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Nissly RH, Lim L, Keller MR, Bird IM, Bhushan G, Misra S, Chothe SK, Sill MC, Kumar NV, Sivakumar AVN, Naik BR, Jayarao BM, Kuchipudi SV. The Susceptibility of Chickens to Zika Virus: A Comprehensive Study on Age-Dependent Infection Dynamics and Host Responses. Viruses 2024; 16:569. [PMID: 38675911 PMCID: PMC11054531 DOI: 10.3390/v16040569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) remains a public health concern, with epidemics in endemic regions and sporadic outbreaks in new areas posing significant threats. Several mosquito-borne flaviviruses that can cause human illness, including West Nile, Usutu, and St. Louis encephalitis, have associations with birds. However, the susceptibility of chickens to ZIKV and their role in viral epidemiology is not currently known. We investigated the susceptibility of chickens to experimental ZIKV infection using chickens ranging from 1-day-old chicks to 6-week-old birds. ZIKV caused no clinical signs in chickens of all age groups tested. Viral RNA was detected in the blood and tissues during the first 5 days post-inoculation in 1-day and 4-day-old chicks inoculated with a high viral dose, but ZIKV was undetectable in 6-week-old birds at all timepoints. Minimal antibody responses were observed in 6-week-old birds, and while present in younger chicks, they waned by 28 days post-infection. Innate immune responses varied significantly between age groups. Robust type I interferon and inflammasome responses were measured in older chickens, while limited innate immune activation was observed in younger chicks. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 2 (STAT2) is a major driver of host restriction to ZIKV, and chicken STAT2 is distinct from human STAT2, potentially contributing to the observed resistance to ZIKV infection. The rapid clearance of the virus in older chickens coincided with an effective innate immune response, highlighting age-dependent susceptibility. Our study indicates that chickens are not susceptible to productive ZIKV infection and are unlikely to play a role in the ZIKV epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth H. Nissly
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (L.L.); (M.R.K.); (I.M.B.); (G.B.); (B.M.J.)
| | - Levina Lim
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (L.L.); (M.R.K.); (I.M.B.); (G.B.); (B.M.J.)
- DermBiont, Inc., 451 D Street, Suite 908, Boston, MA 02210, USA
| | - Margo R. Keller
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (L.L.); (M.R.K.); (I.M.B.); (G.B.); (B.M.J.)
| | - Ian M. Bird
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (L.L.); (M.R.K.); (I.M.B.); (G.B.); (B.M.J.)
- Applied Biological Sciences Group, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
| | - Gitanjali Bhushan
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (L.L.); (M.R.K.); (I.M.B.); (G.B.); (B.M.J.)
- College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Sougat Misra
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (S.M.); (S.K.C.)
| | - Shubhada K. Chothe
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (S.M.); (S.K.C.)
| | - Miranda C. Sill
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;
| | - Nagaram Vinod Kumar
- College of Veterinary Science, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Tirupati 517 602, Andhra Pradesh, India; (N.V.K.); (A.V.N.S.); (B.R.N.)
| | - A. V. N. Sivakumar
- College of Veterinary Science, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Tirupati 517 602, Andhra Pradesh, India; (N.V.K.); (A.V.N.S.); (B.R.N.)
| | - B. Rambabu Naik
- College of Veterinary Science, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Tirupati 517 602, Andhra Pradesh, India; (N.V.K.); (A.V.N.S.); (B.R.N.)
| | - Bhushan M. Jayarao
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (L.L.); (M.R.K.); (I.M.B.); (G.B.); (B.M.J.)
| | - Suresh V. Kuchipudi
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (S.M.); (S.K.C.)
- Center for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
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Day CA, Byrd BD, Trout Fryxell RT. La Crosse virus neuroinvasive disease: the kids are not alright. J Med Entomol 2023; 60:1165-1182. [PMID: 37862102 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
La Crosse virus (LACV) is the most common cause of neuroinvasive mosquito-borne disease in children within the United States. Despite more than 50 years of recognized endemicity in the United States, the true burden of LACV disease is grossly underappreciated, and there remain severe knowledge gaps that inhibit public health interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality. Long-standing deficiencies in disease surveillance, clinical diagnostics and therapeutics, actionable entomologic and environmental risk indices, case response capacity, public awareness, and availability of community support groups clearly frame LACV disease as neglected. Here we synthesize salient prior research and contextualize our findings as an assessment of current gaps and opportunities to develop a framework to prevent, detect, and respond to LACV disease. The persistent burdens of LACV disease clearly require renewed public health attention, policy, and action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey A Day
- Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Brian D Byrd
- Environmental Health Sciences, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, USA
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Fikrig K, Rose N, Burkett-Cadena N, Kamgang B, Leisnham PT, Mangan J, Ponlawat A, Rothman SE, Stenn T, McBride CS, Harrington LC. Aedes albopictus host odor preference does not drive observed variation in feeding patterns across field populations. Sci Rep 2023; 13:130. [PMID: 36599854 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26591-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Laboratory and field-based studies of the invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus demonstrate its competency to transmit over twenty different pathogens linked to a broad range of vertebrate hosts. The vectorial capacity of Ae. albopictus to transmit these pathogens remains unclear, partly due to knowledge gaps regarding its feeding behavior. Blood meal analyses from field-captured specimens have shown vastly different feeding patterns, with a wide range of anthropophagy (human feeding) and host diversity. To address this knowledge gap, we asked whether differences in innate host preference may drive observed variation in Ae. albopictus feeding patterns in nature. Low generation colonies (F2-F4) were established with field-collected mosquitoes from three populations with high reported anthropophagy (Thailand, Cameroon, and Florida, USA) and three populations in the United States with low reported anthropophagy (New York, Maryland, and Virginia). The preference of these Ae. albopictus colonies for human versus non-human animal odor was assessed in a dual-port olfactometer along with control Ae. aegypti colonies already known to show divergent behavior in this assay. All Ae. albopictus colonies were less likely (p < 0.05) to choose the human-baited port than the anthropophilic Ae. aegypti control, instead behaving similarly to zoophilic Ae. aegypti. Our results suggest that variation in reported Ae. albopictus feeding patterns are not driven by differences in innate host preference, but may result from differences in host availability. This work is the first to compare Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti host preference directly and provides insight into differential vectorial capacity and human feeding risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Noah Rose
- Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | - Basile Kamgang
- Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | | | | | - Alongkot Ponlawat
- Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
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Stein RA, Grayon A, Katz A, Chervenak FA. The Zika virus: an opportunity to revisit reproductive health needs and disparities. Germs 2022; 12:519-537. [PMID: 38021183 PMCID: PMC10660223 DOI: 10.18683/germs.2022.1357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
First isolated in 1947, the Zika virus was initially connected only to limited or sporadic human infections. In late 2015, the temporal clustering of a Zika outbreak and microcephaly in newborn babies from northeastern Brazil, and the identification of a causal link between the two, led to the characterization of the congenital Zika syndrome. In the wake of the epidemic, several countries from Latin America advised women to postpone pregnancies for periods ranging from six months to two years. These recommendations initiated critical conversations about the challenges of implementing them in societies with limited access to contraception, widespread socioeconomic inequalities, and high rates of unplanned and adolescent pregnancies. The messaging targeted exclusively women, despite a high prevalence of imbalances in the relationship power, and addressed all women