Characterizing the pathogenic viruses of reared crickets

Interest in developing sustainable protein alternatives for human consumption, both direct and indirect via animal feed, has gained incredible momentum. One such alternative is insect-derived protein and crickets (family: Gryllidae) are an especially popular group of edible insects due to their nutritional quality and palatability. However, this emerging industry of insects as food and feed has been severely impacted by microbial entomopathogenic infections, especially due to viruses, of which we know very little about. Here, we identified and quantified pathogenic viruses isolated from colonies of Gryllodes sigillatus and Acheta domesticus crickets, using various molecular and genomic techniques (e.g., real-time PCR and Sanger and metagenomic sequencing). We will discuss these results and highlight the future considerations necessary for ensuring the health of farmed insects. Our research is foundational to the development of essential tools for diagnostic testing, mitigation, and therapeutic interventions that will reduce product losses and improve the health of this emerging industry.