bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IDENTIFICATION OF MAMMALIAN BLOOD MEALS IN MOSQUITOES BY A MULTIPLEXED POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION TARGETING CYTOCHROME B
Authors: KENT REBEKAH J. , NORRIS DOUGLAS E.
Published: September 2018

To date, no polymerase chain reaction diagnostic technique exists to directly identify mammalian blood meals from mosquitoes by sized DNA fragments following agarose gel electrophoresis. We have developed a vertebrate-specific multiplexed primer set based on mitochondrial cytochrome b to identify the mammalian blood hosts of field-collected mosquitoes. Although designed for the study of African malaria vectors, the application of this tool is not restricted to this disease system. Validation of this diagnostic technique on dried anopheline and culicine field specimens collected in Zambia and Mali demonstrated that blood meals could be identified 2–7 months after collection. Time course experiments showed that host DNA was detectable in frozen mosquito abdomens 24–30 hours post-feeding. Additionally, multiple blood meals from different mammals could be detected in a single mosquito. This diagnostic assay will be a valuable tool for identifying the blood meals of field-collected mosquitoes where people and alternative mammal hosts are present.
PRIMARY HYDATID CYST OF THE BREAST WITH ELEVATED CA 19-9 LEVEL
Authors: YUKSEL BULENT C. , OZEL HAKAN , AKIN TEZCAN , AVSAR FATIH M. , HENGIRMEN SULEYMAN
Published: September 2018

Breast masses secondary to hydatid cyst disease are placed on the differential diagnosis of breast tumors under guidance of the literature. In addition to their characteristic appearance on mammography, many specific parameters for diagnosis are required. In this report, the relation of serum CA 19-9 levels to the primary breast cyst hydatid was evaluated in both preoperative and postoperative periods.
POTENTIAL ROLE OF SYLVATIC AND DOMESTIC AFRICAN MOSQUITO SPECIES IN DENGUE EMERGENCE
Authors: DIALLO MAWLOUTH , SALL AMADOU A. , MONCAYO ABELARDO C. , BA YAMAR , FERNANDEZ ZORAIDA , ORTIZ DIANA , COFFEY LARK L. , MATHIOT CHRISTIAN , TESH ROBERT B. , WEAVER SCOTT C.
Published: September 2018

Dengue virus 2 (DENV-2) strains that circulate in sylvatic habitats of Senegal and other parts of west Africa are believed to represent ancestral forms that evolved into endemic/epidemic strains that now circulate widely in urban areas of the tropics. Previous studies suggested that the evolution of the endemic/epidemic strains was mediated by adaptation to the peridomestic mosquito vectors Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus. We conducted experimental infections using sylvatic and peridomestic Senegalese mosquitoes, and both sylvatic and urban DENV-2 strains to determine if endemic DENV-2 adaptation was vector species specific, and to assess ancestral vector susceptibility. Aedes furcifer and Ae. luteocephalus, probable sylvatic vectors, were highly susceptible to both sylvatic and urban DENV-2 strains. In contrast, sylvatic Ae. vittatus and both sylvatic and peridomestic populations of Ae. aegypti were relative refractory to all DENV-2 strains tested. These results indicate that adaptation of DENV-2 to urban vectors did not result in a loss of infectivity for some African sylvatic vectors. Implications for dengue emergence in west Africa are discussed.
COMPARTMENT SYNDROME: AN UNUSUAL COURSE FOR A RARE DISEASE
Authors: MOGHTADERI ALI , ALAVI-NAINI ROYA , AZIMI HADI
Published: September 2018

We report a case of compartment syndrome of the left upper limb following hemorrhage due to Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in a 45-year-old man. As far as we know, there is not such a report in the literature. We discuss clinical manifestations, electrophysiologic findings, differential diagnosis, and management of the patient. A high degree of awareness for an early diagnosis may participate to improve the poor prognosis.
SEROLOGIC EVIDENCE FOR WEST NILE VIRUS TRANSMISSION IN PUERTO RICO AND CUBA
Authors: DUPUIS ALAN P. , MARRA PETER P. , REITSMA ROBERT , JONES MATTHEW J. , LOUIE KAREN L. , KRAMER LAURA D.
Published: September 2018

During the spring of 2004, approximately 1,950 blood specimens were collected from resident and Nearctic-Neotropical migratory birds on the Caribbean islands of Puerto Rico and Cuba prior to northerly spring migrations. Eleven birds and seven birds, collected in Puerto Rico and Cuba, respectively, showed evidence of antibody in a flavivirus enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Confirmatory plaque-reduction neutralization test results indicated neutralizing antibodies to West Nile virus in non-migratory resident birds from Puerto Rico and Cuba, which indicated local transmission.
ARSENIC CONTAMINATION IN DRINKING WATER AND SKIN MANIFESTATIONS IN LOWLAND NEPAL: THE FIRST COMMUNITY-BASED SURVEY
Authors: MAHARJAN MAKHAN , WATANABE CHIHO , AHMAD SK. AKTAR , OHTSUKA RYUTARO
Published: September 2018

