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Journal of Medical Entomology Nov 2023Snowshoe hare virus (SSHV), within the California serogroup of the genus Orthobunyavirus, family Peribunyaviridae, was first isolated from a snowshoe hare (Lepus...
Snowshoe hare virus (SSHV), within the California serogroup of the genus Orthobunyavirus, family Peribunyaviridae, was first isolated from a snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) in Montana, United States, in 1959. The virus, closely related to LaCrosse virus (LACV) and Chatanga virus (CHATV), occurs across Canada and the northern latitudes of the United States, primarily in the northern tier of states bordering Canada. Reports of SSHV in northern Europe and Asia are probably the closely related to CHATV, or the less closely related Tahyna virus. Vertebrate associations include snowshoe hares and ground squirrels, demonstrated by field isolation of virus from wild-caught animals, seroconversion of snowshoe hares, seroconversion of sentinel rabbits, isolation of virus from sentinel rabbits, and experimental infections demonstrating viremia. Isolations of virus from field populations of mosquitoes include primarily univoltine and boreal mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, Culiseta impatiens and Culiseta inornata; and, rarely, certain multivoltine floodwater Aedes species. Experimental transmission studies in mosquitoes show infection in and transmission by boreal Aedes and Culiseta inornata. Isolation of SSHV from larval Aedes on three occasions, and experimentation in Culiseta inornata, reveal transovarial transmission of the virus in mosquitoes. Serosurveys reveal exposure to SSHV in human and domestic animals, with rates of seropositivity commonly high in some settings in Alaska and Canada, but disease in humans or horses has rarely been reported, only in Canada.
Topics: Animals; Rabbits; Humans; Horses; Hares; Mosquito Vectors; Encephalitis Virus, California; Aedes; Animals, Wild; Sciuridae
PubMed: 37862052
DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad128 -
Emerging Microbes & Infections Dec 2024Mosquito-borne viral infections are on the rise worldwide and can lead to severe symptoms such as haemorrhage, encephalitis, arthritis or microcephaly. A protective... (Review)
Review
Mosquito-borne viral infections are on the rise worldwide and can lead to severe symptoms such as haemorrhage, encephalitis, arthritis or microcephaly. A protective immune response following mosquito-borne viral infections requires the generation of a controlled and balanced immune response leading to viral clearance without immunopathology. Here, regulatory T cells play a central role in restoring immune homeostasis. In current review, we aim to provide an overview and summary of the phenotypes of FOXP3 Tregs in various mosquito-borne arboviral disease, their association with disease severity and their functional characteristics. Furthermore, we discuss the role of cytokines and Tregs in the immunopathogenesis of mosquito-borne infections. Lastly, we discuss possible novel lines of research which could provide additional insight into the role of Tregs in mosquito-borne viral infections in order to develop novel therapeutic approaches or vaccination strategies.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Culicidae; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Virus Diseases; Encephalitis; Microcephaly; Arboviruses; Mosquito Vectors; Arbovirus Infections
PubMed: 38192073
DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2024.2304061 -
The Lancet. Infectious Diseases Dec 2023Simian malaria from wild non-human primate populations is increasingly recognised as a public health threat and is now the main cause of human malaria in Malaysia and... (Review)
Review
Simian malaria from wild non-human primate populations is increasingly recognised as a public health threat and is now the main cause of human malaria in Malaysia and some regions of Brazil. In 2022, Malaysia became the first country not to achieve malaria elimination due to zoonotic simian malaria. We review the global distribution and drivers of simian malaria and identify priorities for diagnosis, treatment, surveillance, and control. Environmental change is driving closer interactions between humans and wildlife, with malaria parasites from non-human primates spilling over into human populations and human malaria parasites spilling back into wild non-human primate populations. These complex transmission cycles require new molecular and epidemiological approaches to track parasite spread. Current methods of malaria control are ineffective, with wildlife reservoirs and primarily outdoor-biting mosquito vectors urgently requiring the development of novel control strategies. Without these, simian malaria has the potential to undermine malaria elimination globally.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Malaria; Primates; Animals, Wild; Mosquito Vectors; Brazil
PubMed: 37454671
DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00298-0 -
The CRISPR Journal Dec 2023Escalating vector disease burdens pose significant global health risks, as such innovative tools for targeting mosquitoes are critical. CRISPR-Cas technologies have...
