Detection of Francisella tularensis in Alaskan Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) and Assessment of a Laboratory Model for Transmission

Triebenbach, Alison N.; Vogl, Sigrid J.; Lotspeich-Cole, Leda; Sikes, Derek S.; Happ, George M.; Hueffer, Karsten

doi:10.1093/jmedent/47.4.639

Cited by 26 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 24 publications

(19 reference statements)

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“…Considering recent reports of a high diversity of Francisella in environmental samples [9, 30–32], these results indicate a restriction of Francisella diversity through persistence in mosquitoes. In line with this, F. novicida has been shown not to be transstadially maintained during mosquito development [33]. This suggests selectivity associated with the pathogenic F. tularensis subsp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Francisella tularensis Subspecies holarctica Occurs in Swedish Mosquitoes, Persists Through the Developmental Stages of Laboratory-Infected Mosquitoes and Is Transmissible During Blood Feeding

et al. 2013

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In Sweden, mosquitoes are considered the major vectors of the bacterium Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica, which causes tularaemia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether mosquitoes acquire the bacterium as aquatic larvae and transmit the disease as adults. Mosquitoes sampled in a Swedish area where tularaemia is endemic (Örebro) were positive for the presence of F. tularensis deoxyribonucleic acid throughout the summer. Presence of the clinically relevant F. tularensis subsp. holarctica was confirmed in 11 out of the 14 mosquito species sampled. Experiments performed using laboratory-reared Aedes aegypti confirmed that F. tularensis subsp. holarctica was transstadially maintained from orally infected larvae to adult mosquitoes and that 25 % of the adults exposed as larvae were positive for the presence of F. tularensis-specific sequences for at least 2 weeks. In addition, we found that F. tularensis subsp. holarctica was transmitted to 58 % of the adult mosquitoes feeding on diseased mice. In a small-scale in vivo transmission experiment with F. tularensis subsp. holarctica-positive adult mosquitoes and susceptible mice, none of the animals developed tularaemia. However, we confirmed that there was transmission of the bacterium to blood vials by mosquitoes that had been exposed to the bacterium in the larval stage. Taken together, these results provide evidence that mosquitoes play a role in disease transmission in part of Sweden where tularaemia recurs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Francisella tularensis Subspecies holarctica Occurs in Swedish Mosquitoes, Persists Through the Developmental Stages of Laboratory-Infected Mosquitoes and Is Transmissible During Blood Feeding

et al. 2013

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“…In a laboratory setting, F. tularensis is consistently recovered from deer flies for up to 5 days, but no longer than 14 days (Petersen et al, 2009). Similar to deer flies, the mosquito is not believed to support multiplication of F. tularensis (Triebenbach et al, 2010). A recent study indicated that Francisella DNA was detected in 30% of >2,500 mosquitoes captured in Alaska (Triebenbach et al, 2010).…”

Section: Pathophysiology Of Infection With F Tularensismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similar to deer flies, the mosquito is not believed to support multiplication of F. tularensis (Triebenbach et al, 2010). A recent study indicated that Francisella DNA was detected in 30% of >2,500 mosquitoes captured in Alaska (Triebenbach et al, 2010). However, F. tularensis was not transstadially transmitted in mosquitoes tested.…”

Section: Pathophysiology Of Infection With F Tularensismentioning

confidence: 99%

Francisella–Arthropod Vector Interaction and its Role in Patho-Adaptation to Infect Mammals

Akimana

Kwaik

2011

Front. Microbio.

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Francisella tularensis is a Gram-negative, intracellular, zoonotic bacterium, and is the causative agent of tularemia with a broad host range. Arthropods such as ticks, mosquitoes, and flies maintain F. tularensis in nature by transmitting the bacteria among small mammals. While the tick is largely believed to be a biological vector of F. tularensis, transmission by mosquitoes and flies is largely believed to be mechanical on the mouthpart through interrupted feedings. However, the mechanism of infection of the vectors by F. tularensis is not well understood. Since F. tularensis has not been localized in the salivary gland of the primary human biting ticks, it is thought that bacterial transmission by ticks is through mechanical inoculation of tick feces containing F. tularensis into the skin wound. Drosophila melanogaster is an established good arthropod model for arthropod vectors of tularemia, where F. tularensis infects hemocytes, and is found in hemolymph, as seen in ticks. In addition, phagosome biogenesis and robust intracellular proliferation of F. tularensis in arthropod-derived cells are similar to that in mammalian macrophages. Furthermore, bacterial factors required for infectivity of mammals are often required for infectivity of the fly by F. tularensis. Several host factors that contribute to F. tularensis intracellular pathogenesis in D. melanogaster have been identified, and F. tularensis targets some of the evolutionarily conserved eukaryotic processes to enable intracellular survival and proliferation in evolutionarily distant hosts.

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“…tularensis [18]. Mosquitoes have been tentatively classified as mechanical vectors of tularemia and are thought to only transmit this disease transiently [2, 19]. However, F .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The potential for flower nectar to allow mosquito to mosquito transmission of Francisella tularensis

et al. 2017

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Francisella tularensis is disseminated in nature by biting arthropods such as mosquitoes. The relationship between mosquitoes and F. tularensis in nature is highly ambiguous, due in part to the fact that mosquitoes have caused significant tularemia outbreaks despite being classified as a mechanical vector of F. tularensis. One possible explanation for mosquitoes being a prominent, yet mechanical vector is that these insects feed on flower nectar between blood meals, allowing for transmission of F. tularensis between mosquitoes. Here, we aimed to assess whether F. tularensis could survive in flower nectar. Moreover, we examined if mosquitoes could interact with or ingest and transmit F. tularensis from one source of nectar to another. F. tularensis exhibited robust survivability in flower nectar with concentrations of viable bacteria remaining consistent with the rich growth medium. Furthermore, F. tularensis was able to survive (albeit to a lesser extent) in 30% sucrose (a nectar surrogate) over a period of time consistent with that of a typical flower bloom. Although we observed diminished bacterial survival in the nectar surrogate, mosquitoes that fed on this material became colonized with F. tularensis. Finally, colonized mosquitoes were capable of transferring F. tularensis to a sterile nectar surrogate. These data suggest that flower nectar may be capable of serving as a temporary source of F. tularensis that could contribute to the amplification of outbreaks. Mosquitoes that feed on an infected mammalian host and subsequently feed on flower nectar could deposit some F. tularensis bacteria into the nectar in the process. Mosquitoes subsequently feeding on this nectar source could potentially become colonized by F. tularensis. Thus, the possibility exists that flower nectar may allow for vector-vector transmission of F. tularensis.

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Detection of Francisella tularensis in Alaskan Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) and Assessment of a Laboratory Model for Transmission

Cited by 26 publications

References 24 publications

Francisella tularensis Subspecies holarctica Occurs in Swedish Mosquitoes, Persists Through the Developmental Stages of Laboratory-Infected Mosquitoes and Is Transmissible During Blood Feeding

Francisella tularensis Subspecies holarctica Occurs in Swedish Mosquitoes, Persists Through the Developmental Stages of Laboratory-Infected Mosquitoes and Is Transmissible During Blood Feeding

Francisella–Arthropod Vector Interaction and its Role in Patho-Adaptation to Infect Mammals

The potential for flower nectar to allow mosquito to mosquito transmission of Francisella tularensis

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