Journal of Pest Science (2019) 92, 781-789

Shengqun Deng, Qiang Huang, Haixia Wei, Lijuan Zhou, Lijie Yao, Dongliang Li, Shuizhen Wu, Jiating Chen and Hongjuan Peng (2019)
Beauveria bassiana infection reduces the vectorial capacity of Aedes albopictus for the Zika virus
Journal of Pest Science 92 (2), 781-789
Abstract: Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, poses a serious threat to public health worldwide, and Aedes albopictus is one of its vectors. To evaluate the potential of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana for ZIKV vector control, we compared the vectorial capacity of Ae. albopictus females blood-fed with ZIKV with or without exposure to Beauveria bassiana. We found that fungal infection significantly decreased the amount of ZIKV by 3.6-, 12.3- and 7.8-fold in mosquito midguts, heads and salivary glands, respectively. Similarly, fungal infection also reduced the rates of ZIKV dissemination, potential transmission and potential population transmission for mosquitoes by 26.8%, 38.4% and 35.2%, respectively. On the other hand, the median survival time and fecundity of fungus-infected mosquitoes were reduced by 84.2% and 39.8% in comparison with those of the non-fungus-infected mosquitoes. The first gonotrophic cycle length was increased by 15.3% because of fungal infection. This study revealed that B. bassiana infection significantly reduced the vectorial capacity of A. albopictus for ZIKV, which suggested that B. bassiana could be broadly and efficiently used in the field for the control of Zika vectors.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Aedes albopictus
Beauveria bassiana (entomopathogen)	Aedes albopictus