bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF DENGUE TYPE 3 VIRUS IN BRAZIL AND PARAGUAY, 2002–2004
Authors: AQUINO VICTOR H. , ANATRIELLO ELEN , GONÇALVES PAULA F. , DA SILVA ELIANA V. , VASCONCELOS PEDRO F. C. , VIEIRA DEUSYLENE S. , BATISTA WEBER C. , BOBADILLA MARIA L. , VAZQUEZ CYNTHIA , MORAN MIRIAN , FIGUEIREDO LUIZ T. M.
Published: September 2018

We studied the molecular epidemiology of dengue virus type 3 (DENV-3) in Brazil and Paraguay by analyzing the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions (5′ and 3′UTRs) and the E protein gene of viruses isolated between 2002 and 2004. Both 5′ and 3′UTRs were highly conserved. However, the 3′UTR of two isolates from Brazil contained eight nucleotide deletions compared with the remaining 26 viruses. Phylogenetic analyses suggested that DENV-3 was introduced into Brazil from the Caribbean Islands at least twice and into Paraguay from Brazil at least three times.
2,3,7,8-TETRACHLORODIBENZO-P-DIOXIN (TCDD) REDUCES LEISHMANIA MAJOR BURDENS IN C57BL/6 MICE
Authors: BOWERS OWEN J. , SOMMERSTED KIRSA B. , SOWELL RYAN T. , BOLING GRETCHEN E. , HANNEMAN WILLIAM H. , TITUS RICHARD G. , DEKREY GREGORY K.
Published: September 2018

Acute exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) can suppress adaptive immunity. In this study, pre-exposure of Leishmania major–infected mice to TCDD caused a dose-dependent and unexpected decrease in parasite burdens on day 20 after infection. In contrast, TCDD-mediated lymphoid atrophy, suppressed antibody levels, and enhanced interleukin-2 production were observed as expected. These results suggest that TCDD may enhance resistance to L. major in the face of immune suppression.
MICROSCOPIC AND SUB-MICROSCOPIC PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM INFECTION, BUT NOT INFLAMMATION CAUSED BY INFECTION, IS ASSOCIATED WITH LOW BIRTH WEIGHT
Authors: ADEGNIKA AYÔLA A. , VERWEIJ JACO J. , AGNANDJI SELIDJI T. , CHAI SANDERS K. , BREITLING LUTZ PH. , RAMHARTER MICHAEL , FROLICH MARIJKE , ISSIFOU SAADOU , KREMSNER PETER G. , YAZDANBAKHSH MARIA
Published: September 2018

Pregnancy-associated malaria is one of the leading causes of low birth weight in malaria endemic areas. In this study, 145 parturient women residing in areas endemic for Plasmodium falciparum in Lambaréné, Gabon, were recruited into the study after delivery, and the association of maternal P. falciparum infection, inflammatory response, and birth weight was studied. At delivery, 10% (15) of the mothers (12 were positive in both peripheral and placental blood smears, 1 was positive in peripheral blood only, and 2 were positive in placenta blood only) were positive for P. falciparum by microscopy and 23% (30) by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The level of C-reactive protein (CRP) was significantly elevated in microscopically P. falciparum–positive pregnant women (34 mg/L; 95% CI: 3–458) but not in those with sub-microscopic infections (6 mg/L; 95% CI: 1–40) compared with those free of P. falciparum infection (7 mg/L; 95% CI: 1–43). In a multivariate analysis, the presence of microscopic (adjusted OR = 28.6, 95% CI = 4.8–169.0) or sub-microscopic (adjusted OR = 13.2, 95% CI = 2.4–73.0) P. falciparum infection in pregnant women and age of mothers < 21 years (adjusted OR = 9.7 CI = 1.0–89.7), but not CRP levels, were independent predictors for low birth weight. This finding may have important operational implications and emphasizes the need for appropriate diagnostic methods in studies evaluating the outcome of pregnancy-associated malaria.
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MALARIA IN AN AREA OF LOW TRANSMISSION IN CENTRAL INDIA
Authors: SINGH NEERU , CHAND S. K. , MISHRA A. K. , BHARTI PRAVEEN K. , SINGH M. P. , AHLUWALIA T. P. , DASH A. P.
Published: September 2018

A longitudinal study on malaria was carried out from 2003 to 2005 in an area of unstable malaria in the Panna district in central India. Both Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum were prevalent; however, the risk of P. falciparum malaria was 31.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 29.6–33.6%), which is four times higher compared with that of P. vivax malaria (7.8%, 95% CI = 6.7–9%). An increasing trend was recorded in malaria prevalence from 30.2% in 2003 to 46.6% in 2004 (odds ratio [OR] = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.6–2.5) that increased to 58.6% in 2005 (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.2–2.1). This increase was statistically significant (χ2 = 120.5, degrees of freedom = 2, P < 0.0001). Anopheles culicifacies was the dominant vector of malaria and showed partial (< 50%) resistance to DDT, which indicated that DDT can still be used. Improved access to treatment facilities, combination therapy, and vector control appears to be the most promising method for controlling malaria in this region.
AEDES AEGYPTI VECTORIAL CAPACITY IS DETERMINED BY THE INFECTING GENOTYPE OF DENGUE VIRUS
Authors: ANDERSON JUSTIN R. , RICO-HESSE REBECA
Published: September 2018

