Direct Evidence of Powassan Virus Vertical Transmission in <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> in Nature
Powassan virus (POWV) is a tick-borne flavivirus endemic in North America and Russia. Experimental infections with POWV have confirmed horizontal, transstadial, vertical, and cofeeding transmission routes for potential virus maintenance. In the field, vertical transmission has never been observed. D...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/3/456 |
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| author | Rachel E. Lange Melissa A. Prusinski Alan P. Dupuis Alexander T. Ciota |
| author_facet | Rachel E. Lange Melissa A. Prusinski Alan P. Dupuis Alexander T. Ciota |
| author_sort | Rachel E. Lange |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Powassan virus (POWV) is a tick-borne flavivirus endemic in North America and Russia. Experimental infections with POWV have confirmed horizontal, transstadial, vertical, and cofeeding transmission routes for potential virus maintenance. In the field, vertical transmission has never been observed. During New York State tick-borne pathogen surveillance, POWV RNA and/or infectious POWV was detected in five pools of questing <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> larvae. Additionally, engorged female <i>I. scapularis</i> adults were collected from hunter-harvested white-tailed deer (<i>Odocoileus virginianus</i>) in a region with relatively high tick infection rates of POWV and allowed to oviposit under laboratory conditions. POWV RNA was detected in three female adult husks and one pool of larvae from a positive female. Infectious virus was isolated from all three RNA-positive females and the single positive larval pool. The detection of RNA and infectious virus in unfed questing larvae from the field and larvae from replete females collected from the primary tick host implicates vertical transmission as a potential mechanism for the maintenance of POWV in <i>I. scapularis</i> in nature, and elucidates the potential epidemiological significance of larval ticks in the transmission of POWV to humans. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:45:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a9518a28f21a457b8b78d7cf9fad29e1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:45:19Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-a9518a28f21a457b8b78d7cf9fad29e12024-03-27T14:07:56ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152024-03-0116345610.3390/v16030456Direct Evidence of Powassan Virus Vertical Transmission in <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> in NatureRachel E. Lange0Melissa A. Prusinski1Alan P. Dupuis2Alexander T. Ciota3Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12144, USAVector Ecology Laboratory, New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Communicable Disease Control, Albany, NY 12237, USADepartment of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12144, USADepartment of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12144, USAPowassan virus (POWV) is a tick-borne flavivirus endemic in North America and Russia. Experimental infections with POWV have confirmed horizontal, transstadial, vertical, and cofeeding transmission routes for potential virus maintenance. In the field, vertical transmission has never been observed. During New York State tick-borne pathogen surveillance, POWV RNA and/or infectious POWV was detected in five pools of questing <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> larvae. Additionally, engorged female <i>I. scapularis</i> adults were collected from hunter-harvested white-tailed deer (<i>Odocoileus virginianus</i>) in a region with relatively high tick infection rates of POWV and allowed to oviposit under laboratory conditions. POWV RNA was detected in three female adult husks and one pool of larvae from a positive female. Infectious virus was isolated from all three RNA-positive females and the single positive larval pool. The detection of RNA and infectious virus in unfed questing larvae from the field and larvae from replete females collected from the primary tick host implicates vertical transmission as a potential mechanism for the maintenance of POWV in <i>I. scapularis</i> in nature, and elucidates the potential epidemiological significance of larval ticks in the transmission of POWV to humans.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/3/456Powassan virusdeer tick virus<i>Ixodes scapularis</i>blacklegged tickarboviruszoonosis |
| spellingShingle | Rachel E. Lange Melissa A. Prusinski Alan P. Dupuis Alexander T. Ciota Direct Evidence of Powassan Virus Vertical Transmission in <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> in Nature Viruses Powassan virus deer tick virus <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> blacklegged tick arbovirus zoonosis |
| title | Direct Evidence of Powassan Virus Vertical Transmission in <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> in Nature |
| title_full | Direct Evidence of Powassan Virus Vertical Transmission in <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> in Nature |
| title_fullStr | Direct Evidence of Powassan Virus Vertical Transmission in <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> in Nature |
| title_full_unstemmed | Direct Evidence of Powassan Virus Vertical Transmission in <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> in Nature |
| title_short | Direct Evidence of Powassan Virus Vertical Transmission in <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> in Nature |
| title_sort | direct evidence of powassan virus vertical transmission in i ixodes scapularis i in nature |
| topic | Powassan virus deer tick virus <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> blacklegged tick arbovirus zoonosis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/3/456 |
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