Laboratory demonstration of the vertical transmission of Rift Valley fever virus by Culex tarsalis mosquitoes.

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-transmitted virus with proven ability to emerge into naïve geographic areas. Limited field evidence suggests that RVFV is transmitted vertically from parent mosquito to offspring, but until now this mechanism has not been confirmed in the laboratory. Furt...

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Main Authors: Nicholas A Bergren, Erin M Borland, Daniel A Hartman, Rebekah C Kading
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021-03-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009273
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author Nicholas A Bergren
Erin M Borland
Daniel A Hartman
Rebekah C Kading
author_facet Nicholas A Bergren
Erin M Borland
Daniel A Hartman
Rebekah C Kading
author_sort Nicholas A Bergren
collection DOAJ
description Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-transmitted virus with proven ability to emerge into naïve geographic areas. Limited field evidence suggests that RVFV is transmitted vertically from parent mosquito to offspring, but until now this mechanism has not been confirmed in the laboratory. Furthermore, this transmission mechanism has allowed for the prediction of RVFV epizootics based on rainfall patterns collected from satellite information. However, in spite of the relevance to the initiation of epizootic events, laboratory confirmation of vertical transmission has remained an elusive research aim for thirty-five years. Herein we present preliminary evidence of the vertical transmission of RVFV by Culex tarsalis mosquitoes after oral exposure to RVFV. Progeny from three successive gonotrophic cycles were reared to adults, with infectious RVFV confirmed in each developmental stage. Virus was detected in ovarian tissues of parental mosquitoes 7 days after imbibing an infectious bloodmeal. Infection was confirmed in progeny as early as the first gonotrophic cycle, with infection rates ranging from 2.0-10.0%. Virus titers among progeny were low, which may indicate a host mechanism suppressing replication.
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spelling doaj.art-6a05fadba6c74251868ff87cc04479d72022-12-21T22:36:42ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352021-03-01153e000927310.1371/journal.pntd.0009273Laboratory demonstration of the vertical transmission of Rift Valley fever virus by Culex tarsalis mosquitoes.Nicholas A BergrenErin M BorlandDaniel A HartmanRebekah C KadingRift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-transmitted virus with proven ability to emerge into naïve geographic areas. Limited field evidence suggests that RVFV is transmitted vertically from parent mosquito to offspring, but until now this mechanism has not been confirmed in the laboratory. Furthermore, this transmission mechanism has allowed for the prediction of RVFV epizootics based on rainfall patterns collected from satellite information. However, in spite of the relevance to the initiation of epizootic events, laboratory confirmation of vertical transmission has remained an elusive research aim for thirty-five years. Herein we present preliminary evidence of the vertical transmission of RVFV by Culex tarsalis mosquitoes after oral exposure to RVFV. Progeny from three successive gonotrophic cycles were reared to adults, with infectious RVFV confirmed in each developmental stage. Virus was detected in ovarian tissues of parental mosquitoes 7 days after imbibing an infectious bloodmeal. Infection was confirmed in progeny as early as the first gonotrophic cycle, with infection rates ranging from 2.0-10.0%. Virus titers among progeny were low, which may indicate a host mechanism suppressing replication.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009273
spellingShingle Nicholas A Bergren
Erin M Borland
Daniel A Hartman
Rebekah C Kading
Laboratory demonstration of the vertical transmission of Rift Valley fever virus by Culex tarsalis mosquitoes.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title Laboratory demonstration of the vertical transmission of Rift Valley fever virus by Culex tarsalis mosquitoes.
title_full Laboratory demonstration of the vertical transmission of Rift Valley fever virus by Culex tarsalis mosquitoes.
title_fullStr Laboratory demonstration of the vertical transmission of Rift Valley fever virus by Culex tarsalis mosquitoes.
title_full_unstemmed Laboratory demonstration of the vertical transmission of Rift Valley fever virus by Culex tarsalis mosquitoes.
title_short Laboratory demonstration of the vertical transmission of Rift Valley fever virus by Culex tarsalis mosquitoes.
title_sort laboratory demonstration of the vertical transmission of rift valley fever virus by culex tarsalis mosquitoes
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009273
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