A community-based, dose-response study on arsenic contamination was conducted in three communities in Terai in lowland Nepal. The arsenic concentration of all the tube wells in use (n = 146) and the prevalence of arsenic-induced skin manifestation among 1,343 (approximately 80% of the inhabitants) subjects indicated the existence of a highly contaminated area in Terai. It was found that overall prevalence of arsenicosis among the subjects ≥ 15 years old was 6.9%, which was comparable to those found by the same examiner in arsenic-contaminated areas in Bangladesh, and that males had prevalence a twice as high as females, which could not be explained by the difference in the exposure level.
SECONDARY TRANSMISSION IN PORCINE CYSTICERCOSIS: DESCRIPTION AND THEIR POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR CONTROL SUSTAINABILITY
Authors: GONZALEZ ARMANDO E. , LÓPEZ-URBINA TERESA , TSANG BYRON Y. , GAVIDIA CÉSAR M. , GARCIA HÉCTOR H. , SILVA MARÍA E. , RAMOS DAPHNE D. , MANZANEDO RAFAEL , SÁNCHEZ-HIDALGO LELIA , GILMAN ROBERT H. , TSANG VICTOR C. W. , _ _
Published: September 2018

Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis is one of few potentially eradicable infectious diseases and is the target of control programs in several countries. The larval stage of this zoonotic cestode invades the human brain and is responsible for most cases of adult-onset epilepsy in the world. The pig is the natural intermediate host, harboring the larvae or cysticerci. Our current understanding of the life cycle implicates humans as the only definitive host and tapeworm carrier (developing taeniasis) and thus the sole source of infective eggs that are responsible for cysticercosis in both human and pigs through oral-fecal transmission. Here we show evidence of an alternative pig-to-pig route of transmission, previously not suspected to exist. In a series of four experiments, naive sentinel pigs were exposed to pigs that had been infected orally with tapeworm segments (containing infective eggs) and moved to a clean environment. Consistently in all four experiments, at least one of the sentinel pigs became seropositive or infected with parasite cysts with much lower cyst burdens than did primarily infected animals. Second-hand transmission of Taenia solium eggs could explain the overdispersed pattern of porcine cysticercosis, with few pigs harboring heavy parasite burdens and many more harboring small numbers of parasites. This route of transmission opens new avenues for consideration with respect to control strategies.
TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI INFECTION IN WILD MAMMALS FROM A CHAGASIC AREA OF CHILE
Authors: ROZAS MARLENE , BOTTO-MAHAN CAREZZA , CORONADO XIMENA , ORTIZ SYLVIA , CATTAN PEDRO E. , SOLARI ALDO
Published: September 2018

We report results of PCR-DNA based detection of Trypanosoma cruzi in wild mammal reservoirs from a chagasic area of Chile. We analyzed 157 blood samples from wild mammals including the marsupial Thylamis elegans and the rodents Octodon degus, Phyllotis darwini, and Abrothrix olivaceus. In addition, 42 blood samples from goats (i.e., a peridomestic mammal) were analyzed. Blood samples were used to extract DNA, and PCR was performed using the amplification of minicircle DNA sequences. Southern analysis was used to confirm diagnosis with a universal probe of P32-labeled kinetoplast DNA. Altogether, 51% of the wild and 36% of the peridomestic mammals were infected with T. cruzi. These findings suggest that the real T. cruzi infection levels in wild and peridomiciliary reservoirs are higher than those previously determined with serological and parasitological conventional methods. The relevance of our results is discussed in term of the risk factor of infection in human.
CHARACTERIZATION OF APYRASE-LIKE ACTIVITY IN OCHLEROTATUS TRISERIATUS, OCHLEROTATUS HENDERSONI, AND AEDES AEGYPTI
Authors: RENO HILLARY E. , NOVAK ROBERT J.
Published: September 2018

The saliva of a blood-feeding insect can facilitate the intake of blood and effect the transmission of a pathogen. Apyrase is a salivary enzyme that inhibits the aggregation of platelets by hydrolyzing the activating molecule ADP. Apyrase also hydrolyzes ATP, which is a signal for neutrophil activation. Investigators have reported that malaria vector species in the Anopheles gambiae species complex and the genus Simulium had more apyrase activity than sibling species that were non-vectors. In this study, salivary gland extracta from sibling species Ochlerotatus triseriatus (Say), vector of LaCrosse virus, and the non-vector Oc. hendersoni Cockerell were examined. Apyrase activity was characterized from both species, but no difference in activities was observed. Differences in days to maximal apyrase activity after eclosion and apyrase levels after a blood meal were detected between Oc. triseriatus and Aedes aegypti L. (Rockefeller strain). These differences indicate that Ae. aegypti may be able to feed sooner and more often than Oc. triseriatus.
PHYSIOLOGY OF DESICCATION RESISTANCE IN ANOPHELES GAMBIAE AND ANOPHELES ARABIENSIS
Authors: GRAY EMILIE M. , BRADLEY TIMOTHY J.
Published: September 2018

