mosquito-associated-virus-isolation-from-field-collected-mosquitoes

Mosquito-Associated Virus Isolation from Field-Collected Mosquitoes

With the broad application of sequencing technologies, many novel virus-like sequences have been discovered in arthropods, including mosquitoes. The two ...

Chinese Academy of Sciences

SARS-CoV-2 Does Not Replicate in Aedes Mosquito Cells nor Present in Field-Caught Mosquitoes from Wuhan.

Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria share similar genetic, physiological, and biochemical characteristics with other members of the Bacillus cereus group. Their diversity and entomopathogenic origin are related to their mobile genetic elements. However, the effects of wide-spread application of B. thuringiensis-based pesticides on genetically related B. cereus group populations present in the environment remain poorly understood.

Application of Bacillus thuringiensis strains with conjugal and mobilizing capability drives gene transmissibility within Bacillus cereus group populations in confined habitats.

 are a group of viruses with significant public and veterinary health importance. These viruses are mainly transmitted through mosquito-, midge-, and tick-vectors, and are endemic to various regions of the world. Ebinur Lake virus (EBIV), a newly identified member of , was isolated from  mosquitoes in Northwest China. In the present study, we aimed to characterize the pathogenesis and host immune responses of EBIV in BALB/c mice, as an animal model. Herein, we determined that BALB/c mice are highly susceptible to EBIV infection. The infected mice exhibited evident clinical signs including weight loss, mild encephalitis, and death. High mortality of mice was observed even with inoculation of one plaque-forming unit (PFU) of EBIV, and the infected mice succumbed to death within 5-9 days. After EBIV challenge, rapid viremic dissemination was detected in the peripheral tissues and the central nervous system, with prominent histopathologic changes observed in liver, spleen, thymus, and brain. Blood constituents' analysis of EBIV infected mice exhibited leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and significantly elevated ALT, LDH-L, and CK. Further, EBIV infection induced obvious cytokines changes in serum, spleen, and brain in mice. Collectively, our data describe the first study that systematically examines the pathogenesis of EBIV and induced immune response in an immunocompetent standard mouse model, expanding our knowledge of this virus, which may pose a threat to One Health.

Pathogenesis and Immune Response of Ebinur Lake Virus: A Newly Identified  That Exhibited Strong Virulence in Mice.

Orbiviruses are arboviruses with 10 double-stranded linear RNA segments, and some have been identified as pathogens of dramatic epizootics in both wild and domestic ruminants. Tibet orbivirus (TIBOV) is a new orbivirus isolated from hematophagous insects in recent decades, and, currently, most of the strains have been isolated from insects in PR China, except for two from Japan. In this study, we isolated a novel reassortment TIBOV strain, YN15-283-01, from  spp. To identify and understand more characteristics of YN15-283-01, electrophoresis profiles of the viral genome, electron microscopic observations, plaque assays, growth curves in various cell lines, and bioinformatic analysis were conducted. The results indicated that YN15-283-01 replicated efficiently in mosquito cells, rodent cells and several primate cells. Furthermore, the maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees and simplot analysis of the 10 segments indicated that YN15-283-01 is a natural reassortment isolate that had emerged mainly from XZ0906 and SX-2017a.

Characterization of a novel reassortment Tibet orbivirus isolated from  spp. in Yunnan, PR China.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as an effective environmental surveillance tool in monitoring fecal-oral pathogen infections within a community. Congruently, SARS-CoV-2, the etiologic agent of COVID-19, has been demonstrated to infect the gastrointestinal tissues, and be shed in feces. In the present study, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was concentrated from wastewater, sludge, surface water, ground water, sediment, and soil samples of municipal and hospital wastewater systems and related environments in Wuhan during the COVID-19 middle and low risk periods, and the viral RNA copies quantified using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). From the findings of this study, during the middle risk period, one influent sample and three secondary effluents collected from waste water treatment plant 2, as well as two samples from Jinyintan Hospital wastewater system influent were SARS-CoV-2 RNA positive. One sludge sample collected from Guanggu Branch of Tongji Hospital, which was obtained during the low risk period, was also positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. These study findings demonstrate the significance of WBE in continuous surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 at the community level, even when the COVID-19 prevalence is low. Overall, this study can be used as an important reference for contingency management of wastewater treatment plants and COVID-19 prevention and control departments of Wuhan.

Environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater systems and related environments in Wuhan: April to May of 2020.

Mosquito-specific flaviviruses comprise a group of insect-specific viruses with a single positive RNA, which can affect the duplication of mosquito-borne viruses and the life growth of mosquitoes, and which have the potential to be developed as a vaccine platform for mosquito-borne viruses. In this study, a strain of mosquito flavivirus (MFV) YN15-283-02 was detected in  collected from Yunnan, China. The isolation of the purified MFV YN15-283-02 from cell culture failed, and the virus was then rescued by an infectious clone. To study the biological features of MFV YN15-283-02 in vitro and in vivo, electron microscopy, phylogenetic tree, and viral growth kinetic analyses were performed in both cell lines and mosquitoes. The rescued MFV (rMFV) YN15-283-02 duplicated and reached a peak in C6/36 cells at 6 d.p.i. with approximately 2 × 10 RNA copies/μL (RNA to cell ratio of 0.1), but without displaying a cytopathic effect. In addition, the infection rate for the rMFV in  show a low level in both larvae (≤15%) and adult mosquitoes (≤12%).

In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of a New Strain of Mosquito Flavivirus Derived from .

The global impact of mosquito-borne diseases has increased significantly over recent decades. Ebinur Lake virus (EBIV), a newly classified orthobunyavirus, is reported to be highly pathogenic in adult mice. The evaluation of vector competence is essential for predicting the arbovirus transmission risk. Here, Aedes aegypti was applied to evaluate EBIV infection and dissemination in mosquitos. Our experiments indicated that Ae. aegypti had the possibility to spread EBIV (with a transmission rate of up to 11.8% at 14 days post-infection) through biting, with the highest viral dose in a single mosquito's saliva reaching 6.3 plaque-forming units. The highest infection, dissemination and ovary infection rates were 70%, 42.9%, and 29.4%, respectively. The high viral infection rates in Ae. aegypti ovaries imply the possibility of EBIV vertical transmission. Ae. aegypti was highly susceptible to intrathoracic infection and the saliva-positive rate reached 90% at 10 days post-infection. Transcriptomic analysis revealed Toll and Imd signaling pathways were implicated in the mosquito's defensive response to EBIV infection. Defensin C and chitinase 10 were continuously downregulated in mosquitoes infected via intrathoracic inoculation of EBIV. Comprehensive analysis of the vector competence of Ae. aegypti for EBIV in laboratory has indicated the potential risk of EBIV transmission through mosquitoes. Moreover, our findings support a complex interplay between EBIV and the immune system of mosquito, which could affect its vector competence.

Doudou Huang

Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety,
Wuhan Institute of Virology,
Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Mosquito-Associated Virus Isolation from Field-Collected Mosquitoes

Doudou Huang

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety,Wuhan Institute of Virology,Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Mosquito-Associated Virus Isolation from Field-Collected Mosquitoes

Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety,
Wuhan Institute of Virology,
Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology