Wolbachia wAlbB inhibit dengue and Zika infection in the mosquito Aedes aegypti with an Australian background
Fig 3
Wolbachia inhibit ZIKV infections in Ae. aegypti wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes.
(A) ZIKV virus infection prevalence in Ae. aegypti wild type and wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes 14 d after feeding on a blood meal containing 1 × 108.5 CCID50/ml (in C6/36 cells) of Zika virus. P values are included for comparisons with significant differences in mosquito infection rates between wAlbB2-F4 and wild type mosquitoes (Fisher’s Exact test). (B). ZIKV infection densities in mosquitoes from A. Virus copy numbers were determined from bodies, legs and wings and saliva samples using qRT-PCR. P values are shown for comparisons with significant different median virus copy numbers between wAlbB2-F4 and wild type mosquitoes (Mann-Whitney test). (C-D) Example whole body midsagittal sections of wild type and wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes dual stained for Wolbachia (green) and ZIKV (red). (E-F) High resolution images of midguts from wild type and wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes, respectively, showing relatively lower staining density for wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes. (G-H) High resolution images of midguts from wild type and wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes, respectively. Infection was limited and spatially restricted in wAlbB2-F4 mosquitoes. a, abdomen. h, head. LOD, limit of detection. m, midgut. s.g. salivary gland. t, thorax. Scale bars: C-D, 1 mm. E-F, 0.25 mm, G-H: 0.10 mm.