Abstract

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, is the main cause of viral encephalitis in Asia. However, with changing climate JEV has the potential to emerge in novel temperate regions. Here, we have assessed the vector competence of the temperate mosquito Culex pipiens f. pipiens to vector JEV genotype III at temperatures representative of those experienced, or predicted in the future during the summer months, in the United Kingdom. Our results show that Cx. pipiens is susceptible to JEV infection at both temperatures. In addition, at 25 °C, JEV disseminated from the midgut and was recovered in saliva samples, indicating the potential for transmission. At a lower temperature, 20 °C, following an incubation period of fourteen days, there were reduced levels of JEV dissemination and virus was not detected in saliva samples. The virus present in the bodies of these mosquitoes was restricted to the posterior midgut as determined by microscopy and viable virus was successfully recovered. Apart from the influence on virus dissemination, mosquito mortality was significantly increased at the higher temperature. Overall, our results suggest that temperature is a critical factor for JEV vector competence and infected-mosquito survival. This may in turn influence the vectorial capacity of Cx. pipiens to vector JEV genotype III in temperate areas.

Details

Title
Temperate conditions restrict Japanese encephalitis virus infection to the mid-gut and prevents systemic dissemination in Culex pipiens mosquitoes
Author
Folly, Arran J. 1 ; Dorey-Robinson, Daniel 2 ; Hernández-Triana, Luis M. 1 ; Ackroyd, Stuart 3 ; Vidana, Beatriz 4 ; Lean, Fabian Z. X. 3 ; Hicks, Daniel 3 ; Nuñez, Alejandro 3 ; Johnson, Nicholas 5 

 Animal and Plant Health Agency, Arbovirus Research Team, Virology Department, Addlestone, UK (GRID:grid.422685.f) (ISNI:0000 0004 1765 422X) 
 Animal and Plant Health Agency, Arbovirus Research Team, Virology Department, Addlestone, UK (GRID:grid.422685.f) (ISNI:0000 0004 1765 422X); Pirbright Institute, Woking, UK (GRID:grid.63622.33) (ISNI:0000 0004 0388 7540) 
 Animal and Plant Health Agency, Pathology Department, Addlestone, UK (GRID:grid.422685.f) (ISNI:0000 0004 1765 422X) 
 Animal and Plant Health Agency, Pathology Department, Addlestone, UK (GRID:grid.422685.f) (ISNI:0000 0004 1765 422X); University of Bristol, Bristol Veterinary School, Langford, UK (GRID:grid.5337.2) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 7603) 
 Animal and Plant Health Agency, Arbovirus Research Team, Virology Department, Addlestone, UK (GRID:grid.422685.f) (ISNI:0000 0004 1765 422X); University of Surrey, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Guildford, UK (GRID:grid.5475.3) (ISNI:0000 0004 0407 4824) 
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2705579652
Copyright
© Crown 2021. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.