Vector competence of Aedes albopictus for Tonate virus highlights transmission risks in temperate and tropical regions

Recent evidence of vertical transmission of Tonate virus (TONV) during early pregnancy and its association with fetal neurological anomalies highlights its potential public health threat. TONV is an understudied alphavirus endemic to French Guiana. The growing presence of Aedes (Ae.) albopictus in E...

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Main Authors: Isabelle Moltini-Conclois, Wipaporn Khanom, Elliott F Miot, Ai-rada Pintong, Hermann Landry Munshili Njifon, Carole Ginebre, Valérie Choumet, Bruno Coutard, Cédric Mariac, Pierre Roques, Agathe M. G. Colmant, Géraldine Piorkowski, Julien Pompon, Dorothée Missé
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-08-01
Series:Emerging Microbes and Infections
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2025.2547733
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author Isabelle Moltini-Conclois
Wipaporn Khanom
Elliott F Miot
Ai-rada Pintong
Hermann Landry Munshili Njifon
Carole Ginebre
Valérie Choumet
Bruno Coutard
Cédric Mariac
Pierre Roques
Agathe M. G. Colmant
Géraldine Piorkowski
Julien Pompon
Dorothée Missé
author_facet Isabelle Moltini-Conclois
Wipaporn Khanom
Elliott F Miot
Ai-rada Pintong
Hermann Landry Munshili Njifon
Carole Ginebre
Valérie Choumet
Bruno Coutard
Cédric Mariac
Pierre Roques
Agathe M. G. Colmant
Géraldine Piorkowski
Julien Pompon
Dorothée Missé
author_sort Isabelle Moltini-Conclois
collection DOAJ
description Recent evidence of vertical transmission of Tonate virus (TONV) during early pregnancy and its association with fetal neurological anomalies highlights its potential public health threat. TONV is an understudied alphavirus endemic to French Guiana. The growing presence of Aedes (Ae.) albopictus in Europe raises concerns about its ability to transmit emerging arboviruses, including TONV. We assessed the vector competence of Ae. albopictus populations from mainland France and La Réunion Island via oral infections using different TONV doses. Both populations supported efficient viral replication, with infectious viral particles appearing in saliva by day 5 post-infection. Infection rate (IR), stepwise dissemination rate (sDR), and transmission efficiency (TE) increased with rising viral concentrations. At a viral concentration of 106 PFU/mL IR reached 80%, and TE at day 5 post-infection was 27% for the mainland strain and 37% for the La Réunion strain. Notably, TE declined over time in the mainland strain, while increasing progressively in the La Réunion population. Comparative infections with Chikungunya virus revealed that TONV was transmitted at similar or greater rates, confirming Ae. albopictus as a competent vector. Sequencing of mosquito organs revealed intra-host TONV genetic variability. A recurrent polymorphism at position 11,357 in the 3′UTR was detected in body tissues but not in heads of La Réunion mosquitoes, suggesting tissue-specific selection or bottlenecks. Our results demonstrate that Ae. albopictus from both tropical and temperate areas can efficiently transmit TONV and emphasize the importance of genomic surveillance to anticipate risk of its emergence in areas where this vector is established.
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spelling doaj-art-e40dd475f47642e4bcc2ff3bf92d78232025-08-20T04:01:01ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512025-08-0110.1080/22221751.2025.2547733Vector competence of Aedes albopictus for Tonate virus highlights transmission risks in temperate and tropical regionsIsabelle Moltini-Conclois0Wipaporn Khanom1Elliott F Miot2Ai-rada Pintong3Hermann Landry Munshili Njifon4Carole Ginebre5Valérie Choumet6Bruno Coutard7Cédric Mariac8Pierre Roques9Agathe M. G. Colmant10Géraldine Piorkowski11Julien Pompon12Dorothée Missé13MIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, FranceMIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, FranceMIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, FranceMIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, FranceAnnex of Garoua, Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, Garoua, CameroonMIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, FranceInstitut Pasteur, Environnement et Risques Infectieux, Université Paris Cité, FranceUnité Des Virus Emergents (UVE: Aix-Marseille Univ, Universita Di Corsica, IRD 190, Inserm 1207, IRBA), Marseille, FranceDIADE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier, FranceVirology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Guinée, Conakry, GuineaUnité Des Virus Emergents (UVE: Aix-Marseille Univ, Universita Di Corsica, IRD 190, Inserm 1207, IRBA), Marseille, FranceUnité Des Virus Emergents (UVE: Aix-Marseille Univ, Universita Di Corsica, IRD 190, Inserm 1207, IRBA), Marseille, FranceMIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, FranceMIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, FranceRecent evidence of vertical transmission of Tonate virus (TONV) during early pregnancy and its association with fetal neurological anomalies highlights its potential public health threat. TONV is an understudied alphavirus endemic to French Guiana. The growing presence of Aedes (Ae.) albopictus in Europe raises concerns about its ability to transmit emerging arboviruses, including TONV. We assessed the vector competence of Ae. albopictus populations from mainland France and La Réunion Island via oral infections using different TONV doses. Both populations supported efficient viral replication, with infectious viral particles appearing in saliva by day 5 post-infection. Infection rate (IR), stepwise dissemination rate (sDR), and transmission efficiency (TE) increased with rising viral concentrations. At a viral concentration of 106 PFU/mL IR reached 80%, and TE at day 5 post-infection was 27% for the mainland strain and 37% for the La Réunion strain. Notably, TE declined over time in the mainland strain, while increasing progressively in the La Réunion population. Comparative infections with Chikungunya virus revealed that TONV was transmitted at similar or greater rates, confirming Ae. albopictus as a competent vector. Sequencing of mosquito organs revealed intra-host TONV genetic variability. A recurrent polymorphism at position 11,357 in the 3′UTR was detected in body tissues but not in heads of La Réunion mosquitoes, suggesting tissue-specific selection or bottlenecks. Our results demonstrate that Ae. albopictus from both tropical and temperate areas can efficiently transmit TONV and emphasize the importance of genomic surveillance to anticipate risk of its emergence in areas where this vector is established.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2025.2547733arbovirusTonate virusChikungunya virusAedes albopictusvector competence
spellingShingle Isabelle Moltini-Conclois
Wipaporn Khanom
Elliott F Miot
Ai-rada Pintong
Hermann Landry Munshili Njifon
Carole Ginebre
Valérie Choumet
Bruno Coutard
Cédric Mariac
Pierre Roques
Agathe M. G. Colmant
Géraldine Piorkowski
Julien Pompon
Dorothée Missé
Vector competence of Aedes albopictus for Tonate virus highlights transmission risks in temperate and tropical regions
Emerging Microbes and Infections
arbovirus
Tonate virus
Chikungunya virus
Aedes albopictus
vector competence
title Vector competence of Aedes albopictus for Tonate virus highlights transmission risks in temperate and tropical regions
title_full Vector competence of Aedes albopictus for Tonate virus highlights transmission risks in temperate and tropical regions
title_fullStr Vector competence of Aedes albopictus for Tonate virus highlights transmission risks in temperate and tropical regions
title_full_unstemmed Vector competence of Aedes albopictus for Tonate virus highlights transmission risks in temperate and tropical regions
title_short Vector competence of Aedes albopictus for Tonate virus highlights transmission risks in temperate and tropical regions
title_sort vector competence of aedes albopictus for tonate virus highlights transmission risks in temperate and tropical regions
topic arbovirus
Tonate virus
Chikungunya virus
Aedes albopictus
vector competence
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2025.2547733
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