In the Western Hemisphere, Zika virus is thought to be transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. To determine the extent to which Ae. albopictus mosquitoes from the United States are capable of transmitting Zika virus and the influence of virus dose, virus strain, and mosquito species on vector competence, we evaluated multiple doses of representative Zika virus strains in Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. Virus preparation (fresh vs. frozen) significantly affected virus infectivity in mosquitoes. We calculated 50% infectious doses to be 6.1–7.5 log10 PFU/mL; minimum infective dose was 4.2 log10 PFU/mL. Ae. albopictus mosquitoes were more susceptible to infection than Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, but transmission efficiency was higher for Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, indicating a transmission barrier in Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. Results suggest that, although Zika virus transmission is relatively inefficient overall and dependent on virus strain and mosquito species, Ae. albopictus mosquitoes could become major vectors in the Americas.
COVID-19 is associated with a wide spectrum of disease presentation, ranging from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Paradoxically, a direct relationship has been suggested between COVID-19 disease severity and the levels of circulating SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, including virus neutralizing titers. A serological analysis of 536 convalescent healthcare workers reveal that SARS-CoV-2-specific and virus-neutralizing antibody levels are elevated in individuals that experience severe disease. The severity-associated increase in SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody is dominated by IgG, with an IgG subclass ratio skewed towards elevated receptor binding domain (RBD)- and S1-specific IgG3. In addition, individuals that experience severe disease show elevated SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody binding to the inflammatory receptor FcɣRIIIa. Based on these correlational studies, we propose that Spike-specific IgG subclass utilization may contribute to COVID-19 disease severity through potent Fc-mediated effector functions. These results may have significant implications for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine design and convalescent plasma therapy.
To determine the potential role of vertical transmission in Zika virus expansion, we evaluated larval pools of perorally infected Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus adult female mosquitoes; ≈1/84 larvae tested were Zika virus–positive; and rates varied among mosquito populations. Thus, vertical transmission may play a role in Zika virus spread and maintenance.
Mosquito-borne viruses are predominantly RNA viruses which exist within hosts as diverse mutant swarms. Defining the way in which stochastic forces within mosquito vectors shape these swarms is critical to advancing our understanding of the evolutionary and adaptive potential of these pathogens. There are multiple barriers within a mosquito which a viral swarm must traverse in order to ultimately be transmitted. Here, using artificial mutant swarms composed of neutral variants of West Nile virus (WNV), we tracked changes to swarm breadth over time and space in Culex pipiens mosquitoes. Our results demonstrate that all variants have the potential to survive intrahost bottlenecks, yet mean swarm breadth decreases during both midgut infection and transmission when starting populations contain higher levels of minority variants. In addition, WNV swarms are subject to temporal sweeps which act to significantly decrease intrahost diversity over time. Taken together, these data demonstrate the profound effects that stochastic forces can have in shaping arboviral mutant swarms.
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