Desiccation resistance and water balance were studied in the adult female mosquitoes Anopheles arabiensis and Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto. When the two species were reared from egg to adult under identical conditions, An. arabiensis had significantly higher desiccation resistance than did An. gambiae. Data are presented that indicate that this difference in desiccation resistance is associated with a higher body water content prior to desiccation in An. arabiensis. No differences in rate of water loss during desiccation or water content at death were observed. Measurements of metabolic rate and respiratory pattern also showed no statistically significant differences between the species. This study provides the first physiologic measurements of desiccation resistance in adults of these species and offers insights into the physiologic differences associated with differential resistance to desiccation stress.
COMPARATIVE TRENDS OF SEROPREVALENCE AND SEROINCIDENCE RATES OF HUMAN T CELL LYMPHOTROPIC VIRUS TYPE I AND HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS 1 IN PREGNANT WOMEN OF VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS SHARING THE SAME ENVIRONMENT IN FRENCH GUIANA
Authors: TORTEVOYE PATRICIA , TUPPIN PHILIPPE , CARLES GABRIEL , PENEAU CHRISTIAN , GESSAIN ANTOINE
Published: September 2018

The objectives of this study were to compare the seroprevalence and seroincidence rates of human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) and human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) in pregnant women in several ethnic groups in French Guiana between July 1, 1991 and June 30, 2001. This study was conducted in the obstetrics unit of the hospital in Saint Laurent du Maroni in a dynamic cohort of 6,921 pregnant women with 11,679 deliveries, with new entrants each year. The overall seroprevalence of HTLV for all women differed between ethnic groups and was restricted mainly to the descendents of fugitive slaves of African origin known as Noir-Marron (181 of 4,266, 4.24%) and to Haitian women (12 of 287, 4.18%). A decrease in the biennial seroprevalence of HTLV-I was observed over time among deliveries of the Haitian women (P = 0.037), but it remained stable among Noir-Marron (P = 0.22). Fifteen of the 17 HTLV-I seroconversions occurred in the Noir-Marron, giving an incidence of 0.18 per 100 person-years. The overall seroprevalence of HIV-1 was higher in the Haitian women (10 of 293, 3.41%) than in the Noir-Marron (34 of 4,310, 0.79%) and Amerindians (4 of 552, 0.72%). A highly significant increase in the biennial seroprevalence of HIV-1 was observed among the deliveries of the Noir-Marron (P = 0.0003), but it remained stable among Haitian women (P = 0.44). Ten of the 13 HIV-1 seroconversions were observed in Noir-Marron, giving an incidence rate of 0.12 per 100 person-years. These data demonstrate the differential spreading of these two human retroviruses among pregnant women in different ethnic groups living in the same environment. While HTLV-I, which is highly endemic in groups of African origin, showed a slight decrease over time in a suspected cohort effect, HIV-1 spread rapidly in an epidemic mode, especially in the groups of the lowest socioeconomic levels.
CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF IMPORTED MALARIA IN JAPAN: ANALYSIS AT A REFERRAL HOSPITAL
Authors: MIURA TOSHIYUKI , KIMURA MIKIO , KOIBUCHI TOMOHIKO , ENDO TOKIOMI , NAKAMURA HITOMI , ODAWARA TAKASHI , WATAYA YUSUKE , NAKAMURA TETSUYA , IWAMOTO AIKICHI
Published: September 2018

Imported malaria remains an important problem in Japan. We have reviewed the medical records of 170 cases of malaria in our hospital, which corresponds to 14.9% of the total cases in Japan. The predominant malarial species was Plasmodium falciparum (52.3%), and the most frequent area of acquisition was Africa (54.2%), followed by Asia (20.9%) and Oceania (19.6%). The most common reason for travel among Japanese patients was business. A significant proportion (22.2%) of vivax malaria cases experienced relapse despite standard primaquine therapy. Most primaquine failures were from Oceania. We also found that a substantial number of Japanese patients contracted malaria without chemoprophylaxis and consulted medical facilities with an unfavorably long delay from initial symptoms (median: 3.0 days). Direct education of travelers and travel companies, in addition to health care providers, is likely necessary to improve outcomes of imported malaria.
EFFICACY OF TRIMETHOPRIM-SULFAMETHOXAZOLE COMPARED WITH SULFADOXINE-PYRIMETHAMINE PLUS ERYTHROMYCIN FOR THE TREATMENT OF UNCOMPLICATED MALARIA IN CHILDREN WITH INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF CHILDHOOD ILLNESS DUAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF MALARIA AND PNEUMONIA
Authors: HAMEL MARY J. , HOLTZ TIMOTHY , MKANDALA CHRISTOPHER , KAIMILA NYOKASE , CHIZANI NYSON , BLOLAND PETER , KUBLIN JAMES , KAZEMBE PETER , STEKETEE RICHARD
Published: September 2018

In Malawi, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TS) is the recommended first-line treatment for children with Integrated Management of Childhood Illness dual classifications of malaria and pneumonia, and sulfadoxine-pyrimethyamine (SP) plus five days of treatment with erythromycin (SP plus E) is the recommended second-line treatment. Using a 14-day, modified World Health Organization protocol, children with dual IMCI classifications of malaria and pneumonia with Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia were randomized to receive TS or SP plus E. Clinical and parasitologic responses and gametocytemia prevalence were obtained. A total of 87.2% of children receiving TS and 80.0% receiving SP plus E reached adequate clinical and parasitologic responses (ACPRs) (P = 0.19). Severely malnourished children were less likely to achieve ACPRs than those better nourished (relative risk = 3.34, P = 0.03). Day 7 gametocyte prevalence was 55% and 64% among children receiving TS and SP plus E, respectively (P = 0.19). Thus, TS and SP plus E remain efficacious treatment of P. falciparum malaria in this setting. However, patient adherence and effectiveness of five days of treatment with TS is unknown.
PLASMODIUM SIMIUM AND SAIMIRI BOLIVIENSIS AS A MODEL SYSTEM FOR TESTING CANDIDATE VACCINES AGAINST PLASMODIUM VIVAX
Authors: COLLINS WILLIAM E. , SULLIVAN JOANN S. , GALLAND G. GALE , WILLIAMS ALLISON , NACE DOUGLAS , WILLIAMS TYRONE , BARNWELL JOHN W.
Published: September 2018

