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West African Anopheles Gambiae Mosquitoes Harbor A Taxonomically Diverse Virome Including New Insect-Specific Flaviviruses, Mononegaviruses, And Totiviruses, Joseph R. Fauver, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Benjamin J. Krajacich, James Weger-Lucarelli, Steven M. Lakin, Lawrence S. Fakoli, Fatorma K. Bolay, Joseph W. Diclaro, Kounbobr Roch Dabiré, Brian D. Foy, Doug E. Brackney, Gregory D. Ebel, Mark D. Stenglein

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Anopheles gambiae are a major vector of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Viruses that naturally infect these mosquitoes may impact their physiology and ability to transmit pathogens. We therefore used metagenomics sequencing to search for viruses in adult Anopheles mosquitoes collected from Liberia, Senegal, and Burkina Faso. We identified a number of virus and virus-like sequences from mosquito midgut contents, including 14 coding-complete genome segments and 26 partial sequences. The coding-complete sequences define new viruses in the order Mononegavirales, and the families Flaviviridae, and Totiviridae. The identification of a flavivirus infecting Anopheles mosquitoes broadens our understanding of the evolution and host …