Developing Wolbachia-based disease interventions for an extreme environment

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying self-spreading, virus-blocking Wolbachia bacteria are being deployed to suppress dengue transmission. However, there are challenges in applying this technology in extreme environments. We introduced two Wolbachia strains into Ae. aegypti from Saudi Arabia for a rele...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PLoS pathogens 2023-01, Vol.19 (1), p.e1011117-e1011117
Main Authors: Ross, Perran A, Elfekih, Samia, Collier, Sophie, Klein, Melissa J, Lee, Su Shyan, Dunn, Michael, Jackson, Sarah, Zhang, Yexin, Axford, Jason K, Gu, Xinyue, Home, Jessica L, Nassar, Majed S, Paradkar, Prasad N, Tawfik, Essam A, Jiggins, Francis M, Almalik, Abdulaziz M, Al-Fageeh, Mohamed B, Hoffmann, Ary A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation
Aedes
Aedes aegypti
Animals
Australia
Bacteria
Biology and Life Sciences
Climate
Climate change
Culicidae
Cytoplasmic incompatibility
Dengue
Dengue fever
Desiccation
Disease
Disease transmission
Earth Sciences
Eggs
Environmental conditions
Extreme Environments
Genotypes
Health aspects
Incompatibility
Infections
Insecticides
Males
Medicine and Health Sciences
Methods
Mosquitoes
Prevention
Public health administration
Saudi Arabia
Strains (organisms)
Thermal stability
Vector-borne diseases
Viruses
Wolbachia
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Summary:Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying self-spreading, virus-blocking Wolbachia bacteria are being deployed to suppress dengue transmission. However, there are challenges in applying this technology in extreme environments. We introduced two Wolbachia strains into Ae. aegypti from Saudi Arabia for a release program in the hot coastal city of Jeddah. Wolbachia reduced infection and dissemination of dengue virus (DENV2) in Saudi Arabian mosquitoes and showed complete maternal transmission and cytoplasmic incompatibility. Wolbachia reduced egg hatch under a range of environmental conditions, with the Wolbachia strains showing differential thermal stability. Wolbachia effects were similar across mosquito genetic backgrounds but we found evidence of local adaptation, with Saudi Arabian mosquitoes having lower egg viability but higher adult desiccation tolerance than Australian mosquitoes. Genetic background effects will influence Wolbachia invasion dynamics, reinforcing the need to use local genotypes for mosquito release programs, particularly in extreme environments like Jeddah. Our comprehensive characterization of Wolbachia strains provides a foundation for Wolbachia-based disease interventions in harsh climates.
ISSN:1553-7374
1553-7366
1553-7374
DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1011117