Overwintering Culex torrentium in abandoned animal burrows as a reservoir for arboviruses in Central Europe

Sauer, Felix; Lange, Unchana; Schmidt‐Chanasit, Jonas; Kiel, Ellen; Wiatrowska, Blanka; Myczko, Łukasz; Lühken, Renke

doi:10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100572

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Transovarial transmission, a known mechanism for several CSG viruses in Aedes mosquitoes, appears feasible for SSHV in European Aedes species [ 63 ]. The investigated Culex mosquitoes from Germany, which overwinter as adults similar to Culiseta mosquitoes from Northern America, could also facilitate SSHV maintenance [ 64 , 65 , 66 ]. Whether SSHV can establish an enzootic cycle in Europe would also depend on the hosts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mosquitoes from Europe Are Able to Transmit Snowshoe Hare Virus

Jansen,

Höller,

Helms

et al. 2024

Viruses

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Snowshoe hare virus (SSHV) is a zoonotic arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) circulating in colder areas of the Northern Hemisphere. SSHV is maintained in an enzootic cycle between small mammals and mosquitoes, assumably of the genera Aedes and Culiseta. Symptoms of SSHV human infection can range from asymptomatic to severe neuroinvasive disease. Studies on SSHV transmission are limited, and there is no information available on whether mosquitoes of the genus Culex are able to transmit SSHV. Therefore, we investigated six mosquito species via salivation assay for their vector competence. We demonstrated that SSHV can be transmitted by the abundant European Culex species Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens, Cx. pipiens biotype molestus, and Cx. torrentium with low transmission efficiency between 3.33% and 6.67%. Additionally, the invasive species Ae. albopictus can also transmit SSHV with a low transmission efficiency of 3.33%. Our results suggest that local transmission of SSHV after introduction to Europe seems to be possible from a vector perspective.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mosquitoes from Europe Are Able to Transmit Snowshoe Hare Virus

Jansen,

Höller,

Helms

et al. 2024

Viruses

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“…Circulation of USUV is mostly detected in summer and early autumn [ 54 , 68 ]. Maintenance of the virus in overwintering mosquitoes may be the primary route for overwintering of mosquito-borne viruses, and USUV has been detected in overwintering Culex torrentium in Poland [ 69 – 72 ]. Nevertheless, WNV-infected questing ticks have been found in spring in Russia [ 22 , 73 ], suggesting overwintering of WNV in tick populations [ 22 , 62 , 74 , 75 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ixodes ricinus as potential vector for Usutu virus

Bakker,

Münger,

Esser

et al. 2024

PLoS Negl Trop Dis

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Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging flavivirus that is maintained in an enzootic cycle with mosquitoes as vectors and birds as amplifying hosts. In Europe, the virus has caused mass mortality of wild birds, mainly among Common Blackbird (Turdus merula) populations. While mosquitoes are the primary vectors for USUV, Common Blackbirds and other avian species are exposed to other arthropod ectoparasites, such as ticks. It is unknown, however, if ticks can maintain and transmit USUV. We addressed this question using in vitro and in vivo experiments and field collected data. USUV replicated in IRE/CTVM19 Ixodes ricinus tick cells and in injected ticks. Moreover, I. ricinus nymphs acquired the virus via artificial membrane blood-feeding and maintained the virus for at least 70 days. Transstadial transmission of USUV from nymphs to adults was confirmed in 4.9% of the ticks. USUV disseminated from the midgut to the haemocoel, and was transmitted via the saliva of the tick during artificial membrane blood-feeding. We further explored the role of ticks by monitoring USUV in questing ticks and in ticks feeding on wild birds in the Netherlands between 2016 and 2019. In total, 622 wild birds and the Ixodes ticks they carried were tested for USUV RNA. Of these birds, 48 (7.7%) carried USUV-positive ticks. The presence of negative-sense USUV RNA in ticks, as confirmed via small RNA-sequencing, showed active virus replication. In contrast, we did not detect USUV in 15,381 questing ticks collected in 2017 and 2019. We conclude that I. ricinus can be infected with USUV and can transstadially and horizontally transmit USUV. However, in comparison to mosquito-borne transmission, the role of I. ricinus ticks in the epidemiology of USUV is expected to be minor.

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Usutu virus continues to spread across Europe: first report on multiple molecular detections of USUV Africa 2 and Africa 3 lineages in free-living and captive birds in Poland, July-November 2023

Dziadek,

Niczyporuk,

Styś-Fijoł

et al. 2024

Preprint

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The growing importance of the Usutu virus (USUV) as an emerging zoonotic viral pathogen prompted Poland to investigate the epidemiological status of USUV infections among native bird species. Consequently, thirty-four avian individuals (n = 34) from different geographical parts of the country were confirmed to be USUV-positive in the RT-PCR between July and November 2023. The phylogenetic analysis indicates the first-ever recorded occurrence of the USUV Africa 2 and Africa 3 genetic lineages in Poland.

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Overwintering Culex torrentium in abandoned animal burrows as a reservoir for arboviruses in Central Europe

Cited by 3 publications

References 46 publications

Mosquitoes from Europe Are Able to Transmit Snowshoe Hare Virus

Mosquitoes from Europe Are Able to Transmit Snowshoe Hare Virus

Ixodes ricinus as potential vector for Usutu virus

Usutu virus continues to spread across Europe: first report on multiple molecular detections of USUV Africa 2 and Africa 3 lineages in free-living and captive birds in Poland, July-November 2023

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