PARTNER N°

45

NAME OF INSTITUTION

Wageningen University (WU) – The Netherlands

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE TEAM

 

 

Wageningen University (WU) focuses on ‘healthy food and living environment’ by working closely together with governments and the business community. WU ranks 3rd in the world on agriculture, food and environmental research. The Laboratories of Virology (WU-VIR) and Entomology (WU-ENT) are both part of the Plant Sciences Group (PSG) of WU. WU-VIR and WU-ENT are world leaders in the fields of vector biology and insect virology, respectively. Both laboratories are well equipped with state-of-the art facilities (incl. insectaries and a BSL3 laboratory). Both groups work collaboratively on vector competence and the biology of vector-virus interactions and each group separately works on the development of novel intervention strategies (vaccines, antivirals, mosquito traps, entomopathogenic fungi WU has built up expertise in vector competence studies in the FP7 Vectorie project. WU has a strong track record on the development of odour blends to attract disease-carrying arthropods. Various bio-assays (mosquito infection via bloodmeal, micro-injection, forced salivation, etc. ) are available for the described project. WU has BSL-3 BSL3/ML-III/P3/CL-3 facilities available to carry out vector-competence studies with ZIKV and other arboviruses. WU has large scale mosquito rearing (Aedes, Anopheles and Culex) and is part of the H2020 INFRAVEC2 consortium.

 

KEY CONTACT PERSON(S)

Key scientific contact person 1 (Team leader)

Name

Gorben Pijlman

Photo

 

Position in the Institution

Associate Professor Arbovirology

Email address

gorben.pijlman@wur.nl

 

Phone number

+31 317 484498

Mobile phone number

+31 6 22743263

Postal address

Laboratory of Virology

Radix (bld 107)

Wageningen University

Droevendaalsesteeg 1

6708 PB Wageningen

The Netherlands

 

Role in the Consortium

WP: 6

Task: 6.2

Sub-task: 6.2.2

WU will conduct comparative ZIKV vector competence studies in different subtypes of Culex spp. (pipiens/molestus/hybrids). The yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti will be used in all experiments as a positive control for ZIKV transmission, whereas West Nile virus will be used as positive control virus for studies with Culex spp. Vector competence is controlled at molecular level in the midgut epithelial cells. To study the role of the midgut in ZIKV restriction, we will also compare ZIKV infection by intrathoracic micro-injection (by-passing the midgut) with infection by blood feeding (natural way of entry). When the ZIKV isolates are evaluated in this way, it becomes clear at which stage ZIKV is restricted within the different species of mosquitoes: at the level of midgut infection or at the level of virus dissemination through the mosquito body. This result is important to assess the risk for local transmission of ZIKV in Europe.