bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ACUTE DISSEMINATED ENCEPHALOMYELITIS FOLLOWING PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA CAUSED BY VARICELLA ZOSTER VIRUS REACTIVATION
Authors: LADEMANN MATTHIAS , GABELIN PEGGY , LAFRENZ MICHAEL , WERNITZ CHRISTIANE , EHMKE HEIDRUN , SCHMITZ HERBERT , REISINGER EMIL C.
Published: September 2018

Neurologic complications in the course of Plasmodium falciparum infections are commonly diagnosed as cerebral malaria, but bacterial or viral meningitis may exhibit similar symptoms. One to three weeks after P. falciparum malaria, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) can also mimick the symptoms of cerebral malaria. We describe a 31-year-old woman with life-threatening ADEM five days after successful treatment of P. falciparum malaria. The detection of IgG and IgM antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) against multiple viruses and bacteria reflected a non-specific polyclonal B cell activation and was more confusing than helpful for diagnostic decisions. Varicella zoster virus was identified with a reverse transcriptase multiplex polymerase chain reaction in the initially obtained and frozen CSF. This case and findings from the literature indicate that P. falciparum-associated ADEM might not be immune mediated, but of infectious origin. With unclear cerebral complications during or after P. falciparum malaria, prompt initiation of empirical antiviral and antibacterial treatment in addition to antimalarials may reduce mortality.
A LARGE OUTBREAK OF PROBABLE ROTAVIRUS IN NUSA TENGGARA TIMUR, INDONESIA
Authors: CORWIN ANDREW L. , SUBEKTI DECY , SUKRI NONO C. , WILLY RONALD J. , MASTER JOHN , PRIYANTO EKO , LARAS KANTI
Published: September 2018

An outbreak of acute diarrheal disease was reported in Kupang, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, in August 2002. An investigative team carried out a retrospective historical review of records, and a case-control study involving data and specimen collections. Etiologic determination involving stool specimens was based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, with a reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction performed for serotyping purposes. Two thousand six hundred probable cases were identified from hospital records during the outbreak months of June, July, August, and September 2002. Previous enteric outbreaks were recognized from the same months in the preceding years and all annual outbreak episodes following a period of prolonged, low rainfall. In contrast to previous outbreaks discerned from trend analysis, the overwhelming burden of disease fell upon the pediatric population versus the young and old in previous outbreak instances. Rotavirus was found to be the causative etiology, with serotype 1 predominating.
CUTANEOUS FASCIOLIASIS: A CASE REPORT IN VIETNAM
Authors: XUAN LE THI , HUNG NGUYEN THIEN , WAIKAGUL JITRA
Published: September 2018

A 40 year-old woman living in Gialai, Kontum, Vietnam, developed a red solid mass in the epigastric region. From ultrasound investigation, liver abscess and myositis of the intercostal muscle was diagnosed. Two weeks after treatment with antibiotics, the mass disappeared, but a migratory track developed in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. An aspiration of the vesicular end of the serpiginous track showed a light brown, living worm that was later identified as an immature Fasciola sp. This is the first case report of cutaneous fascioliasis in the form similar to creeping eruption.
HELMINTH INFECTION AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AMONG FILIPINO CHILDREN
Authors: EZEAMAMA AMARA E. , FRIEDMAN JENNIFER F. , ACOSTA LUZ P. , BELLINGER DAVID C. , LANGDON GRETCHEN C. , MANALO DARIA L. , OLVEDA REMIGIO M. , KURTIS JONATHAN D. , MCGARVEY STEPHEN T.
Published: September 2018

The objective of this study was to examine the independent effect of infection with each of four helminths (Ascaris lumbricoides, Schistosoma japonicum, Necator americanus, and Trichuris trichiura) on cognitive function after adjusting for the potential confounders nutritional status, socioeconomic status (SES), hemoglobin, sex, and the presence of other helminthes. This cross-sectional study was carried out in a rural village in Leyte, The Philippines in 319 children 7–18 years old. Three stools were collected and read in duplicate by the Kato Katz method. Infection intensity was defined by World Health Organization criteria. Cognitive tests were culturally adapted and translated. Learning and memory cognitive domains were each defined by three subscales of the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning, which had an inter-rater reliability ≥ 0.92 and test-retest reliabilities ranging from 0.61 to 0.89. A household SES questionnaire was administered. A logistic regression model was used to quantify the association between performance in different cognitive domains (learning, memory, verbal fluency, and the Philippine Non-Verbal Intelligence Test) and helminth infections. After adjusting for age, sex, nutritional status, hemoglobin, and SES, S. japonicum infection was associated with poor performance on tests of learning (odds ratio [OR] = 3.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1–6.9), A. lumbricoides infection was associated with poor performance on tests of memory (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.04–4.7), and T. trichiura infection was associated with poor performance on tests of verbal fluency (OR = 4.5, 95% CI = 1.04–30). Helminth infection was associated with lower performance in three of the four cognitive domains examined in this study. These relationships remained after rigorous control for other helminths and important confounding covariates.
STRONGYLOIDES STERCORALIS RECOMBINANT NIE ANTIGEN SHARES EPITOPE WITH RECOMBINANT Ves v 5 AND Pol a 5 ALLERGENS OF INSECTS
Authors: RAVI VARATHARAJALU , KING TE PIAO , ANDERSEN JOHN F. , NUTMAN THOMAS B. , NEVA FRANKLIN A.
Published: September 2018