as a group, failing to recognize that the decision to postpone pregnancies will impact different women in different ways, depending on their age at the time. Finally, in several countries affected by the Zika epidemic, due to restrictive reproductive policies, legally terminating a pregnancy is no longer an option even at the earliest time when brain malformations as part of the congenital Zika syndrome can be detected by ultrasonography. The virus continued to circulate after 2016 in several countries. Climate change models predict an expansion of the geographical area where local Zika transmission may occur, indicating that the interface between the virus, teratogenesis, and reproductive rights is a topic of considerable interest for medicine, social sciences, and public health for years to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A. Stein
- MD, PhD, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn 11201, NY, USA
| | - Alexis Grayon
- NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn 11201, NY, USA
| | - Adi Katz
- MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lenox Hill Hospital, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell, 110 E 77th Street, New York, NY, 10075, USA
| | - Frank A. Chervenak
- MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lenox Hill Hospital, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell, 110 E 77th Street, New York, NY, 10075, USA
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Novianto D, Hadi UK, Soviana S, Darusman HS. Comparison of diurnal biting activity, life table, and demographic attributes of Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) from different urbanized settings in West Java, Indonesia. Acta Trop 2022; 241:106771. [PMID: 36414048 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus has well-adaptive behavior to environmental changes, including human urbanization, and has an essential role as the main vector of important pathogenic arboviruses. This study aims to analyze the biology and life table of the Ae. albopictus populations collected from urban and peri-urban areas of Bogor, West Java, Indonesia under laboratory conditions. Mosquito eggs collection was carried out in urban and peri-urban areas using ovitraps. The observation of the life table experiment that followed the development of Ae. albopictus started from the emergence of the first individual to the last surviving individual. Several biological parameters comparing Ae. albopictus from two collection sites based on life table analysis were shown to be significantly different. Biting activity of all mosquitoes from urban and peri-urban areas showed a clear bimodal activity with morning peak at 09:00-10.00 and evening peak at 16:00-17:00. Ae. albopictus from the urban area have higher fecundity, considerably longer lifespan, more gonotrophic cycles, and a higher net reproduction rate (R0) than Ae. albopictus from the peri-urban area. These findings will provide valuable information about the well-adapted Ae. albopictus in urban areas and assist in providing basic reproductive data to improve vector control and current surveillance strategies especially in the study area.
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Palatini U, Alfano N, Carballar RL, Chen XG, Delatte H, Bonizzoni M. Virome and nrEVEome diversity of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes from La Reunion Island and China. Virol J 2022; 19:190. [DOI: 10.1186/s12985-022-01918-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Aedes albopictus is a public health threat for its worldwide spread and ability to transmit arboviruses. Understanding mechanisms of mosquito immunity can provide new tools to control arbovirus spread. The genomes of Aedes mosquitoes contain hundreds of nonretroviral endogenous viral elements (nrEVEs), which are enriched in piRNA clusters and produce piRNAs, with the potential to target cognate viruses. Recently, one nrEVE was shown to limit cognate viral infection through nrEVE-derived piRNAs. These findings suggest that nrEVEs constitute an archive of past viral infection and that the landscape of viral integrations may be variable across populations depending on their viral exposure.
Methods
We used bioinformatics and molecular approaches to identify known and novel (i.e. absent in the reference genome) viral integrations in the genome of wild collected Aedes albopictus mosquitoes and characterize their virome.
Results
We showed that the landscape of viral integrations is dynamic with seven novel viral integrations being characterized, but does not correlate with the virome, which includes both viral species known and unknown to infect mosquitoes. However, the small RNA coverage profile of nrEVEs and the viral genomic contigs we identified confirmed an interaction among these elements and the piRNA and siRNA pathways in mosquitoes.
Conclusions
Mosquitoes nrEVEs have been recently described as a new form of heritable, sequence-specific mechanism of antiviral immunity. Our results contribute to understanding the dynamic distribution of nrEVEs in the genomes of wild Ae. albopictus and their interaction with mosquito viruses.
