Chikungunya virus transmission between Aedes albopictus and laboratory mice.

Abstract:

BACKGROUND:Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus associated with epidemics of acute and chronic arthritic disease in humans. Aedes albopictus has emerged as an important new natural vector for CHIKV transmission; however, mouse models for studying transmission have not been developed. METHODS:Aedes albopictus mosquitoes were infected with CHIKV via membrane feeding and by using infected adult wild-type C57BL/6 mice. Paraffin sections of infected mosquitoes were analysed by immunofluorescent antibody staining using an anti-CHIKV antibody. CHIKV-infected mosquitoes were used to infect adult C57BL/6 and interferon response factor 3 and 7 deficient (IRF3/7-/-) mice. RESULTS:Feeding mosquitoes on blood meals with CHIKV titres > 5 log10CCID50/ml, either by membrane feeding or feeding on infected mice, resulted in  ≥ 50 % of mosquitoes becoming infected. However, CHIKV titres in blood meals  ≥ 7 log10CCID50/ml were required before salivary glands showed significant levels of immunofluorescent staining with an anti-CHIKV antibody. Mosquitoes fed on blood meals of 7.5 (but not 5.9) log10CCID50/ml were able efficiently to transmit virus to adult C57BL/6 and IRF3/7-/- mice, with the latter mice showing overt signs of arthritis post-infection. CONCLUSIONS:The results provide a simple in vivo model for studying transmission of CHIKV from mosquitoes to mammals and also argue against a resistance barrier to CHIKV infection in adult mice.

journal_name

Parasit Vectors

journal_title

Parasites & vectors

authors

Hugo LE,Prow NA,Tang B,Devine G,Suhrbier A

doi

10.1186/s13071-016-1838-1

subject

Has Abstract

pub_date

2016-10-19 00:00:00

pages

555

issue

1

issn

1756-3305

pii

10.1186/s13071-016-1838-1

journal_volume

9

pub_type

杂志文章