Escalating vector disease burdens pose significant global health risks, as such innovative tools for targeting mosquitoes are critical. CRISPR-Cas technologies have played a crucial role in developing powerful tools for genome manipulation in various eukaryotic organisms. Although considerable efforts have focused on utilizing class II type II CRISPR-Cas9 systems for DNA targeting, these modalities are unable to target RNA molecules, limiting their utility against RNA viruses. Recently, the Cas13 family has emerged as an efficient tool for RNA targeting; however, the application of this technique in mosquitoes, particularly , has yet to be fully realized. In this study, we engineered an antiviral strategy termed REAPER (vRNA Expression Activates Poisonous Effector Ribonuclease) that leverages the programmable RNA-targeting capabilities of CRISPR-Cas13 and its potent collateral activity. REAPER remains concealed within the mosquito until an infectious blood meal is uptaken. Upon target viral RNA infection, REAPER activates, triggering programmed destruction of its target arbovirus such as chikungunya. Consequently, Cas13-mediated RNA targeting significantly reduces viral replication and viral prevalence of infection, and its promiscuous collateral activity can even kill infected mosquitoes within a few days. This innovative REAPER technology adds to an arsenal of effective molecular genetic tools to combat mosquito virus transmission.
Topics: Animals; Culicidae; CRISPR-Cas Systems; Gene Editing; Mosquito Vectors; RNA, Viral; Antiviral Agents
PubMed: 38108518
DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2023.0056 -
Annual Review of Entomology Jan 2024Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites, transmitted by , , , and in China. In 2021, the disease was eliminated in China after more than 70 years of... (Review)
Review
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites, transmitted by , , , and in China. In 2021, the disease was eliminated in China after more than 70 years of efforts implementing an integrated mosquito management strategy. This strategy comprised indoor residual spray, insecticide-treated bed nets, irrigation management, and rice-fish coculture based on an understanding of taxonomic status and ecological behaviors of vector species, in conjunction with mass drug administration and promotion of public education. However, China still faces postelimination challenges, including the importation of approximately 2,000-4,000 cases of malaria into the country each year, as well as widespread resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in ; these challenges require long-term vector surveillance to understand the distribution, population density, and development of resistance in vector mosquitoes to prevent local epidemics caused by imported malaria cases.
Topics: Animals; Malaria; Anopheles; Insecticides; Mosquito Vectors; China; Biology; Insecticide Resistance; Mosquito Control
PubMed: 38270986
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-021323-085255 -
Journal of Infection and Public Health Jul 2023Dengue virus (DENV) has caused about 12 large outbreaks in Pakistan, resulting in 286,262 morbidities and 1108 deaths. The most affected province is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa...
UNLABELLED
Dengue virus (DENV) has caused about 12 large outbreaks in Pakistan, resulting in 286,262 morbidities and 1108 deaths. The most affected province is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). This study was conducted to determine the average DENV prevalence in different areas of the Haripur endemic district of KP and the causing factors of DENV.
METHODS
This work was a cross-sectional study that was performed in the DENV endemic district Haripur. A total of 761 individuals were included in this study. The data were categorized according to sex, age and symptoms (like fever, body aches, bleeding, and skin rash). For data analysis, SPSS 23 version was applied. ArcGIS version 10.8 was used to map the study area.
RESULTS
In this study, there were 716 confirmed cases of DENV fever, including 421 males (58.8%) and 295 females (41.2%). The most affected age range, 16-30 years, reported by 301 (42.0%), was followed by 31-45 years, 184 (25.7%), above 46 years, 132 (18.4%), and 0-15 years, 99 (13.8%). The positive IgG cases were 581(81.0%). Those whose age ranges from 1 to 15 years 82 (8.7%) cases, 16-30 years 244 (34.1%), 31-45 years 156 (21.8%), above 46-year age 99 (13.8%) cases. In addition, this suggests that those between the ages of 16 and 30 are at the highest risk for DENV infection. However, this might be the fact that individuals in this age range are more likely to be out in the environment, making them more vulnerable to the virus.
CONCLUSION
Over the past ten years, DENV fever has become increasingly prevalent in Pakistan. The risk is substantially higher for males. Dengue outbreaks hit those between the ages of 16 and 30 the hardest. The proper monitoring and assessment of DENV are necessary for prevention and controlling the disease. Disease surveillance includes identification and molecular characterization of infected persons and monitoring mosquito populations in high-risk locations for the purpose of vector surveillance. In order to assess the community's willingness to participate in DENV preventive efforts, behavioral impact surveillance is also necessary.
