A Systematic Review of the Natural Virome of Anopheles Mosquitoes.

mosquitoes are vectors of human malaria, but they also harbor viruses, collectively termed the virome. The virome is relatively poorly studied, and the number and function of viruses are unknown. Only the o'nyong-nyong arbovirus (ONNV) is known to be consistently transmitted to vertebrates by mosquitoes. A systematic literature review searched four databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Lissa. In addition, online and print resources were searched manually. The searches yielded 259 records. After screening for eligibility criteria, we found at least 51 viruses reported in , including viruses with potential to cause febrile disease if transmitted to humans or other vertebrates. Studies to date have not provided evidence that consistently transmit and maintain arboviruses other than ONNV. However, anthropophilic vectors of malaria are constantly exposed to arboviruses in human bloodmeals. It is possible that in malaria-endemic zones, febrile symptoms may be commonly misdiagnosed. It is also possible that anophelines may be inherently less competent arbovirus vectors than culicines, but if true, the biological basis would warrant further study. This systematic review contributes a context to characterize the biology, knowledge gaps, and potential public health risk of viruses.