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Significance Models of mosquito-borne disease transmission illustrate that the longevity of the insect vector is a particularly powerful factor in the calculation of basic reproduction number (R0). The mosquito must… Click to show full abstract
Significance Models of mosquito-borne disease transmission illustrate that the longevity of the insect vector is a particularly powerful factor in the calculation of basic reproduction number (R0). The mosquito must survive long enough after ingesting the pathogen to deliver infectious bites. Significant levels of pathogen-associated mortality in this host would have a detrimental impact on transmission. Here, we show that Aedes aegypti with a genetic lesion in Dicer-2 are acutely susceptible to multiple viruses associated with human disease, but not other types of infections. Further, we demonstrate that the pathology associated with these infections is primarily controlled through an RNA interference pathway that functions as a resistance mechanism. These results reveal insights into the transmission of many important diseases.
Journal Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Year Published: 2023
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