Bacterial diversity of field-caught mosquitoes, Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti, from different geographic regions of Madagascar.

peer reviewedSymbiotic bacteria are known to play important roles in the biology of insects, but the current knowledge of bacterial communities associated with mosquitoes is very limited and consequently their contribution to host behaviors is mostly unknown. In this study, we explored the composition and diversity of mosquito-associated bacteria in relation with mosquitoes’ habitats. Wild Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti were collected in three different geographic regions of Madagascar. Culturing methods and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequencing of the rrs amplicons revealed that Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were the major phyla. Isolated bacterial genera were dominated by Bacillus, followed by Acinetobacter, Agrobacterium and Enterobacter. Common DGGE bands belonged to Acinetobacter, Asaia, Delftia, Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae and an uncultured Gammaproteobacterium. Double infection by maternally inherited Wolbachia pipientis prevailed in 98% of males (n = 272) and 99% of females (n = 413); few individuals were found to be monoinfected withWolbachia wAlbB strain. Bacterial diversity (Shannon–Weaver and Simpson indices) differed significantly per habitat whereas evenness (Pielou index) was similar. Overall, the bacterial composition and diversity were influenced both by the sex of individuals and by the environment inhabited by the mosquitoes; the latter might be related to both the vegetation and the animal host populations that Aedes used as food sources.‘Arthropod Symbioses: from fundamental to pest disease management’

Biogeography of the two major arbovirus mosquito vectors, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera, Culicidae), in Madagascar

Background: In the past ten years, the Indian Ocean region has been the theatre of severe epidemics of chikungunya and dengue. These outbreaks coincided with a high increase in populations of Aedes albopictus that outcompete its sister taxon Aedes aegypti in most islands sampled. The objective of this work was to update the entomological survey of the two Aedes species in the island of Madagascar which has to face these arboviroses. Methods: The sampling of Aedes mosquitoes was conducted during two years, from October 2007 to October 2009, in fifteen localities from eight regions of contrasting climates. Captured adults were identified immediately whereas immature stages were bred until adult stage for determination. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using two mtDNA genes, COI and ND5 and trees were constructed by the maximum likelihood (ML) method with the gene time reversible (GTR) model. Experimental infections with the chikungunya virus strain 06.21 at a titer of 107.5 pfu/mL were performed to evaluate the vector competence of field-collected mosquitoes. Disseminated infection rates were measured fourteen days after infection by immunofluorescence assay performed on head squashes. Results: The species Aedes aegypti was detected in only six sites in native forests and natural reserves. In contrast, the species Aedes albopictus was found in 13 out of the 15 sites sampled. Breeding sites were mostly found inman-made environments such as discarded containers, used tires, abandoned buckets, coconuts, and bamboo cuts. Linear regression models showed that the abundance of Ae. albopictus was significantly influenced by the sampling region (F = 62.00, p < 2.2 × 10-16) and period (F = 36.22, p = 2.548 × 10-13), that are associated with ecological and climate variations. Phylogenetic analysis of the invasive Ae. albopictus distinguished haplotypes from South Asia and South America from those of Madagascar, but the markers used were not discriminant enough to discern Malagasy populations. The experimental oral infection method showed that six Ae. albopictus populations exhibited high dissemination infection rates for chikungunya virus ranging from 98 to 100%. Conclusion: In Madagascar, Ae. albopictus has extended its geographical distribution whereas, Ae. aegypti has become rare, contrasting with what was previously observed. Changes are predominantly driven by human activities and the rainfall regime that provide suitable breeding sites for the highly anthropophilic mosquito Ae. albopictus. Moreover, these populations were found to be highly susceptible to chikungunya virus. In the light of this study, Ae. albopictus may have been involved in the recent outbreaks of chikungunya and dengue epidemics in Madagascar, and consequently, control measures should be promoted to limit its current expansion.Rôle des moustiques Culicidae, de leurs communautés microbiennes et des réservoirs vertébrés, dans la transmission des arbovirus à Madagasca

Multipartites interactions between symbiotic community, pathogens and vectors : vectorial system of endosymbiotic bacteria – chikungunya virus – mosquitoes

