Dengue virus infection modifies mosquito blood-feeding behavior to increase transmission to the host

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2117589119
• Publication Date: 2022-01-10T21:26:03Z
• Authors: Benjamin Wong Wei...; Wilfried A. A. Saron; James C. Stewart; Arthur Hain; Varsha Walvekar; Dorothée Missé; Fréderic Thomas; R. Manjunatha Kini; Benjamin Roche; Adam Claridge-Chang; Ashley L. St. John; Julien Pompon
• Keywords: Biting

Significance Because dengue viruses are spread by mosquitoes during biting, transmission capacity depends on mosquito-biting behavior. For this reason, it is critical to understand how infection in influences biting. To answer question, we deployed a multidisciplinary approach including high-resolution, multivariate biting behavior monitoring mice, vivo assay, and mathematical modeling. We demonstrated that infected more attracted mice bite often get the same amount of blood as uninfected mosquitoes. While effect increased attraction host trivial, showed number bites results successive transmission. Eventually, calculated infection-induced changes tripled