2023-04-19 04:36:54
Current research suggests that the dengue virus may be transmitted through mosquito saliva. When an infected mosquito bites its victim, sfRNA, a substance in saliva, can suppress the human immune system and increase the risk of infection. Essentially, sfRNA inhibits from the mosquito bites the body’s defense mechanisms against the virus.
Mosquito bites can transmit sfRNA
Scientists have identified sfRNA in the saliva of infected mosquitoes that appears to subvert the mosquito’s biology to give the virus a better chance of spreading. They published a corresponding Study in the journal PLOS Pathogens. Dengue is a serious problem: around 400 million people become infected with the virus every year, and currently there is no way to treat the virus, only methods to relieve symptoms.
The researchers hope that their discovery can lead to better preventive measures against the dengue virus from the moment of infection. To combat it, it is important to know more about the virus and how it spreads. The team is confident that their discovery will eventually lead to effective measures to prevent transmission, not just of dengue but of other flaviviruses as well.
The Dengue-Virus mainly found in the tropical and subtropical areas of the world, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas. It is distributed in more than 100 countries in Africa, America, Asia and the Pacific. In some areas, dengue virus occurs year-round, while other regions may experience seasonal outbreaks associated with the rain cycle. Dengue is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected female Aedes mosquitoes.
Most dangerous animal in the world
“It’s amazing how clever these viruses are – they subvert mosquito biology to suppress our immune responses so that infection can take hold,” explained dr Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco, who recently accepted the Chair of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology at the University of Virginia. “I have no doubt that a better understanding of the basic biology of transmission will eventually lead to effective measures to prevent transmission.”
Mosquito bites are responsible for transmitting several deadly diseases, including malaria, yellow fever, and Zika. After Declarations by University of Missouri scientist and author Adnan Qureshi, mosquito-borne diseases are responsible for more than a million deaths each year. This makes mosquitoes the deadliest animal in the world. Mosquito control is therefore crucial to prevent the spread of these diseases.
The researchers’ discovery is an important step in the fight against dengue, but it is not a panacea. The best way to protect yourself from mosquito-borne diseases is still not to get bitten. This can be achieved by wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, using mosquito repellent, and sleeping under a mosquito net.
Quellen: „The anti-immune dengue subgenomic flaviviral RNA is present in vesicles in mosquito saliva and is associated with increased infectivity“ (PLOS Pathogens, 2023); University of Virginia; „Zika Virus Disease – From Origin To Outbreak“ (Academic Press, 2018
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