Determination of whether tomato spotted wilt virus replicates in Toxorhynchites amboinensis mosquitoes and the relatedness of this virus to phleboviruses (family Bunyaviridae)

Abstract

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) has been reported to be morphologically, molecularly and structurally similar to viruses in the family Bunyaviridae. By various types of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and Western blot hybridizations, we tested TSWV with antibodies to 12 viruses in the Phlebovirus genus of this family. Serological relatedness was not found between TSWV and phleboviruses. However, one preparation of antibody to Arumowot virus reacted with a 53-kD protein from healthy plant extracts. Six-day-old adult Toxorhynchites amboinensis mosquitoes were inoculated with purified TSWV. Infectious virus was not detected in any of the injected insects during the 5-week test period. However, TSWV antigens were detected in these mosquitoes by ELISA at the original injected level for at least a week after injection. TSWV antigen concentration began to decrease thereafter, but remained at detectable levels for as long as 5 weeks after injection. However, there was no evidence that TSWV replicated in mosquitoes.