VOICE - Vector of O´nyong-nyong virus, Infection, Competence and Ecology

VOICE will lessen the likelihood of an epidemic resurgence of the O´nyong´nyong virus (ONNV) by advancing research and development for disease early warning systems, prevention and control. ONNV is primarily transmitted by Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus mosquitoes, the vector for Malaria in Africa.

Through vector competence studies, we demonstrated that Anopheles stephensi could transmit ONNV.

The recent arrival of Anopheles stephensi in Africa, and its rapid spread into the east African ONNV hotspots is a potential risk of ONNV resurgence.

Besides re-igniting the Malaria epidemics in Africa, Anopheles stephensi can spread ONNV beyond Africa and cause epidemics, taking advantage of increasing temperatures, immune naïve populations, and lack of vaccines and medicines.

ONNV infection is characterised by polyarthritis, and its effects would devastate the already arthritis-burdened global population.

Understanding the basic transmission mechanisms of ONNV and the ecology of the invading mosquito in east Africa is imperative and urgent.

VOICE project will (1) conduct a mosquito survey to determine the occurrence of Anopheles stephensi in Kenya; (2) perform vector competence of wild-caught Anopheles stephensi in Kenya, and (3) perform vertical transmission studies using the Uganda ONNV strain SG650 (4), assess the spatiotemporal variation of viromes of wild-caught Anopheles stephensi in Kenya.

This study scales up laboratory tests to field studies