Speaker
Description
Mosquito-borne viruses have emerged as global health threats due to their rapid spread and high disease burden. These viruses share a common feature: the virus is inoculated in the host skin tissue, a tissue colonized by a complex microbial community. The early events at the skin interface are critical for virus replication, yet the role of host skin bacteria remains unclear. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that host skin bacteria impact virus infection (and vice versa) for Ross River virus, an emerging mosquito-borne virus of growing concern. Using a humanized mice model we found that the bacterial load on the skin is higher after virus infection. Flow cytometry further revealed that this effect was independent of the host immune system, suggesting the virus can directly manipulate the host skin microbiota. Additionally, we demonstrated that co-incubation of human skin bacteria together with virus reduced viral infectivity in ex vivo skin biopts. This inhibitory effect was observed for S. epidermidis and B. epidermidis but not for P. aeruginosa and C. minutissimum, indicating the effect is bacterium specific. Together, these results underscore the intricate interplay between skin bacteria and viruses and can provide new insights into other host-microbiota interactions.