Dengue viruses causing severe, hemorrhagic disease have displaced less virulent strains in the Americas during the past three decades. The American (AM) genotype of dengue serotype 2 has been endemic in the Western Hemisphere and South Pacific, causing outbreaks of dengue fever (DF), but has not been linked to dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). The Southeast Asian (SEA) genotype of dengue was introduced into this hemisphere in 1981, has caused outbreaks with numerous cases of DHF, and has displaced the AM genotype in several countries. We investigated the effect of viral genotype on the potential for transmission by infecting Aedes aegypti mosquitoes collected in South Texas with six viruses, representing these two genotypes. Viral replication in the midgut was significantly higher in SEA-infected mosquitoes, and virus-specific proteins could be detected in salivary glands 7 days earlier in SEA- than AM-infected mosquitoes. This much earlier appearance of dengue virus in salivary glands resulted in an estimated 2- to 65-fold increase in the vectorial capacity of these mosquitoes for the viruses that can cause DHF. This may be one of the mechanisms through which more virulent flaviviruses spread and displace others globally.
CLONORCHIS SINENSIS INFECTION AND INCREASING RISK OF CHOLANGIOCARCINOMA IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Authors: LIM MIN KYUNG , JU YOUNG-HEE , FRANCESCHI SILVIA , OH JIN-KYOUNG , KONG HYUN-JOO , HWANG SEUNG-SIK , PARK SUE-KYUNG , CHO SUNG-IL , SOHN WOON-MOK , KIM DONG-IL , YOO KEUN-YOUNG , HONG SUNG-TAE , SHIN HAI-RIM
Published: September 2018

To evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of Clonorchis sinensis infection, an epidemiologic survey was performed (3,169 residents; age range: 30–87 years; mean age = 59; 1,973 women) in three areas with different mortality rates of cholangiocarcinoma. C. sinensis prevalence was 2.1% in Chuncheon, 7.8% in Chungju, and 31.3% in Haman, where cholangiocarcinoma incidence rate was 0.3, 1.8, and 5.5 per 100,000 persons, respectively. Of the four major risk factors for C. sinensis (male sex, alcohol consumption, raw freshwater fish intake, and area of residence), area was the strongest. Efforts to discourage raw freshwater fish intake, treat egg carriers, and protect water sources from C. sinensis contamination should be strengthened in the Republic of Korea.
REVIEW OF REPORTED CHOLERA OUTBREAKS WORLDWIDE, 1995–2005
Authors: GRIFFITH DAVID C. , KELLY-HOPE LOUISE A. , MILLER MARK A.
Published: September 2018

The global temporal and spatial distribution of cholera is underappreciated, given the lack of surveillance in endemic areas and economic disincentives to report outbreaks. To judge the use of specific novel interventions such as vaccines or anti-secretory agents, we compiled a database and analyzed cholera reports from the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases from 1995 to 2005. Of the 632 reports meeting the search criteria, 66% originated in Sub-Saharan Africa, followed by 16.8% from Southeast Asia. Reported outbreaks in Africa tended to be larger in size. The most common risk factors were water source contamination, heavy rainfall and flooding, and population dislocation. While cholera reporting is sub-optimal, this review provides a detailed sub-national quantification of cholera, identifies foci of endemicity in Africa, and describes risk factors by region. We highlight the need for more extensive outbreak reporting to justify investments in new interventions.
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS OF CHIMERIVAX-DEN VACCINE VIRUSES IN AEDES AEGYPTI AND AEDES ALBOPICTUS FROM THAILAND
Authors: HIGGS STEPHEN , VANLANDINGHAM DANA L. , KLINGLER KIMBERLY A. , MCELROY KATE L. , MCGEE CHARLES E. , HARRINGTON LAURA , LANG JEAN , MONATH THOMAS P. , GUIRAKHOO FARSHAD
Published: September 2018

Four chimeric yellow fever (YF) 17D-dengue (DEN) candidate vaccine viruses (ChimeriVax™-DEN; Acambis, Cambridge, MA) were characterized in Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes collected from Thailand. The four vaccine viruses contained the relevant prM and E genes of wild-type dengue viruses (DENV; serotypes 1–4) substituted for the equivalent genes in the YF vaccine virus (17D) backbone. Each chimera conferred protection against the homologous DENV serotype; a tetravalent mix of all four chimeras stimulates an immune response against all serotypes. Field-collected mosquitoes from Thailand were fed on blood containing each of the viruses under study and held 21 days after infection. Infection and dissemination rates were based on antigen detection in the body or head tissues, respectively. All four wild-type DENV serotypes infected and disseminated, but the candidate vaccine viruses were highly attenuated in mosquitoes with respect to infection and especially with respect to dissemination. Considering the low level viremias anticipated in humans vaccinated with these viruses, it is predicted that the risks of infection and transmission by mosquitoes in nature is minimal.
SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF MALARIA TRANSMISSION PARAMETERS IN THE RICE CULTIVATION AREA OF OFFICE DU NIGER, MALI
Authors: SOGOBA NAFOMON , VOUNATSOU PENELOPE , DOUMBIA SEYDOU , BAGAYOKO MAGARAN , TOURÉ MAHAMADOU B. , SISSOKO IBRAHIM M. , TRAORE SEKOU F. , TOURÉ YÉYA T. , SMITH THOMAS
Published: September 2018

The effects of rice growth environment on malaria transmission, taking into account spatial correlation, were assessed in the Office du Niger, Mali. Between April 1999 to January 2001, 8 quarterly entomologic surveys were conducted in 18 villages in 3 agricultural zones. Vector densities in sleeping houses were related to rice crop, rice development stages, vegetation abundance, water state, and seasons. They were high throughout the rice-growing seasons, increased as the rice crop developed, and decreased as vegetation became abundant. They also showed large spatial correlations (up to 30.6 km). The vectorial capacity exhibited both seasonal and village-to-village variation. Parity and the human blood index were weakly related to adult densities and showed low spatial correlations (up to 3.4 km), which suggested that small area variation in malaria transmission results mainly from variations in vector-human contact. Control strategies in rice cultivation areas should pay attention to this local variation.
MOSQUITO LARVAL HABITATS IN A SEMIARID ECOSYSTEM IN ERITREA: IMPACT OF LARVAL HABITAT MANAGEMENT ON ANOPHELES ARABIENSIS POPULATION
Authors: SHILILU JOSEPHAT , MBOGO CHARLES , GHEBREMESKEL TEWOLDE , GITHURE JOHN , NOVAK ROBERT
Published: September 2018

