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Viruses
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Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control
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Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2021) | Viewed by 33208

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Bas B. Oude Munnink

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Guest Editor
Viroscience Department, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Interests: virus evolution; molecular virology; next-generation sequencing; arboviruses
Prof. Dr. Marietjie Venter

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Guest Editor
Zoonotic Arbo- and Respiratory Virus Program, Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0031, South Africa
Interests: zoonotic arbo and respiratory viruses, specifically west nile virus and other mosquito borne viruses; respiratory syncytial viruses; influenza and emerging respiratory viruses including COVID19 with a focus on One Health surveillance; molecular epidemiology, diagnostics, and immuno pathogenesis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Luisa Barzon

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Guest Editor
Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy
Interests: surveillance, diagnosis, and pathogenesis of emerging vector-borne viral infections; pathogenesis, diagnosis, and prevention of human papillomavirus-related diseases; investigation of virus–host interactions; development of patient-specific models of human susceptibility to viral infections; application of innovative molecular methods in infectious disease diagnosis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Due to climate change, urbanization, changes in land use, and changes in human and animal demography, arboviruses have been emerging and re-emerging during the last few decades, as can be seen from the ongoing Usutu Virus and West Nile Virus outbreak in Europe and the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil. Other arboviruses are also currently circulating in different parts of the world, such as Chikungunya Virus, Rift Valley Fever Virus, African Swine Fever Virus, Japanese Encephalitis Virus, and Yellow Fever Virus. In this Special Issue, we would like to address the molecular biology, evolution, and control of emerging arboviruses. These emerging arboviruses include viruses of human importance as well as viruses of veterinary importance.

Dr. B. B. Oude Munnink
Prof. Dr. Marietjie Venter
Prof. Dr. Luisa Barzon
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Arboviruses
  • epidemiology
  • emergence and evolution
  • zoonoses
  • molecular biology
  • virus evolution
  • phylodynamics
  • phylogeographics

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 2480 KiB  
Article
Embryonic and Neonatal Mouse Cochleae Are Susceptible to Zika Virus Infection
by Vidhya Munnamalai, Nabilah H. Sammudin, Caryl A. Young, Ankita Thawani, Richard J. Kuhn and Donna M. Fekete
Viruses 2021, 13(9), 1823; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/v13091823 - 14 Sep 2021
Viewed by 2053
Abstract
Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) is caused by vertical transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) to the gestating human fetus. A subset of CZS microcephalic infants present with reduced otoacoustic emissions; this test screens for hearing loss originating in the cochlea. This observation leads to [...] Read more.
Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) is caused by vertical transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) to the gestating human fetus. A subset of CZS microcephalic infants present with reduced otoacoustic emissions; this test screens for hearing loss originating in the cochlea. This observation leads to the question of whether mammalian cochlear tissues are susceptible to infection by ZIKV during development. To address this question using a mouse model, the sensory cochlea was explanted at proliferative, newly post-mitotic or maturing stages. ZIKV was added for the first 24 h and organs cultured for up to 6 days to allow for cell differentiation. Results showed that ZIKV can robustly infect proliferating sensory progenitors, as well as post-mitotic hair cells and supporting cells. Virus neutralization using ZIKV-117 antibody blocked cochlear infection. AXL is a cell surface molecule known to enhance the attachment of flavivirus to host cells. While Axl mRNA is widely expressed in embryonic cochlear tissues susceptible to ZIKV infection, it is selectively downregulated in the post-mitotic sensory organ by E15.5, even though these cells remain infectible. These findings may offer insights into which target cells could potentially contribute to hearing loss resulting from fetal exposure to ZIKV in humans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control)
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22 pages, 7206 KiB  
Article
Large-Scale International Validation of an Indirect ELISA Based on Recombinant Nucleocapsid Protein of Rift Valley Fever Virus for the Detection of IgG Antibody in Domestic Ruminants
by Janusz T. Pawęska, Petrus Jansen van Vuren, Veerle Msimang, Modu Moustapha Lô, Yaya Thiongane, Leopold K. Mulumba-Mfumu, Alqadasi Mansoor, José M. Fafetine, Joseph W. Magona, Hiver Boussini, Barbara Bażanow, William C. Wilson, Michel Pepin, Hermann Unger and Gerrit Viljoen
Viruses 2021, 13(8), 1651; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/v13081651 - 19 Aug 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2532
Abstract
Diagnostic performance of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA) based on a recombinant nucleocapsid protein (rNP) of the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) was validated for the detection of the IgG antibody in sheep (n = 3367), goat (n = 2632), [...] Read more.
