The invasive Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus found in the Netherlands can experimentally transmit Zika virus and Usutu virus

Sandra R. Abbo; Tessa M. Visser; Haidong Wang; Giel P. Göertz; Jelke J. Fros; Marleen H.C. Abma-henkens; Corinne Geertsema; Chantal B.F. Vogels; Marion P.G. Koopmans; Chantal B.E.M. Reusken; Sonja Hall-Mendelin; Roy A. Hall; Monique M. Van Oers; C.J.M. Koenraadt; Gorben P. Pijlman

doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0008217

The invasive Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus found in the Netherlands can experimentally transmit Zika virus and Usutu virus

Sandra R. Abbo, Tessa M. Visser, Haidong Wang, Giel P. Göertz, Jelke J. Fros, Marleen H.C. Abma-henkens, Corinne Geertsema, Chantal B.F. Vogels, Marion P.G. Koopmans, Chantal B.E.M. Reusken, Sonja Hall-Mendelin, Roy A. Hall, Monique M. Van Oers, C.J.M. Koenraadt, Gorben P. Pijlman^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

32 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background - The Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus is invading Europe and was first discovered in Lelystad, the Netherlands in 2013, where it has established a permanent population. In this study, we investigated the vector competence of Ae. japonicus from the Netherlands for the emerging Zika virus (ZIKV) and zoonotic Usutu virus (USUV). ZIKV causes severe congenital microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome in humans. USUV is closely related to West Nile virus, has recently spread throughout Europe and is causing mass mortality of birds. USUV infection in humans can result in clinical manifestations ranging from mild disease to severe neurological impairments.
Methodology/Principal findings - In our study, field-collected Ae. japonicus females received an infectious blood meal with ZIKV or USUV by droplet feeding. After 14 days at 28°C, 3% of the ZIKV-blood fed mosquitoes and 13% of the USUV-blood fed mosquitoes showed virus-positive saliva, indicating that Ae. japonicus can transmit both viruses. To investigate the effect of the mosquito midgut barrier on virus transmission, female mosquitoes were intrathoracically injected with ZIKV or USUV. Of the injected mosquitoes, 96% (ZIKV) and 88% (USUV) showed virus-positive saliva after 14 days at 28°C. This indicates that ZIKV and USUV can efficiently replicate in Ae. japonicus but that a strong midgut barrier is normally restricting virus dissemination. Small RNA deep sequencing of orally infected mosquitoes confirmed active replication of ZIKV and USUV, as demonstrated by potent small interfering RNA responses against both viruses. Additionally, de novo small RNA assembly revealed the presence of a novel narnavirus in Ae. japonicus.
Conclusions/Significance - Given that Ae. japonicus can experimentally transmit arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) like ZIKV and USUV and is currently expanding its territories, we should consider this mosquito as a potential vector for arboviral diseases in Europe

Original language	English
Article number	e0008217
Number of pages	22
Journal	PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Volume	14
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008217
Publication status	Published - 13 Apr 2020

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1371/journal.pntd.0008217Licence: CC BY

https://edepot.wur.nl/521720Licence: CC BY

Small RNA sequencing of ZIKV/USUV-infected Aedes japonicus mosquitoes
Abbo, S. R. (Creator), Visser, T. M. (Creator), Wang, H. (Creator), Göertz, G. P. (Creator), Fros, J. J. (Creator), Abma-henkens, M. H. C. (Creator), Geertsema, C. (Creator), Vogels, C. B. F. (Creator), Koopmans, M. P. G. (Creator), Reusken, C. B. E. M. (Creator), Hall-Mendelin, S. (Creator), Hall, R. A. (Creator), Van Oers, M. M. (Creator), Koenraadt, C. J. M. (Creator) & Pijlman, G. P. (Creator), Wageningen University & Research, 28 May 2019
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/545039
Dataset

ZIKAlliance: A global alliance for Zika virus control and prevention
1/10/16 → 30/09/21
Project: EU research project

