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Farías AA, Laberdolive V, Stein M, Juri MJD, Visintin A, Almirón WR, Contigiani MS, Re VE, Diaz A. Diversity and molecular characterization of insect-specific flaviviruses in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) collected in central and northern Argentina. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2024; 96:e20230452. [PMID: 38922274 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202420230452] [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: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The genus Flavivirus comprises approximately 80 different viruses. Phylogenetic relationships among its members indicate a clear ecological separation between those viruses transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, with no known vector, and insect-specific Flaviviruses. The diversity and phylogenetic relationships among insect-specific flaviviruses circulating in the central and northern regions of Argentina were studied by performing molecular detection and characterization of the NS5 protein gene in mosquitoes collected in Córdoba, Chaco and Tucumán provinces. Overall, 68 out of 1776 pools were positive. CxFV, KRV and CFAV circulate in the 3 studied provinces. Several mosquito species (Aedes aegypti, Culex bidens, Cx. dolosus, Cx. interfor, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. saltanensis, Haemagogus spegazzini) were found infected. A wide circulation of CxFV was observed in the central-northern region of Argentina. CxFV strains detected in our study clustered with strains circulating in Santa Fe and Buenos Aires provinces (Argentina), and other countries such as Indonesia, Mexico, Uganda and Taiwan. The presence of these viruses in mosquitoes could play an important role from the public health perspective, because it has been shown that previous CxFV infection can increase or block the infection of the mosquito by other pathogenic flaviviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián A Farías
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Laboratorio de Arbovirus, Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Enfermera Gordillo Gomez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 5016, Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Victoria Laberdolive
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Laboratorio de Arbovirus, Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Enfermera Gordillo Gomez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 5016, Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Marina Stein
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Departamento de Entomología, Instituto de Medicina Regional, Avenida Las Heras 727, CP 3500, Resistencia, Chaco, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, CABA, Argentina
| | - María Julia Dantur Juri
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, CABA, Argentina
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (CONICET-Fundación Miguel Lillo), Miguel Lillo 251, CP 4000, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Andrés Visintin
- Universidad Nacional de la Rioja, Instituto de Biología de la Conservación y Paleobiología (IBiCoPa), Centro de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica (CENIIT), Avenida Luis Vernet y Apóstol Felipe s/n, F5200, La Rioja, Argentina
| | - Walter R Almirón
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, CABA, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Centro de Investigaciones Entomológicas de Córdoba, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIBYT), CONICET- Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, X5016, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Marta S Contigiani
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Laboratorio de Arbovirus, Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Enfermera Gordillo Gomez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 5016, Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Viviana E Re
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Laboratorio de Arbovirus, Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Enfermera Gordillo Gomez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 5016, Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, CABA, Argentina
| | - Adrián Diaz
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Laboratorio de Arbovirus, Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Enfermera Gordillo Gomez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 5016, Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, CABA, Argentina
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Nejati J, Azari-Hamidian S, Oshaghi MA, Vatandoost H, White VL, Moosa-Kazemi SH, Bueno-Marí R, Hanafi-Bojd AA, Endersby-Harshman NM, Axford JK, Karimian F, Koosha M, Choubdar N, Hoffmann AA. The monsoon-associated equine South African pointy mosquito 'Aedes caballus'; the first comprehensive record from southeastern Iran with a description of ecological, morphological, and molecular aspects. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298412. [PMID: 38781219 PMCID: PMC11115297 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298412] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The equine South African pointy vector mosquito, Aedes caballus, poses a significant threat to human health due to its capacity for transmitting arboviruses. Despite favorable climate for its existence in southeast Iran, previous records of this species in the area have indicated very low abundance. This comprehensive field and laboratory study aimed to assess its current adult population status in this region, utilizing a combination of ecological, morphological and molecular techniques. Four distinct types of traps were strategically placed in three fixed and two variable mosquito sampling sites in the southern strip of Sistan and Baluchistan Province. Subsequently, DNA was extracted from trapped mosquitoes and subjected to PCR amplification using the molecular markers COI, ITS2, and ANT. In total, 1734 adult Ae. caballus specimens were collected from rural areas, with the majority being captured by CO2-baited bednet traps. A notable increase in the abundance of this species was observed following rainfall in February. The genetic analysis revealed multiple haplotypes based on COI and ITS2 sequences, with COI gene divergence at 0.89%, and ITS2 sequence divergence at 1.6%. This suggests that previous challenges in morphological identification may have led to misidentifications, with many adults previously classified as Ae. vexans potentially being Ae. caballus. The findings of this study hold significant implications for public health authorities, providing valuable insights for integrated and targeted vector control and disease management efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalil Nejati
- Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
| | - Shahyad Azari-Hamidian
- Research Center of Health and Environment, School of Health, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Oshaghi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Vatandoost
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vanessa L. White
- Bio21 Institute, Pest and Environmental Adaptation Group, School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Seyed H. Moosa-Kazemi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Rubén Bueno-Marí
- Departamento de Investigación y Desarrollo (I+D), Laboratorios Lokímica, Valencia, Spain
- Parasites & Health Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ahmad A. Hanafi-Bojd
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nancy M. Endersby-Harshman
- Bio21 Institute, Pest and Environmental Adaptation Group, School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jason K. Axford
- Bio21 Institute, Pest and Environmental Adaptation Group, School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Fateh Karimian
- Department of Parasitology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mona Koosha
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nayyereh Choubdar
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- Bio21 Institute, Pest and Environmental Adaptation Group, School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Hollingsworth BD, Grubaugh ND, Lazzaro BP, Murdock CC. Leveraging insect-specific viruses to elucidate mosquito population structure and dynamics. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011588. [PMID: 37651317 PMCID: PMC10470969 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011588] [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] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Several aspects of mosquito ecology that are important for vectored disease transmission and control have been difficult to measure at epidemiologically important scales in the field. In particular, the ability to describe mosquito population structure and movement rates has been hindered by difficulty in quantifying fine-scale genetic variation among populations. The mosquito virome represents a possible avenue for quantifying population structure and movement rates across multiple spatial scales. Mosquito viromes contain a diversity of viruses, including several insect-specific viruses (ISVs) and "core" viruses that have high prevalence across populations. To date, virome studies have focused on viral discovery and have only recently begun examining viral ecology. While nonpathogenic ISVs may be of little public health relevance themselves, they provide a possible route for quantifying mosquito population structure and dynamics. For example, vertically transmitted viruses could behave as a rapidly evolving extension of the host's genome. It should be possible to apply established analytical methods to appropriate viral phylogenies and incidence data to generate novel approaches for estimating mosquito population structure and dispersal over epidemiologically relevant timescales. By studying the virome through the lens of spatial and genomic epidemiology, it may be possible to investigate otherwise cryptic aspects of mosquito ecology. A better understanding of mosquito population structure and dynamics are key for understanding mosquito-borne disease ecology and methods based on ISVs could provide a powerful tool for informing mosquito control programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon D Hollingsworth
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Cornell Institute for Host Microbe Interaction and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Nathan D Grubaugh
- Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Brian P Lazzaro
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Cornell Institute for Host Microbe Interaction and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Courtney C Murdock
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Cornell Institute for Host Microbe Interaction and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
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Cancino-Faure B, González CR, González AP, Salazar-Viedma M, Pastenes L, Valdés E, Bustos C, Lozada-Yavina R, Canals M. Northern and Central Chile still free of emerging flaviviruses in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). Acta Trop 2023; 243:106929. [PMID: 37086936 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
Geographic isolation and strict control limits in border areas have kept Chile free from various pathogens, including Flavivirus. However, the scenario is changing mainly due to climate change, the reintroduction of more aggressive mosquitoes, and the great wave of migration of people from endemic countries in recent years. Hence, it is necessary to surveillance mosquitoes to anticipate a possible outbreak in the population and take action to control it. This study aimed to investigate the presence of Flavivirus RNA by molecular tools with consensus primers in mosquitoes collected in the extreme north and central Chile. From 2019 to 2021, a prospective study was carried out in localities of Northern and part of Central Chile. Larvae, pupae, and adults of mosquitoes were collected in rural and urban sites in each locality. The collected samples were pooled by species and geographical location and tested using RT-PCR and RT-qPCR to determine presence of Flavivirus. 3085 specimens were collected, the most abundant specie Culex quinquefasciatus in the North and Aedes (Ochlerotatus) albifasciatus in the Center of Chile. Both genera are associated with Flavivirus transmission. However, PCR and RT-PCR did not detect Flavivirus RNA in the mosquitoes studied. These negative results indicate we are still a free Flavivirus country, which is reaffirmed by the non-existence of endemic human cases. Despite this, routine surveillance of mosquitoes and the pathogens they carry is highly recommended to evaluate each area-specific risk of vector-borne transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Cancino-Faure
- Laboratorio de Microbiología y Parasitología, Departamento de Ciencias Preclínicas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.