This study investigated the impact of larval management and the temporal variation in larval productivity in Eritrea, a semiarid ecosystem. Results of this study show that mosquito breeding persists throughout the year mainly in stream bed pools. Anopheles arabiensis production in the ephemeral natural aquatic habitats such the streambed pools was high throughout the year and negatively associated with rainfall (r = −0.288, P = 0.047). High densities of An. arabiensis larvae were also recorded from canals and drainage channels at wells and communal water supply points. The numerous water supply locations and wells help sustain malaria transmission by serving as sources of anophelines where people aggregate. There was a strong association between larval production and adult emergent densities (r = 0.365, P = 0.011). The results of this study further show that implementation of larval control strategies in the study villages significantly reduced vector productivity as measured by both larval (F = 24.919, df = 1,178, P < 0.001) and adult An. arabiensis densities (F = 3.052, df = 1,119, P = 0.014) in the treated sites over the 24-month study period. The results of this semiarid larval management model suggests that 1) larval management backed by habitat identification, mapping, and surveillance is a feasible tactic for managing malaria vectors, 2) a special focus in such semiarid ecosystems should be targeted to the highly productive larval habitats along stream beds and others of periodic importance derived from human activities, and 3) public information and sensitization of communities to participate in controlling the pre-adult stages of anopheline mosquitoes is central for success.
HIGHER PRODUCTION OF PERIPHERAL BLOOD MACROPHAGE MIGRATION INHIBITORY FACTOR IN HEALTHY CHILDREN WITH A HISTORY OF MILD MALARIA RELATIVE TO CHILDREN WITH A HISTORY OF SEVERE MALARIA
Authors: AWANDARE GORDON A. , KREMSNER PETER G. , HITTNER JAMES B. , KELLER CHRISTOPHER C. , CLARK IAN A. , WEINBERG J. BRICE , PERKINS DOUGLAS J.
Published: September 2018

Plasmodium falciparum malaria is one of the leading causes of childhood morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. The host immune response to P. falciparum is a critical determinant of malarial pathogenesis and disease outcomes. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a central regulator of innate immune responses to bacterial and parasitic infections. Our recent investigations demonstrated that peripheral blood MIF production was suppressed in children with severe malaria. Because examination of MIF production in children with active disease does not account for the inherent ability of the host to generate MIF, basal circulating MIF and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) MIF transcript levels were determined in healthy children with a history of either mild or severe malaria. Children with prior mild malaria had higher plasma MIF levels and PBMC MIF transcripts than children with an identical number of previous episodes of severe malaria. These results suggest that increased basal MIF production may be important in generating immune responses that protect against the development of severe malaria.
HIGH FREQUENCY OF RECOMBINATION-DRIVEN ALLELIC DIVERSITY AND TEMPORAL VARIATION OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MSP1 IN TANZANIA
Authors: TANABE KAZUYUKI , SAKIHAMA NAOKO , ROOTH INGEGERD , BJÖRKMAN ANDERS , FÄRNERT ANNA
Published: September 2018

A major mechanism for the generation allelic diversity in the Plasmodium falciparum msp1 gene is meiotic recombination in the Anopheles mosquito. The frequency of recombination events is dependent on the intensity of transmission. Herein we investigate the frequency of recombination-driven allelic diversity and temporal variation of msp1 in Rufiji, eastern coastal Tanzania, where malaria transmission is intense. We identified 5′ recombinant types, 3′ sequence types, and msp1 haplotypes (unique associations of 5′ recombinant types and 3′ sequence types) to measure the extent and temporal variation of msp1 allelic diversity. The results show that msp1 haplotype diversity is higher in Tanzania as compared with areas with lower transmission rates. The frequencies of individual polymorphic regions/sites remained stable during the study period. However, the frequency distribution of msp1 haplotypes varied between 1993 and 1998. These results suggest that frequent recombination events between msp1 alleles intermittently generate novel alleles in high transmission areas.
A CLUSTER-RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL EVALUATING THE EFFECT OF A HANDWASHING-PROMOTION PROGRAM IN CHINESE PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Authors: BOWEN ANNA , MA HUILAI , OU JIANMING , BILLHIMER WARD , LONG TIMOTHY , MINTZ ERIC , HOEKSTRA ROBERT M. , LUBY STEPHEN
Published: September 2018

Intensive handwashing promotion can reduce diarrheal and respiratory disease incidence. To determine whether less intensive, more scalable interventions can improve health, we evaluated a school-based handwashing program. We randomized 87 Chinese schools to usual practices: standard intervention (handwashing program) or expanded intervention (handwashing program, soap for school sinks, and peer hygiene monitors). We compared student absence rates, adjusting for cluster design. In control schools, children experienced a median 2.0 episodes (median 2.6 days) of absence per 100 student-weeks. In standard intervention schools, there were a median 1.2 episodes (P = 0.08) and 1.9 days (P = 0.14) of absence per 100 student-weeks. Children in expanded intervention schools experienced a median 1.2 episodes (P = 0.03) and 1.2 days (P = 0.03) of absence per 100 student-weeks. Provision of a large-scale handwashing promotion program and soap was associated with significantly reduced absenteeism. Similar programs could improve the health of children worldwide.
CLINICAL AND HISTOLOGIC FEATURES OF SKIN LESIONS IN A CYNOMOLGUS MONKEY EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED WITH MYCOBACTERIUM ULCERANS (BURULI ULCER) BY INTRADERMAL INOCULATION
Authors: WALSH DOUGLAS S. , DELA CRUZ EDUARDO C. , ABALOS RODOLFO M. , TAN ESTERLINA V. , WALSH GERALD P. , PORTAELS FRANÇOISE , MEYERS WAYNE M.
Published: September 2018