Observations on Plasmodium simium infections in Saimiri boliviensis boliviensis monkeys suggest that this host-parasite combination would be a suitable model for the testing of candidate vaccines against Plasmodium vivax. To evaluate the normal course of infections, parasitemia in 52 splenectomized S. boliviensis boliviensis monkeys infected with P. simium were analyzed. The mean maximum parasite count for 31 monkeys after injection with trophozoite-infected erythrocytes was 77,580/μL. Twenty-one monkeys were infected via sporozoites, and prepatent periods ranged from 14 to 24 days with a median of 15 days. The mean maximum parasite count was 29,234/μL. The mean maximum parasite count for monkeys previously infected with Old World P. vivax was 26,337/μL versus 56,362/μL for those previously infected with New World P. vivax, possibly suggesting a closer antigenic relationship between P. simium and the Old World parasites.
FAMILIAL AGGREGATION OF MUCOSAL LEISHMANIASIS IN NORTHEAST BRAZIL
Authors: CASTELLUCCI LÉA , CHENG LAY HAR , ARAÚJO CIBELE , GUIMARÃES LUIZ HENRIQUE , LESSA HÉLIO , MACHADO PAULO , ALMEIDA MIRELA FREDERICO , OLIVEIRA ADJA , KO ALBERT , JOHNSON WARREN D. , WILSON MARY E. , CARVALHO EDGAR M. , DE JESUS AMÉLIA RIBEIRO
Published: September 2018

To evaluate whether familial clustering occurs in mucosal leishmaniasis (ML), patients with ML (index cases) were randomly selected from medical records at a health post in an endemic area for Leishmania braziliensis infection. Control individuals (index controls) matched by age, gender, and place of residence to index cases were selected. Family members of index cases and controls were compared with respect to environmental factors and the incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and ML. Delayed type hypersensitivity test (DTH) to Leishmania antigen was tested in selected families. Among 289 members of 46 families enrolled, significant differences were found in the frequencies of CL (37% versus 20%) and ML (5% versus 0) in case versus control families, respectively. Families with 2 cases of ML had a higher frequency (29.6%) of DTH-positive individuals than control families (9.4%). These data demonstrate familial clustering of CL, ML, and positive DTH skin tests in an area endemic for L. braziliensis infection.
PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS OF THE ANTHROPOPHILIC PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA VECTORS IN AFRICA
Authors: MARSHALL JONATHON C. , POWELL JEFFREY R. , CACCONE ADALGISA
Published: September 2018

Malaria kills more than one million people a year, and understanding the historical association between its most notorious causative agent, Plasmodium falciparum, and its mosquito vectors is important in fighting the disease. We present a phylogenetic analysis of a number of species within the mosquito subgenus Cellia based on a selection of mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Although some of these relationships have been estimated in other studies, generally few species were included and/or statistical support at many nodes was low. Here we include two additional species of anthropophilic P. falciparum malaria vectors and reanalyze these relationships using a Bayesian method that allows us to simultaneously incorporate different models of evolution. We report data that indicate a paraphyletic relationship between five anthropophilic African mosquito vectors. Such a relationship suggests that these species can serve as independent natural experiments for anopheline immunologic responses to regular, prolonged contact with P. falciparum.
EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM TO ELIMINATE LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS IN VANUATU FOLLOWING TWO YEARS OF MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION IMPLEMENTATION: RESULTS AND METHODOLOGIC APPROACH
Authors: FRASER MARGARET , TALEO GEORGE , TALEO FASIHAH , YAVIONG JAMES , AMOS MORRIS , BABU MARK , KALKOA MORRIS
Published: September 2018

This report presents the results of the Vanuatu mid-term evaluation of the lymphatic filariasis elimination program being implemented countrywide. Vanuatu is one of the first countries to initiate this program as part of the Global Program for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis, based on a five-year annual mass drug administration (MDA) of albendazole and diethylcarbamazine and complemented in Vanuatu by extensive coverage with bed nets. This paper reports results of 561 persons tested at eight sentinel sites following two years of MDA. Coverage was 72% and bed net use was more than 70%. Antigen prevalence was reduced by 63% (from 22% to 8%) and prevalence of microfilaremia prevalence was reduced by 93% (from 12% to 0.8%). Results of surveys of health workers and the community are also reported, and the methodology used for this evaluation is discussed.
MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF DENGUE 2 VIRUSES IN THE PHILIPPINES: GENOTYPE SHIFT AND LOCAL EVOLUTION
Authors: SALDA LEONORA T. D. , PARQUET MARIA D. C. , MATIAS RONALD R. , NATIVIDAD FILIPINAS F. , KOBAYASHI NOBOYUKI , MORITA KOUICHI
Published: September 2018

