Effects of Pathogen-Vector Interactions on the Transmission of Dengue Virus

Vector host-factors that affect DENV replication and transmission in the mosquito vector

Some of the host factors that specifically influence dengue infection and transmission are Aedes innate immune system response to viral infection and vector immune response to co-infection of dengue virus and the parasitic bacterium wolbachia [4,6,13].

Innate Immune Response of Vector

mean virus titer in mosquitoes can be modulated by blocking the function of one or more components in the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. This innate immune response is triggered in an infected cell by the presence of dsRNA. In the case of DENV infection the secondary structure of the NTR of the RNA genome may trigger this response. The hairpin loops as seen in figure (the structure one) look like dsRNA[24]. Activation of the RNAi pathway leads to the degradation of dsRNA within the infected cell and although it does not completely inhibit infection, virus titers are lower in mosquito cells with a functional RNAi response as opposed to mosquito cells without a functional response [24].

Besides RNAi, mosquitoes