A new recombinant protein (NIE) for immunodiagnosis of human Strongyloides infection has 13% to 18% amino acid identity with antigen 5 insect venom allergen, but the C-terminal segment of NIE showed highest identity with Ves v 5 (yellow jacket) and Pol a 5 (paper wasp). A rabbit polyclonal anti-NIE antibody identified a single band of NIE antigen as well as bands of Pol a 5 and Ves v 5 antigens, and mouse anti-Pol a 5 and anti-Ves v 5 sera reacted with recombinant NIE antigen by Western blot. A cyanogen bromide-digested C-terminal fragment of NIE was reactive with mouse anti-Ves v 5 and Pol a 5 antibodies as well as with rabbit anti-NIE serum. Although IgE and IgG antibodies from pooled sera from Strongyloides-infected patients reacted with Pol a 5 and Ves v 5 recombinant antigens on immunoblots, neither antigen inhibited human IgG reaction with NIE antigen in a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF SEVERE MALARIA IN THE HIGHLANDS OF SOUTHWESTERN UGANDA
Authors: IDRO RICHARD , BITARAKWATE EDWARD , TUMWESIGIRE SAM , JOHN CHANDY C.
Published: September 2018

Epidemics of malaria have occurred in highland areas of East Africa since the 1980s, but the clinical spectrum of severe malaria in these areas has not been described. Over a 17-month period from 2001 to 2002, we assessed 117 consecutive patients admitted to Kabale Hospital in highland Uganda who met the World Health Organization 2000 criteria for severe malaria. Sixty-six persons (56.4%) were age 5 years or older, and 51 (43.6%) were under 5 years of age. Fever, vomiting, and cough were the most frequent symptoms. Hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were infrequent. Prostration was the most frequent manifestation of severe malaria in children under 5 years of age (45.1%) and persons 5 years or older (65.2%), followed by respiratory distress (29.4%) and severe anemia (19.6%) in children under 5 years, and respiratory distress (15.2%) and impaired consciousness (13.6%) in persons 5 years or older. Strictly defined cerebral malaria was uncommon (3.4%). In a multivariate regression model, children under 5 years were more likely than persons 5 years or older to present with severe anemia (OR 5.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–21.9) and respiratory distress (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.3–11.1) and less likely to present with prostration (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1–0.7) and impaired consciousness (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.0–0.9). In highland Uganda, severe malaria often occurs in persons older than 5 years of age. “Typical” signs like splenomegaly are frequently absent, prostration is the major manifestation, and other manifestations vary in frequency according to age.
EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF ARTESUNATE PLUS SULFADOXINE-PYRIMETHAMINE AND SULFADOXINE-PYRIMETHAMINE ALONE FOR THE TREATMENT OF UNCOMPLICATED PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA IN PERU
Authors: MARQUIÑO WILMER , YLQUIMICHE LAURA , HERMENEGILDO YGOR , PALACIOS ANA MARIA , FALCONÍ EDUARDO , CABEZAS CÉSAR , ARRÓSPIDE NANCY , GUTIERREZ SONIA , RUEBUSH TRENTON K.
Published: September 2018

To assist the Peruvian Ministry of Health in modifying the malaria treatment policy for their north Pacific coastal region, we conducted an in vivo efficacy trial of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) and SP plus artesunate (SP-AS) for the treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum infections. A total of 197 patients were randomized to therapy with either SP (25 mg/kg of the sulfadoxine component in a single dose on day 0) or a combination of SP plus AS (4 mg/kg on days 0, 1, and 2) and were followed for 28 days for symptoms and recurrence of parasitemia. No statistically significant differences between the two groups were observed on enrollment with respect to age, sex, history of malaria, or geometric mean parasite density. A total of 185 subjects completed the 28-day follow-up. Of the 91 subjects treated with SP alone, two had recurrences of parasitemia on day 7 and one on day 21. Of the 94 subjects treated with SP-AS, one had a recurrence of parasitemia on day 21. Fever and asexual parasite density decreased significantly more rapidly and the proportion of patients with gametocytemia on days 3–28 was significantly lower in subjects treated with combination therapy than in those who received SP alone. No severe adverse drug reactions were observed; however, self-limited rash and pruritis were significantly more common and an exacerbation of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain were observed significantly more frequently among patients who had received SP-AS. These results have contributed to a National Malaria Control Program decision to change to SP-AS combination therapy as the first-line treatment for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in northern coastal Peru in November 2001, making Peru the first country in the Americas to recommend this combination therapy.
SEROLOGIC EVIDENCE OF EXPOSURE OF WILD MAMMALS TO FLAVIVIRUSES IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN UNITED STATES
Authors: ROOT J. JEFFREY , HALL JEFFREY S. , MCLEAN ROBERT G. , MARLENEE NICOLE L. , BEATY BARRY J. , GANSOWSKI JUSTIN , CLARK LARRY
Published: September 2018

Serosurveys were conducted to obtain flavivirus and West Nile virus (WNV) seroprevalence data from mammals. Sera from 513 small- and medium-sized mammals collected during late summer and fall 2003 from Colorado, Louisiana, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania were screened for flavivirus-specific antibodies. Sera samples containing antibody to flaviviruses were screened for WNV-specific antibodies by epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and confirmed with plaque reduction neutralization tests. Prevalence of WNV antibodies among study sites ranged from 0% to 42.8% among the mammal communities sampled. High prevalence rates for WNV were noted among raccoons (100%, with a very small sample size, N = 2), Virginia opossums (50.0%), fox squirrels (49.1%), and eastern gray squirrels (48.3%). The high WNV antibody prevalence noted for tree squirrels, the peri-domestic tendencies of several of these species, and their ease of observation could make these species useful sentinels for monitoring WNV activity within urban communities.
EFFECT OF MOSQUITO MIDGUT TRYPSIN ACTIVITY ON DENGUE-2 VIRUS INFECTION AND DISSEMINATION IN AEDES AEGYPTI
Authors: MOLINA-CRUZ ALVARO , GUPTA LALITA , RICHARDSON JASON , BENNETT KRISTINE , BLACK WILLIAM , BARILLAS-MURY CAROLINA
Published: September 2018

