Project

The chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an emerging mosquito-borne virus which has widely spread around the world in the last two decades. The virus is transmitted between human hosts by Aedes mosquitoes, including Aedes albopictus which is now established in 51 departments in France. The transmissibility of CHIKV can be affected by a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Since mosquitoes are poikilothermic insects, environmental temperature is of particular importance. Indeed, temperature can shape transmission of pathogens through direct effects on viral replication and/or indirect effects via the vector immune responses. The relation between temperature and virus transmission is very complex and remains poorly defined. The aim of the project is to better understand how temperature affects mosquito-virus interactions. To meet this objective, our studies will focus on (i) how CHIKV genetically evolves under low temperature pressure (in vitro and in vivo), (ii) mosquito molecular responses to a low temperature exposure, (iii) and ultimately, how mosquito microbiota is affected by a low temperature (16S sequencing). Our study will help in identifying the determinants that facilitate CHIKV transmission by Ae. albopictus in temperate conditions.