| | - Christian R González
- Instituto de Entomología, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alejandro Piñeiro González
- Laboratorio de Microbiología y Parasitología, Departamento de Ciencias Preclínicas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile; Laboratorio de Genética y Microevolución, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Marcela Salazar-Viedma
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma, Talca, Chile
| | - Luis Pastenes
- Laboratorio de Genética y Microevolución, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Elizabeth Valdés
- Doctorado en Biotecnología Traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Camila Bustos
- Centro de Biotecnología de los Recursos Naturales (CENBio), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Rafael Lozada-Yavina
- Departamento de Matemáticas, Física y Estadística, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Mauricio Canals
- Programa de Salud Ambiental y Departamento de Medicina, Escuela de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Terradas G, Novelo M, Metz H, Brustolin M, Rasgon JL. Anopheles albimanus is a Potential Alphavirus Vector in the Americas. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2023; 108:412-423. [PMID: 36535260 PMCID: PMC9896319 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.22-0417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite its ecological flexibility and geographical co-occurrence with human pathogens, little is known about the ability of Anopheles albimanus to transmit arboviruses. To address this gap, we challenged An. albimanus females with four alphaviruses and one flavivirus and monitored the progression of infections. We found this species is an efficient vector of the alphaviruses Mayaro virus, O'nyong-nyong virus, and Sindbis virus, although the latter two do not currently exist in its habitat range. An. albimanus was able to become infected with Chikungunya virus, but virus dissemination was rare (indicating the presence of a midgut escape barrier), and no mosquito transmitted. Mayaro virus rapidly established disseminated infections in An. albimanus females and was detected in the saliva of a substantial proportion of infected mosquitoes. Consistent with previous work in other anophelines, we find that An. albimanus is refractory to infection with flaviviruses, a phenotype that did not depend on midgut-specific barriers. Our work demonstrates that An. albimanus may be a vector of neglected emerging human pathogens and adds to recent evidence that anophelines are competent vectors for diverse arboviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Terradas
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Mario Novelo
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Hillery Metz
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Marco Brustolin
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Jason L. Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
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MacIntyre C, Guarido MM, Riddin MA, Johnson T, Braack L, Schrama M, Gorsich E, Almeida APG, Venter M. Survey of West Nile and Banzi Viruses in Mosquitoes, South Africa, 2011-2018. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:164-169. [PMID: 36573591 PMCID: PMC9796198 DOI: 10.3201/eid2901.220036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We collected >40,000 mosquitoes from 5 provinces in South Africa during 2011-2018 and screened for zoonotic flaviviruses. We detected West Nile virus in mosquitoes from conservation and periurban sites and potential new mosquito vectors; Banzi virus was rare. Our results suggest flavivirus transmission risks are increasing in South Africa.
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Morphological and Molecular Characterization Using Genitalia and CoxI Barcode Sequence Analysis of Afrotropical Mosquitoes with Arbovirus Vector Potential. DIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/d14110940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Potential arboviral Afrotropical mosquito vectors are underrepresented in public databases of CoxI barcode sequences. Furthermore, available CoxI sequences for many species are often not associated with voucher specimens to match the corresponding fine morphological characterization of specimens. Hence, this study focused on the characterization of Culicine mosquitoes from South Africa, Mozambique, and Angola and their classification using a complementary approach including a morphological analysis of specimens’ genitalia and phylogenetic study based on the analysis of CoxI barcode sequences using maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic inference methods, alongside Median-Joining Network and PCOORD analyses. Overall, 800 mosquitoes (652 males and 148 females) from 67 species, were analyzed. Genitalia from 663 specimens allowed the identification of 55 species of 10 genera. A total of 247 CoxI partial gene sequences corresponding to 65 species were obtained, 11 of which (Aedes capensis, Ae. mucidus, Culex andersoni, Cx. telesilla, Cx. inconspicuosus, Eretmapodites subsimplicipes, Er. quinquevittatus, Ficalbia uniformis, Mimomyia hispida, Uranotaenia alboabdominalis, and Ur. mashonaensis) are, to the best of our knowledge, provided here for the first time. The presence of Cx. pipiens ecotypes molestus and pipiens and their hybrids, as well as Cx. infula, is newly reported in the Afrotropical region. The rates of correct sequence identification using BOLD and BLASTn (≥95% identity) were 64% and 53%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that, except for subgenus Eumelanomyia of Culex, there was support for tribes Aedini, Culicini, Ficalbiini, and Mansoniini. A divergence >2% was observed in conspecific sequences, e.g., Aedeomyia africana, Ae. cumminsii, Ae. unilineatus, Ae. metallicus, Ae. furcifer, Ae. caballus, and Mansonia uniformis. Conversely, sequences from groups and species complexes, namely, Ae. simpsoni, Ae. mcintoshi, Cx. bitaeniorhynchus, Cx. simpsoni, and Cx. pipiens were insufficiently separated. A contribution has been made to the barcode library of Afrotropical mosquitoes with associated genitalia morphological identifications.
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