Taking a bite out of nutrition and arbovirus infection

James Weger-Lucarelli (1) , Heidi Auerswald (2) , Marco Vignuzzi (1) , Philippe Dussart (2) , Erik A. Karlsson (2)

1 Populations virales et Pathogenèse - Viral Populations and Pathogenesis
2 Unité de Virologie / Virology Unit [Phnom Penh]

Nutrition is a key factor in host-pathogen defense. Malnutrition can increase both host susceptibility and severity of infection through a number of pathways, and infection itself can promote nutritional deterioration and further susceptibility. Nutritional status can also strongly influence response to vaccination or therapeutic pharmaceuticals. Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) have a long history of infecting humans, resulting in regular pandemics as well as an increasing frequency of autochthonous transmission. Interestingly, aside from host-related factors, nutrition could also play a role in the competence of vectors required for transmission of these viruses. Nutritional status of the host and vector could even influence viral evolution itself. Therefore, it is vital to understand the role of nutrition in the arbovirus lifecycle. This Review will focus on nutritional factors that could influence susceptibility and severity of infection in the host, response to prophylactic and therapeutic strategies, vector competence, and viral evolution.

Domains: Virology; Other [q-bio.OT]

James Weger-Lucarelli, Heidi Auerswald, Marco Vignuzzi, Philippe Dussart, Erik A. Karlsson. Taking a bite out of nutrition and arbovirus infection. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2018, 12 (3), pp.e0006247. ⟨10.1371/journal.pntd.0006247⟩. ⟨pasteur-03214740⟩