The pre-membrane (prM) and envelope (E) genes of 41 viruses isolated from dengue fever (DF), dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) patients from 1995 to 2002 were sequenced to determine the genetic variability of dengue 2 (DENV 2) viruses in the Philippines. The envelope sequence data were compared with a global sample of DENV 2 obtained from GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that two distinct genotypes, Asian 2 and Cosmopolitan, are currently circulating locally, each with the potential to cause severe hemorrhagic disease. After the initial isolation in 1998, the Cosmopolitan genotype has gradually and effectively replaced Asian genotype 2 in the Philippines. Members of this genotype were closely related to viruses from Australia, Singapore, and Thailand.
HIGH PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS AND HEPATITIS D VIRUS IN THE WESTERN BRAZILIAN AMAZON
Authors: VIANA SEBASTIÃO , PARANÁ RAYMUNDO , MOREIRA REGINA CÉLIA , COMPRI ADRIANA PARISE , MACEDO VANISE
Published: September 2018

Severe cases of hepatitis caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis D virus (HDV) are often seen in the Brazilian Amazon, but there is a paucity of epidemiologic studies on viral hepatitis in this area. Thus, a cross-sectional study to investigate the prevalence of markers for HBV and HDV was performed. Serum samples were collected after participants completed an epidemiologic questionnaire. Markers for HBV and HDV were analyzed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The HBV genotype was determined by sequencing of the gene for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Of 2,656 samples, 89 (3.3%) were positive for HBsAg and 1,628 (61.5%) were positive for IgG antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. Markers for HDV were found in 47 cases (1.7%). Antibodies to HDV were associated with Amerindian ethnic origin, a lower educational level, a history of acute viral hepatitis, a history of malaria, male sex, a history of tattooing, and older age. The most frequent HBV genotypes were A and F. This study showed a high prevalence of HBV and HDV in the western Brazilian Amazon, as well as the predominance of HBV genotypes A and F.
DRUG RESISTANCE AND GENETIC DIVERSITY OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM PARASITES FROM SURINAME
Authors: PEEK RON , VAN GOOL TOM , PANCHOE DAYNAND , GREVE SOPHIE , BUS ELLEN , RESIDA LESLEY
Published: September 2018

Plasmodium falciparum in Suriname was studied for the presence of drug resistance and genetic variation in blood samples of 86 patients with symptomatic malaria. Drug resistance was predicted by determining point mutations in the chloroquine resistance marker of the P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (pfcrt) gene (codon 76) and the pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine resistance markers in the dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) gene (codons 16, 51, 59, 108, and 164) and dihydropteroate synthase (dhps) gene (codons 436, 437, 540, 581, and 613). Genetic variability was determined by sequence analysis of the polymorphic segments of the merozoite surface protein 2 (msp-2) and glutamate-rich protein (glurp) genes. Mutations in the pfcrt, dhps, and dhfr genes were found in all samples tested, suggesting that resistance to chloroquine and antifolate drugs is present at a high frequency. A low number of alleles was found for the msp-2 and glurp genes. This indicates limited genetic diversity and, based on geographic data, a genetically homogeneous P. falciparum population in Suriname.
THE LEOGANE, HAITI DEMONSTRATION PROJECT: DECREASED MICROFILAREMIA AND PROGRAM COSTS AFTER THREE YEARS OF MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Authors: DE ROCHARS MADSEN BEAU , KANJILAL SANJAT , DIRENY ABDEL N. , RADDAY JEANNE , LAFONTANT JACK G. , MATHIEU ELS , RHEINGANS RICHARD D. , HADDIX ANNE C. , STREIT THOMAS G. , BEACH MICHAEL J. , ADDISS DAVID G. , LAMMIE PATRICK J.
Published: September 2018

To support the global program to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF), well-monitored demonstration projects are important for defining the relationship between coverage and reductions in microfilaremia. We are using mass treatment with diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and albendazole in an effort to eliminate LF from Leogane, Haiti. Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaremia prevalence at baseline ranged from 0.8% to 15.9% in four sentinel sites. After three rounds of DEC-albendazole mass drug administration (MDA), both microfilaremia prevalence and intensity decreased dramatically. Mild and moderate adverse reactions after treatment were common, especially after the first MDA, but decreased after subsequent MDAs. Drug coverage for the first year was estimated to be 72%, but concerns about adverse reactions appeared to decrease drug coverage in the second MDA. As a result of community education efforts that focused on providing a greater understanding of adverse reactions, coverage increased dramatically for the third round. Program efficiency increased substantially; the costs per person treated for three rounds of MDA were $2.23, $1.96, and $1.30 per person, respectively. The Leogane experience highlights the importance of adapting community education and mobilization campaigns to achieve and maintain good coverage.
Q FEVER PNEUMONIA: ARE CLARITHROMYCIN AND MOXIFLOXACIN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS ONLY?
Authors: MOROVIC MIRO
Published: September 2018