Cite this

Abbo, S. R., Visser, T. M., Wang, H., Göertz, G. P., Fros, J. J., Abma-henkens, M. H. C., Geertsema, C., Vogels, C. B. F., Koopmans, M. P. G., Reusken, C. B. E. M., Hall-Mendelin, S., Hall, R. A., Van Oers, M. M., Koenraadt, C. J. M., & Pijlman, G. P. (2020). The invasive Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus found in the Netherlands can experimentally transmit Zika virus and Usutu virus. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 14(4), Article e0008217. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008217

@article{0bf4beb44b4e4f4e83b65cd5bc4363c1,

title = "The invasive Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus found in the Netherlands can experimentally transmit Zika virus and Usutu virus",

abstract = "Background - The Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus is invading Europe and was first discovered in Lelystad, the Netherlands in 2013, where it has established a permanent population. In this study, we investigated the vector competence of Ae. japonicus from the Netherlands for the emerging Zika virus (ZIKV) and zoonotic Usutu virus (USUV). ZIKV causes severe congenital microcephaly and Guillain-Barr{\'e} syndrome in humans. USUV is closely related to West Nile virus, has recently spread throughout Europe and is causing mass mortality of birds. USUV infection in humans can result in clinical manifestations ranging from mild disease to severe neurological impairments.Methodology/Principal findings - In our study, field-collected Ae. japonicus females received an infectious blood meal with ZIKV or USUV by droplet feeding. After 14 days at 28°C, 3% of the ZIKV-blood fed mosquitoes and 13% of the USUV-blood fed mosquitoes showed virus-positive saliva, indicating that Ae. japonicus can transmit both viruses. To investigate the effect of the mosquito midgut barrier on virus transmission, female mosquitoes were intrathoracically injected with ZIKV or USUV. Of the injected mosquitoes, 96% (ZIKV) and 88% (USUV) showed virus-positive saliva after 14 days at 28°C. This indicates that ZIKV and USUV can efficiently replicate in Ae. japonicus but that a strong midgut barrier is normally restricting virus dissemination. Small RNA deep sequencing of orally infected mosquitoes confirmed active replication of ZIKV and USUV, as demonstrated by potent small interfering RNA responses against both viruses. Additionally, de novo small RNA assembly revealed the presence of a novel narnavirus in Ae. japonicus.Conclusions/Significance - Given that Ae. japonicus can experimentally transmit arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) like ZIKV and USUV and is currently expanding its territories, we should consider this mosquito as a potential vector for arboviral diseases in Europe",

author = "Abbo, {Sandra R.} and Visser, {Tessa M.} and Haidong Wang and G{\"o}ertz, {Giel P.} and Fros, {Jelke J.} and Abma-henkens, {Marleen H.C.} and Corinne Geertsema and Vogels, {Chantal B.F.} and Koopmans, {Marion P.G.} and Reusken, {Chantal B.E.M.} and Sonja Hall-Mendelin and Hall, {Roy A.} and {Van Oers}, {Monique M.} and C.J.M. Koenraadt and Pijlman, {Gorben P.}",

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doi = "10.1371/journal.pntd.0008217",

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volume = "14",

journal = "PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases",

issn = "1935-2727",

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Abbo, SR, Visser, TM, Wang, H, Göertz, GP, Fros, JJ , Abma-henkens, MHC , Geertsema, C, Vogels, CBF, Koopmans, MPG, Reusken, CBEM, Hall-Mendelin, S, Hall, RA, Van Oers, MM , Koenraadt, CJM & Pijlman, GP 2020, 'The invasive Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus found in the Netherlands can experimentally transmit Zika virus and Usutu virus', PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 14, no. 4, e0008217. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008217

TY - JOUR

T1 - The invasive Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus found in the Netherlands can experimentally transmit Zika virus and Usutu virus

AU - Abbo, Sandra R.

AU - Visser, Tessa M.

AU - Wang, Haidong

AU - Göertz, Giel P.

AU - Fros, Jelke J.

AU - Abma-henkens, Marleen H.C.

AU - Geertsema, Corinne

AU - Vogels, Chantal B.F.

AU - Koopmans, Marion P.G.

AU - Reusken, Chantal B.E.M.

AU - Hall-Mendelin, Sonja

AU - Hall, Roy A.

AU - Van Oers, Monique M.