The effect of mosquito midgut trypsins in dengue serotype 2 flavivirus (DENV-2) infectivity to Aedes aegypti was studied. Addition of soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI) in a DENV-2 infectious blood meal resulted in a 91–97% decrease in midgut DENV-2 RNA copies (qRT-PCR analysis). STI treatment also resulted in slower DENV-2 replication in the midgut, less DENV-2 E protein expression, and decreased dissemination to the thorax and the head. A second uninfected blood meal, 7 days after the STI-treated infectious meal, significantly increased DENV-2 replication in the midgut and recovered oogenesis, suggesting that the lower viral infection caused by STI was in part due to a nutritional effect. Mosquitoes fed DENV-2 digested in vitro with bovine trypsin (before STI addition) exhibited a transient increase in midgut DENV-2 4 days postinfection. Blood digestion and possibly DENV-2 proteolytic processing, mediated by midgut trypsins, influence the rate of DENV-2 infection, replication, and dissemination in Ae. aegypti.
ACQUIRED PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR HYPERTROPHY AND TRICHINOSIS
Authors: CHOTMONGKOL VERAJIT , INTAPAN PEWPAN M. , KOONMEE SUPINDA , KULARBKAEW CHURAIRUT , AUNGAREE THITI
Published: September 2018

We present the case of a 49-year-old man with progressive generalized muscle hypertrophy and weakness for 3 months. Laboratory results revealed peripheral blood eosinophilia and significant elevation of creatinine kinase level. Histologic findings from muscle biopsy demonstrated a nurse cell-larva complex. Treatment with albendazole resulted in a very favorable outcome.
HEPATIC CAPILLARIASIS IN MAINE PRESENTING AS A HEPATIC MASS
Authors: KLENZAK JENNIFER , MATTIA ANTHONY , VALENTI AUGUST , GOLDBERG JOHN
Published: September 2018

We report the first case of hepatic capillariasis in Maine. The patient was a 54-year-old male carpenter who presented with a subacute history of severe abdominal pain, fevers, and weight loss. Initial diagnostic studies suggested a hepatic mass associated with para-aortic lymphadenopathy. The patient underwent open laparotomy for resection of the mass. He was found to have an eosinophilic granuloma in the liver; further evaluation revealed degenerating Capillaria hepatica. The exact route of infection in this case is unknown but is most likely due to accidental ingestion of soil contaminated with mature capillaria eggs. This patient had a low parasite burden and did not exhibit significant peripheral eosinophilia. After treatment with thiabendazole, he recovered uneventfully.
MEASURING ALLELIC HETEROGENEITY IN PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM BY A HETERODUPLEX TRACKING ASSAY
Authors: NGRENNGARMLERT WARUNEE , KWIEK JESSE J. , KAMWENDO DEBORAH D. , RITOLA KIMBERLY , SWANSTROM RONALD , WONGSRICHANALAI CHANSUDA , MILLER R. SCOTT , ITTARAT WANIDA , MESHNICK STEVEN R.
Published: September 2018

We developed a novel Plasmodium falciparum genotyping strategy based on the heteroduplex tracking assay (HTA) method commonly used to genotype viruses. Because it can detect both sequence and size polymorphisms, we hypothesized that HTA is more sensitive than current methods. To test this hypothesis, we compared the ability of HTA and a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect genetic diversity in 17 Thai samples. The HTA detected more MSP1 sequence variants in eight isolates (47%), less sequence variants in three isolates (18%), and an equal number of sequence variants in six isolates (35%), suggesting that HTA is equal to or more sensitive than the nested PCR. This study is a proof of concept that HTA is a sensitive allelic discrimination method able to determine genetic diversity in P. falciparum and warrants its use in studies of antimalarial drug efficacy.
COINFECTION WITH PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM AND SCHISTOSOMA HAEMATOBIUM: PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF SCHISTOSOMIASIS ON MALARIA IN SENEGALESE CHILDREN?
Authors: BRIAND VALÉRIE , WATIER LAURENCE , LE HESRAN JEAN-YVES , GARCIA ANDRÉ , COT MICHEL
Published: September 2018

Studies with animal models have suggested the possibility of interactions between parasites during concurrent infections and have raised the question of a similar phenomenon in humans. The present survey was undertaken to assess the impact of urinary schistosomiasis on the susceptibility of children to malaria. It was carried out in Senegal between September 2001 and March 2002 among 523 children 3–15 years of age. We tested the association between Plasmodium falciparum densities and the load of Schistosoma haematobium egg excretion using a linear mixed model because data were not independent. After controlling for age, sex, and season, we showed that children lightly infected with S. haematobium (1–9 eggs/10 mL of urine) had lower P. falciparum densities than those not infected (β = −0.34, 95% confidence interval = −0.85, −0.10), suggesting a negative interaction between both parasites.
COMBINATION OF A NON-PYRETHROID INSECTICIDE AND A REPELLENT: A NEW APPROACH FOR CONTROLLING KNOCKDOWN-RESISTANT MOSQUITOES
Authors: PENNETIER CEDRIC , CORBEL VINCENT , HOUGARD JEAN-MARC
Published: September 2018

