Abstract

Dengue viruses (DENV; family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus) are transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and can cause dengue fever (DF), a relatively benign disease, or more severe dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF). Arthropod saliva contains proteins delivered into the bite wound that can modulate the host haemostatic and immune responses to facilitate the intake of a blood meal. The potential effects on DENV infection of previous exposure to Ae. aegypti salivary proteins have not been investigated. We collected Ae. aegypti saliva, concentrated the proteins and fractionated them by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). By the use of immunoblots, we analysed reactivity with the mosquito salivary proteins (MSP) of sera from 96 Thai children diagnosed with secondary DENV infections leading either to DF or DHF, or with no DENV infection, and found that different proportions of each patient group had serum antibodies reactive to specific Ae. aegypti salivary proteins. Our results suggest that prior exposure to MSP might play a role in the outcome of DENV infection in humans.

Links

PMC Free PDF

Publisher Full Text

Authors

Machain-Williams C, Mammen MP, Zeidner NS, Beaty BJ, Prenni JE, Nisalak A, Blair CD

Institution

Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Arthropod-borne and Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA. carlos.machain@uady.mx

Source

Parasite immunology 34:1 2012 Jan pg 15-22

MeSH

Adolescent
Adult
Aedes
Animals
Child
Child, Preschool
Dengue
Disease Vectors
Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
Female
Humans
Immunoblotting
Insect Proteins
Male
Salivary Proteins and Peptides
Statistics as Topic
Thailand
Young Adult

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Language

eng

PubMed ID

21995849