Arthropod vectors, such as mosquitoes, transmit a wide range of zoonotic viruses from multiple viral taxa, including the families Togaviridae (e.g., Equine encephalitis viruses, Chikungunya virus), Flaviviridae (e.g., West Nile Virus), and the class Bunyaviricetes (e.g., Rift Valley Fever Virus), that affect both human and animal health. For transmission to occur, these viruses must persist within the vector over extended periods without causing overt pathology or being cleared. After ingestion during a blood meal, arboviruses establish infection across multiple mosquito tissues and must overcome internal barriers (e.g., the midgut and salivary glands) for onward transmission. Mosquito immune responses shape each step of this process.
We investigate how viruses are recognised by the mosquito immune system and how these signals are translated into antiviral responses at both tissue and systemic scales. Insect-specific viruses and symbiotic bacteria harboured by mosquitoes could shape their immune responses to zoonotic viruses. Environmental factors such as temperature, nutrients, and pollutants further modulate these interactions, positioning mosquito immunity at the centre of a One Health framework linking environmental changes to pathogen transmission. By identifying immune mechanisms that govern viral persistence and transmission, our work provides a basis for strategies that reduce transmission by targeting mosquito immune processes.
Main research topics
- RNA interference in immune control of viral persistence vs clearance
- Tissue-specific and systemic immune regulation of infection
- Immune regulation by co-infecting insect-specific viruses and symbiotic bacteria
- Interaction between metabolism, environment, and immune function
- Translating immunological responses into strategies to limit pathogen transmission