TOGAVIRUS--VECTOR INTERACTIONS

我们实验室最近的独特发现表明， 东部马脑脊髓炎(EEE)病毒托加病毒引起 在其蚊子媒介的中肠中发现了显著的细胞病理学， 黑库蚊Cuiseta Blackura这一观察结果挑战了以往的看法 关于蚊子感染的良性性质 虫媒病毒，并提出了可能的机制，可能1) 促进病毒在蚊子内的快速传播和 传播给脊椎动物，以及2)改变病毒基因库 在媒介感染期间。 利用光学和电子显微镜，我们建议进一步 评估TOGA病毒在EEE病毒-Cs中诱导的媒介病理。 黑色素系统，以及在另一个医学上重要的 委内瑞拉马脑脊髓炎病毒甲型病毒 地方性蚊媒--带喙库蚊。这些研究将 TOGA病毒感染对生物适合性的影响 对蚊子的影响包括血液消化、繁殖、寄主 求生与长寿，并界定中肠关系 病理和病毒在媒介中的传播。使用 分子方法，我们将研究基因的组成 虫媒病毒种群在不同阶段的快速和 持续的蚊子感染。 我们建议的研究，结合了经典昆虫学 电子显微镜和分子生物学的技术，将 揭示虫媒病毒-媒介共同进化的机制，这将 有助于更好地了解TOGA病毒的流行病学 疾病。

Recent unique findings from our laboratory suggest that the togavirus, eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus, causes significant cytopathology in the midgut of its mosquito vector, Culiseta melanura. This observation challenges previous beliefs regarding the benign nature of mosquito infection with arboviruses, and suggests potential mechanisms which may 1) facilitate rapid virus dissemination within the mosquito and transmission to vertebrates, and 2) act to alter the virus gene pool during vector infection. Using light and electron microscopy, we propose to further evaluate togavirus-induced vector pathology in the EEE virus -Cs. melanura system, as well as in another medically important alphavirus, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus, in its enzootic mosquito vector, Culex taeniopus. These studies will establish the effect of togavirus infection on the biological fitness of the mosquito, including blood digestion, reproduction, host seeking and longevity, and define the relationship between midgut pathology and virus dissemination in the vector. Using a molecular approach, we will examine the genetic composition of arbovirus populations over time during various stages of rapid and persistent mosquito infection. Our proposed research, which couples classical entomological techniques with electron microscopy and molecular biology, will reveal mechanisms of arbovirus-vector coevolution, which will lead to better understanding of the epidemiology of togaviral diseases.