Although pyrethroid-treated materials are a promising tool for the prevention and the control of dengue in the tropics, the development of pyrethroid resistance in the main mosquito vector (Aedes aegypti) may negate their use for personal and/or community protection. In that context, the efficacy of a mixture of a repellent (N,N-diethyl toluamide [DEET]) and a non-pyrethroid insecticide (propoxur) was investigated under laboratory conditions against both pyrethroid-susceptible and pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes with the knockdown resistance (kdr) mutation. The results showed that a combination of propoxur and DEET induced a knockdown effect and mortality as high as deltamethrin (a standard pyrethroid) against the susceptible strain, and significantly higher efficacy against the pyrethroid-resistant strain. This could be explained mainly by the existence of a strong synergistic interaction between DEET and propoxur in mosquitoes. This study constitutes a first step towards an alternative strategy for improving mosquito control in areas with pyrethroid resistance.
A NOVEL, RAPID ASSAY FOR DETECTION AND DIFFERENTIATION OF SEROTYPE-SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES TO VENEZUELAN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS COMPLEX ALPHAVIRUSES
Authors: WANG ERYU , PAESSLER SLOBODAN , AGUILAR PATRICIA V. , SMITH DARCI R. , COFFEY LARK L. , KANG WENLI , PFEFFER MARTIN , OLSON JAMES , BLAIR PATRICK J. , GUEVARA CAROLINA , ESTRADA-FRANCO JOSE , WEAVER SCOTT C.
Published: September 2018

An epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed for the rapid differentiation of serologic responses to enzootic variety IE and ID versus epizootic variety IAB and IC strains of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus. Two monoclonal antibodies that differentially recognize epizootic versus enzootic VEE virus epitopes were used to measure the serotype-specific blocking abilities of antibodies in sera of naturally infected humans, equines, and bovines, as well as in experimentally infected equines. The assay is simple, species-independent, rapid, and sensitive, and will improve surveillance for VEE emergence. It could also be used to determine the epidemic potential of a VEE virus following an intentional introduction for bioterrorism.
VACCINATION OF PIGS TO CONTROL HUMAN NEUROCYSTICERCOSIS
Authors: GONZALEZ ARMANDO E. , GAUCI CHARLES G. , BARBER DYLAN , GILMAN ROBERT H. , TSANG VICTOR C. W. , GARCIA HECTOR H. , VERASTEGUI MANUELA , LIGHTOWLERS MARSHALL W.
Published: September 2018

Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis is a zoonotic disease complex in which the pig is an obligate intermediate host. The infection is widespread, particularly in the developing world, and neurocysticercosis is a major cause of human neurologic disease where the parasite is endemic. Despite easy availability, effective anti-parasitic drugs have not been deployed effectively to control disease transmission. We have investigated a vaccine strategy to prevent parasite infection of the pig intermediate host. Such a strategy would interrupt the parasite’s life cycle and eliminate the source of infection for humans. Two recombinant antigens selected from the parasite oncosphere life cycle stage were tested in vaccination trials in pigs that were challenged orally with Taenia solium eggs. Both antigens were highly effective in protecting the pigs against infection with the parasite (98.6% and 99.9% protection, respectively). No viable cysts were found in eight pigs vaccinated with one of the antigens. A recombinant subunit vaccine based on oncosphere antigens has the potential to improve the available control measures for T. solium and thereby reduce or eliminate neurocysticercosis.
SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF EHRLICHIA CHAFFEENSIS, CAUSATIVE AGENT OF HUMAN MONOCYTOTROPIC EHRLICHIOSIS, ACROSS A MULTI-STATE REGION
Authors: YABSLEY MICHAEL J. , WIMBERLY MICHAEL C. , STALLKNECHT DAVID E. , LITTLE SUSAN E. , DAVIDSON WILLIAM R.
Published: September 2018

Ehrlichia chaffeensis, which causes human monocytotrophic ehrlichiosis (HME), is an important emerging tick-borne pathogen in the southeastern and southcentral United States. The endemnicity probability of E. chaffeensis and, by implication, locations with risk for HME, was predicted by using two modeling methods. This is first large-scale study to use geospatial analyses to estimate the distribution of E. chaffeensis, and it was conducted using data from a prototypic surveillance system that used white-tailed deer as natural sentinels. Analyses included the E. chaffeensis serostatus for 563 counties from 18 states. Both kriging and logistic regression models provided very reliable portrayals of E. chaffeensis occurrence and predicted that E. chaffeensis distribution had good concordance with human case data. The integration of a deer surveillance system with geospatial analyses was useful in developing HME risk maps that will be useful for identifying high-risk areas for public health interventions such as prevention and control efforts.
VARIATION IN VIRULENCE OF WEST NILE VIRUS STRAINS FOR HOUSE SPARROWS (PASSER DOMESTICUS)
Authors: LANGEVIN STANLEY A. , BRAULT AARON C. , PANELLA NICHOLAS A. , BOWEN RICHARD A. , KOMAR NICHOLAS
Published: September 2018

The observation of avian mortality associated with West Nile virus (WNV) infection has become a hallmark epidemiologic feature in the recent emergence of this pathogen in Israel and North America. To determine if phenotypic differences exist among different WNV isolates, we exposed house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to low passage, lineage 1 WNV strains from North America (NY99), Kenya (KEN), and Australia (KUN; also known as Kunjin virus). House sparrows inoculated with the NY99 and KEN strains experienced similar mortality rates and viremia profiles. The KUN strain elicited significantly lower-titered viremia when compared with the other strains and induced no mortality. This study suggests that natural mortality in house sparrows due to Old World strains of WNV may be occurring where the KEN strain occurs.
A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF BAYOU VIRUS, HOSTS, AND HABITAT
Authors: MCINTYRE NANCY E. , CHU YONG-KYU , OWEN ROBERT D. , ABUZEINEH ALISA , DE LA SANCHA NOE , DICK CARL W. , HOLSOMBACK TYLA , NISBETT RICHARD A. , JONSSON COLLEEN
Published: September 2018

