Vanslembrouck, A.; Jansen, S.; De Witte, J.; Janssens, C.; Vereecken, S.; Helms, M.; Lange, U.; Lühken, R.; Schmidt-Chanasit, J.; Heitmann, A.; Müller, R. Larval Competition between Aedes and Culex Mosquitoes Carries over to Higher Arboviral Infection during Their Adult Stage. Viruses2024, 16, 1202.
Vanslembrouck, A.; Jansen, S.; De Witte, J.; Janssens, C.; Vereecken, S.; Helms, M.; Lange, U.; Lühken, R.; Schmidt-Chanasit, J.; Heitmann, A.; Müller, R. Larval Competition between Aedes and Culex Mosquitoes Carries over to Higher Arboviral Infection during Their Adult Stage. Viruses 2024, 16, 1202.
Vanslembrouck, A.; Jansen, S.; De Witte, J.; Janssens, C.; Vereecken, S.; Helms, M.; Lange, U.; Lühken, R.; Schmidt-Chanasit, J.; Heitmann, A.; Müller, R. Larval Competition between Aedes and Culex Mosquitoes Carries over to Higher Arboviral Infection during Their Adult Stage. Viruses2024, 16, 1202.
Vanslembrouck, A.; Jansen, S.; De Witte, J.; Janssens, C.; Vereecken, S.; Helms, M.; Lange, U.; Lühken, R.; Schmidt-Chanasit, J.; Heitmann, A.; Müller, R. Larval Competition between Aedes and Culex Mosquitoes Carries over to Higher Arboviral Infection during Their Adult Stage. Viruses 2024, 16, 1202.
Abstract
The common house mosquito (Culex pipiens) is a native vector for West Nile virus (WNV). Invasive species like the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) and Asian bush mosquito (Aedes japonicus) are rapidly spreading through Europe, posing a major threat as vectors for dengue, chikungunya (CHIKV), and Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV). These mosquitoes share a similar ecological niche as larvae, but the carry-over effects of aquatic larval interactions to terrestrial adult stage remain largely unknown and their medical relevance requires further investigation. This study examines the context-dependency of larval interactions among Aedes albopictus, Aedes japonicus and Culex pipiens. The survival, development time, growth, and energetic storage were measured in different European populations within density-response experiments (intraspecific) and replacement experiments (interspecific) at 20°C and 26°C. Overall, Ae. japonicus was the weakest competitor, while competition between Ae. albopictus and Cx. pipiens varied with temperature. Culex pipiens was infected with WNV, Ae. albopictus with CHIKV and Ae. japonicus with JEV. While no JEV infection was observed, mosquitoes experiencing interspecific interactions during their larval stages exhibited higher infection rates and viral RNA titers for CHIKV and WNV. This increased susceptibility for viral infection after larval competition suggests a higher risk of arbovirus transmission in co-occurring populations.
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