Aedes albopictus et Aedes aegypti sont des moustiques vecteurs d’arbovirus tels que le virus de la dengue et le virus du chikungunya. En plus des virus transmis, les moustiques hébergent également des bactéries dont certaines affectent la biologie des hôtes. Par exemple, la bactérie Wolbachia infecte naturellement Aedes albopictus. Comme chez la plupart des insectes, cette bactérie est un parasite qui manipule la reproduction du moustique et peut également interagir avec certains pathogènes, modifiant ainsi la transmission du pathogène par le moustique hôte. Hors Wolbachia, peu d’études ont été consacrées à l’étude des populations bactériennes hébergées par les moustiques du genre Aedes et aux interactions entre ces populations bactériennes et les arbovirus transmis. Dans ce contexte, le travail de cette thèse a consisté à caractériser la diversité des communautés bactériennes des moustiques du genre Aedes et à explorer l’interférence possible entre le compartiment bactérien et le virus chikungunya. L’utilisation de techniques telles que les isolements bactériens, l’amplification par PCR, la DGGE et l’hybridation in situ ont permis de détecter et localiser certaines bactéries présentes chez des populations naturelles et de laboratoires d’Aedes. Ces populations appartiennent aux Alpha, Beta et Gammaprotéobactéries ainsi qu’aux Firmicutes. L’étude de la dynamique des communautés bactériennes symbiotiques et de l’infection par le virus chikungunya chez Aedes albopictus par PCR quantitative et puces taxonomiques a révélé l’existence d’interactions entre les différents partenaires de ce système vectorielAedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti transmit a large number of arboviruses, including dengue and chikungunya. In addition to viruses, mosquitoes harbour other symbionts that are able to affect its biology. For instance, the bacterium Wolbachia infects naturally Aedes albopictus. As for many insects, this bacterium is an obligate parasite that manipulates the host reproduction and can also interact with pathogens, modifying the transmission of the pathogens by the mosquitoes. Except Wolbachia, little is known about the bacteria associated with Aedes mosquitoes. First, we detected and localized bacteria in field-caught and laboratory populations of Aedes, using culture and non-culture methods including PCR, DGGE and in situ hybridization. The bacterial populations belonged to Alpha, Beta and Gammaproteobacteria as well as to Firmicutes. Then, the effects of chikungunya infection on Wolbachia and total bacterial community were measured using quantitative PCR and taxonomic microarrays. Results showed interactions between the different partners in this vectorial syste

Insect–pathogen interactions: contribution of viral adaptation to the emergence of vector-borne diseases, the example of chikungunya.

International audienceThe emergence or re-emergence of vector borne diseases represents a major public health problem. In general, therapeutic or prophylactic treatments along with vaccines are missing or inefficient, emphasizing the need for increased control of vector populations. Understanding the interactions of human pathogens with their insect vectors will aid us in our understanding of viral emergence and the dynamics of these events. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus that typically causes incapacitating arthralgia, rash, and fever. It is mainly transmitted by Aedes aegypti and secondarily by Aedes albopictus. Since its emergence in 2004, CHIKV has continued to spread globally due in large part to an enhanced transmission of the virus by the vector Ae. albopictus. Ae. albopictus-adaptive mutations modulated by epistatic interactions have modified CHIKV transmission and thus the global spread and dynamics of this disease

Nouvelle répartition géographique des espèces Aedes albopictus et Aedes aegypti (Diptères, Culicidae, Aedinae) à Madagascar

Depuis 2006, Madagascar et les îles avoisinantes de l’Océan Indien ont été victimes d’épidémies sévères de dengue et de chikungunya. Les moustiques Aedes albopictus et Aedes aegypti, vecteurs majeurs de ces arboviroses, sont présents à Madagascar et en particulier dans les régions d’émergence épidémique. En vue d’actualiser les données entomologiques, des campagnes de capture d’adultes et de récoltes de larves ont été menées dans 8 régions sélectionnées selon différents niveaux d’anthropisation. Nos résultats ont démontré des changements importants dans la répartition de ces deux espèces vectrices à Madagascar.Rôle des moustiques Culicidae, de leurs communautés microbiennes et des réservoirs vertébrés, dans la transmission des arbovirus à Madagasca

Wolbachia modulates Chikungunya replication in Aedes albopictus.