What is currently known about the ecology of North American hantaviruses has come largely from studies on Sin Nombre virus (SNV). We conducted a longitudinal study of Bayou virus (BAYV), the second-leading agent of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the United States. Antibodies to hantavirus were detected from Oryzomys palustris (most commonly infected species), Sigmodon hispidus, Peromyscus leucopus, Reithrodontomys fulvescens, and Baiomys taylori. However, only O. palustris had viral RNA in tissues and excreta, suggesting that antibodies detected in other species may have resulted from spill-over infection. Seroprevalence rates averaged around 16% for O. palustris and varied seasonally. The heaviest males exhibited the highest levels of seroprevalence. Seroprevalence was higher in coastal prairie (20.0%) than old-fields (10.5%) and was associated with host abundance. These patterns are similar to those of SNV and can be used in identification of potentially at-risk areas.
ARAGUARI VIRUS, A NEW MEMBER OF THE FAMILY ORTHOMYXOVIRIDAE: SEROLOGIC, ULTRASTRUCTURAL, AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION
Authors: DA SILVA ELIANA V. PINTO , DA ROSA AMELIA P. A. TRAVASSOS , NUNES MÁRCIO R. T. , DINIZ JOSÉ A. P. , TESH ROBERT B. , CRUZ ANA C. R. , VIEIRA CONCEIÇÃO M. A. , VASCONCELOS PEDRO F. C.
Published: September 2018

This paper reports the results of serologic, structural, biochemical, and genetic studies indicating that Araguari virus, a previously unassigned viral agent, is a member of the family Orthomyxoviridae and genus Thogotovirus. Araguari virus has six RNA fragments; biologically, it shares several properties with other viruses in the family Orthomyxoviridae. Nucleotide sequencing of the RNA segments 4 (glycoprotein) and 5 (nucleoprotein) of Araguari virus aligned with the orthomyxoviruses, showing the closest relationship with Thogoto virus (sequence similarity = 61.9% and 69.1%, respectively, for glycoprotein and nucleoprotein), but also sharing a more distant similarity with Dhori and Influenza C viruses, especially for the glycoprotein gene. Based on these results, we propose that Araguari virus should be assigned as a new member of the family Orthomyxoviridae and genus Thogotovirus.
POPULATION STRUCTURE OF ANOPHELES ARABIENSIS ON LA RÉUNION ISLAND, INDIAN OCEAN
Authors: MORLAIS ISABELLE , GIROD ROMAIN , HUNT RICHARD , SIMARD FRÉDÉRIC , FONTENILLE DIDIER
Published: September 2018

Anopheles arabiensis, together with Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto, are the most important vectors of human malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. The malaria situation keeps worsening, with 1 to 3 million deaths a year, and alternative strategies are needed to decrease malaria transmission intensity. In this paper, we studied the population structure of An. arabiensis from three sample sites on the remote Indian Ocean island of La Réunion. Our results showed strong genetic structuring between An. arabiensis populations on La Réunion, indicating the presence of barriers to gene flow. Reasons for such a high genetic differentiation are discussed, including the role of intensive control measures that have maintained reduced effective population size as well as a putative genetic adaptation to the environment. This strong structuring situation on the island represents an ideal framework for the prospect of genetic-based control trials.
A HIGHLY SENSITIVE AND SPECIFIC REAL-TIME PCR ASSAY FOR THE DETECTION OF SPOTTED FEVER AND TYPHUS GROUP RICKETTSIAE
Authors: STENOS JOHN , GRAVES STEPHEN R. , UNSWORTH NATHAN B.
Published: September 2018

A highly specific real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed to detect spotted fever and typhus group rickettsiae using the citrate synthase gene as the target. The assay amplified rickettsial members of the spotted fever and typhus group including Rickettsia akari, R. australis, R. conorii, R. honei, “R. marmionii,” R. sibirica, R. rickettsii, R. typhi, and R. prowazekii. The ancestral group rickettsia, R. bellii, did not produce a positive reaction, nor did other members of the order Rickettsiales or any non-rickettsial bacteria. The assay had a sensitivity of one target copy number per reaction as determined by serial dilutions of a plasmid containing a spotted fever group target sequence. This quantitative assay is useful for the enumeration of rickettsiae in clinical specimens and the diagnosis of rickettsial illnesses, when rickettsial numbers are very low.
PLASMODIUM GALLINACEUM: CLINICAL PROGRESSION, RECOVERY, AND RESISTANCE TO DISEASE IN CHICKENS INFECTED VIA MOSQUITO BITE
Authors: PAULMAN APRIL , MCALLISTER MILTON M.
Published: September 2018

Historically, in vivo experiments of Plasmodium gallinaceum in chickens have caused high mortality. Perhaps because of this high mortality, it remains to be demonstrated whether recovered birds will resist a second episode of illness when re-exposed to infected mosquitoes. In the current study, groups of 10 chicks were infected with P. gallinaceum via mosquito bite. Parasitemia and anemia were followed by recovery in all birds, although they had persisting, low levels of parasitized erythrocytes (0.007 ± 0.019%). Twenty-three days after the initial exposure, 10 recovered chicks were rechallenged with P. gallinaceum via mosquito bite; none of them developed clinical or hematological evidence of malaria, in contrast to matched control birds, which all became diseased (P < 0.001). Unlike previous studies, the current experiment had no mortality in chickens infected with P. gallinaceum by mosquito bite. Recovered birds resisted disease from re-exposure to the same organism. The duration and nature of immunity or premunition remain to be determined.
TOLERANCE AND EFFICACY OF COMBINED DIETHYLCARBAMAZINE AND ALBENDAZOLE FOR TREATMENT OF WUCHERERIA BANCROFTI AND INTESTINAL HELMINTH INFECTIONS IN HAITIAN CHILDREN
Authors: FOX LEANNE M. , FURNESS BRUCE W. , HASER JENNIFER K. , DESIRE DARDITH , BRISSAU JEAN-MARC , MILORD MARIE-DENISE , LAFONTANT JACK , LAMMIE PATRICK J. , BEACH MICHAEL J.
Published: September 2018