Buruli ulcer, caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, is a destructive infection that most commonly affects the skin. Animal models for Buruli ulcer include guinea pigs, rats, mice, and armadillos, but each is limited in replicating the spectrum of human disease. Here, a cynomolgus monkey was infected with two concentrations of M. ulcerans (1.0 and 2.2 × 108) by intradermal inoculation, 3 months apart. All injection sites developed papules that progressed to ulcers with undermined borders within 2–4 weeks. The rate of progression and size of the ulcers were proportional to the numbers of organisms inoculated. Biopsies from ulcer edges showed ulceration, robust inflammatory cell infiltrates, granulomatous-like responses, mild edema, and extracellular acid-fast bacilli. The ulcers healed spontaneously between Weeks 8 and 12, with no signs of systemic infection. This report, the first to describe a non-human primate experimentally infected with M. ulcerans, suggests that cynomolgus monkeys are modestly susceptible and develop some of the clinical and histologic features of Buruli ulcer.
DETECTION OF HEPATITIS E VIRUS RNA FROM THE BIVALVE YAMATO-SHIJIMI (CORBICULA JAPONICA) IN JAPAN
Authors: LI TIAN-CHENG , MIYAMURA TATSUO , TAKEDA NAOKAZU
Published: September 2018

To evaluate whether bivalves are contaminated with hepatitis E virus (HEV), samples of a bivalve called Yamato-Shijimi (Corbicula japonica) were examined for HEV by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Genotype 3 HEV was detected from 2 of 32 packages of Yamato-Shijimi obtained from Japanese rivers, which indicated that HEV contaminates river water in Japan.
SEROLOGIC EVIDENCE OF WEST NILE VIRUS EXPOSURE IN NORTH AMERICAN MESOPREDATORS
Authors: BENTLER KEVIN T. , HALL JEFFREY S. , ROOT J. JEFFREY , KLENK KACI , SCHMIT BRANDON , BLACKWELL BRADLEY F. , RAMEY PAUL C. , CLARK LARRY
Published: September 2018

Sera from 936 mammalian mesopredators (Virginia opossums, gray foxes, striped skunks, hooded skunks, raccoons, a bobcat, and a red fox) were collected during 2003 and 2004 in California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Wyoming and screened for flavivirus-specific antibodies by an epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosobent assay (blocking ELISA). Serum samples positive for antibodies against flaviviruses were screened for West Nile virus (WNV)–specific antibodies by blocking ELISA and selectively confirmed with plaque-reduction neutralization tests. High prevalence rates were observed in raccoons (45.6%) and striped skunks (62.9%). The high WNV antibody prevalence noted in mesopredators, their peridomestic tendencies, and their overall pervasiveness make these species potentially useful sentinels for monitoring flaviviruses in defined areas.
CO-INFECTIONS IN AN HIV-INFECTED MAN FROM MALAWI
Authors: SNELLING THOMAS , OSSOWICZ CHRIS , BOYD MARK
Published: September 2018

This case describes the investigation of a man from a country with high endemicity for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who was found to have co-infections with implications for management.
HOUSEHOLD WATER TREATMENT USING SODIUM DICHLOROISOCY ANURATE (NaDCC) TABLETS: A RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED TRIAL TO ASSESS MICROBIOLOGICAL EFFECTIVENESS IN BANGLADESH
Authors: CLASEN THOMAS , SAEED TANVEER F. , BOISSON SOPHIE , EDMONDSON PAUL , SHIPIN OLEG
Published: September 2018

We assessed the microbiologic effectiveness of sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) tablets used on a routine basis at the household level by a vulnerable population. In a 4-month trial in Dhaka, Bangladesh, one half of the 100 participating households received NaDCC tablets and instructions on how to use the same; the other one half received a placebo and the same instructions. Monthly samples of stored drinking water from intervention households were significantly lower in thermotolerant coliforms (TTCs) than those of control households (geometric mean, 2.8 [95% CI: 2.2, 3.6] versus 604.1 [95% CI: 463.2, 787.9]; P < 0.0001). While 61.7% (116/188) of samples from the intervention households met World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for 0 TTCs in drinking water, none of the 191 samples from control households met such a benchmark. Residual free chlorine in water samples suggested that householders consistently used the intervention, but 11.7% of samples exceeded the WHO guideline value of 5.0 mg/L, underscoring the need to ensure that tablet dose and vessel size are compatible.
MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MALARIA IN CAMEROON. XXIV. TRENDS OF IN VITRO ANTIMALARIAL DRUG RESPONSES IN YAOUNDE, CAMEROON
Authors: BASCO LEONARDO K. , RINGWALD PASCAL
Published: September 2018

In vitro response to chloroquine, monodesethylamodiaquine, mefloquine, lumefantrine, and dihydroartemisinin was assessed by the radioisotopic microtest in Yaoundé, Cameroon, during 2000–2004 and compared with our previous data obtained during 1996–1999. Based on the cut-off value of 100 nmol/L, 36.3% of isolates were chloroquine-susceptible (N = 175; geometric mean IC50, 40.3 nmol/L) and 63.7% were chloroquine-resistant (N = 307; geometric mean IC50, 211 nmol/L). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the mean IC50s from 1996 to 2004, but a significant linear trend (P < 0.05) toward an increased proportion of chloroquine-resistant isolates was observed from 1996 (49%) to 2004 (69%). All chloroquine-susceptible isolates and most chloroquine-resistant isolates were susceptible to monodesethylamodiaquine (i.e., IC50 < 60 nmol/L). Despite the positive correlation between chloroquine and monodesethylamodiaquine (r = 0.739, P < 0.05), the IC50s for monodesethylamodiaquine remained stable during 1997–2004, with no increase in the proportion of monodesethylamodiaquine-resistant isolates. Mefloquine, lumefantrine, and dihydroartemisinin were equally active against the chloroquine-susceptible and chloroquine-resistant parasites. The responses to these three drugs were positively correlated, and a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the mean IC50s was observed during the study period compared with our earlier data in 1997–1999, probably because of their inverse relationship with chloroquine response. The in vitro results were in general agreement with the in vivo response to chloroquine and amodiaquine. In vitro drug susceptibility assay is a useful, complementary laboratory tool for determining the trend of response to drugs for which there is still no established molecular marker and may serve as an early warning system for emerging drug resistance.
HUMAN INFECTION AND RISK OF TRANSMISSION OF CHAGAS DISEASE IN HIDALGO STATE, MEXICO
Authors: BECERRIL-FLORES MARCO A. , RANGEL-FLORES EDUARDO , LUIS IMBERT-PALAFOX JOSÉ , GÓMEZ-GÓMEZ JUAN VICENTE , FIGUEROA-GUTIÉRREZ ANA HILDA
Published: September 2018

