Potentiation of West Nile encephalitis by mosquito feeding

Bradley S. Schneider, Lynn Soong, Yvette A. Girard, Gerald Campbell, Peter Mason, Stephen Higgs

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

108 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mosquitoes infect human beings with arboviruses while taking a blood meal, inoculating virus with their saliva. Mosquito saliva contains compounds that counter host hemostatic, inflammatory, and immune responses. Modulation of these crucial defensive responses may facilitate virus infection. Using a murine model we explored the potential for mosquitoes to impact the course of West Nile virus (WNV) disease by determining whether differences in pathogenesis occurred in the presence or absence of mosquito saliva. Mice inoculated intradermally with 104 pfu of WNV subsequent to the feeding of mosquitoes developed more progressive infection, higher viremia, and accelerated neuroinvasion than the mice inoculated with WNV alone. At a lower dose of WNV (102 pfu), mice fed upon by mosquitoes had a lower survival rate. This study suggests that mosquito feeding and factors in mosquito saliva can potentiate WNV infection, and offers a possible mechanism for this effect via accelerated infection of the brain.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)74-82
Number of pages9
JournalViral Immunology
Volume19
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2006

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Virology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Potentiation of West Nile encephalitis by mosquito feeding'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this