Diagnostic performance of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA) based on a recombinant nucleocapsid protein (rNP) of the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) was validated for the detection of the IgG antibody in sheep (n = 3367), goat (n = 2632), and cattle (n = 3819) sera. Validation data sets were dichotomized according to the results of a virus neutralization test in sera obtained from RVF-endemic (Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Senegal, Uganda, and Yemen) and RVF-free countries (France, Poland, and the USA). Cut-off values were defined using the two-graph receiver operating characteristic analysis. Estimates of the diagnostic specificity of the RVFV rNP I-ELISA in animals from RVF-endemic countries ranged from 98.6% (cattle) to 99.5% (sheep) while in those originating from RVF-free countries, they ranged from 97.7% (sheep) to 98.1% (goats). Estimates of the diagnostic sensitivity in ruminants from RVF-endemic countries ranged from 90.7% (cattle) to 100% (goats). The results of this large-scale international validation study demonstrate the high diagnostic accuracy of the RVFV rNP I-ELISA. Standard incubation and inactivation procedures evaluated did not have an adverse effect on the detectable levels of the anti-RVFV IgG in ruminant sera and thus, together with recombinant antigen-based I-ELISA, provide a simple, safe, and robust diagnostic platform that can be automated and carried out outside expensive bio-containment facilities. These advantages are particularly important for less-resourced countries where there is a need to accelerate and improve RVF surveillance and research on epidemiology as well as to advance disease control measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control)
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13 pages, 4208 KiB  
Article
Cross-Reaction or Co-Infection? Serological Discrimination of Antibodies Directed against Dugbe and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Orthonairovirus in Nigerian Cattle
by Julia Hartlaub, Oluwafemi B. Daodu, Balal Sadeghi, Markus Keller, James Olopade, Daniel Oluwayelu and Martin H. Groschup
Viruses 2021, 13(7), 1398; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/v13071398 - 19 Jul 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2663
Abstract
Dugbe orthonairovirus (DUGV) and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever orthonairovirus (CCHFV) are tick-borne arboviruses within the order Bunyavirales. Both viruses are endemic in several African countries and can induce mild (DUGV, BSL 3) or fatal (CCHFV, BSL 4) disease in humans. Ruminants play a [...] Read more.
Dugbe orthonairovirus (DUGV) and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever orthonairovirus (CCHFV) are tick-borne arboviruses within the order Bunyavirales. Both viruses are endemic in several African countries and can induce mild (DUGV, BSL 3) or fatal (CCHFV, BSL 4) disease in humans. Ruminants play a major role in their natural transmission cycle. Therefore, they are considered as suitable indicator animals for serological monitoring studies to assess the risk for human infections. Although both viruses do not actually belong to the same serogroup, cross-reactivities have already been reported earlier—hence, the correct serological discrimination of DUGV and CCHFV antibodies is crucial. In this study, 300 Nigerian cattle sera (150 CCHFV seropositive and seronegative samples, respectively) were screened for DUGV antibodies via N protein-based ELISA, indirect immunofluorescence (iIFA) and neutralization assays. Whereas no correlation between the CCHFV antibody status and DUGV seroprevalence data could be demonstrated with a newly established DUGV ELISA, significant cross-reactivities were observed in an immunofluorescence assay. Moreover, DUGV seropositive samples did also cross-react in a species-adapted commercial CCHFV iIFA. Therefore, ELISAs seem to be able to reliably differentiate between DUGV and CCHFV antibodies and should preferentially be used for monitoring studies. Positive iIFA results should always be confirmed by ELISAs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control)
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15 pages, 4271 KiB  
Article
Epidemiology of Shuni Virus in Horses in South Africa
by Thopisang P. Motlou, June Williams and Marietjie Venter
Viruses 2021, 13(5), 937; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/v13050937 - 19 May 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2938
Abstract
The Orthobunyavirus genus, family Peribunyaviridae, contains several important emerging and re-emerging arboviruses of veterinary and medical importance. These viruses may cause mild febrile illness, to severe encephalitis, fetal deformity, abortion, hemorrhagic fever and death in humans and/or animals. Shuni virus (SHUV) is [...] Read more.