New zones with risk of infection for Chagas disease were reported in San Antonio Tezoquipan, Caltimacan, and El Ahorcado in the Hidalgo State of Mexico. Antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect hemagglutination assay in human serum samples. Study subjects were also given an electrocardiogram. Trypanosoma cruzi was isolated from triatomines collected and its virulence was determined in BALB/c mice. Seropositive persons were found in the three regions studied and seroprevalence of T. cruzi ranged between 3.25% and 5.13%. Six of eight seropositive persons had cardiac alterations. The species of triatomines detected were Triatoma barberi, Triatoma mexicana, and Triatoma dimidiata, and at least one of each species was infected with T. cruzi. Entomologic indexes from the zones were determined, and El Ahorcado showed the greatest risk of infection. In this region, we found more virulent isolates of T. cruzi in Triatoma barberi, and the highest human seroprevalence for T. cruzi.
CORRELATION OF INTERFERON-γ PRODUCTION BY PERIPHERAL BLOOD MONONUCLEAR CELLS WITH CHILDHOOD MALNUTRITION AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO AMEBIASIS
Authors: HAQUE RASHIDUL , MONDAL DINESH , SHU JIANFEN , ROY SHANTANU , KABIR MAMUN , DAVIS ANDREA N. , DUGGAL PRIYA , PETRI WILLIAM A.
Published: September 2018

The contribution of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) to immunity from amebiasis was assessed in a three-year prospective study of children 2–5 years of age in an urban slum of Dhaka, Bangladesh. IFN-γ produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with soluble amebic antigen was measured upon enrollment. Thirty-one of the 209 enrolled children had Entamoeba histolytica–associated diarrhea. Children who produced higher than the median level of IFN-γ (median = 580 pg/mL) had longer survival without E. histolytica diarrhea/dysentery (log rank test P = 0.03) and a reduction in the risk of E. histolytica diarrhea/dysentery by more than half (Cox proportional hazard regression = 0.45, P = 0.04). When adjusted for stunting, the association between IFN-γ and the time to the first episode of E. histolytica-associated diarrhea remained marginally significant (Cox proportional hazard regression = 0.49, P = 0.07). We conclude that production of IFN-γ is linked to nutritional status and predicts future susceptibility to symptomatic amebiasis.
INTESTINAL PARASITIC INFECTIONS AMONG PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN IN SANGKHLABURI, THAILAND
Authors: WONGSTITWILAIROONG BOONCHAI , SRIJAN APICHAI , SERICHANTALERGS ORALAK , FUKUDA CAROLINE D. , MCDANIEL PHILIP , BODHIDATTA LADAPORN , MASON CARL J.
Published: September 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the presence of intestinal parasites among pre-school children (aged 3 months to 5 years) in Sangkhlaburi, a rural district in the west of Thailand along the Thai-Myanmar border. Stool specimens were collected from October 2001 through October 2002. A total of 472 pre-school children, 233 males and 239 females, 236 children with diarrhea and 236 asymptomatic children were recruited for the study. Each specimen was processed and examined by direct wet smear, modified acid fast stain, formalin-ethylacetate sedimentation concentration technique, and trichrome stain. In detecting Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium species ProSpecT Microplate assays (Alexon-Trend, Lenexa, KS) were performed. There were 107 individuals (22.7%), 41 diarrheal and 66 asymptomatic children, infected with intestinal parasites. The most frequent parasites identified in cases and controls were G. lamblia and Cryptosporidium spp. Eighteen specimens (3.8%) showed mixed parasite infections. Highest proportion of intestinal parasites occurred during the rainy season (June–October).
CLONORCHIASIS-ASSOCIATED PERFORATED EOSINOPHILIC CHOLECYSTITIS
Authors: LAI CHUNG-HSU , CHIN CHUEN , CHUNG HSING-CHUN , LIU HSIEN , HWANG JAU-CHUNG , LIN HSI-HSUN
Published: September 2018

Clonorchiasis, a disease caused by infection with Clonorchis sinensis, is endemic in the Far East. Cholelithiasis, pyogenic cholangitis, cholecystitis, and biliary tract obstruction are common complications of chronic infection. Although cholecystitis caused by clonorchiasis is common, it is rarely reported as resulting from eosinophilic infiltration. We report a rare case of clonorchiasis-associated perforated eosinophilic cholecystitis and review the relevant literature.
EOSINOPHILIC MENINGITIS CAUSED BY ANGIOSTRONGYLUS CANTONENSIS AFTER INGESTION OF RAW FROGS
Authors: LAI CHUNG-HSU , YEN CHUAN-MIN , CHIN CHUEN , CHUNG HSING-CHUN , KUO HUNG-CHANG , LIN HSI-HSUN
Published: September 2018

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the most common cause of eosinophilic meningitis in humans after ingestion of raw or inadequately cooked intermediate hosts or food contaminated with infective third-stage larvae. Frogs are known to be a paratenic host of A. cantonensis, but have never been reported as the infectious source of human angiostrongyliasis in Taiwan. We report the first case of eosinophilic meningitis caused by A. cantonensis after ingestion of raw frogs (Rana plancyi).
DROUGHT-ASSOCIATED CHIKUNGUNYA EMERGENCE ALONG COASTAL EAST AFRICA
Authors: CHRETIEN JEAN-PAUL , ANYAMBA ASSAF , BEDNO SHERYL A. , BREIMAN ROBERT F. , SANG ROSEMARY , SERGON KIBET , POWERS ANN M. , ONYANGO CLAYTON O. , SMALL JENNIFER , TUCKER COMPTON J. , LINTHICUM KENNETH J.
Published: September 2018