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Kumar R, Mehta D, Chaudhary S, Nayak D, Sunil S. Impact of CHIKV Replication on the Global Proteome of Aedes albopictus Cells. Proteomes 2022; 10:proteomes10040038. [PMID: 36412637 PMCID: PMC9680348 DOI: 10.3390/proteomes10040038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Arboviruses are some of the important causative agents of mosquito-mediated viral diseases. These viruses are transmitted between vector and host during the blood meal. Upon viral entry, host replication machinery is hijacked, supporting new virus particle production and thereby allowing viral survival in the host. In this process, host proteins interact with viral proteins to either facilitate viral replication, or they may provide antiviral defense mechanisms. In this study, we analyzed the impact of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection on the global proteome of Dicer active Aedes albopictus cells during the early and late time points of infection. We utilized a bottom-up approach of global proteomics analysis, and we used label-free quantitative mass spectrometry to identify the global protein signatures of Ae. albopictus at two different time points upon CHIKV infection. The mass spectrometry data analysis of the early time point revealed that proteins belonging to pathways such as translation, RNA processing, and cellular metabolic processes were less in abundance, whereas those belonging to pathways such as cellular catabolic process and organic substance transport were significantly abundant. At later time points, proteins belonging to pathways such as cellular metabolic processes, primary metabolic process, organonitrogen compound metabolic process, and organic substance metabolic process were found to be decreased in their presence, whereas those belonging to pathways such as RNA processing, gene expression, macromolecule metabolic processing, and nitrogen compound metabolic processing were found to be abundant during CHIKV infection, indicating that modulation in gene expression favoring cell survival occurs at a later time point, suggesting a survival strategy of Aedes cells to counter prolonged CHIKV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Kumar
- Vector Borne Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Indore 453552, India
| | - Divya Mehta
- Vector Borne Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Sakshi Chaudhary
- Vector Borne Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Debasis Nayak
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Indore 453552, India
| | - Sujatha Sunil
- Vector Borne Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
- Correspondence:
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Dieme C, Kramer LD, Ciota AT. Vector competence of Anopheles quadrimaculatus and Aedes albopictus for genetically distinct Jamestown Canyon virus strains circulating in the Northeast United States. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:226. [PMID: 35739573 PMCID: PMC9229909 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05342-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV; Peribunyaviridae, Orthobunyavirus) is a mosquito-borne pathogen belonging to the California serogroup. The virus is endemic in North America and increasingly recognized as a public health concern. In this study, we determined the vector competence of Anopheles (An.) quadrimaculatus and Aedes (Ae.) albopictus for five JCV strains belonging to the two lineages circulating in the Northeast. METHODS An. quadrimaculatus and Ae. albopictus were fed blood meals containing two lineage A strains and three lineage B strains. Vector competence of both mosquito species was evaluated at 7- and 14-days post-feeding (dpf) by testing for virus presence in bodies, legs, and saliva. RESULTS Our results demonstrated that Ae. albopictus mosquitoes are a competent vector for both lineages, with similar transmission levels for all strains tested. Variable levels of infection (46-83%) and dissemination (17-38%) were measured in An. quadrimaculatus, yet no transmission was detected for the five JCV strains evaluated. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that establishment of Ae. albopictus in the Northeast could increase the risk of JCV but suggest An. quadrimaculatus are not a competent vector for JCV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constentin Dieme
- Institut Pasteur de Guinée, Conakry, Guinea. .,Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA.
