10.6084/M9.FIGSHARE.13378574.V1
Haidong Wang
Haidong
Wang
University of Washington
Sandra R. Abbo
Sandra R.
Abbo
Tessa M. Visser
Tessa M.
Visser
Marcel Westenberg
Marcel
Westenberg
Corinne Geertsema
Corinne
Geertsema
Jelke J. Fros
Jelke J.
Fros
Constantianus J. M. Koenraadt
Constantianus J. M.
Koenraadt
Wageningen University & Research
Gorben P. Pijlman
Gorben P.
Pijlman
Wageningen University & Research
Competition between Usutu virus and West Nile virus during simultaneous and sequential infection of <i>Culex pipiens</i> mosquitoes
<p>Usutu virus (USUV) and West Nile virus (WNV) are closely related mosquito-borne flaviviruses that are mainly transmitted between bird hosts by vector mosquitoes. Infections in humans are incidental but can cause severe disease. USUV is endemic in large parts of Europe, while WNV mainly circulates in Southern Europe. In recent years, WNV is also frequently detected in Northern Europe, thereby expanding the area where both viruses co-circulate. However, it remains unclear how USUV may affect the future spread of WNV and the likelihood of human co-infection. Here we investigated whether co-infections with both viruses in cell lines and their primary mosquito vector, <i>Culex pipiens</i>, affect virus replication and transmission dynamics. We show that USUV is outcompeted by WNV in mammalian, avian and mosquito cells during co-infection. Mosquitoes that were exposed to both viruses simultaneously via infectious blood meal displayed significantly reduced USUV transmission compared to mosquitoes that were only exposed to USUV (from 15% to 3%), while the infection and transmission of WNV was unaffected. In contrast, when mosquitoes were pre-infected with USUV via infectious blood meal, WNV transmission was significantly reduced (from 44% to 17%). Injection experiments established the involvement of the midgut in the observed USUV-mediated WNV inhibition. The competition between USUV and WNV during co-infection clearly indicates that the chance of concurrent USUV and WNV transmission via a single mosquito bite is low. The competitive relation between USUV and WNV may impact virus transmission dynamics in the field and affect the epidemiology of WNV in Europe.</p>
Medicine
Microbiology
Biotechnology
Ecology
69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
111714 Mental Health
110309 Infectious Diseases
60506 Virology
Computational Biology
Taylor & Francis
2020
2020-12-15
2023-01-20
Journal contribution
764302 Bytes
10.1080/22221751.2020.1854623
10.6084/m9.figshare.13378574
CC BY 4.0