We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Not for nothing, microplastics can (potentially) reduce the risk of mosquito-to-human transmission of arboviruses
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers discovered that polystyrene microplastics can adsorb Zika virus particles on their surfaces and, when ingested by mosquitoes, may reduce the insects' ability to transmit arboviruses. In laboratory experiments with Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, microplastic exposure significantly decreased viral transmission rates after 7 to 14 days. The study suggests that microplastics may interfere with mosquito-virus interactions through both physical adsorption and changes in gene expression related to viral infection.
The impact of microplastic pollution has emerged as a significant global ecological concern. Various organisms have exhibited alterations in behavior or metabolic activities following exposure to microplastics (MPs). Mosquitoes, as crucial disease vectors, are particularly susceptible MPs exposure in the environment. Recent studies have demonstrated that MPs ingested by mosquitoes can be detected in vivo, potentially being transmitted during their different life cycles. However, it remains unclear whether MPs in vivo could affect mosquito infection with arboviruses. In this study, we identified that the physical adsorption effect of MPs is also effective against arboviruses, enabling the adsorption of Zika virus particles onto their surfaces. We established an exposure model by feeding adult Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1895) (Diptera: Culicidae) with 1 μm MPs at concentrations of 5 and 50 μg/mL in 8 % sucrose solution. The transmission rate of ZIKV and population transmission rate in the laboratorial Ae. albopictus exposure model began to decrease from day 7, showing statistically significant differences compared to the control group on days 10 and 14 (**, p < 0.01), significantly affecting their vector efficiency. This phenomenon is not solely dependent on the physical adsorption of MPs to arboviruses. Transcriptome analysis indicated that exposure to MPs influenced the expression levels of genes associated with mosquito virus infection, altering the function of relevant pathways, which consequently reduces their capability to transmit arbovirus. These findings suggest that exposure to MPs significantly affects the vector efficiency of mosquitoes, providing novel perspectives for the ecological risk assessment of MPs.
More Papers Like This
Female mosquito-a potential vector for transporting plastic residues to humans
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that mosquito larvae accumulate microplastics from sewage environments and retain them through metamorphosis into adult females, suggesting that mosquitoes could serve as vectors for transporting plastic residues to humans through biting.
Microplastics on the menu; exploring interactions between two mosquitoes species and microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed larvae of two mosquito species with contrasting feeding ecologies (Anopheles gambiae and Aedes albopictus) to varying concentrations, sizes, and densities of polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics, finding that ingestion risk was primarily determined by particle size rather than larval ecology, and that microplastics affected survival only in An. gambiae adults at the highest concentration, with no physical or chemical alteration of microplastics detected post-digestion.
Hitchhiking Microplastics Through Mosquitoes as Unseen Vehicles of Terrestrial and Aerial Transfer: Experimental Evidence
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (microplastics) can be absorbed by mosquito larvae and carried through their entire life cycle—showing up in nearly all the adult mosquitoes that emerged. While this study focused on mosquito health (higher plastic doses meant more baby mosquitoes died), it raises a bigger concern: if plastics can hitch a ride through insects like this, they may be moving through food webs and ecosystems in ways we don't fully understand yet, including potentially into animals and humans that interact with these insects.
Microplastics as Vectors for Viral Transmission: Mechanisms, Influencing Factors, and Ecological-Health Risks
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles floating in the environment can stick to viruses and help them survive longer and spread more easily, which could increase the risk of getting sick. This review article summarizes what scientists have learned about how plastics and viruses interact, and why it matters, because many of us are now exposed to both microplastics and viruses at the same time, which could be worse for our immune systems than facing either threat alone. Understanding this problem better will help researchers figure out how to protect public health as plastic pollution continues to grow worldwide.
Microplastics as emerging viral vectors: Nexus, mechanisms, ecological implications and health risks
AI summary Read the abstract
This review pulls together existing research showing that tiny plastic particles (microplastics) aren't just harmless debris—they can act like rafts that viruses cling to, helping them survive longer and travel farther in water, soil, and air than they would on their own. This matters because it means microplastics could potentially help spread infections more easily, though scientists still need more real-world studies to figure out exactly how big a risk this poses to human health.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.