Epidemics of chikungunya fever, an Aedes spp.-borne viral disease, affected hundreds of thousands of people in western Indian Ocean islands and India during 2005–2006. The initial outbreaks occurred in coastal Kenya (Lamu, then Mombasa) in 2004. We investigated eco-climatic conditions associated with chikungunya fever emergence along coastal Kenya using epidemiologic investigations and satellite data. Unusually dry, warm conditions preceded the outbreaks, including the driest since 1998 for some of the coastal regions. Infrequent replenishment of domestic water stores and elevated temperatures may have facilitated Chikungunya virus transmission. These results suggest that drought-affected populations may be at heightened risk for chikungunya fever, and underscore the need for safe water storage during drought relief operations.
MULTILEVEL MODELING OF INTRA-HOUSEHOLD SPREAD OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION, KARACHI, PAKISTAN
Authors: AKHTAR SAEED , MOATTER TARIQ
Published: September 2018

Several epidemiologic studies have reported the existence of nonsexual intrafamilial hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission. However, actual routes and their relative efficiency have been controversial. The objective of this study was to investigate whether contacts of HCV seropositive index patient living in the same household have similar probabilities of being HCV seropositive with respect to any of the household-level variables, after taking into account the independent effects of individual-level variables. We analyzed cross-sectional serological data on 341 nonsexual household contacts of 86 HCV-seropositive index thalassemic patients with a multilevel logistic regression model using household contacts at the first level and household characteristics at the second level. Prevalence of HCV seropositivity among household contacts who were tested was 20.5% (70/341). Multilevel analysis of household-level fixed effects indicated that contacts living in families wherein the index thalassemic patient was RNA positive—compared with those contacts living in families wherein the index thalassemic patient was RNA negative—had higher odds of being HCV positive (OR = 2.09; 95% CI: 1.02 to 4.28). Nonetheless, the effect of index patients’ RNA status on the contacts’ HCV serostatus was small in comparison with the unexplained between-cluster variation. The results of this study are pertinent for household members of HCV-infected patients; specifically, their close contact with objects that are contaminated with blood or perhaps saliva of the HCV-seropositive index patient may pose increased risk of HCV transmission. High household intercept variances in different analyses revealed that at there are still unrecognized nonsexual modes of HCV transmission at the household level that need further research.
EFFECT OF INFECTION BY PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM ON THE MELANIZATION IMMUNE RESPONSE OF ANOPHELES GAMBIAE
Authors: LAMBRECHTS LOUIS , MORLAIS ISABELLE , AWONO-AMBENE PARFAIT H. , COHUET ANNA , SIMARD FRÉDÉRIC , JACQUES JEAN-CLAUDE , BOURGOUIN CATHERINE , KOELLA JACOB C.
Published: September 2018

Melanization is an immune response of mosquitoes that could potentially limit Plasmodium development. That mosquitoes rarely melanize Plasmodium falciparum in natural populations might result from immuno-suppression by the parasite, as has been observed in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected by Plasmodium gallinaceum. We tested this possibility in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes infected by P. falciparum by comparing the ability to melanize a Sephadex bead of infected mosquitoes, of mosquitoes that had fed on infectious blood without becoming infected, and of control mosquitoes fed on uninfected blood. Rather than being immuno-suppressed, infected mosquitoes tended to have a stronger melanization response than mosquitoes in which the infection failed and than control mosquitoes, possibly because of immune activation after previous exposure to invading parasites. This finding suggests that P. falciparum relies on immune evasion rather than immuno-suppression to avoid being melanized and confirms that natural malaria transmission systems differ from laboratory models of mosquito–Plasmodium interactions.
WHICH MALARIA RAPID TEST FOR MADAGASCAR? FIELD AND LABORATORY EVALUATION OF THREE TESTS AND EXPERT MICROSCOPY OF SAMPLES FROM SUSPECTED MALARIA PATIENTS IN MADAGASCAR
Authors: RATSIMBASOA ARSÈNE , RANDRIAMANANTENA ARTHUR , RAHERINJAFY ROGELIN , RASOARILALAO NOÉLINE , MÉNARD DIDIER
Published: September 2018

Field and laboratory studies were carried out in October and November 2005 to provide a comparative evaluation of the performance of three rapid malaria detection tests, two of which were recently introduced (the CareStart™ Malaria test and the SD Malaria Antigen Bioline™ test) and the well-known OptiMAL-IT™ test. Compared with microscopy, the sensitivity of the three tests to detect Plasmodium falciparum malaria was 97% for the CareStart™ Malaria test, 89.4% for the SD Malaria Antigen Bioline™ test, and 92.6% for the OptiMAL-IT™ test. The three tests were less sensitive in detecting non-P. falciparum infections, and the sensitivity decreased at levels of parasitemia ≤ 500 parasites/μL for P. falciparum and ≤ 5,000 parasites/μL for other Plasmodium spp. On the basis of World Health Organization recommendations, only the CareStart™ Malaria test and the OptiMAL-IT™ test had sensitivities greater than 95% for samples with parasitemias ≥ 100 parasites/μL.
GENOME SIZE DETERMINATION IN CHAGAS DISEASE TRANSMITTING BUGS (HEMIPTERA-TRIATOMINAE) BY FLOW CYTOMETRY
Authors: PANZERA FRANCISCO , FERRANDIS INÉS , RAMSEY JANINE , SALAZAR-SCHETTINO PAZ M. , CABRERA MARGARITA , MONROY CARLOTA , BARGUES MARÍA D. , MAS-COMA SANTIAGO , O’CONNOR JOSÉ E. , ANGULO VÍCTOR M. , JARAMILLO NICOLÁS , PÉREZ RUBEN
Published: September 2018