| | - Laura D Kramer
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Alexander T Ciota
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
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Little EAH, Hutchinson ML, Price KJ, Marini A, Shepard JJ, Molaei G. Spatiotemporal distribution, abundance, and host interactions of two invasive vectors of arboviruses, Aedes albopictus and Aedes japonicus, in Pennsylvania, USA. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:36. [PMID: 35073977 PMCID: PMC8785538 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05151-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Aedes albopictus and Aedes japonicus, two invasive mosquito species in the United States, are implicated in the transmission of arboviruses. Studies have shown interactions of these two mosquito species with a variety of vertebrate hosts; however, regional differences exist and may influence their contribution to arbovirus transmission. Methods We investigated the distribution, abundance, host interactions, and West Nile virus infection prevalence of Ae. albopictus and Ae. japonicus by examining Pennsylvania mosquito and arbovirus surveillance data for the period between 2010 and 2018. Mosquitoes were primarily collected using gravid traps and BG-Sentinel traps, and sources of blood meals were determined by analyzing mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences amplified in PCR assays. Results A total of 10,878,727 female mosquitoes representing 51 species were collected in Pennsylvania over the 9-year study period, with Ae. albopictus and Ae. japonicus representing 4.06% and 3.02% of all collected mosquitoes, respectively. Aedes albopictus was distributed in 39 counties and Ae. japonicus in all 67 counties, and the abundance of these species increased between 2010 and 2018. Models suggested an increase in the spatial extent of Ae. albopictus during the study period, while that of Ae. japonicus remained unchanged. We found a differential association between the abundance of the two mosquito species and environmental conditions, percent development, and median household income. Of 110 Ae. albopictus and 97 Ae. japonicus blood meals successfully identified to species level, 98% and 100% were derived from mammalian hosts, respectively. Among 12 mammalian species, domestic cats, humans, and white-tailed deer served as the most frequent hosts for the two mosquito species. A limited number of Ae. albopictus acquired blood meals from avian hosts solely or in mixed blood meals. West Nile virus was detected in 31 pools (n = 3582 total number of pools) of Ae. albopictus and 12 pools (n = 977 total pools) of Ae. japonicus. Conclusions Extensive distribution, high abundance, and frequent interactions with mammalian hosts suggest potential involvement of Ae. albopictus and Ae. japonicus in the transmission of human arboviruses including Cache Valley, Jamestown Canyon, La Crosse, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika should any of these viruses become prevalent in Pennsylvania. Limited interaction with avian hosts suggests that Ae. albopictus might occasionally be involved in transmission of arboviruses such as West Nile in the region. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05151-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza A H Little
- Department of Entomology, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.,Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases and Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Michael L Hutchinson
- Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA, 17110, USA.,Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA, 17101, USA
| | - Keith J Price
- Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA, 17101, USA
| | - Alyssa Marini
- Department of Environmental Sciences, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - John J Shepard
- Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases and Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.,Department of Environmental Sciences, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Goudarz Molaei
- Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases and Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA. .,Department of Environmental Sciences, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA. .,Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
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Fikrig K, Martin E, Dang S, St Fleur K, Goldsmith H, Qu S, Rosenthal H, Pitcher S, Harrington LC. The Effects of Host Availability and Fitness on Aedes albopictus Blood Feeding Patterns in New York. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 106:320-331. [PMID: 34662859 PMCID: PMC8733534 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Aedes albopictus is a competent vector of numerous pathogens, representing a range of transmission cycles involving unique hosts. Despite the important status of this vector, variation in its feeding patterns is poorly understood. We examined the feeding patterns of Ae. albopictus utilizing resting collections in Long Island, NY, and contextualized blood meal sources with host availability measured by household interviews and camera traps. We identified 90 blood meals, including 29 humans, 22 cats, 16 horses, 12 opossums, 5 dogs, 2 goats, and 1 each of rabbit, rat, squirrel, and raccoon. This is only the third study of Ae. albopictus blood feeding biology that quantitatively assessed domestic host availability and is the first to do so with wild animals. Host feeding indices showed that cats and dogs were fed upon disproportionately often compared with humans. Forage ratios suggested a tendency to feed on cats and opossums and to avoid raccoons, squirrels, and birds. This feeding pattern was different from another published study from Baltimore, where Ae. albopictus fed more often on rats than humans. To understand whether these differences were because of host availability or mosquito population variation, we compared the fitness of New York and Baltimore Ae. albopictus after feeding on rat and human blood. In addition, we examined fitness within the New York population after feeding on human, rat, cat, horse, and opossum blood. Together, our results do not indicate major mosquito fitness differences by blood hosts, suggesting that fitness benefits do not drive Northeastern Ae. albopictus feeding patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Fikrig
