Journal
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
Volume 58, Issue 3, Pages 1442-1447Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC
DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjaa280
Keywords
Ascogregarina culicis; dengue virus; Aedes aegypti; vector competence; wing length
Categories
Funding
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The study did not find a significant impact of A. culicis infection on both mosquito size and fitness, as well as the susceptibility to dengue virus infection in Ae. aegypti. However, shorter wings were associated with a higher dengue virus infection rate, indicating a potential relationship between wing length and virus susceptibility.
Dengue virus infection, transmitted via mosquito bites, poses a substantial risk to global public health. Studies suggest that the mosquito's microbial community can profoundly influence vector-borne pathogen transmissions, including dengue virus. Ascogregarina culicis (Ross) of the phylum Apicomplexa is among the most common parasites of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus), the principal vector of dengue. Despite a high prevalence worldwide, including in the areas where dengue is endemic, the impact of A. culicis on Ae. aegypti vector competence for dengue virus is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of A. culicis infection on mosquito size and fitness, as measured by wing length, and the susceptibility to dengue virus infection in Ae. aegypti. Our results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in wing lengths between Ae. aegypti infected and not infected with A. culicis. Furthermore, A. culicis infection did not significantly affect dengue virus infection or disseminated infection rate. However, there was a significant association between shorter wings and higher dengue virus infection rate, whereby a 0.1-mm increase in wing length decreased the odds of the mosquito being infected by 32%. Thus, based on our result, A. culicis infection does not influence the body size and dengue virus infection in Ae. aegypti. This study helps to shed light on a common but neglected eukaryotic mosquito parasite.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available