Field- and clinically derived estimates of Wolbachia-mediated blocking of dengue virus transmission potential in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
Lauren B CarringtonBich Chau Nguyen TranNhat Thanh Hoang LeTai Thi Hue LuongTruong Thanh NguyenPhong Thanh NguyenChau Van Vinh NguyenHuong Thi Cam NguyenTrung Tuan VuLong Thi VoDui Thi LeNhu Tuyet VuGiang Thi NguyenHung Quoc LuuAnh Duc DangTimothy P HurstScott L O'NeillVi Thuy TranDuong Thi Hue KienNguyet Minh NguyenMarcel WolbersBridget WillsCameron P SimmonsPublished in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2017)
The wMel strain of Wolbachia can reduce the permissiveness of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to disseminated arboviral infections. Here, we report that wMel-infected Ae. aegypti (Ho Chi Minh City background), when directly blood-fed on 141 viremic dengue patients, have lower dengue virus (DENV) transmission potential and have a longer extrinsic incubation period than their wild-type counterparts. The wMel-infected mosquitoes that are field-reared have even greater relative resistance to DENV infection when fed on patient-derived viremic blood meals. This is explained by an increased susceptibility of field-reared wild-type mosquitoes to infection than laboratory-reared counterparts. Collectively, these field- and clinically relevant findings support the continued careful field-testing of wMel introgression for the biocontrol of Ae. aegypti-born arboviruses.