Cellular co-infections of West Nile virus and Usutu virus influence virus growth kinetics

The mosquito-borne flaviviruses West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) pose a significant threat to the health of humans and animals. Both viruses co-circulate in numerous European countries including Germany. Due to their overlapping host and vector ranges, there is a high risk of co-infectio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Virology journal 2023-10, Vol.20 (1), p.1-234, Article 234
Main Authors: Körsten, Christin, Reemtsma, Hannah, Ziegler, Ute, Fischer, Susanne, Tews, Birke A, Groschup, Martin H, Silaghi, Cornelia, Vasic, Ana, Holicki, Cora M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Birds
Brief Report
Care and treatment
Cell lines
Cells
Co-infection
Comorbidity
Complications and side effects
Diagnosis
Epidemiology
Flaviviruses
Generalized linear models
In-vitro
Infection
Infections
Medical research
Medicine, Experimental
Methods
Mosquitoes
Nervous system diseases
Prevention
Risk factors
Strains (organisms)
Usutu virus
Variance analysis
Vectors
Viral interference
Viruses
West Nile fever
West Nile virus
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Summary:The mosquito-borne flaviviruses West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) pose a significant threat to the health of humans and animals. Both viruses co-circulate in numerous European countries including Germany. Due to their overlapping host and vector ranges, there is a high risk of co-infections. However, it is largely unknown if WNV and USUV interact and how this might influence their epidemiology. Therefore, in-vitro infection experiments in mammalian (Vero B4), goose (GN-R) and mosquito cell lines (C6/36, CT) were performed to investigate potential effects of co-infections in vectors and vertebrate hosts. The growth kinetics of German and other European WNV and USUV strains were determined and compared. Subsequently, simultaneous co-infections were performed with selected WNV and USUV strains. The results show that the growth of USUV was suppressed by WNV in all cell lines. This effect was independent of the virus lineage but depended on the set WNV titre. The replication of WNV also decreased in co-infection scenarios on vertebrate cells. Overall, co-infections might lead to a decreased growth of USUV in mosquitoes and of both viruses in vertebrate hosts. These interactions can strongly affect the epidemiology of USUV and WNV in areas where they co-circulate.
ISSN:1743-422X
1743-422X
DOI:10.1186/s12985-023-02206-9