Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Cells, Microbes & Viruses => Topic started by: CZARCAR on 27/09/2011 17:01:34

Title: Can West Nile virus survive in species that eat infected mosquitoes?
Post by: CZARCAR on 27/09/2011 17:01:34

WN mosquito gets eaten by a dragonfly- what happens to the WN virus?

Title: Can West Nile virus survive in species that eat infected mosquitoes?
Post by: chris on 02/10/2011 10:06:55

I think this would be very unlikely on the grounds that the agent has evolved to be transmitted via the bite of the mosquito, which leads to the virus entering the bloodstream. And whilst it can tolerate the digestive tract of a mosquito, which feeds on blood and sugars, I am not sure that it can withstand the much harsher digestive environment inside a higher predator, or be capable of infecting enteric cells. I expect, therefore, that it would deactivate within the intestine. It's a good question, though, and one that warrants a bit more investigation, which I shall do.

Chris