Abstract
Background Wolbachia inherited intracellular bacteria can manipulate the reproduction of their insect hosts through cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), and certain strains have also been shown to inhibit the replication or dissemination of viruses. Wolbachia strains also vary in their relative fitness effects on their hosts and this is a particularly important consideration with respect to the potential of newly created transinfections for use in disease control.Methodology/Principal FindingsIn Aedes albopictus mosquitoes transinfected with the wMel strain from Drosophila melanogaster, which we previously reported to be unable to transmit dengue in lab challenges, no significant detrimental effects were observed on egg hatch rate, fecundity, adult longevity or male mating competitiveness. All these parameters influence the population dynamics of Wolbachia, and the data presented are favourable with respect to the aim of taking wMel to high population frequency. Challenge with the chikungunya (CHIKV) virus, for which Ae. albopictus is an important vector, was conducted and the presence of wMel abolished CHIKV dissemination to the saliva.Conclusions/significanceTaken together, these data suggest that introducing wMel into natural Ae. albopictus populations using bidirectional CI could be an efficient strategy for preventing or reducing the transmission of arboviruses by this species.
Highlights
Aedes albopictus is a medically important invasive mosquito that has expanded from Asia into many new regions of the tropics and into temperate regions of the Americas and Europe; it transmits a number of arboviruses including dengue and chikungunya [1]
The tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is an invasive disease vector whose range has expanded throughout the tropics, and some temperate regions, in recent decades from its native South East Asia
It is an important vector of human viruses including dengue and chikungunya; in recent years a mutation has been detected in chikungunya virus that increases transmission efficiency by Ae. albopictus, causing concern that epidemics of this disease will become more widespread and severe
Summary
Aedes albopictus is a medically important invasive mosquito that has expanded from Asia into many new regions of the tropics and into temperate regions of the Americas and Europe; it transmits a number of arboviruses including dengue and chikungunya [1]. All known wild populations of Ae. albopictus are naturally superinfected at very high frequency with two strains of the maternally inherited bacterium Wolbachia pipientis, called wAlbA and wAlbB [2,3]. We reported the generation of an Ae. albopictus line transinfected with the wMel strain of Wolbachia from Drosophila melanogaster, which proved unable to transmit dengue virus in lab challenges and induced complete bidirectional CI when crossed with a naturally wAlbA plus wAlbB (wAlbA/B)-infected line [4]. It is very important to gain a comprehensive understanding of any fitness consequences of replacing wAlbA/B with wMel in Ae. albopictus, including longevity of both male and female mosquitoes, fecundity and egg fertility rates for females and relative mating competitiveness for males. Wolbachia strains vary in their relative fitness effects on their hosts and this is a important consideration with respect to the potential of newly created transinfections for use in disease control
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