Because information about genome size in triatomines is scarce and contradictory, we performed DNA quantification by flow cytometry in 13 species belonging to five genera (Dipetalogaster, Eratyrus, Panstrongylus, Rhodnius, and Triatoma) to infer overall tendencies and phylogenetic associations. The results show that the haploid DNA content of the subfamily Triatominae varies nearly 4-fold, from < 0.7 pg in Rhodnius species (0.6 × 109 bp) to 2.7 pg in Triatoma delpontei (2.6 × 109 bp). Considering that triatomines present similar chromosome numbers, we suggest that genome size differences are the result of variation in the quantity of repetitive DNA sequences localized in hetero and euchromatin. Changes in heterochromatin are particularly important when considering populations or closely related species; in more distant taxa, euchromatic changes also play a role. Our analyses indicate that flow cytometry is a useful tool for population, taxonomic, and evolutionary studies in this subfamily.
PREVALENCE OF ENTERIC PROTOZOA IN HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV)–POSITIVE AND HIV-NEGATIVE MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN FROM SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Authors: STARK DAMIEN , FOTEDAR RASHMI , VAN HAL SEBASTIAN , BEEBE NIGEL , MARRIOTT DEBORAH , ELLIS JOHN T. , HARKNESS JOHN
Published: September 2018

A prospective, comparative study of the prevalence of enteric protozoa was determined among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)– positive and HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM) in Sydney, Australia. A total of 1,868 patients submitted stool specimens; 1,246 were from MSM (628 HIV positive and 618 HIV positive) and 622 from non-MSM were examined over a 36-month period. A total of 651 (52.2%) stool specimens from MSM were positive for protozoa compared with 85 (13%) from non-MSM. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of Blastocystis hominis, Endolimax nana, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar complex, Entamoeba hartmanni, Iodamoeba butschlii, and Enteromonas hominis detected between MSM and non-MSM (P < 0.001). The only notable difference between HIV-negative and HIV-positive MSM was that HIV-infected MSM were found to more likely have a Cryptosporidium parvum infection. Entamoeba histolytica was found in 3 patients, E. dispar in 25, and E. moshkovskii in 17, all of whom were MSM. When compared with a control group, MSM were significantly more likely to harbor intestinal protozoa and have multiple parasites present. The results of this study show high rates of enteric parasites persist in MSM and highlight the importance of testing for intestinal parasites in MSM. This is the first report of E. moshkovskii from MSM.
VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR IS ASSOCIATED WITH BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER DYSFUNCTION IN EOSINOPHILIC MENINGITIS CAUSED BY ANGIOSTRONGYLUS CANTONENSIS INFECTION
Authors: TSAI HUNG-CHIN , LIU YUNG-CHING , LEE SUSAN SHIN-JUNG , CHEN ENG-RIN , YEN CHUAN-MIN
Published: September 2018

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent vascular permeability factor and a mediator of brain edema. To assess the role of vascular endothelial growth factor in eosinophilic meningitis, vascular endothelial growth factor was measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood of 9 patients with eosinophilic meningitis in a cohort study. VEGFCSF was detected in 8 (90%) of 9 eosinophilic meningitis patients (range, 45–2190 pg/mL) at presentation. The mean VEGFCSF at presentation, 1 week, and 2 weeks after admission was 568 pg/mL, 751 pg/mL, and 1031 pg/mL, respectively. There was an association between VEGFCSF, CSF protein, white cell count, and eosinophil counts. The VEGFSERUM fluctuated during the 6-month follow-up period. These results indicate that vascular endothelial growth factor may be associated with blood-brain barrier disruption in patients with eosinophilic meningitis.
CUTEREBRA CUTANEOUS MYIASIS, NEW HAMPSHIRE, 2004
Authors: PLOTINSKY RACHEL N. , TALBOT ELIZABETH A. , DAVIS HARRY
Published: September 2018

We describe a cluster of patients in New Hampshire with Cuterebra cutaneous myiasis.
SOUTHEAST ASIAN OVALOCYTOSIS AND PREGNANCY IN A MALARIA-ENDEMIC REGION OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Authors: O’DONNELL ANGELA , RAIKO ANDREW , CLEGG JOHN B. , WEATHERALL DAVID J. , ALLEN STEPHEN J.
Published: September 2018

The band 3 deletion for southeast Asian ovalocytosis (SAO) occurs commonly in southeast Asia and the western Pacific. Southeast Asian ovalocytosis is associated with protection against cerebral malaria in children and therefore could reduce sequestration of erythrocytes parasitized by Plasmodium falciparum in the brain microvasculature. Sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes in the placenta accounts for much of the pathology of malaria during pregnancy. Therefore, we investigated the effect of SAO on malaria during pregnancy in the malaria-hyperendemic north coastal region of Papua New Guinea. The frequency of SAO in 927 women attending hospital for delivery was 8.7% (95% confidence interval = 6.9–10.5). Markers of fertility, the frequency of miscarriages and stillbirths, maternal anemia, placental and peripheral malaria at delivery, and birth weight were similar in women with and without SAO. In summary, although we can not exclude an interaction between SAO and malaria during pregnancy, we found no evidence that it provided a clinical benefit in this population.
CAREGIVERS’ ACCEPTANCE OF USING ARTESUNATE SUPPOSITORIES FOR TREATING CHILDHOOD MALARIA IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Authors: HINTON RACHAEL L. , AUWUN ALMA , PONGUA GRACE , OA OLIVE , DAVIS TIMOTHY M. E. , KARUNAJEEWA HARIN A. , REEDER JOHN C.
Published: September 2018