Medical records of 77 patients with Q fever pneumonia that was serologically confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were studied to compare the clinical efficacy of doxycycline, clarithromycin, and moxifloxacin. The mean times to defervescence were 2.4 days for those receiving doxycycline, 1.9 days for those receiving clarithromycin, and 2.2 days for those receiving moxifloxacin. There were no interruptions of the regimens in any groups because of side effects, and outcome was favorable in all patients with no complications or relapses during follow-up. This efficacy of clarithromycin and moxifloxacin, together with their safety profiles, suggest that these alternative agents in the treatment of Q fever pneumonia could also be used as the first-line therapy.
REDUCTION OF INFECTIVITY OF SCHISTOSOME CERCARIAE BY APPLICATION OF CERCARICIDAL OIL TO WATER
Authors: NAPLES JEAN MARIE , SHIFF CLIVE , HALDEN ROLF U.
Published: September 2018

Schistosomiasis continues to plague populations living in disease-endemic areas, and exposure to infective cercariae results in more than 200 million cases worldwide. Laboratory experiments were conducted to test whether a cercaricidal film applied directly to the water surface can reduce viability of cercariae. A distillate from inexpensive cedarwood oil enriched for cedrol in a mixed oil fraction was formulated (1:5) with the surfactant Tween 80. When applied to the surface of clean and turbid water in test vessels, the formulation spread across and just below the air-water interface, causing inactivation of Schistosoma mansoni cercariae within minutes. The active ingredient was heat stable and reduced schistosome survival and infectivity by 90% and 99.2%, respectively in a mouse model. The effective dose (13 μg/cm2) was dependent on surface area rather than volume of water treated. We conclude that application of the biodegradable formulation to the surface of schistosome-infested waters may be an effective, economical, and safe means of reducing human infections.
PRIMARY TUBERCULOSIS OF THE BREAST MIMICKING CARCINOMA
Authors: DA SILVA BENEDITO BORGES , DOS SANTOS LINA G. , COSTA PEDRO VITOR L. , PIRES CLEICILENE GOMES , BORGES ANATOLE SANTOS
Published: September 2018

This report describes a well-documented case of primary, nodular-form tuberculosis of the breast that mimicked cancer in a 73-year-old patient. This is a disease that rarely affects the breast.
IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON KNOWLEDGE, AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, AND COMMUNITY ACTIONS FOR MOSQUITO CONTROL AND MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASE PREVENTION IN RICE ECOSYSTEMS IN SRI LANKA
Authors: YASUOKA JUNKO , MANGIONE THOMAS W. , SPIELMAN ANDREW , LEVINS RICHARD
Published: September 2018

Mosquito-borne diseases are a major public health threat in Sri Lanka. A 20-week pilot education program to improve community knowledge and mosquito control with participatory and non-chemical approaches was developed, implemented, and evaluated using pre-educational and post-educational surveys in two intervention and two comparison villages. Correlates of baseline knowledge were sex, number of family members, ratio of family members with malaria history, school education level, and availability of electricity at the residence. Participation in the educational program led to improved knowledge of mosquito ecology and disease epidemiology, changes in agricultural practices, and an increase in environmentally sound measures for mosquito control and disease prevention. The variety of actions at the post-educational stage were determined by improved knowledge, but not by sociodemographic characteristics. Such community-based educational interventions are effective in increasing understanding and active involvement in mosquito control and disease prevention in rice ecosystems regardless of sociodemographic characteristics.
AN INTERVENTION-CONTROL STUDY OF CORRALLING OF FREE-RANGING CHICKENS TO CONTROL CAMPYLOBACTER INFECTIONS AMONG CHILDREN IN A PERUVIAN PERIURBAN SHANTYTOWN
Authors: OBERHELMAN RICHARD A. , GILMAN ROBERT H. , SHEEN PATRICIA , CORDOVA JULIANNA , ZIMIC MIRKO , CABRERA LILIA , MEZA RINA , PEREZ JUAN
Published: September 2018

Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of diarrhea among children in developing countries. Since free-ranging chickens are a major source of Campylobacter infections, we hypothesized that corralling of these chickens would result in decreased rates of Campylobacter infections and Campylobacter-related diarrhea. We tested this hypothesis in Peruvian families in a periruban shantytown with free-ranging chickens and randomized by household using a (corralling) intervention versus control study design. Samples from participants and chickens were cultured for Campylobacter at the start of surveillance, and samples from children less than six years of age with diarrhea episodes and two sentinel chickens were cultured for Campylobacter monthly. Overall, 4,257 human stool specimens and 3,950 avian stool specimens were cultured over a 17-month period. Rates of Campylobacter-related diarrhea in children were significantly higher in the corral group, which demonstrated twice the incidence of Campylobacter diarrhea compared with controls overall, and seven times the rate of Campylobacter diarrhea versus controls in the subset with more than 20 household chickens. Rates of asymptomatic infection with Campylobacter were similar. Although corralling may be useful if corrals are distant from living quarters, it is not advisable as a control measure for Campylobacter in communities such as this.
ANALYSIS OF MALARIA CASES IN BANGLADESH WITH REMOTE SENSING DATA
Authors: RAHMAN ATIQUR , KOGAN FELIX , ROYTMAN LEONID
Published: September 2018