The Orthobunyavirus genus, family Peribunyaviridae, contains several important emerging and re-emerging arboviruses of veterinary and medical importance. These viruses may cause mild febrile illness, to severe encephalitis, fetal deformity, abortion, hemorrhagic fever and death in humans and/or animals. Shuni virus (SHUV) is a zoonotic arbovirus thought to be transmitted by hematophagous arthropods. It was previously reported in a child in Nigeria in 1966 and horses in Southern Africa in the 1970s and again in 2009, and in humans with neurological signs in 2017. Here we investigated the epidemiology and phylogenetic relationship of SHUV strains detected in horses presenting with febrile and neurological signs in South Africa. In total, 24/1820 (1.3%) horses submitted to the zoonotic arbovirus surveillance program tested positive by real-time reverse transcription (RTPCR) between 2009 and 2019. Cases were detected in all provinces with most occurring in Gauteng (9/24, 37.5%). Neurological signs occurred in 21/24 (87.5%) with a fatality rate of 45.8%. Partial sequencing of the nucleocapsid gene clustered the identified strains with SHUV strains previously identified in South Africa (SA). Full genome sequencing of a neurological case detected in 2016 showed 97.8% similarity to the SHUV SA strain (SAE18/09) and 97.5% with the Nigerian strain and 97.1% to the 2014 Israeli strain. Our findings suggest that SHUV is circulating annually in SA and despite it being relatively rare, it causes severe neurological disease and death in horses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control)
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19 pages, 1682 KiB  
Article
Profile of Small RNAs, vDNA Forms and Viral Integrations in Late Chikungunya Virus Infection of Aedes albopictus Mosquitoes
by Michele Marconcini, Elisa Pischedda, Vincent Houé, Umberto Palatini, Nabor Lozada-Chávez, Davide Sogliani, Anna-Bella Failloux and Mariangela Bonizzoni
Viruses 2021, 13(4), 553; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/v13040553 - 25 Mar 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3061
Abstract
The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is contributing to the (re)-emergence of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). To gain insights into the molecular underpinning of viral persistence, which renders a mosquito a life-long vector, we coupled small RNA and whole genome sequencing approaches on carcasses [...] Read more.
The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is contributing to the (re)-emergence of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). To gain insights into the molecular underpinning of viral persistence, which renders a mosquito a life-long vector, we coupled small RNA and whole genome sequencing approaches on carcasses and ovaries of mosquitoes sampled 14 days post CHIKV infection and investigated the profile of small RNAs and the presence of vDNA fragments. Since Aedes genomes harbor nonretroviral Endogenous Viral Elements (nrEVEs) which confers tolerance to cognate viral infections in ovaries, we also tested whether nrEVEs are formed after CHIKV infection. We show that while small interfering (si)RNAs are evenly distributed along the full viral genome, PIWI-interacting (pi)RNAs mostly arise from a ~1000 bp window, from which a unique vDNA fragment is identified. CHIKV infection does not result in the formation of new nrEVEs, but piRNAs derived from existing nrEVEs correlate with differential expression of an endogenous transcript. These results demonstrate that all three RNAi pathways contribute to the homeostasis during the late stage of CHIKV infection, but in different ways, ranging from directly targeting the viral sequence to regulating the expression of mosquito transcripts and expand the role of nrEVEs beyond immunity against cognate viruses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control)
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8 pages, 774 KiB  
Communication
Genome Sequence Analysis of First Ross River Virus Isolate from Papua New Guinea Indicates Long-Term, Local Evolution
by Alice Michie, John S. Mackenzie, David W. Smith and Allison Imrie
Viruses 2021, 13(3), 482; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/v13030482 - 15 Mar 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1868
Abstract
Ross River virus (RRV) is the most medically significant mosquito-borne virus of Australia, in terms of human morbidity. RRV cases, characterised by febrile illness and potentially persistent arthralgia, have been reported from all Australian states and territories. RRV was the cause of a [...] Read more.
Ross River virus (RRV) is the most medically significant mosquito-borne virus of Australia, in terms of human morbidity. RRV cases, characterised by febrile illness and potentially persistent arthralgia, have been reported from all Australian states and territories. RRV was the cause of a large-scale epidemic of multiple Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) from 1979 to 1980, involving at least 50,000 cases. Historical evidence of RRV seropositivity beyond Australia, in populations of Papua New Guinea (PNG), Indonesia and the Solomon Islands, has been documented. We describe the genomic characterisation and timescale analysis of the first isolate of RRV to be sampled from PNG to date. Our analysis indicates that RRV has evolved locally within PNG, independent of Australian lineages, over an approximate 40 year period. The mean time to most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of the unique PNG clade coincides with the initiation of the PICTs epidemic in mid-1979. This may indicate that an ancestral variant of the PNG clade was seeded into the region during the epidemic, a period of high RRV transmission. Further epidemiological and molecular-based surveillance is required in PNG to better understand the molecular epidemiology of RRV in the general Australasian region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control)
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12 pages, 1770 KiB  
Article
Epidemiology and Genomic Analysis of Equine Encephalosis Virus Detected in Horses with Clinical Signs in South Africa, 2010–2017
by Jumari Snyman, Otto Koekemoer, Antoinette van Schalkwyk, Petrus Jansen van Vuren, Louwtjie Snyman, June Williams and Marietjie Venter
Viruses 2021, 13(3), 398; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/v13030398 - 02 Mar 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2111
Abstract
Equine encephalosis virus (EEV) is a neglected virus endemic to South Africa and is considered to generally result in mild disease in equines. Specimens were analyzed from live horses that presented with undefined neurological, febrile, or respiratory signs, or sudden and unexpected death. [...] Read more.