This randomized, placebo-controlled trial investigated the tolerance, efficacy, and nutritional benefit of combining chemotherapeutic treatment of intestinal helminths and lymphatic filariasis. Children were infected with Ascaris (30.7%), Trichuris (53.4%), and hookworm (9.7%) with 69.9% having more than one of these parasites. A total of 15.8% of the children had Wuchereria bancrofti microfilariae. Children were randomly assigned treatment with placebo, albendazole (ALB), diethylcarbamazine (DEC), or combined therapy. The combination of DEC/ALB reduced microfilarial density compared with placebo, ALB, or DEC (P ≤ 0.03). Albendazole and DEC/ALB reduced the prevalence of Ascaris, Trichuris, and hookworm more than placebo or DEC (P ≤ 0.03). Among Trichuris-infected children, those receiving ALB and DEC/ALB demonstrated greater gains in weight compared with placebo (P ≤ 0.05). Albendazole and DEC/ALB were equally efficacious in treating intestinal helminths and for children with W. bancrofti microfilaremia, DEC/ALB was more effective than DEC, with no increase in severity of adverse reactions.
HEALTH AND DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEILLANCE IN RURAL WESTERN KENYA: A PLATFORM FOR EVALUATING INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY FROM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Authors: ADAZU KUBAJE , LINDBLADE KIM A. , ROSEN DANIEL H. , ODHIAMBO FRANK , OFWARE PETER , KWACH JAMES , VAN EIJK ANNA M. , DECOCK KEVIN M. , AMORNKUL PAULI , KARANJA DIANA , VULULE JOHN M. , SLUTSKER LAURENCE
Published: September 2018

We established a health and demographic surveillance system in a rural area of western Kenya to measure the burden of infectious diseases and evaluate public health interventions. After a baseline census, all 33,990 households were visited every four months. We collected data on educational attainment, socioeconomic status, pediatric outpatient visits, causes of death in children, and malaria transmission. The life expectancy at birth was 38 years, the infant mortality rate was 125 per 1000 live births, and the under-five mortality rate was 227 per 1,000 live births. The increased mortality rate in younger men and women suggests high human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome–related mortality in the population. Of 5,879 sick child visits, the most frequent diagnosis was malaria (71.5%). Verbal autopsy results for 661 child deaths (1 month to <12 years) implicated malaria (28.9%) and anemia (19.8%) as the most common causes of death in children. These data will provide a basis for generating further research questions, developing targeted interventions, and evaluating their impact.
FALSE-POSITIVE RESULTS OF A PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM HISTIDINE-RICH PROTEIN 2–DETECTING MALARIA RAPID DIAGNOSTIC TEST DUE TO HIGH SENSITIVITY IN A COMMUNITY WITH FLUCTUATING LOW PARASITE DENSITY
Authors: BELL DAVID R. , WILSON DANNY W. , MARTIN LAURA B.
Published: September 2018

The persistence of parasite histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) in the circulation after parasite clearance has been considered a drawback for rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) targeting HRP2 and a major cause of false-positive results. This paper reports results of a study into whether a proportion of RDT HRP2 false-positive cases carried parasites using polymerase chain reaction analysis as the gold standard rather than microscopy. The high rate of RDT false-positive parasitemia results in comparison with microscopy was shown to predominantly represent cases that had a parasite density below the threshold for detection by microscopy. Despite the generally low disease-endemic prevalence of malaria in the area, there was a high prevalence of chronic infections with low, fluctuating, parasite densities that were better detected by RDT. Our results suggest that in areas known to have low-density parasitemias, RDTs targeting HRP2 may increase diagnostic sensitivity in comparison with microscopy. While microscopy remains the standard for comparison of malaria diagnostic accuracy, the limitations of microscopy, and the possibility that RDTs may have superior accuracy in some circumstances, should be taken into account when interpreting results of diagnostic trials.
LIMITED ADVANTAGE OF MULTIPLE CONSECUTIVE SAMPLES FOR GENOTYPING PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM POPULATIONS DURING THE FIRST DAYS OF TREATMENT
Authors: FÄRNERT ANNA , BJÖRKMAN ANDERS
Published: September 2018

The informative value of genotyping Plasmodium falciparum populations in single blood samples was studied before and during treatment in 13 patients with P. falciparum malaria. Genotyping of the two merozoite surface proteins (msp1 [block 2] and msp2) and the glutamate-rich protein showed multiple genotypes in seven patients, and single genotypes in the remaining six patients. The same genotype profiles were detected in consecutive samples obtained every 12 hours during treatment from the respective patients, although some genotypes were cleared earlier than others. These patterns are in contrast to the extensive daily dynamics previously described in asymptomatic infections. The genotypes detected in one pre-treatment sample thus appear to reflect the parasite subpopulations of the clinical malaria infection during the following days, and additional sampling does not provide any additional information.
IDENTIFYING HEALTH CENTERS IN HONDURAS INFESTED WITH RHODNIUS PROLIXUS USING THE SEROPREVALENCE OF CHAGAS DISEASE IN CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 13 YEARS
Authors: SPURLING GEOFFREY , LUCAS ROMUALD , DOUST JENNY
Published: September 2018

The objective of this study is to determine if a Chagas disease protocol starting with a serological survey is as reliable at identifying insect-infested areas as one using the gold standard entomological survey. The study found that health center areas infested with Rhodnius prolixus were identified using a threshold seroprevalence of 0.1%. The serological survey took half the time and was 30% less expensive than the entomological survey. Developing countries with limited resources may find this strategy useful in combating Chagas disease. This strategy also identifies seropositive children, which facilitates their treatment.
THE PRESENCE OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM GAMETOCYTES IN HUMAN BLOOD INCREASES THE GRAVIDITY OF ANOPHELES GAMBIAE MOSQUITOES
Authors: FERGUSON HEATHER M. , GOUAGNA LOUIS C. , OBARE PETER , READ ANDREW F. , BABIKER HAMZA , GITHURE JOHN , BEIER JOHN C.
Published: September 2018