Epidemiologic data of malaria cases were correlated with satellite-based vegetation health (VH) indices to investigate if they can be used as proxy for monitoring malaria epidemics in Bangladesh. The VH indices were represented by the vegetation condition index (VCI) and the temperature condition index (TCI). The VCI and TCI estimate moisture and thermal conditions, respectively. Sensitivity of VCI and TCI was assessed using correlation and regression analysis. During cooler months (November–March) when mosquitoes are less active, the correlation was low. It increased considerably during the warm and wet season (April–October), reaching 0.7 for the TCI in early October and −0.66 for the VCI in mid September.
IDENTIFICATION IN TRIATOMINE VECTORS OF FEEDING SOURCES AND TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI VARIANTS BY HETERODUPLEX ASSAY AND A MULTIPLEX MINIEXON POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION
Authors: BOSSENO MARIE-FRANCE , GARCÍA LUIS SANTOS , BAUNAURE FRANÇOISE , GASTELÚM EZEQUIEL MAGALLÓN , GUTIERREZ MARGARITA SOTO , KASTEN FELIPE LOZANO , DUMONTEIL ERIC , BRENIÈRE SIMONE FRÉDÉRIQUE
Published: September 2018

Feeding sources of triatomine vectors (Triatoma longipennis) collected in peridomiciles in Mexico were identified by a heteroduplex assay developed with triatomine blood meals. Trypanosoma cruzi parasites were also characterized in the same blood meal samples by multiplex-polymerase chain reaction assay of mini-exon gene inter-genic regions. The main blood meal source was from rats, but the bugs were able to feed on a wide variety of hosts, and human blood meals were identified. Trypanosoma cruzi was the only flagellate species identified in the blood meals. All populations belong to the T. cruzi I lineage, a result that is consistent with the previously assumed predominance of this lineage in Mexico. This combination of blood meal and T. cruzi lineage identification provides a powerful tool for understanding T. cruzi transmission cycles.
CELLULAR REACTIVITY TO THE P. FALCIPARUM PROTEIN TRAP IN ADULT KENYANS: NOVEL EPITOPES, COMPLEX CYTOKINE PATTERNS, AND THE IMPACT OF NATURAL ANTIGENIC VARIATION
Authors: FLANAGAN KATIE L. , PLEBANSKI MAGDALENA , ODHIAMBO KENNEDY , SHEU ERIC , MWANGI TABITHA , GELDER COLIN , HART KEITH , KORTOK MOSES , LOWE BRETT , ROBSON KATHRYN J. , MARSH KEVIN , HILL ADRIAN V. S.
Published: September 2018

Malaria vaccines based on thrombospondin-related adhesive protein of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf TRAP) are currently undergoing clinical trials in humans. This study was designed to investigate naturally acquired cellular immunity to Pf TRAP in adults from a target population for future trials of TRAP-based vaccines in Kilifi, Kenya. We first tested reactivity to a panel of 53 peptides spanning Pf TRAP and identified 26 novel T-cell epitopes. A panel of naturally occurring polymorphic variant epitope peptides were made to the most commonly recognized epitope regions and tested for ability to elicit IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 production. These data provide for the first time a complex cytokine matrix mapping naturally induced T-cell responses to TRAP and suggest that T-cell responses boosted by vaccination with Pf TRAP could stimulate the release of competing pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. They further define polymorphic variants able to boost specific Th1, Th2, and possibly Tr1 reactivity.
EMERGENCE AND CLEARANCE OF GAMETOCYTES IN UNCOMPLICATED PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA
Authors: PIYAPHANEE WATCHARAPONG , KRUDSOOD SRIVICHA , TANGPUKDEE NOPPADON , THANACHARTWET WIPA , SILACHAMROON UDOMSAK , PHOPHAK NANTAPORN , DUANGDEE CHATNAPRA , HAOHARN ORATHAI , FAITHONG SUPARAT , WILAIRATANA POLRAT , LEOWATTANA WATTANA , LOOAREESUWAN SORNCHAI
Published: September 2018

We reviewed the records of 1,175 patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria to determine the prevalence of gametocytemia. All patients were admitted and received artemisinin combination therapy. Blood films were checked daily until discharge. Circulating gametocytes were observed in 240 (20.2%) of patients and in most cases (222 of 240, 92.5%) gametocytemia was detected during the first 24 hours after admission. Gametocytes were first seen in 174 cases on admission, in 24 cases at 12 hours, and in 24 cases at 24 hours. The longest interval between admission and first appearance of gametocytes was 192 hours. The median gametocyte clearance time was 163 hours (range = 12–806) in the 219 patients in whom gametocytemia resolved. However, 21 patients (9.8%) still had gametocytemia on discharge. Gametocytemia generally is present within the first 24 hours after admission, and emerges in only 1.9% of patients later on during treatment with artemisinin.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE INTENSITY OF EXPOSURE TO MALARIA PARASITES AND INFECTION IN THE USAMBARA MOUNTAINS, TANZANIA
Authors: BØDKER RENÉ , MSANGENI HAMISI A. , KISINZA WILLIAM , LINDSAY STEVE W.
Published: September 2018