Community-based interventions using artemisinin-derived suppositories may potentially reduce malaria-related childhood mortality. However, their sociocultural acceptability is unknown in Papua New Guinea and a formal examination of caregiver’s attitudes to rectal administration was needed to inform effective deployment strategies. Caregivers (n = 131) of children with uncomplicated malaria were questioned on their prior experience with, and attitudes to, rectal administration and then offered artesunate suppositories as treatment of their child. The 29% who refused this alternative were further questioned to determine their reasons for this refusal. Lack of spousal approval and fear of side effects were the most common reasons for refusal. Sixty-six percent of caregivers agreed to self-administer suppositories, which were perceived as effective (99%), safe (96%), and fast-acting (91%), but problematic to administer to a struggling child (56%). Shame, embarrassment, and hygiene were not significant concerns. Acceptability of rectal administration should be relatively high in Papua New Guinea. However, deployment must be accompanied by health education that addresses the practical aspects of administration, is appropriate for the illiterate, and is directed at fathers as well as mothers.
EFFECT OF ARTEMISININ-BASED TREATMENT POLICY ON CONSUMPTION PATTERN OF ANTIMALARIALS
Authors: MOKUOLU OLUGBENGA A. , OKORO EMMANUEL O. , AYETORO SUSAN O. , ADEWARA AMOS A.
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of the 2004 national artemisinin-based malaria treatment policy on consumption pattern of antimalarials. The study was undertaken at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Nigeria. Prescription and sales data at our pharmacy outlets were gathered from January to December 2004 and compared with similar data for 2005 after policy introduction in January 2005. Total consumption of antimalarials in 2004 was 23,404 doses, made up of artemisinin-containing medications (ACMs; 18.5%); sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP; 7.1%); chloroquine (CQ; 72.85%); and quinine (QUI; 1.6%), compared with 26,383 doses in 2005, made up of ACMs (50.00%); SP (22.7%); CQ (27.3%); and QUI (0%). Z-tests indicate that these differences in proportions were significant (P < 0.001) for ACMs and SP (increased) and decreased for CQ and QUI. The comparative retail price per dose of these medications was in the order: ACMs > QUI > SP > CQ. These data show increased use of antimalarials, with ACMs overtaking CQ as the dominant antimalarial class purchased from the pharmacies operated by the hospital in the first year of policy implementation. This suggests that cost alone may not be the overriding determinant of specific antimalarial consumption.
TWO CASES OF RARELY RECOGNIZED INFECTION WITH ENTAMOEBA MOSHKOVSKII
Authors: TANYUKSEL MEHMET , ULUKANLIGIL MUSTAFA , GUCLU ZEYNEP , ARAZ ENGIN , KORU OZGUR , PETRI WILLIAM A.
Published: September 2018

We report two cases (a 36-year-old woman and 2-year-old girl) infected with Entamoeba moshkovskii in Turkey. Entamoeba moshkovskii was identified and distinguished from the morphologically identical parasites E. histolytica and E. dispar by a nested polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the small subunit ribosomal DNA gene.
LOW EFFICACY OF MEBENDAZOLE AGAINST HOOKWORM IN VIETNAM: TWO RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS
Authors: FLOHR CARSTEN , TUYEN LUC NGUYEN , LEWIS SARAH , MINH TRUONG TAN , CAMPBELL JIM , BRITTON JOHN , WILLIAMS HYWEL , HIEN TRAN TINH , FARRAR JEREMY , QUINNELL RUPERT J.
Published: September 2018

Vietnam is participating in a global de-worming effort that aims to treat 650 million school children regularly by 2010. The treatment used in Vietnam is single dose oral mebendazole (Phardazone®) 500 mg. We tested the efficacy of single dose mebendazole 500 mg in the therapy of hookworm infection in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial among 271 Vietnamese schoolchildren. The treatment efficacy of single dose mebendazole in children did not differ significantly from placebo, with a reduction in mean eggs per gram of feces relative to placebo of 31% (95% CI -9 to 56%, P = 0.1). In light of these findings we then carried out a similar randomized trial comparing triple dose mebendazole, single dose albendazole, and triple dose albendazole against placebo in 209 adults in the same area. The estimated reduction in mean post-treatment eggs per gram of feces relative to placebo was 63% (95% CI 30–81%) for triple mebendazole, 75% (47–88%) for single albendazole, and 88% (58–97%) for triple albendazole. Our results suggest that single dose oral mebendazole has low efficacy against hookworm infection in Vietnam, and that it should be replaced by albendazole. These findings are of major public health relevance given the opportunity costs of treating entire populations with ineffective therapies. We recommend that efficacy of anti-helminth therapies is pilot tested before implementation of national gut worm control programs.
ANTIBODY RECOGNITION OF HETEROLOGOUS VARIANT SURFACE ANTIGENS AFTER A SINGLE PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM INFECTION IN PREVIOUSLY NAÏVE ADULTS
Authors: ELLIOTT SALENNA R. , PAYNE PAUL D. , DUFFY MICHAEL F. , BYRNE TIMOTHY J. , THAM WAI-HONG , ROGERSON STEPHEN J. , BROWN GRAHAM V. , EISEN DAMON P.
Published: September 2018

Antibodies to variant surface antigens (VSA) including Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) have been associated with protective antimalarial immunity that appears to be variant-specific. This study of adult returned travelers with a single acute P. falciparum infection investigated whether a primary antibody response includes IgG specific for heterologous VSA. We found that 11 of 14 patients had IgG reactive with up to six P. falciparum lines expressing different heterologous PfEMP1 variants, measured by flow cytometry (reactivity greater than two times the mean of the negative control sera was defined as “positive”), with high reactivity (greater than four times the mean of the negative controls) detected in three patients. The dominant variant(s) recognized differed between seropositive individuals. Despite previous evidence that antibody responses to heterologous VSA are short-lived, seven patients had detectable IgG at > 20 weeks post-infection. Together these data suggest that a single P. falciparum infection can be sufficient to induce antibodies reactive with several PfEMP1 variants, although the repertoire of target epitopes they recognize may still be restricted.