Development of an infection via sugar meal (IVSM) technique to infect mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) with arthropod-borne viruses
- 1Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Vector-Borne Diseases, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
- 2Faculty of Mathematics & Science and the Office of the Vice-President of Research, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
- 3Entomogen Inc., St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Abstract
The global expansion of mosquito vectors is increasing human exposure to arboviruses, highlighting the need for rapid and practical approaches to assess vector competence. Standard artificial laboratory infection methods rely on infectious blood meals or intrathoracic inoculation, both of which can be resource-intensive and limit the capacity to conduct timely experiments, particularly in high-containment facilities. We developed an infection via sugar meal (IVSM) technique to determine whether mosquitoes can acquire and transmit arboviruses by ingesting virus-spiked sucrose. Using IVSM, we tested the vector competence of Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus for West Nile virus (WNV), Mayaro virus (MAYV), and Zika virus (ZIKV) following 1-hour or 24-hour exposures. Viral RNA copy numbers were quantified in the body, legs/wings, and saliva at 7 and 10 days post-infection. Both species supported WNV infection and dissemination, with the virus detected in saliva. Aedes albopictus exhibited high MAYV infection and dissemination rates, whereas Cx. quinquefasciatus was largely refractory. ZIKV infection and dissemination were limited in both species and did not progress to saliva. High feeding success, low vector mortality, and reproducible outcomes across trials demonstrate that IVSM is an accessible and practical alternative to blood-based infection models and provides a framework for investigating vector competence under conditions that utilize natural feeding behavior. Author summary: Mosquito-borne viruses are increasing in prevalence globally, partly due to the expansion of mosquito populations into new geographic regions. To investigate the mechanisms by which these viruses move through the mosquito body and become transmissible, researchers commonly administer infectious blood meals or inject the virus directly into the vector. However, these methods can be technically demanding, require specialized equipment or animal-derived products, or may not represent natural mosquito feeding behaviors. This study introduces and evaluates a novel technique, infection via sugar meal (IVSM), in which mosquitoes are exposed to a sugar solution with infectious virus. Sugar feeding is an innate behavior that provides mosquitoes with energy. The technique was tested on two widely distributed mosquito species, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus, using three medically significant arboviruses. The progression of viral infection was quantified in the bodies, legs and wings, and saliva of the mosquitoes. Our results demonstrate that virus acquired via sucrose ingestion can establish infection and disseminate throughout the mosquito, eventually reaching the saliva. The IVSM approach resulted in high feeding success, low mortality, and reproducible outcomes, offering a practical alternative to blood- and injection-based infection methods, highlighting its utility for vector competence research.
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BibTeX
@article{drahun2026development,
title = {{Development of an infection via sugar meal (IVSM) technique to infect mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) with arthropod-borne viruses}},
author = {Ivan Drahun and Amanda J. M. Williams and Larissa R. Barelli and Larissa Krokovsky and Fiona F. Hunter},
journal = {PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0014715},
url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014715},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Development of an infection via sugar meal (IVSM) technique to infect mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) with arthropod-borne viruses
AU - Ivan Drahun
AU - Amanda J. M. Williams
AU - Larissa R. Barelli
AU - Larissa Krokovsky
AU - Fiona F. Hunter
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/02
JO - PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
DO - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0014715
UR - https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014715
AB - The global expansion of mosquito vectors is increasing human exposure to arboviruses, highlighting the need for rapid and practical approaches to assess vector competence. Standard artificial laboratory infection methods rely on infectious blood meals or intrathoracic inoculation, both of which can be resource-intensive and limit the capacity to conduct timely experiments, particularly in high-containment facilities. We developed an infection via sugar meal (IVSM) technique to determine whether mosquitoes can acquire and transmit arboviruses by ingesting virus-spiked sucrose. Using IVSM, we tested the vector competence of Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus for West Nile virus (WNV), Mayaro virus (MAYV), and Zika virus (ZIKV) following 1-hour or 24-hour exposures. Viral RNA copy numbers were quantified in the body, legs/wings, and saliva at 7 and 10 days post-infection. Both species supported WNV infection and dissemination, with the virus detected in saliva. Aedes albopictus exhibited high MAYV infection and dissemination rates, whereas Cx. quinquefasciatus was largely refractory. ZIKV infection and dissemination were limited in both species and did not progress to saliva. High feeding success, low vector mortality, and reproducible outcomes across trials demonstrate that IVSM is an accessible and practical alternative to blood-based infection models and provides a framework for investigating vector competence under conditions that utilize natural feeding behavior. Author summary: Mosquito-borne viruses are increasing in prevalence globally, partly due to the expansion of mosquito populations into new geographic regions. To investigate the mechanisms by which these viruses move through the mosquito body and become transmissible, researchers commonly administer infectious blood meals or inject the virus directly into the vector. However, these methods can be technically demanding, require specialized equipment or animal-derived products, or may not represent natural mosquito feeding behaviors. This study introduces and evaluates a novel technique, infection via sugar meal (IVSM), in which mosquitoes are exposed to a sugar solution with infectious virus. Sugar feeding is an innate behavior that provides mosquitoes with energy. The technique was tested on two widely distributed mosquito species, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus, using three medically significant arboviruses. The progression of viral infection was quantified in the bodies, legs and wings, and saliva of the mosquitoes. Our results demonstrate that virus acquired via sucrose ingestion can establish infection and disseminate throughout the mosquito, eventually reaching the saliva. The IVSM approach resulted in high feeding success, low mortality, and reproducible outcomes, offering a practical alternative to blood- and injection-based infection methods, highlighting its utility for vector competence research.
SN - 1935-2735
ER -