Topics: Male; Female; Animals; Humans; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Infant; Child, Preschool; Child; Aged, 80 and over; Dengue Virus; Dengue; Prevalence; Pakistan; Cross-Sectional Studies; Mosquito Vectors; Disease Outbreaks; Fever
PubMed: 37244095
DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2023.04.021 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Dengue has had a significant global health impact, with a dramatic increase in incidence over the past 50 years, affecting more than 100 countries. The absence of a...
Dengue has had a significant global health impact, with a dramatic increase in incidence over the past 50 years, affecting more than 100 countries. The absence of a specific treatment or widely applicable vaccine emphasizes the urgent need for innovative strategies. This perspective reevaluates current evidence supporting the concept of dual protection against the dengue virus (DENV) through natural antibodies (NAbs), particularly anti-α-Gal antibodies induced by the host's gut microbiome (GM). These anti-α-Gal antibodies serve a dual purpose. Firstly, they can directly identify DENV, as mosquito-derived viral particles have been observed to carry α-Gal, thereby providing a safeguard against human infections. Secondly, they possess the potential to impede virus development in the vector by interacting with the vector's microbiome and triggering infection-refractory states. The intricate interplay between human GM and NAbs on one side and DENV and vector microbiome on the other suggests a novel approach, using NAbs to directly target DENV and simultaneously disrupt vector microbiome to decrease pathogen transmission and vector competence, thereby blocking DENV transmission cycles.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Dengue; Dengue Virus; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Mosquito Vectors; Microbiota
PubMed: 38558802
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1368599 -
Parasites & Vectors Feb 2024Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal in the word, transmitting a variety of insect-borne infectious diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and Zika,... (Review)
Review
Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal in the word, transmitting a variety of insect-borne infectious diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and Zika, causing more deaths than any other vector-borne pathogen. Moreover, in the absence of effective drugs and vaccines to prevent and treat insect-borne diseases, mosquito control is particularly important as the primary measure. In recent decades, due to the gradual increase in mosquito resistance, increasing attention has fallen on the mechanisms and effects associated with pathogen infection. This review provides an overview of mosquito innate immune mechanisms in terms of physical and physiological barriers, pattern recognition receptors, signalling pathways, and cellular and humoral immunity, as well as the antipathogenic effects of mosquito symbiotic bacteria. This review contributes to an in-depth understanding of the interaction process between mosquitoes and pathogens and provides a theoretical basis for biological defence strategies against mosquito-borne infectious diseases.
Topics: Animals; Mosquito Vectors; Malaria; Zika Virus Infection; Zika Virus; Immune System; Bacteria; Communicable Diseases
PubMed: 38368353
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06161-4 -
Cell Host & Microbe Sep 2023Malaria remains one of the most devastating infectious diseases. Reverse genetic screens offer a powerful approach to identify genes and molecular processes governing...
Malaria remains one of the most devastating infectious diseases. Reverse genetic screens offer a powerful approach to identify genes and molecular processes governing malaria parasite biology. However, the complex regulation of gene expression and genotype-phenotype associations in the mosquito vector, along with sexual reproduction, have hindered the development of screens in this critical part of the parasite life cycle. To address this, we developed a genetic approach in the rodent parasite Plasmodium berghei that, in combination with barcode sequencing, circumvents the fertilization roadblock and enables screening for gametocyte-expressed genes required for parasite infection of the mosquito Anopheles coluzzii. Our results confirm previous findings, validating our approach for scaling up, and identify genes necessary for mosquito midgut infection, oocyst development, and salivary gland infection. These findings can aid efforts to study malaria transmission biology and to develop interventions for controlling disease transmission.
Topics: Animals; Sporozoites; Mosquito Vectors; Plasmodium berghei; Anopheles
PubMed: 37708854
DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.08.010 -
Euro Surveillance : Bulletin Europeen... Sep 2023In August 2023, six locally acquired dengue virus 1 infections were detected in Lodi province, Lombardy Region, in northern Italy, where the vector is present. Four...
In August 2023, six locally acquired dengue virus 1 infections were detected in Lodi province, Lombardy Region, in northern Italy, where the vector is present. Four cases were hospitalised, none died. The viruses clustered with Peruvian and Brazilian strains collected between 2021 and 2023. This preliminary report highlights the importance of continued integrated surveillance of imported vector-borne virus infections and the potential for tropical disease outbreaks in highly populated regions of northern Italy where competent vectors are present.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Mosquito Vectors; Aedes; Communicable Diseases, Imported; Disease Outbreaks; Italy; Dengue
PubMed: 37707980
DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.37.2300471