Variable effects of transient Wolbachia infections on alphaviruses in Aedes aegypti.

Wolbachia pipientis (= Wolbachia) has promise as a tool to suppress virus transmission by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. However, Wolbachia can have variable effects on mosquito-borne viruses. This variation remains poorly characterized, yet the multimodal effects of Wolbachia on diverse pathogens could...

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Main Authors: Brittany L Dodson, Sujit Pujhari, Marco Brustolin, Hillery C Metz, Jason L Rasgon
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-11-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012633
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author Brittany L Dodson
Sujit Pujhari
Marco Brustolin
Hillery C Metz
Jason L Rasgon
author_facet Brittany L Dodson
Sujit Pujhari
Marco Brustolin
Hillery C Metz
Jason L Rasgon
author_sort Brittany L Dodson
collection DOAJ
description Wolbachia pipientis (= Wolbachia) has promise as a tool to suppress virus transmission by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. However, Wolbachia can have variable effects on mosquito-borne viruses. This variation remains poorly characterized, yet the multimodal effects of Wolbachia on diverse pathogens could have important implications for public health. Here, we examine the effects of transient somatic infection with two strains of Wolbachia (wAlbB and wMel) on the alphaviruses Sindbis virus (SINV), O'nyong-nyong virus (ONNV), and Mayaro virus (MAYV) in Ae. aegypti. We found variable effects of Wolbachia including enhancement and suppression of viral infections, with some effects depending on Wolbachia strain. Both wAlbB- and wMel-infected mosquitoes showed enhancement of SINV infection rates one week post-infection, with wAlbB-infected mosquitoes also having higher viral titers than controls. Infection rates with ONNV were low across all treatments and no significant effects of Wolbachia were observed. The effects of Wolbachia on MAYV infections were strikingly strain-specific; wMel strongly blocked MAYV infections and suppressed viral titers, while wAlbB had more modest effects. The variable effects of Wolbachia on vector competence underscore the importance of further research into how this bacterium impacts the virome of wild mosquitoes including the emergent human pathogens they transmit.
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spelling doaj-art-ae5be2f08da54d2badacc072706d74272025-08-20T02:33:35ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352024-11-011811e001263310.1371/journal.pntd.0012633Variable effects of transient Wolbachia infections on alphaviruses in Aedes aegypti.Brittany L DodsonSujit PujhariMarco BrustolinHillery C MetzJason L RasgonWolbachia pipientis (= Wolbachia) has promise as a tool to suppress virus transmission by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. However, Wolbachia can have variable effects on mosquito-borne viruses. This variation remains poorly characterized, yet the multimodal effects of Wolbachia on diverse pathogens could have important implications for public health. Here, we examine the effects of transient somatic infection with two strains of Wolbachia (wAlbB and wMel) on the alphaviruses Sindbis virus (SINV), O'nyong-nyong virus (ONNV), and Mayaro virus (MAYV) in Ae. aegypti. We found variable effects of Wolbachia including enhancement and suppression of viral infections, with some effects depending on Wolbachia strain. Both wAlbB- and wMel-infected mosquitoes showed enhancement of SINV infection rates one week post-infection, with wAlbB-infected mosquitoes also having higher viral titers than controls. Infection rates with ONNV were low across all treatments and no significant effects of Wolbachia were observed. The effects of Wolbachia on MAYV infections were strikingly strain-specific; wMel strongly blocked MAYV infections and suppressed viral titers, while wAlbB had more modest effects. The variable effects of Wolbachia on vector competence underscore the importance of further research into how this bacterium impacts the virome of wild mosquitoes including the emergent human pathogens they transmit.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012633
spellingShingle Brittany L Dodson
Sujit Pujhari
Marco Brustolin
Hillery C Metz
Jason L Rasgon
Variable effects of transient Wolbachia infections on alphaviruses in Aedes aegypti.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title Variable effects of transient Wolbachia infections on alphaviruses in Aedes aegypti.
title_full Variable effects of transient Wolbachia infections on alphaviruses in Aedes aegypti.
title_fullStr Variable effects of transient Wolbachia infections on alphaviruses in Aedes aegypti.
title_full_unstemmed Variable effects of transient Wolbachia infections on alphaviruses in Aedes aegypti.
title_short Variable effects of transient Wolbachia infections on alphaviruses in Aedes aegypti.
title_sort variable effects of transient wolbachia infections on alphaviruses in aedes aegypti
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012633
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