Dengue is a viral infection caused by the dengue virus (DENV), responsible for nearly 400 million cases each year. Although often asymptomatic, it can cause fever, vomiting, or skin rashes, and may evolve into a severe hemorrhagic form. The virus is mainly transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, especially Aedes aegypti. With no specific antiviral treatment and only partially effective vaccines, vector control—primarily via insecticides—remains the most effective preventive measure.
An emerging strategy involves the use of Wolbachia, an endosymbiotic bacterium that reduces mosquito vector competence. However, the impact of insecticide resistance on this approach is still poorly understood.
This project aims to compare the transcriptomic profile of Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti strains with differing levels of insecticide resistance. Analyzing Wolbachia gene expression across these lines will help identify changes linked to selection pressure and improve our understanding of how mosquito resistance may influence Wolbachia biology and host–symbiont interactions, with implications for Wolbachia-based vector control.