Equine encephalosis virus (EEV) is a neglected virus endemic to South Africa and is considered to generally result in mild disease in equines. Specimens were analyzed from live horses that presented with undefined neurological, febrile, or respiratory signs, or sudden and unexpected death. Between 2010 and 2017, 111 of 1523 (7.3%) horse samples tested positive for EEV using a nested real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Clinical signs were reported in 106 (7.2%) EEV positive and 1360 negative horses and included pyrexia (77/106, 72.6%), icterus (20/106, 18.9%) and dyspnea (12/106, 11.3%). Neurological signs were inversely associated with EEV infection (OR < 1, p < 0.05) relative to EEV negative cases despite a high percentage of animals presenting with neurological abnormalities (51/106, 48.1%). Seventeen of the EEV positive horses also had coinfections with either West Nile (5/106, 4.7%), Middelburg (4/106, 3.8%) or African Horse sickness virus (8/106, 7.6%). To investigate a possible genetic link between EEV strains causing the observed clinical signs in horses, the full genomes of six isolates were compared to the reference strains. Based on the outer capsid protein (VP2), serotype 1 and 4 were identified as the predominant serotypes with widespread reassortment between the seven different serotypes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control)
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Review

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17 pages, 1569 KiB  
Review
African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV): Biology, Genomics and Genotypes Circulating in Sub-Saharan Africa
by Emma P. Njau, Eunice M. Machuka, Sarah Cleaveland, Gabriel M. Shirima, Lughano J. Kusiluka, Edward A. Okoth and Roger Pelle
Viruses 2021, 13(11), 2285; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/v13112285 - 15 Nov 2021
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 5005
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF) is a highly infectious and fatal haemorrhagic disease of pigs that is caused by a complex DNA virus of the genus Asfivirus and Asfarviridae African suids family. The disease is among the most devastating pig diseases worldwide including Africa. [...] Read more.
African swine fever (ASF) is a highly infectious and fatal haemorrhagic disease of pigs that is caused by a complex DNA virus of the genus Asfivirus and Asfarviridae African suids family. The disease is among the most devastating pig diseases worldwide including Africa. Although the disease was first reported in the 19th century, it has continued to spread in Africa and other parts of the world. Globally, the rising demand for pork and concomitant increase in transboundary movements of pigs and pork products is likely to increase the risk of transmission and spread of ASF and pose a major challenge to the pig industry. Different genotypes of the ASF virus (ASFV) with varying virulence have been associated with different outbreaks in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and worldwide, and understanding genotype circulation will be important for ASF prevention and control strategies. ASFV genotypes unique to Africa have also been reported in SSA. This review briefly recounts the biology, genomics and genotyping of ASFV and provides an account of the different genotypes circulating in SSA. The review also highlights prevention, control and progress on vaccine development and identifies gaps in knowledge of ASFV genotype circulation in SSA that need to be addressed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control)
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25 pages, 3697 KiB  
Review
Mother-to-Child Transmission of Arboviruses during Breastfeeding: From Epidemiology to Cellular Mechanisms
by Sophie Desgraupes, Mathieu Hubert, Antoine Gessain, Pierre-Emmanuel Ceccaldi and Aurore Vidy
Viruses 2021, 13(7), 1312; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/v13071312 - 07 Jul 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4091
Abstract
Most viruses use several entry sites and modes of transmission to infect their host (parenteral, sexual, respiratory, oro-fecal, transplacental, transcutaneous, etc.). Some of them are known to be essentially transmitted via arthropod bites (mosquitoes, ticks, phlebotomes, sandflies, etc.), and are thus named arthropod-borne [...] Read more.
