title: Wolbachia Blocks Currently Circulating Zika Virus Isolates in Brazilian Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes.
abstract: The recent association of Zika virus with cases of microcephaly has sparked a global health crisis and highlighted the need for mechanisms to combat the Zika vector, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Wolbachia pipientis, a bacterial endosymbiont of insect, has recently garnered attention as a mechanism for arbovirus control. Here we report that Aedes aegypti harboring Wolbachia are highly resistant to infection with two currently circulating Zika virus isolates from the recent Brazilian epidemic. Wolbachia-harboring mosquitoes displayed lower viral prevalence and intensity and decreased disseminated infection and, critically, did not carry infectious virus in the saliva, suggesting that viral transmission was blocked. Our data indicate that the use of Wolbachia-harboring mosquitoes could represent an effective mechanism to reduce Zika virus transmission and should be included as part of Zika control strategies.
authors.affiliation: Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30190-002, Brazil.
authors.forename: Heverton Leandro Carneiro
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Dutra
authors.affiliation: Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30190-002, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcele Neves
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30190-002, Brazil; Plataforma de Vetores de Doenças-Fiocruz, CE, 60190-800, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando Braga Stehling
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30190-002, Brazil.
authors.forename: Simone Brutman
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Mansur
authors.affiliation: Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30190-002, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eric Pearce
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Caragata
authors.affiliation: Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30190-002, Brazil. Electronic address: luciano@cpqrr.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Luciano Andrade
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moreira
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D000898:Antibiosis; D001938:Brazil; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D013559:Symbiosis; D020577:Wolbachia / Q000502:physiology*; D000071244:Zika Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D000071243:Zika Virus Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology