A virulent Wolbachia infection decreases the viability of the dengue vector Aedes aegypti during periods of embryonic quiescence

A new approach for dengue control has been proposed that relies on life-shortening strains of the obligate intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis to modify mosquito population age structure and reduce pathogen transmission. Previously we reported the stable transinfection of the major dengue ve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PLoS neglected tropical diseases 2010-07, Vol.4 (7), p.e748-e748
Main Authors: McMeniman, Conor J, O'Neill, Scott L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aedes - microbiology
Aedes aegypti
Animals
Drosophila melanogaster
Drosophila melanogaster - microbiology
Ecology/Environmental Microbiology
Infections
Infectious Diseases/Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases
Infectious Diseases/Neglected Tropical Diseases
Infectious Diseases/Viral Infections
Insects
Mosquitoes
Ovum - microbiology
Population density
Seasons
Survival Analysis
Tropical diseases
Viruses
Wolbachia
Wolbachia - isolation & purification
Wolbachia - pathogenicity
Wolbachia pipientis
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Summary:A new approach for dengue control has been proposed that relies on life-shortening strains of the obligate intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis to modify mosquito population age structure and reduce pathogen transmission. Previously we reported the stable transinfection of the major dengue vector Aedes aegypti with a life-shortening Wolbachia strain (wMelPop-CLA) from the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we report a further characterization of the phenotypic effects of this virulent Wolbachia infection on several life-history traits of Ae. aegypti. Minor costs of wMelPop-CLA infection for pre-imaginal survivorship, development and adult size were found. However, we discovered that the wMelPop-CLA infection dramatically decreased the viability of desiccated Ae. aegypti eggs over time. Similarly, the reproductive fitness of wMelPop-CLA infected Ae. aegypti females declined with age. These results reveal a general pattern associated with wMelPop-CLA induced pathogenesis in this mosquito species, where host fitness costs increase during aging of both immature and adult life-history stages. In addition to influencing the invasion dynamics of this particular Wolbachia strain, we suggest that the negative impact of wMelPop-CLA on embryonic quiescence may have applied utility as a tool to reduce mosquito population size in regions with pronounced dry seasons or in regions that experience cool winters.
ISSN:1935-2735
1935-2727
1935-2735
DOI:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000748