Most viruses use several entry sites and modes of transmission to infect their host (parenteral, sexual, respiratory, oro-fecal, transplacental, transcutaneous, etc.). Some of them are known to be essentially transmitted via arthropod bites (mosquitoes, ticks, phlebotomes, sandflies, etc.), and are thus named arthropod-borne viruses, or arboviruses. During the last decades, several arboviruses have emerged or re-emerged in different countries in the form of notable outbreaks, resulting in a growing interest from scientific and medical communities as well as an increase in epidemiological studies. These studies have highlighted the existence of other modes of transmission. Among them, mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) during breastfeeding was highlighted for the vaccine strain of yellow fever virus (YFV) and Zika virus (ZIKV), and suggested for other arboviruses such as Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), dengue virus (DENV), and West Nile virus (WNV). In this review, we summarize all epidemiological and clinical clues that suggest the existence of breastfeeding as a neglected route for MTCT of arboviruses and we decipher some of the mechanisms that chronologically occur during MTCT via breastfeeding by focusing on ZIKV transmission process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control)
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Other

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12 pages, 1123 KiB  
Brief Report
Detection of Insect-Specific Flaviviruses in Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Northeastern Regions of South Africa
by Milehna M. Guarido, Kamini Govender, Megan A. Riddin, Maarten Schrama, Erin E. Gorsich, Basil D. Brooke, Antonio Paulo Gouveia Almeida and Marietjie Venter
Viruses 2021, 13(11), 2148; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/v13112148 - 25 Oct 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2377
Abstract
Mosquitoes in the Aedes and Culex genera are considered the main vectors of pathogenic flaviviruses worldwide. Entomological surveillance using universal flavivirus sets of primers in mosquitoes can detect not only pathogenic viruses but also insect-specific ones. It is hypothesized that insect-specific flaviviruses, which [...] Read more.
Mosquitoes in the Aedes and Culex genera are considered the main vectors of pathogenic flaviviruses worldwide. Entomological surveillance using universal flavivirus sets of primers in mosquitoes can detect not only pathogenic viruses but also insect-specific ones. It is hypothesized that insect-specific flaviviruses, which naturally infect these mosquitoes, may influence their vector competence for zoonotic arboviruses. Here, entomological surveillance was performed between January 2014 and May 2018 in five different provinces in the northeastern parts of South Africa, with the aim of identifying circulating flaviviruses. Mosquitoes were sampled using different carbon dioxide trap types. Overall, 64,603 adult mosquitoes were collected, which were screened by RT-PCR and sequencing. In total, 17 pools were found positive for insect-specific Flaviviruses in the mosquito genera Aedes (12/17, 70.59%) and Anopheles (5/17, 29.41%). No insect-specific viruses were detected in Culex species. Cell-fusing agent viruses were detected in Aedes aegypti and Aedes caballus. A range of anopheline mosquitoes, including Anopheles coustani, An. squamosus and An. maculipalpis, were positive for Culex flavivirus-like and Anopheles flaviviruses. These results confirm the presence of insect-specific flaviviruses in mosquito populations in South Africa, expands their geographical range and indicates potential mosquito species as vector species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control)
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7 pages, 4284 KiB  
Brief Report
Detection of Rift Valley Fever Virus RNA in Formalin-Fixed Mosquitoes by In Situ Hybridization (RNAscope®)
by Sarah Lumley, Laura Hunter, Kirsty Emery, Roger Hewson, Anthony R. Fooks, Daniel L. Horton and Nicholas Johnson
Viruses 2021, 13(6), 1079; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/v13061079 - 05 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2698
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) causes a zoonotic mosquito-borne haemorrhagic disease that emerges to produce rapid large-scale outbreaks in livestock within sub-Saharan Africa. A range of mosquito species in Africa have been shown to transmit RVFV, and recent studies have assessed whether temperate [...] Read more.
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) causes a zoonotic mosquito-borne haemorrhagic disease that emerges to produce rapid large-scale outbreaks in livestock within sub-Saharan Africa. A range of mosquito species in Africa have been shown to transmit RVFV, and recent studies have assessed whether temperate mosquito species are also capable of transmission. In order to support vector competence studies, the ability to visualize virus localization in mosquito cells and tissue would enhance the understanding of the infection process within the mosquito body. Here, the application of in situ hybridization utilizing RNAscope® to detect RVFV infection within the mosquito species, Culex pipiens, derived from the United Kingdom was demonstrated. Extensive RVFV replication was detected in many tissues of the mosquito with the notable exception of the interior of ovarian follicles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arboviruses: Molecular Biology, Evolution and Control)
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