A Systematic Review of the Natural Virome of Anopheles Mosquitoes

Ferdinand Nanfack Minkeu (1, 2) , Kenneth D Vernick (1)

1 Génétique et Génomique des Insectes Vecteurs
2 SU - Sorbonne Université

Anopheles mosquitoes are vectors of human malaria, but they also harbor viruses, collectively termed the virome. The Anopheles virome is relatively poorly studied, and the number and function of viruses are unknown. Only the o'nyong-nyong arbovirus (ONNV) is known to be consistently transmitted to vertebrates by Anopheles mosquitoes. A systematic literature review searched four databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Lissa. In addition, online and print resources were searched manually. The searches yielded 259 records. After screening for eligibility criteria, we found at least 51 viruses reported in Anopheles, including viruses with potential to cause febrile disease if transmitted to humans or other vertebrates. Studies to date have not provided evidence that Anopheles consistently transmit and maintain arboviruses other than ONNV. However, anthropophilic Anopheles vectors of malaria are constantly exposed to arboviruses in human bloodmeals. It is possible that in malaria-endemic zones, febrile symptoms may be commonly misdiagnosed. It is also possible that anophelines may be inherently less competent arbovirus vectors than culicines, but if true, the biological basis would warrant further study. This systematic review contributes a context to characterize the biology, knowledge gaps, and potential public health risk of Anopheles viruses.

Mots clés: arbovirus; insect immunity; host–pathogen interactions; insect vectors; virome; malaria

Domaines: Virologie; Zoologie des invertébrés; Santé publique et épidémiologie

Ferdinand Nanfack Minkeu, Kenneth D Vernick. A Systematic Review of the Natural Virome of Anopheles Mosquitoes. Viruses, 2018, 10 (5), pp.222. ⟨10.3390/v10050222⟩. ⟨hal-01830169⟩