Abstract
The growing expansion of mosquito vectors leads to the emergence of vector-borne diseases in new geographic areas and causes major public health concerns. In the absence of effective preventive treatments against most pathogens transmitted, vector control remains one of the most suitable strategies to prevent mosquito-borne diseases. Insecticide overuse raises mosquito resistance and deleterious impacts on the environment and non-target species. Growing knowledge of mosquito biology has allowed the development of alternative control methods. Following the concept of holobiont, mosquito-microbiota interactions play an important role in mosquito biology. Associated microbiota is known to influence many aspects of mosquito biology such as development, survival, immunity or even vector competence. Mosquito-associated microbiota is composed of bacteria, fungi, protists, viruses and nematodes. While an increasing number of studies have focused on bacteria, other microbial partners like fungi have been largely neglected despite their huge diversity. A better knowledge of mosquito-mycobiota interactions offers new opportunities to develop innovative mosquito control strategies. Here, we review the recent advances concerning the impact of mosquito-associated fungi, and particularly nonpathogenic fungi, on life-history traits (development, survival, reproduction), vector competence and behavior of mosquitoes by focusing on Culex, Aedes and Anopheles species.
Highlights
Mosquitoes are insects belonging to the order Diptera
This review presents key advances and progress in the field of mosquito mycobiota research highlighting the impact of nonpathogenic fungi, including certain microsporidia with non-deleterious effects, on mosquito life-history traits, vector competence and behavior
This negative impact of microsporidia increases with age as Anopheles gambiae females infected by Vavraia culicis show a reduction in the number of eggs laid of 16% during the first laying and of 45% during the fourth [49]
Summary
Mosquitoes are insects belonging to the order Diptera. They form the family Culicidae, which comprise more than 3500 species distributed among 41 different orders [1]. Adult females usually feed on vertebrate hosts and use digestive enzymes secreted from their midgut epithelial cells to degrade blood proteins into amino acids required for egg production [2]. Such blood meals can result in pathogen transmission to humans and other animals. If Anopheles mosquitoes spread malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) and O’nyong-nyong virus, Culex species are major vectors of filarial nematodes and West Nile virus (Figure 1). Mosquito-bornediseases diseases with significant public health concern and mycobiota detected. Figure with significant public health concern and mycobiota detected along along the mosquito lifeGiven cycle.
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