International audienceAbstract The Aedes albopictus mosquito has been involved as the principal vector of recent major outbreaks due to the chikungunya virus (CHIKV). The species is naturally infected by two strains of Wolbachia (wAlbA and wAlbB). Wolbachia infections are thought to have spread by manipulating the reproduction of their hosts; cytoplasmic incompatibility is the mechanism used by Wolbachia to invade natural populations of many insects including Ae. albopictus. Here, we report a study on the effects of removing Wolbachia from Ae. albopictus on CHIKV replication and examine the consequences of CHIKV infection on some life-history traits (survival and reproduction) of Wolbachia-free Ae. albopictus. We found that Wolbachia-free mosquitoes maintained a highly heterogeneous CHIKV replication compared to Wolbachia-infected individuals. In Wolbachia-infected Ae. albopictus, the regular increase of CHIKV followed by a steady viral load from day 4 post-infection onwards was concomitant with a decline in Wolbachia density. This profile was also detected when examining the two key organs for viral transmission, the midgut and the salivary glands. Moreover, Wolbachia-free Ae. albopictus was not altered in life-history traits such as survival, oviposition and hatching characteristics whether infected or not with CHIKV. We found that Wolbachia is not essential for viral replication, its presence could lead to optimize replication from day 4 post-infection onwards, coinciding with a decrease in Wolbachia density. Wolbachia may regulate viral replication in Ae. albopictus, with consequences on survival and reproduction

Data from: Chikungunya virus impacts the diversity of symbiotic bacteria in mosquito vector

Mosquitoes transmit numerous arboviruses including dengue and chikungunya virus (CHIKV). In recent years, mosquito species Aedes albopictus has expanded in the Indian Ocean region and was the principal vector of chikungunya outbreaks in La Reunion and neighbouring islands in 2005 and 2006. Vector-associated bacteria have recently been found to interact with transmitted pathogens. For instance, Wolbachia modulates the replication of viruses or parasites. However there has been no systematic evaluation of the diversity of the entire bacterial populations within mosquito individuals particularly in relation to virus invasion. Here, we investigated the effect of CHIKV infection on the whole bacterial community of Ae. albopictus. Taxonomic microarrays and quantitative PCR showed that members of Alpha-, and Gamma-proteobacteria phyla, as well as Bacteroidetes, responded to CHIKV infection. The abundance of bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family increased with CHIKV infection whereas the abundance of known insect endosymbionts like Wolbachia and Blattabacterium decreased. Our results clearly link pathogen propagation with changes in the dynamics of the bacterial community suggesting that cooperation or competition occurs within the host, which may in turn affects mosquito traits like vector competence

Detection of dengue group viruses by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

International audienceUNLABELLED: ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) represent a global challenge in public health. It is estimated that 50 to 100 million infections occur each year causing approximately 20,000 deaths that are usually linked to severe cases like DHF and dengue shock syndrome. The causative agent of DF is dengue virus (genus Flavivirus) that comprises four distinct serotypes (DENV-1 to DENV-4). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has been used successfully to detect pathogenic agents, but has not been implemented in detecting DENV. To improve our understanding of DENV infection and dissemination in host tissues, we designed specific probes to detect DENV in FISH assays. METHODS: Oligonucleotide probes were designed to hybridize with RNA from the broadest range of DENV isolates belonging to the four serotypes, but not to the closest Flavivirus genomes. Three probes that fit the criteria defined for FISH experiments were selected, targeting both coding and non-coding regions of the DENV genome. These probes were tested in FISH assays against the dengue vector Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae). The FISH experiments were led in vitro using the C6/36 cell line, and in vivo against dissected salivary glands, with epifluorescence and confocal microscopy. RESULTS: The three 60-nt oligonucleotides probes DENV-Probe A, B and C cover a broad range of DENV isolates from the four serotypes. When the three probes were used together, specific fluorescent signals were observed in C6/36 infected with each DENV serotypes. No signal was detected in either cells infected with close Flavivirus members West Nile virus or yellow fever virus. The same protocol was used on salivary glands of Ae. albopictus fed with a DENV-2 infectious blood-meal which showed positive signals in the lateral lobes of infected samples, with no significant signal in uninfected mosquitoes. CONCLUSION: Based on the FISH technique, we propose a way to design and use oligonucleotide probes to detect arboviruses. Results showed that this method was successfully implemented to specifically detect DENV in a mosquito cell line, as well as in mosquito salivary glands for the DENV-2 serotype. In addition, we emphasize that FISH could be an alternative method to detect arboviruses in host tissues, also offering to circumvent the discontinuity of antibodies used in immunofluorescent assays