Potential for evolution of California serogroup bunyaviruses by genome reassortment in Aedes albopictus.

Abstract

Abstract. Aedes albopictus was introduced into the United States in used tires in 1985. Its successful colonization of the upper Midwest has potential to alter the current epidemiology of bunyaviruses that circulate in the region. It is permissive for the replication of several arboviruses, including La Crosse (LACV) and Jamestown Canyon (JCV) bunyaviruses. In this study, we demonstrate the ability of LACV and JCV to coinfect Ae. albopictus mosquitoes and to form all six possible reassortant genotypes. All reassortant viruses infect Ae. albopictus orally and can be transmitted to suckling mice. All reassortants are neurovirulent in mice. However, reassortant viruses carrying the LACV M segment in the foreign genetic background of JCV are more neuroinvasive than JCV, or any other reassortant genotype. In addition, these reassortants can replicate in gerbils and infect Ae. triseriatus, characteristics of LACV, but not JCV. Because Ae. albopictus is spreading into new geographic areas and feeds on a variety of mammals, including humans, it has the potential to transmit new, emerging bunyaviruses in nature.

Aedes (Finlaya) japonicus(Diptera: Culicidae), a Newly Recognized Mosquito in the United States: Analyses of Genetic Variation in the United States and Putative Source Populations

“…The impact of diseases on formerly naṏve human and wildlife populations due to introduced mosquitoes is well-documented (Morgan 1981, Bryan 1999. Furthermore, newly established associations between vectors and local parasites may result in deadly combinations (Cheng et al 1999). There is, therefore, the potential for major disease epidemics fueled by newly established associations of parasites, hosts, and vectors.…”

Identification of Novel Viruses Using VirusHunter -- an Automated Data Analysis Pipeline

“…Segment 2 of Chuzan virus encodes the outer capsid protein VP2. Reassortment of genome segments can contribute to virus diversity and is known to occur in orbiviruses [25]; the distinct relationship of segment 2 may be the result of reassortment. The RNA segment name, encoded protein as well as putative function were assigned according to the nomenclature of the Orbivirus type species BTV (Table 4) following recommended rules [23].…”

A Recombinant Chimeric La Crosse Virus Expressing the Surface Glycoproteins of Jamestown Canyon Virus Is Immunogenic and Protective against Challenge with either Parental Virus in Mice or Monkeys

“…Second, JCV produces viremia in monkeys and is neurovirulent in mice, providing two animal models to evaluate the level of attenuation and efficacy of a recombinant chimeric JCV/LACV if it were obtained. Third, although JCV and LACV reassortants have not been identified in nature, previous research indicated that a reassortant iso- lated from dually infected mosquitoes and containing the fulllength M segment from JCV in a LACV background was viable, with neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence phenotypes like those of its JCV parent virus (9). This indicated that the JCV G N , NS M , and G C proteins were compatible with the L, N, and NS S proteins of LACV, thus increasing the likelihood that the desired rJCV/ LACV antigenic chimeric virus could be obtained.…”

“…Chimerization did not affect virus growth in tissue culture, and rJCV/LACV maintained the robust growth kinetics observed for the parental viruses. The absence of in vitro growth restriction following chimerization was not surprising, since the reassortant virus that contained the full-length M segment from JCV in a LACV background exhibited virulence similar to that of its JCV parent in mice (9).…”

“…More recently, LACV has been isolated from naturally infected, nonnative Aedes albopictus mosquitoes (13). The infection of A. albopictus may represent a shift in virus ecology with the potential to expand the area of endemicity and increase the possibility for generation of new reassortants in nature (9).…”