We conducted a field study in an area of endemic malaria transmission in western Kenya to determine whether mosquitoes that feed on gametocyte-infected blood but do not become infected have reduced or enhanced fecundity in comparison to mosquitoes fed on uninfected blood. Fifteen paired membrane-feeding experiments were conducted in which two strains of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes were simultaneously fed on either Plasmodium falciparum–infected blood from children or uninfected control blood from adults. The presence of noninfecting gametocytes in blood increased the probability that An. gambiae would produce eggs after one blood meal by sixfold (odds ratio for control relative to infected blood group 0.16; 95% CI 0.10–0.23). This result could not be explained by variation in blood meal size or hemoglobin content between hosts. When children cleared their infections, the difference in gravidity between mosquitoes fed on their blood and uninfected adults disappeared, suggesting this phenomenon is due to the presence of Plasmodium gametocytes in blood and not to host-specific factors such as age. This result was observed in two mosquito strains that differ in their innate fecundity, suggesting it may apply generally. To our knowledge, this is the first time that Plasmodium has been implicated as enhancing vector gravidity.
PLATELET DYSFUNCTION–EOSINOPHILIA SYNDROME IN PARASITIZED VENEZUELAN CHILDREN
Authors: RUIZ-SÁEZ ARLETTE , SIFONTES LUZ NÚÑEZ , FEIJOO ROSA , CERTAD GABRIELA , ARENAS-PINTO ALEJANDRO , POCATERRA LEONOR , FERRARA GUISEPPE , GIMÉNEZ RITA , TORRES OBDULITA , GOLDSTEIN CARLOS , BOSCH NORMA
Published: September 2018

Platelet dysfunction was detected in six children with purpura and eosinophilia. We conducted clinical evaluations, hematologic and platelet function tests, clotting studies (bleeding time, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, factor XIII, factor VIII, and von Willebrand factor), assays for IgG and IgM antibodies to platelets, and a search for stool parasites. Mild bleeding phenomena (ecchymoses, petechiae, epistaxis, and gingival) were transient. All children showed intestinal parasites and marked eosinophilia (mean count = 2,615.2 cells/μL, 95% confidence interval = 1,259.6–5,429.8). Main abnormalities included prolonged bleeding times (50%) and defective aggregation with collagen (100%) adrenaline (66%), or ADP (66%). Antibodies to platelets were not detected. Anti-parasite therapy reversed the hemorrhagic manifestations and normalized eosinophil counts and platelet alterations. No relationship could be established between excess eosinophils, intensity of bleeding, or type and degree of platelet abnormalities. Thrombocytopathic features mimicked the intrinsic defect of storage pool disease. The possible pathogenic roles of eosinophilia and parasitism are reviewed. This is the first report of this pathologic combination in Latin American children.
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF HUMAN EHRLICHIOSIS AND ANAPLASMOSIS IN THE UNITED STATES, 2001–2002
Authors: DEMMA LINDA J. , HOLMAN ROBERT C. , MCQUISTON JENNIFER H. , KREBS JOHN W. , SWERDLOW DAVID L.
Published: September 2018

During 2001 through 2002, 1,176 cases of the tick-borne diseases human monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME) and human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by 32 states through the National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance. The average reported annual incidences for HME and HGA during 2001–2002 were 0.6 and 1.4 cases per million population, respectively; incidence was highest among men > 60 years of age. During this same interval, a total of 883 cases of HME and HGA were reported to CDC through a passive surveillance system of tick-borne disease case report forms (CRFs). The surveillance information retrieved from CRFs has allowed for qualitative evaluation of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis risk factors, severity, and diagnostic accuracy. Although these surveillance systems likely substantially under-represent the true burden of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis in the United States due to poor recognition and reporting, they represent the first compilation of national data since these diseases were made nationally notifiable. Continued and improved surveillance activities will progressively reinforce our understanding and awareness of these newly recognized zoonotic infections.
DECLINE OF MATERNAL HEPATITIS A ANTIBODIES DURING THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF LIFE IN INFANTS BORN IN TURKEY
Authors: DERYA ALABAZ , NECMI AKSARAY , EMRE ALHAN , AKGÜN YAMAN
Published: September 2018

Selective immunization of at-risk groups may reduce the incidence of hepatitis A infection, but only the inclusion of hepatitis A vaccine in a routine universal childhood immunization schedule would guarantee control of the infection. But the interference by maternally derived hepatitis A antibodies (anti-HAV) with the immunogenicity of inactivated hepatitis A vaccine is still important in the determination of the optimal age for hepatitis A vaccination. The hepatitis A vaccines have not been assessed widely in children under the age of 2 years and are not currently licensed for this age group in many countries. A prospective trial was performed to detect seroprevalence of maternal hepatitis A antibodies during the first 2 years of life among young infants born to hepatitis A antibody positive mothers in Turkey. We measured at-birth anti-HAV in 147 infants born in our hospital and in their mothers and then from the offspring at months 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24. The prevalence of seropositivity among the mothers at birth were found similarly high (93.9%) to the studies previously done among the adults in our area. The prevalence of anti-HAV among children aged 0, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 21 months were 93.9%, 62.6%, 36.1%, 13.6%, 6.1%, and 0.7%, respectively. Although a proportion of infants still had measurable antibodies at 9 and 12 month of age, two thirds of the infants over the age of 12 months were at high risk of acquiring hepatitis A infection, as living in a endemic region.
ISOLATION OF ARBOVIRUSES FROM MOSQUITOES COLLECTED IN NORTHERN VIETNAM
Authors: BRYANT JULIET E. , CRABTREE MARY B. , NAM VU SIN , YEN NGUYEN THI , DUC HOANG MINH , MILLER BARRY R.
Published: September 2018

