Controlling Dengue Spread (Research)

Research predicts stability of mosquitoborne disease prevention

Image credit: Bigstock

Problem

Can biocontrol interventions be deployed effectively to slow the spread of vectorborne diseases?

More than half of the world's population lives alongside Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that transmits dengue, Zika, and other often deadly viruses.
A naturally occurring bacteria, Wolbachia, has demonstrated an ability to control the spread of disease, but researchers are concerned that the mosquito could evolve a resistance to the beneﬁcial bacteria.

Findings

A team of international researchers based at Penn State investigated the stability of Wolbachia-induced virus blocking, suggesting that this beneﬁt could be sustained over time.

Impact

This research reveals a possible mechanism for the blocking trait in that the newly discovered genes alter the virus's ability to enter cells, replicate within them, and then exit. By deﬁning this mechanism and understanding how selection might act upon it, scientists will be better able to predict the efﬁcacy of Wolbachia as a biocontrol agent.

Research Area: Integrated Health Solutions

Research Credit

Team

Elizabeth McGraw, Suzanne Ford, Johanna Ohm, Leah Sigle, Aswathy Sebastian, Istvan Albert, Scott Allen, Stephen Chenoweth

Participating Departments

Entomology

Partners

University of Queensland

Competitive Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia

Federal and State Appropriations

USDA NIFA Hatch Project PEN04608, Accession #1010032

Emerging Discoveries

Research predicts stability of mosquito-borne disease prevention

August 26, 2019

More than half of people in the world, including in the United States, live alongside Aedes aegypti — the mosquito that transmits dengue, Zika and other often deadly viruses. Dengue virus, alone, infects nearly 400 million people worldwide each year. To reduce transmission of dengue to humans, scientists have introduced Wolbachia bacteria to A. aegypti mosquitoes. Now a team of international researchers has found that Wolbachia’s ability to block virus transmission may be maintained by natural selection, alleviating concern that this benefit could diminish over time.

Global warming may limit spread of dengue fever, new research finds

July 22, 2021

Infection with dengue virus makes mosquitoes more sensitive to warmer temperatures, according to new research led by Penn State researchers. The team also found that infection with the bacterium Wolbachia, which has recently been used to control viral infections in mosquitoes, also increases the thermal sensitivity of the insects.