Do bed bugs transmit human viruses, or do humans transmit bed bug viruses? A worldwide survey of the bed bug RNA virosphere

Author:

Walt Hunter K.ORCID,King Jonas G.ORCID,Sheele Johnathan M.ORCID,Meyer FlorenciaORCID,Pietri Jose E.ORCID,Hoffmann Federico G.ORCID

Abstract

ABSTRACTBed bugs (Hemiptera:Cimicidae) are a globally distributed hematophagous pest that routinely feed on humans. Unlike many blood-sucking arthropods, they have never been linked to disease transmission in a natural setting, and despite interest in their role as disease vectors, little is known about the viruses that bed bugs naturally harbor. Here, we present a global-scale survey of the bed bug RNA virosphere. We sequenced the metatranscriptomes of 22 individual bed bugs (Cimex lectulariusandCimex hemipterus) from 8 locations around the world. We detected sequences from two known bed bug viruses (Shuangao bedbug virus 1 and Shuangao bedbug virus 2) which extends their geographical range and the host range of Shuangao bedbug virus 1 toCimex lectularius. We identified three novel bed bug virus sequences from a tenui-like virus (Bunyavirales), a toti-like virus (Ghabrivirales), and a luteo-like virus (Tolivirales).Interestingly, some of the bed bug viruses branch near to insect-transmitted plant-infecting viruses, opening questions regarding the evolution of plant virus infection. When we analyzed the putative viral sequences by their host’s collection location, we found unexpected patterns of geographical diversity that may reflect humans’ role in bed bug dispersal. Additionally, we investigated the effect thatWolbachia,the primary bed bug endosymbiont, may have on viral abundance and found thatWolbachiainfection neither promotes nor inhibits viral infection. Finally, our results provide no evidence that bed bugs transmit any known human pathogenic viruses.

Publisher

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

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