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Journal of General Virology header logo Journal of General Virology

Volume 90, Issue 2

A haemocyte tropism for an arbovirus No Access

Abstract

Horizontally transmitted mosquito-borne viruses enter the midgut with a blood meal then disseminate to infect the salivary glands. En route to the salivary glands, these viruses encounter the plasma (haemolymph) and blood cells (haemocytes). Haemocytes respond to a variety of micro-organisms, but their role in virus replication and dissemination has not been described. To look for a potential haemocyte tropism for an arbovirus, a Sindbis virus was injected intrathoracically into four species of mosquito. Virus infects haemocytes as early as 6 h post injection (p.i.) and infection was evident in these cells for as long as 4 days p.i. More than 90 % of haemocytes were infected, most often the phagocytic granulocytes. Virus titres in the haemolymph increased from 24 h p.i. through 60 h p.i. Similar results were found when mosquitoes were injected with orally infectious Sindbis. These data prove that an arbovirus infects, and replicates in, haemocytes.

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2009-02-01
2025-06-23
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A haemocyte tropism for an arbovirus
J. Gen. Virol. 90, 292 (2009); https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.005116-0
/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.005116-0
/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.005116-0
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