Impact of the microbiome on mosquito-borne diseases

Abstract

Mosquito-borne diseases present a significant threat to human health, with the possibility of outbreaks of new mosquito-borne diseases always looming. Unfortunately, current measures to combat these diseases such as vaccines and drugs are often either unavailable or ineffective. However, recent studies on microbiomes may reveal promising strategies to fight these diseases. In this review, we examine recent advances in our understanding of the effects of both the mosquito and vertebrate microbiomes on mosquito-borne diseases. We argue that the mosquito microbiome can have direct and indirect impacts on the transmission of these diseases, with mosquito symbiotic microorganisms, particularly Wolbachia bacteria, showing potential for controlling mosquito-borne diseases. Moreover, the skin microbiome of vertebrates plays a significant role in mosquito preferences, while the gut microbiome has an impact on the progression of mosquito-borne diseases in humans. As researchers continue to explore the role of microbiomes in mosquito-borne diseases, we highlight some promising future directions for this field. Ultimately, a better understanding of the interplay between mosquitoes, their hosts, pathogens, and the microbiomes of mosquitoes and hosts may hold the key to preventing and controlling mosquito-borne diseases.

A naturally isolated symbiotic bacterium suppresses flavivirus transmission by Aedes mosquitoes

“…Gut-resident microbes regulate mosquito defense against viral invasion into the intestinal epithelium by modulating physiological and immune homeostasis ( 47 ). In this study, we isolated a Rosenbergiella bacterium from the gut of field A. albopictus mosquitoes that rendered mosquitoes significantly less susceptible to flavivirus infection.…”

Orthoflavivirus Lammi in Russia: Possible Transovarial Transmission and Trans-Stadial Survival in Aedes cinereus (Diptera, Culicidae)

“…The investigation of viromes across various arthropods, including ticks, mosquitoes, sandflies, etc., using high-throughput sequencing has led to the discovery of a large number of viruses, most of which can be classified as insect-specific viruses [ 1 , 4 , 73 , 74 , 75 ]. These viruses belong to different families and orders [ 73 , 76 ], naturally infect arthropods, and replicate in arthropods and/or insect cell lines, but their distinctive feature is their inability to replicate in vertebrates and their cells [ 73 ].…”

The Role of Noncoding RNA in the Transmission and Pathogenicity of Flaviviruses

“…During hematophagy, arthropods acquire various factors, including components from host blood and metabolites from commensal microbes, which might influence viral transmission [ 114 , 115 , 116 , 117 , 118 ]. A recent finding revealed that mosquitoes acquire a host-derived miRNA, known as miR-150-5p, which has been shown to downregulate the expression of the thrombospondin-related anonymous protein AaCT-1 mRNA, thereby disrupting the RNAi antiviral framework and promoting DENV infection and propagation in the mosquito [ 36 ].…”