- Entomology Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York,Address correspondence to Kara Fikrig, Entomology Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850. E-mail:
| | | | - Sharon Dang
- Entomology Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | | | | | - Sophia Qu
- Entomology Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | | | - Sylvie Pitcher
- Entomology Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
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Khalil N, Little EAH, Akaratovic KI, Kiser JP, Abadam CF, Yuan KJ, Misencik MJ, Armstrong PM, Molaei G. Host Associations of Culex pipiens: A Two-Year Analysis of Bloodmeal Sources and Implications for Arboviral Transmission in Southeastern Virginia. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2021; 21:961-972. [PMID: 34665047 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding vector-host interactions is crucial for evaluating the role of mosquito species in enzootic cycling and epidemic/epizootic transmission of arboviruses, as well as assessing vertebrate host contributions to maintenance and amplification in different virus foci. To investigate blood-feeding pattern of Culex pipiens, engorged mosquitoes were collected on a weekly basis at 50 sites throughout Suffolk, Virginia, using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention miniature light traps, BG-Sentinel traps, and modified Reiter gravid traps. Vertebrate hosts of mosquitoes were identified by amplifying and sequencing portions of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Of 281 Cx. pipiens bloodmeals successfully identified to species, 255 (90.7%) contained solely avian blood, 13 (4.6%) mammalian, 1 (0.4%) reptilian, and 12 (4.3%) both avian and mammalian blood. Nineteen avian species were identified as hosts for Cx. pipiens with American robin (n = 141, 55.3% of avian hosts) and northern cardinal (n = 57, 22.4%) as the most common hosts. More American robin feedings took place in areas of higher development. Three mammalian species were also identified as hosts for Cx. pipiens with Virginia opossum and domestic cat as the most common hosts in this class (each n = 6, 46.2% of mammalian hosts). There was no significant seasonal difference in the proportion of bloodmeals obtained from avian hosts, but there was a decrease in the proportion of bloodmeals from mammalian hosts from spring to fall. One engorged specimen of Cx. pipiens with Virginia opossum-derived bloodmeal tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV), and another with black-and-white warbler-derived bloodmeal tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis virus. Our findings, in conjunction with the results of vector competence studies and virus isolation from field-collected mosquitoes, lend additional support that Cx. pipiens serves as the principal enzootic vector and potential epizootic/epidemic vector of WNV in southeastern Virginia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelle Khalil
- Department of Environmental Sciences, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Center for Vector Biology & Zoonotic Diseases, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Eliza A H Little
- Center for Vector Biology & Zoonotic Diseases, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Entomology, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Karen I Akaratovic
- Suffolk Mosquito Control, Department of Public Works, Suffolk, Virginia, USA
| | - Jay P Kiser
- Suffolk Mosquito Control, Department of Public Works, Suffolk, Virginia, USA
| | - Charles F Abadam
- Suffolk Mosquito Control, Department of Public Works, Suffolk, Virginia, USA
| | - Karen J Yuan
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Michael J Misencik
- Department of Environmental Sciences, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Center for Vector Biology & Zoonotic Diseases, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Philip M Armstrong
- Department of Environmental Sciences, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Center for Vector Biology & Zoonotic Diseases, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Goudarz Molaei
- Department of Environmental Sciences, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Center for Vector Biology & Zoonotic Diseases, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Fikrig K, Harrington LC. Understanding and interpreting mosquito blood feeding studies: the case of Aedes albopictus. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:959-975. [PMID: 34497032 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Blood feeding is a fundamental mosquito behavior with consequences for pathogen transmission and control. Feeding behavior can be studied through two lenses - patterns and preference. Feeding patterns are assessed via blood meal analyses, reflecting mosquito-host associations influenced by environmental and biological parameters. Bias can profoundly impact results, and we provide recommendations for mitigating these effects. We also outline design choices for host preference research, which can take many forms, and highlight their respective (dis)advantages for preference measurement. Finally, Aedes albopictus serves as a case study for how to apply these lessons to interpret data and understand feeding biology. We illustrate how assumptions and incomplete evidence can lead to inconsistent interpretations by reviewing Ae. albopictus feeding studies alongside prevalent narratives about perceived behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Fikrig
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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