AU - Koenraadt, C.J.M.

AU - Pijlman, Gorben P.

PY - 2020/4/13

Y1 - 2020/4/13

N2 - Background - The Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus is invading Europe and was first discovered in Lelystad, the Netherlands in 2013, where it has established a permanent population. In this study, we investigated the vector competence of Ae. japonicus from the Netherlands for the emerging Zika virus (ZIKV) and zoonotic Usutu virus (USUV). ZIKV causes severe congenital microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome in humans. USUV is closely related to West Nile virus, has recently spread throughout Europe and is causing mass mortality of birds. USUV infection in humans can result in clinical manifestations ranging from mild disease to severe neurological impairments.Methodology/Principal findings - In our study, field-collected Ae. japonicus females received an infectious blood meal with ZIKV or USUV by droplet feeding. After 14 days at 28°C, 3% of the ZIKV-blood fed mosquitoes and 13% of the USUV-blood fed mosquitoes showed virus-positive saliva, indicating that Ae. japonicus can transmit both viruses. To investigate the effect of the mosquito midgut barrier on virus transmission, female mosquitoes were intrathoracically injected with ZIKV or USUV. Of the injected mosquitoes, 96% (ZIKV) and 88% (USUV) showed virus-positive saliva after 14 days at 28°C. This indicates that ZIKV and USUV can efficiently replicate in Ae. japonicus but that a strong midgut barrier is normally restricting virus dissemination. Small RNA deep sequencing of orally infected mosquitoes confirmed active replication of ZIKV and USUV, as demonstrated by potent small interfering RNA responses against both viruses. Additionally, de novo small RNA assembly revealed the presence of a novel narnavirus in Ae. japonicus.Conclusions/Significance - Given that Ae. japonicus can experimentally transmit arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) like ZIKV and USUV and is currently expanding its territories, we should consider this mosquito as a potential vector for arboviral diseases in Europe

AB - Background - The Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus is invading Europe and was first discovered in Lelystad, the Netherlands in 2013, where it has established a permanent population. In this study, we investigated the vector competence of Ae. japonicus from the Netherlands for the emerging Zika virus (ZIKV) and zoonotic Usutu virus (USUV). ZIKV causes severe congenital microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome in humans. USUV is closely related to West Nile virus, has recently spread throughout Europe and is causing mass mortality of birds. USUV infection in humans can result in clinical manifestations ranging from mild disease to severe neurological impairments.Methodology/Principal findings - In our study, field-collected Ae. japonicus females received an infectious blood meal with ZIKV or USUV by droplet feeding. After 14 days at 28°C, 3% of the ZIKV-blood fed mosquitoes and 13% of the USUV-blood fed mosquitoes showed virus-positive saliva, indicating that Ae. japonicus can transmit both viruses. To investigate the effect of the mosquito midgut barrier on virus transmission, female mosquitoes were intrathoracically injected with ZIKV or USUV. Of the injected mosquitoes, 96% (ZIKV) and 88% (USUV) showed virus-positive saliva after 14 days at 28°C. This indicates that ZIKV and USUV can efficiently replicate in Ae. japonicus but that a strong midgut barrier is normally restricting virus dissemination. Small RNA deep sequencing of orally infected mosquitoes confirmed active replication of ZIKV and USUV, as demonstrated by potent small interfering RNA responses against both viruses. Additionally, de novo small RNA assembly revealed the presence of a novel narnavirus in Ae. japonicus.Conclusions/Significance - Given that Ae. japonicus can experimentally transmit arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) like ZIKV and USUV and is currently expanding its territories, we should consider this mosquito as a potential vector for arboviral diseases in Europe

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008217

DO - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008217

M3 - Article

SN - 1935-2727

VL - 14

JO - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases

JF - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases

IS - 4

M1 - e0008217

ER -

The invasive Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus found in the Netherlands can experimentally transmit Zika virus and Usutu virus

Abstract

UN SDGs

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Datasets

Small RNA sequencing of ZIKV/USUV-infected Aedes japonicus mosquitoes

Projects

ZIKAlliance: A global alliance for Zika virus control and prevention

Cite this