Mechanism and plasticity of vectors’ host-seeking behavior

Wynne, Nicole E; Lorenzo, Marcelo G.; Vinauger, Clément

doi:10.1016/j.cois.2020.02.001

Cited by 16 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…In addition, considering the role that climatic factors exercise on the mosquitos’ abundance and vector ability, prevention strategies are crucial also in addressing the future risk of transmission in geographical areas, which are affected from changes in climatic conditions. Therefore, in order to focus these preventive strategies, gaining more understanding of the specific aspects of the WNV transmission dynamics should be considered of paramount importance, especially in relation to which vectors and hosts are involved and to which extent [ 23 , 24 , 31 , 32 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Host selection and forage ratio in West Nile virus–transmitting Culex mosquitoes: Challenges and knowledge gaps

et al. 2022

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Background To date, no specific therapy or vaccination is available for West Nile virus (WNV) infections in humans; preventive strategies represent the only possibility to control transmission. To focus these strategies, detailed knowledge of the virus dynamics is of paramount importance. However, several aspects of WNV transmission are still unclear, especially regarding the role of potential vertebrate host species. Whereas mosquitoes’ intrinsic characteristics cause them to favour certain hosts (host preference), absolute selection is impossible in natural settings. Conversely, the selection carried out among available hosts and influenced from hosts’ availability and other ecological/environmental factors is defined as host selection. Methodology/Principal findings In July 2022, we searched PubMed database for original articles exploring host selection among WNV-transmitting Culex mosquitoes, the main WNV vector. We considered only original field studies estimating and reporting forage ratio. This index results from the ratio between the proportion of blood meals taken by mosquitoes on potential host species and the hosts’ relative abundance. From the originally retrieved 585 articles, 9 matched the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. All but one of the included studies were conducted in the Americas, six in the United States, and one each in Mexico and Colombia. The remaining study was conducted in Italy. American Robin, Northern Cardinal, and House Finch were the most significantly preferred birds in the Americas, Common Blackbird in Italy. Conclusions/Significance Although ornithophilic, all observed WNV-transmitting mosquitoes presented opportunistic feeding behaviour. All the observed species showed potential to act as bridges for zoonotic diseases, feeding also on humans. All the observed mosquitoes presented host selection patterns and did not feed on hosts as expected by chance alone. The articles observe different species of mosquitoes in different environments. In addition, the way the relative host abundance was determined differed. Finally, this review is not systematic. Therefore, the translation of our results to different settings should be conducted cautiously.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Host selection and forage ratio in West Nile virus–transmitting Culex mosquitoes: Challenges and knowledge gaps

et al. 2022

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“…aegypti females learned the association between the mechanical stimulus and the odor, and subsequently avoided the trained odor (Vinauger et al, 2018). Mechanical cues thus contribute to host selection processes (Vinauger et al, 2018;Wolff and Riffell, 2018;Wynne et al, 2020) and, by disturbing the ability of mosquitoes to land on the host, most likely contribute to a mosquito's evaluation of the host's defensiveness.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, the reproductive fitness of female mosquitoes is not only directly linked to their ability to detect, locate and feed on a host but also to survive interactions with a larger and potentially defensive organism. But accessing a resource that is hidden under the skin of mobile and defensive hosts is not free of any risks and, in addition to physiological stresses associated with the ingestion of blood, hosts display defensive behaviors aimed at deterring or killing mosquitoes (Wynne et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visual threats reduce blood-feeding and trigger escape responses in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

Wynne

Chandrasegaran

Fryzlewicz

et al. 2022

Preprint

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The diurnal mosquitoes Aedes aegypti are vectors of several arboviruses, including dengue, yellow fever, and Zika viruses. To find a host to feed on, they rely on the sophisticated integration of olfactory, visual, thermal, and gustatory cues reluctantly emitted by the hosts. If detected by their target, this latter may display defensive behaviors that mosquitoes need to be able to detect and escape. In humans, a typical response is a swat of the hand, which generates both mechanical and visual perturbations aimed at a mosquito. While the neuro-sensory mechanisms underlying the approach to the host have been the focus of numerous studies, the cues used by mosquitoes to detect and identify a potential threat remain largely understudied. In particular, the role of vision in mediating mosquitoes' ability to escape defensive hosts has yet to be analyzed. Here, we used programmable visual displays to generate expanding objects sharing characteristics with the visual component of an approaching hand and quantified the behavioral response of female mosquitoes. Results show that Ae. aegypti is capable of using visual information to decide whether to feed on an artificial host mimic. Stimulations delivered in a LED flight arena further reveal that landed females Ae. aegypti display a stereotypical escape strategy by taking off at an angle that is a function of the distance and direction of stimulus introduction. Altogether, this study demonstrates mosquitoes can use isolated visual cues to detect and avoid a potential threat.

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“…The addition of a VOC to a blend out of context often has a disruptive effect on blend attraction (Jaleta et al 2016;Majeed et al 2016). Seen from the perspective of odour quality perception, the behavioural response to any odour blend is a result of combinatorial coding, relying on the simultaneous detection and relative quantification of VOCs by the OSNs (Haverkamp et al 2018;Lahondére et al 2020;Wynne et al 2020). Any change in the odour encountered, or in the signal relayed from the OSNs, will change the representation of a given stimulus in the higher olfactory centres and may lead to a change in the behavioural output (Haverkamp et al 2018;Lahondère et al 2020;Wynne et al 2020).…”

Section: Sensory Odour Space Of Mosquitoesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modulation of odour-guided behaviour in mosquitoes

Hill

2021

Cell Tissue Res

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Mosquitoes are emerging as model systems with which to study innate behaviours through neuroethology and functional genomics. Decades of work on these disease vectors have provided a solid behavioural framework describing the distinct repertoire of predominantly odour-mediated behaviours of female mosquitoes, and their dependence on life stage (intrinsic factors) and environmental cues (extrinsic factors). The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of how intrinsic factors, including adult maturation, age, nutritional status, and infection, affect the attraction to plants and feeding on plant fluids, host seeking, blood feeding, supplemental feeding behaviours, pre-oviposition behaviour, and oviposition in female mosquitoes. With the technological advancements in the recent two decades, we have gained a better understanding of which volatile organic compounds are used by mosquitoes to recognise and discriminate among various fitness-enhancing resources, and characterised their neural and molecular correlates. In this review, we present the state of the art of the peripheral olfactory system as described by the neural physiology, functional genomics, and genetics underlying the demonstrated changes in the behavioural repertoire in female mosquitoes. The review is meant as a summary introduction to the current conceptual thinking in the field.

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Mechanism and plasticity of vectors’ host-seeking behavior

Cited by 16 publications

References 31 publications

Host selection and forage ratio in West Nile virus–transmitting Culex mosquitoes: Challenges and knowledge gaps

Host selection and forage ratio in West Nile virus–transmitting Culex mosquitoes: Challenges and knowledge gaps

Visual threats reduce blood-feeding and trigger escape responses in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

Modulation of odour-guided behaviour in mosquitoes

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