Abstract
SummaryThe recent association of Zika virus with cases of microcephaly has sparked a global health crisis and highlighted the need for mechanisms to combat the Zika vector, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Wolbachia pipientis, a bacterial endosymbiont of insect, has recently garnered attention as a mechanism for arbovirus control. Here we report that Aedes aegypti harboring Wolbachia are highly resistant to infection with two currently circulating Zika virus isolates from the recent Brazilian epidemic. Wolbachia-harboring mosquitoes displayed lower viral prevalence and intensity and decreased disseminated infection and, critically, did not carry infectious virus in the saliva, suggesting that viral transmission was blocked. Our data indicate that the use of Wolbachia-harboring mosquitoes could represent an effective mechanism to reduce Zika virus transmission and should be included as part of Zika control strategies.
Highlights
In the absence of a vaccine, current effective control options are limited to reducing the abundance of mosquito vector populations (Heintze et al, 2007)
We observed that median ZIKV titers in the head/thoraces of Brazil in early 2016 (Br) mosquitoes increased over time for both isolates (Mann-Whitney U test; BRPE, p < 0.0001; SPH, p = 0.0094), while there was no such effect in wMel_Br mosquitoes
Saliva was collected from Br and wMel_Br mosquitoes at 14 dpi, after the 5- to 10-day ZIKV extrinsic incubation period was likely completed (Li et al, 2012), in order to determine if Wolbachia infection inhibited ZIKV transmission (Figure 1C)
Summary
In the absence of a vaccine, current effective control options are limited to reducing the abundance of mosquito vector populations (Heintze et al, 2007). We performed experimental infections with two currently circulating ZIKV isolates and used a qRTPCR-based assay to a quantify ZIKV levels in mosquito tissues and saliva, in order to assess whether Wolbachia could potentially be used to combat the emerging Zika pandemic.
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