Wolbachia's mechanisms for Dengue virus suppression: Host miRNA and lipidome manipulation, field application in vector control and possible resistance response

Wolbachia is a gram negative bacteria; it entertains an endosymbiotic relationship with several insect species. Recently, its power to suppress the replication of arboviruses made it the centre of vector control strategies in the spread of arboviral diseases. Dengue virus (DENV), the etiological agent of the Dengue fever, is a positive sense RNA arbovirus vectored by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The disease spread is growing faster and faster, especially in tropical and subtropical areas. Wolbachia’s ability to make its insect vector less susceptible to the virus infection and its sex interference strategies to favour its own transmission, makes the bacterium a formidable ally in vector control policies. Laboratory studies have shown that Wolbachia alters lipid distribution within mosquito cells and regulates the expression of specific genes involved in viral replication through microRNAs. In field trials, the AWED study in Indonesia demonstrated that the release of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes reduced Dengue incidence by 77% in the human population. However, there is a potential risk of the virus developing resistance, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring and the development of new control strategies.