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Arbovirology Working Group

Head: Dr Johanna Fraser

Climate change is expected to increase the global vulnerability to mosquito-borne diseases. The focus of our work is to develop intervention strategies that reduce the emergence and incidence of mosquito-borne viruses in at-risk communities.   

Our work primarily focuses on controlling mosquito-borne virus transmission using Wolbachia. Wolbachia is an insect symbiotic bacterium that can persistently infect mosquito species such as Aedes aegypti (the major vector for viruses including dengue, Zika and chikungunya). When Ae. aegypti are infected with Wolbachia, the mosquitoes are significantly less likely to transmit important human pathogenic viruses such as dengue.

Objectives:

  • To determine the mechanisms by which Wolbachia inhibits viruses in Ae. aegypti.
  • To determine the risk of dengue and related viruses adapting to overcome Wolbachia.
  • To explore the utility of Wolbachia in protecting against viruses transmitted by mosquito species beyond Ae. aegypti.

Over the last decade the Australian-led World Mosquito Program has established the use of Wolbachia as a biocontrol tool, deploying mosquitoes carrying the bacterium in regions of 12 dengue-prone countries to date. Wolbachia’s efficacy was recently demonstrated in a randomised controlled trial in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, where a 77% reduction in dengue incidence was reported in regions of the city where Wolbachia was established in Ae. aegypti populations (Utarini et al., NEJM 2021).

Our research is focussed on understanding the molecular mechanisms that underpin Wolbachia's antiviral activity in Ae. aegypti. Using novel in vivo and in vitro systems, we apply a range of molecular technologies including high resolution imaging, transcriptomics, proteomics and deep sequencing, to probe how Wolbachia modifies mosquito cells and how viruses like dengue may adapt to this antiviral pressure. This knowledge will help support the application and longevity of Wolbachia as an intervention strategy and may guide development of new applications for its use in other viral vector species.

We collaborate with a range of external partners located around Australia, including at the World Mosquito Program, Monash University, University of Melbourne, Flinders University and La Trobe University.

Doctor Johanna Fraser

Dr. Fraser is the Head of the Arbovirology Working Group in the Life Sciences discipline. Her team aims to develop and support the application of novel intervention strategies for mosquito-borne viruses.

EMAIL

Publications

Highlights from our working group include:

Antiviral Wolbachia strains associate with Aedes aegypti endoplasmic reticulum membranes and induce lipid droplet formation to restrict dengue virus replication.
Loterio RK, Monson EA, Templin R, de Bruyne JT, Flores HA, Mackenzie JM, Ramm G, Helbig KJ, Simmons CP, Fraser JE. (2023)
mBio, e0249523.

Enhancing the scalability of Wolbachia-based vector-borne disease management: time and temperature limits for storage and transport of Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti eggs for field releases.
Allman MJ, Lin YH, Joubert DA, Addley-Cook J, Mejia-Torres MC, Simmons CP, Flores HA, Fraser JE. (2023)
Parasit Vectors, 16(1), 108.

Transient Introgression of Wolbachia into Aedes aegypti Populations Does Not Elicit an Antibody Response to Wolbachia Surface Protein in Community Members. 
Lee E, Hien Nguyen T, Yen Nguyen T, Nam Vu S, Duong Tran N, Trung Nghia L, Mai Vien Q, Dong Nguyen T, Kriiger Loterio R, Iturbe-Ormaetxe I, Flores HA, O'Neill SL, Anh Dang D, Simmons CP, Fraser JE. (2022)
Pathogens. 16(1), 108.

Using Wolbachia to Eliminate Dengue: Will the Virus Fight Back?
Edenborough KM, Flores HA, Simmons CP, Fraser JE. (2021)
J VIrol, 95(13), e0220320.

Wolbachia's Deleterious Impact on Aedes aegypti Egg Development: The Potential Role of Nutritional Parasitism.
Allman MJ, Fraser JE, Ritchie SA, Joubert DA, Simmons CP, Flores HA. (2020).
Insects, Volume 11, Issue 11.

Novel phenotype of Wolbachia strain wPip in Aedes aegypti challenges assumptions on mechanisms of Wolbachia-mediated dengue virus inhibition. 
Fraser JE, O'Donnell TB, Duyvestyn JM, O'Neill SL, Simmons CP, Flores HA. (2020).
PLoS Pathog, Volume 16, Issue 7, e1008410.

Novel Wolbachia-transinfected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes possess diverse fitness and vector competence phenotypes.
Fraser JE, De Bruyne JT, Iturbe-Ormaetxe I, Stepnell J, Burns RL, Flores HA, O'Neill SL.
PLoS Pathog, 13(12), e1006751.