In response to recent increases in cases of pediatric encephalitis with unknown etiology in northern Vietnam, surveillance for arbovirus activity was conducted in four provinces surrounding the city of Hanoi during June 2002 and July–August 2004. A total of 20,615 mosquitoes consisting of 19 species in 1,122 pools were processed for virus isolation; virus isolates were obtained from 44 pools. Sagiyama virus (11 isolates), Getah virus (15 isolates), Oya virus (13 isolates), and Akabane virus (4 isolates) were identified by immunofluorescence assay and sequence analysis of reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction fragments. Surprisingly, no isolates of Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus were obtained. Isolation of Akabane virus, Oya virus, Getah virus, and Sagiyama virus is reported for the first time from Vietnam.
TAENIASIS AND CYSTICERCOSIS IN HOUSEMAIDS WORKING IN AFFLUENT NEIGHBORHOODS IN LIMA, PERU
Authors: HUISA BRANKO N. , MENACHO LUIS A. , RODRIGUEZ SILVIA , BUSTOS JAVIER A. , GILMAN ROBERT H. , TSANG VICTOR C. W. , GONZALEZ ARMANDO E. , GARCÍA HECTOR H. , _ _
Published: September 2018

Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis is endemic in most developing countries, where it is an important cause of epileptic seizures and other neurologic symptoms. In industrialized countries, cysticercosis results from travel or immigration of tapeworm carriers from endemic areas. In both endemic and nonendemic countries, housemaids commonly immigrate from cysticercosis-endemic areas and can transmit the infection if they carry the adult tapeworm. Between July 2001 and July 2002, 1,178 housemaids (961 of them work in the top five most affluent districts of Lima, a metropolis of 8 million inhabitants considered nonendemic for cysticercosis) were evaluated for serum antibodies to Taenia solium and stool microscopy for taeniasis and cysticercosis. The serosurvey revealed a prevalence of cysticercosis-specific antibodies of 14.6% (95% CI 12.6–16.6%), and stool microscopy detected 12 T. solium tapeworm carriers, for a prevalence of taeniasis of 1.2% (95% CI: 0.6–1.8%). A nonrandom sample of 26 seropositive housemaids was examined by brain CT and 50% of them had brain lesions compatible with neurocysticercosis, mainly calcifications. From the families who used a tapeworm-carrier housemaid, cysticercosis antibodies were detected in 6 (23%) of 26 persons who agreed to participate. One seropositive member of the employer families was symptomatic for seizures and had brain calcifications. The prevalence of tapeworm infections in this housemaid group is similar to levels in endemic areas, constituting a source of neurocysticercosis infection.
CYSTICERCOSIS IN CHRONIC PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENTS FROM A VENEZUELAN COMMUNITY
Authors: MEZA NÉSTOR W. , ROSSI NINETH E. , GALEAZZI TATIANA N. , SÁNCHEZ NORA M. , COLMENARES FRANCISCO I. , MEDINA OSCAR D. , UZCATEGUI NÉSTOR L. , ALFONZO NACARID , ARANGO CELSO , URDANETA HAIDEÉ
Published: September 2018

Cysticercosis due to Taenia solium infection is endemic in developing countries of the Americas, Asia, and Africa. This study was designed to establish the prevalence of cysticercosis in 158 inpatients of a psychiatric institution in the state of Tachira (Venezuela) and in 127 healthy control subjects. Positive blood tests for cysticercosis by Western blotting were recorded in 18.35% of the patients and in 1.57% of the controls. Individuals with mental retardation were found to carry an increased risk of cysticercosis (RR: 2.92; 1.22 < 2.92 > 7.0; P < 0.05) compared with patients with other psychiatric disorders. Taeniasis by Taenia spp. was not demonstrated in the patient group, although a high incidence of infection by other helminths (95.1%) was detected. The high prevalence of cysticercosis in the psychiatric inpatient group, compared with healthy individuals, and the lack of a differential diagnosis of neurocysticercosis suggest cerebral cysticercosis in a large proportion of these patients. Cysticercosis could be the origin of the psychiatric disorders of these patients and may also be due to contact with the parasite in an environment with poor hygiene conditions and a deficient health care system.
AN ANALYSIS OF GENE FLOW AMONG MIDWESTERN POPULATIONS OF THE MOSQUITO OCHLEROTATUS TRISERIATUS
Authors: BECK ERIC T. , BOSIO CHRISTOPHER F. , GESKE DAVID A. , BLAIR CAROL D. , BEATY BARRY J. , BLACK WILLIAM C.
Published: September 2018

A population genetics study of the mosquito Ochlerotatus triseriatus was performed on 36 collections from adjoining regions of Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin covering approximately 120 km2. Single nucleotide polymorphism analysis was used to estimate variation in the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (ND4) gene. The heated oligonucleotide ligation assay was used to identify the ND4 haplotype of each mosquito. No evidence of genetic isolation by distance was found, nor did Interstate 90 or the Mississippi River serve as barriers to gene flow. The effective migration rate varied from 18 to 45 reproductive migrants/generation, which is similar to estimates from an earlier study. The collections belong to a single, large, panmictic population. However, within this panmictic population, local genetic drift arises, possibly due to one or a few females ovipositing in larval breeding containers. From generation to generation, there is sufficient gene flow to mix families arising from individual breeding sites and eliminate founder effects due to drift.
ISOLATION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7 FROM FECAL SAMPLES OF COWS IN VIETNAM
Authors: NAKASONE NOBORU , TRAN HOANG HUY , NGUYEN MINH BINE , HIGA NAOMI , TOMA CLAUDIA , SONG TIANYAN , ICHINOSE YOSHIO , IWANAGA MASAAKI
Published: September 2018

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 was isolated for the first time in Vietnam. Shiga toxin–producing E. coli were isolated from 8 of 100 cows examined. The two strains showing serotype O157:H7 carried the eae, ehxA, and stx2c genes, but the other six were negative for the eae gene.