high reproductive rates and large population numbers. Regardless of this, their global importance in public health has led numerous research teams to attempt to use the mosquito sterile insect technique against several species. Because of the degree of financial commitment required for suppression programs, most releases have consisted of preliminary investigations of male performance, population characteristics, and production methods. Those that have accomplished suppression provide important insights regarding the challenges of production, dispersal, and immigration. Insights gained from these studies remain relevant today, regardless of the genetic control technology being applied. In this article, I highlight studies that were notable for the insights that were gained, the intrinsic difficulties that mosquitoes present, and synthesize these into recommendations for successful applications of the sterile insect technique and newer technologies to mosquitoes.
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UDP-Glucosyltransferases Induced by Nosema bombycis Provide Resistance to Microsporidia in Silkworm ( Bombyx mori). INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12090799. [PMID: 34564239 PMCID: PMC8469862 DOI: 10.3390/insects12090799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Nosema bombycis (N. bombycis), an obligate intracellular eukaryotic parasite, is a virulent pathogen of the silkworm, that causes major economic losses. Although many studies have reported on B. mori host response to this pathogen, little is known about which genes are induced by N. bombycis. Our results showed that two B. mori uridine diphosphate-glucosyltransferases (UGTs) (BmUGT10295 and BmUGT8453) could be activated by N. bombycis and provide resistance to the microsporidia in silkworms. These results will contribute to our understanding of host stress reaction to pathogens and the two pathogen-induced resistant genes will provide a target for promoting pathogen resistance. Abstract As a silkworm pathogen, the microsporidian N. bombycis can be transovarially transmitted from parent to offspring and seriously impedes sericulture industry development. Previous studies found that Uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) are involved in regulating diverse cellular processes, such as detoxification, pigmentation, and odorant sensing. Our results showed that BmUGT10295 and BmUGT8453 genes were specifically induced in infected silkworms, but other BmUGTs were not. Tissue distribution analysis of the two BmUGTs showed that the transcriptions of the two BmUGTs were mainly activated in the midgut and Malpighian tubule of infected silkworms. Furthermore, there were significantly fewer microsporidia in over-expressed BmUGTs compared with the control, but there were significantly more microsporidia in RNA interference BmUGTs compared with the control. These findings indicate that the two BmUGTs were induced by N. bombycis and provided resistance to the microsporidia.
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High Incidence of Related Wolbachia across Unrelated Leaf-Mining Diptera. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12090788. [PMID: 34564228 PMCID: PMC8465256 DOI: 10.3390/insects12090788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Polyphagous leaf-mining flies of the genus Liriomyza are pests that pose a serious threat to agricultural and horticultural industries. The endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia has been proposed as a useful biocontrol strategy for managing pests, but few studies have so far examined Wolbachia in leafminers. We find a high incidence of related Wolbachia in a survey of infections in 13 dipteran leafminer species collected from Australia and elsewhere which could potentially be useful for the incompatible insect technique (IIT) of pest suppression. We performed curing and crossing experiments on L. brassicae to demonstrate the presence of cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) needed for IIT, providing a foundation for future transfection of CI Wolbachia from L. brassicae to other Liriomyza pests. Overall, these findings highlight a high incidence of Wolbachia in leaf-mining Diptera, potential horizontal transmission events and possible applications of Wolbachia-based biocontrol strategies for Liriomyza pests. Abstract The maternally inherited endosymbiont, Wolbachia pipientis, plays an important role in the ecology and evolution of many of its hosts by affecting host reproduction and fitness. Here, we investigated 13 dipteran leaf-mining species to characterize Wolbachia infections and the potential for this endosymbiont in biocontrol. Wolbachia infections were present in 12 species, including 10 species where the Wolbachia infection was at or near fixation. A comparison of Wolbachia relatedness based on the wsp/MLST gene set showed that unrelated leaf-mining species often shared similar Wolbachia, suggesting common horizontal transfer. We established a colony of Liriomyza brassicae and found adult Wolbachia density was stable; although Wolbachia density differed between the sexes, with females having a 20-fold higher density than males. Wolbachia density increased during L. brassicae development, with higher densities in pupae than larvae. We removed Wolbachia using tetracycline and performed reciprocal crosses between Wolbachia-infected and uninfected individuals. Cured females crossed with infected males failed to produce offspring, indicating that Wolbachia induced complete cytoplasmic incompatibility in L. brassicae. The results highlight the potential of Wolbachia to suppress Liriomyza pests based on approaches such as the incompatible insect technique, where infected males are released into populations lacking Wolbachia or with a different incompatible infection.
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