Metaviromics of mosquito excreta
Here we develop and test a rigid, permanent superhydrophobic excreta collection funnel for lab use. Populations of field-caught Culex mosquitoes were suspended over our device to efficiently aggregate and collect all excreta into an attached Eppendorf tube. Through shotgun metagenome sequencing of this template, we uncovered a rich and diverse RNA virome, with additional analyses to confirm the mosquito species from which the samples were collected and the trypanosomatid parasites they harbored. We envision methods and devices such as these becoming widely used in future surveillance practices, particularly in remote areas where repeated collections are difficult. Through our results, we emphasize how this kind of monitoring can help detect emerging and/or unknown pathogens of One Health significance, expand our understanding of mosquito virome biogeography, and identify as-yet undescribed viruses.