Mosquito midgut microbiota is a key component of vector competence, as gut bacteria can disturb pathogen development.
In this study, we addressed the microbiota composition of
Aedes aegypti during its lifespan, under field
conditions. We also investigated the possible effects of environment, dietary regime and ageing on the gut community
composition. We employed culture independent and dependent approaches to characterise vector microbiota. There
was evidence of a lifelong stable core microbiota after mosquitoes were released into an urban settlement, where
they presumably fed on a range of vertebrate hosts and carbohydrate sources. This core was formed mainly of bacteria
belonging to the genera
Pseudomonas
,
Acinetobacter
,
Aeromonas
and
Stenotrophomonas
and to the families
Oxalobacteraceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Comamonadaceae. We showed that both dietary regime and age were
associated with the abundance of some bacterial groups in the
Ae. aegypti microbiota. The majority of the bacterial
groups we identified have been detected in the midgut of
Ae. aegypti from laboratory and wild populations, indicating
a possible core microbiota associated with this mosquito species. Our findings suggest that
Ae. aegypti harbours
a stable bacterial community during its adult life, similar to mosquito populations from distinct geographic areas,
which may be further explored for arbovirus biocontrol strategies.