The relationship between exposure to Plasmodium falciparum malaria and parasite density and prevalence was studied in six communities along an altitude transect. Prevalence of parasitemia in children decreased by 5% for every 100 meter increase in altitude from 82% in the lowlands at 300 meters to 12% in the highlands at 1,700 meters. This decrease in prevalence corresponded to a 1,000-fold reduction in transmission intensity. The ability to suppress parasite density and prevalence with age increased proportionally with increasing transmission intensity when transmission rates were higher than 0.1 infective bites per year, but developed after 2–3 years of age, regardless of transmission intensity. However, at transmission rates less than 0.1 infective bites per year, prevalence remained similar in all age groups. We propose that both exposure-dependent acquired immunity and age-dependent acquired immunity regulate parasite prevalence and density and suggest that transmission control will not hinder the development of protective anti-parasite immunity.
HUMAN TRYPANOSOME INFECTION AND THE PRESENCE OF INTRADOMICILE RHODNIUS PALLESCENS IN THE WESTERN BORDER OF THE PANAMA CANAL, PANAMA
Authors: CALZADA JOSÉ E. , PINEDA VANESSA , MONTALVO EDILMA , ALVAREZ DAYRA , SANTAMARÍA ANA MARÍA , SAMUDIO FRANKLYN , BAYARD VICENTE , CÁCERES LORENZO , SALDAÑA AZAEL
Published: September 2018

An entomologic search was carried out to collect intradomicile triatomines in dwellings from rural communities in the western border of the Panama Canal, Panama. Sixty-nine triatomines were collected inside 20 houses of 67 houses investigated. Rhodnius pallescens was the only triatomine species found and included adults of both sexes and nymphs. A significantly high Trypanosoma cruzi (72.7%) and T. rangeli (40%) vector infection rate was detected. Blood meal analysis showed that 68% of R. pallescens had fed on humans. Human serologic analaysis and hemoculture performed on inhabitants from triatomine-infested houses showed that 32.1% (18 of 56) of the samples were trypanosome infected. Thirteen samples (23.2%) had antibodies against T. cruzi. Six of these seropositive samples were from children less than 15 years old. Trypanosoma rangeli was isolated in five hemoculture samples, all from children less than 11 years old. The epidemiologic implications of these findings in terms of human infection are discussed.
FIRST REPORT OF KNOCKDOWN MUTATIONS IN THE MALARIA VECTOR ANOPHELES GAMBIAE FROM CAMEROON
Authors: ETANG JOSIANE , FONDJO ETIENNE , CHANDRE FABRICE , MORLAIS ISABELLE , BRENGUES CECILE , NWANE PHILIPPE , CHOUAIBOU MOUHAMADOU , NDJEMAI HAMADOU , SIMARD FRÉDÉRIC
Published: September 2018

We report the first finding of the knockdown Leu-Phe and Leu-Ser mutations associated with resistance to pyrethroids and DDT insecticides in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae from Cameroon. The Leu-Phe mutation was found in both the M and S molecular forms of An. gambiae. Importantly, two specimens of the S molecular form were found to carry both mutations in a heterozygous state.
COMPARISON OF PCR-RFLP AND GENESCAN–BASED GENOTYPING FOR ANALYZING INFECTION DYNAMICS OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM
Authors: FALK NICOLE , MAIRE NICOLAS , SAMA WILSON , OWUSU-AGYEI SETH , SMITH TOM , BECK HANS-PETER , FELGER INGRID
Published: September 2018

Parameters describing the infection dynamics of Plasmodium falciparum are important determinants of the potential impact of interventions and are potential outcome measurements for malaria intervention trials. Low parasite densities, periodic sequestration of parasites, and the presence of multiple concurrent infections make it essential to use molecular techniques to estimate the force of infection and duration of infections in endemic areas. We now compare two approaches for tracking individual genotypes of the highly polymorphic merozoite surface protein 2: 1) fluorescence-labeled polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and GeneScan-sizing and 2) restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). We analyze samples from a longitudinal field study in Ghana and use statistical approaches that allow for imperfect detectability. The two methods gave broadly similar estimates of parasite dynamics, but GeneScan is more precise and can achieve a higher throughput. The analysis of parasite dynamics indicated an average duration of infection of 210 days by GeneScan versus 152 days by PCR-RFLP in the study population in Kassena-Nankana, Northern Ghana. This reflects the good performance of GeneScan-based genotyping for studies of parasite infection dynamics.
LACK OF SEX EFFECT ON THE PHARMACOKINETICS OF PRIMAQUINE
Authors: ELMES NATHAN J. , BENNETT SONYA M. , ABDALLA HANAN , CARTHEW TRACY L. , EDSTEIN MICHAEL D.
Published: September 2018

The pharmacokinetics of primaquine have been well defined in male volunteers, but there is little data on the disposition of the drug in women. We compared the kinetics of primaquine in nine male and nine female healthy Australian volunteers after the administration of a single oral dose (30 mg base) of primaquine. No statistical differences were observed in the following kinetic parameters of primaquine between men and women, respectively: maximum plasma concentration (93 ± 26 and 115 ± 38 ng/mL; 95% confidence interval [CI] of the mean difference: −55 to 10 ng/mL; P = 0.16), area under the curve (1.1 ± 0.5 and 1.2 ± 0.4 μg.h/mL; 95% CI: −0.6 to 0.3 μg.h/mL; P = 0.54), and clearance (0.34 ± 0.12 and 0.39 ± 0.14 L/h/kg; 95% CI: −0.17 to 0.08 L/h/kg; P = 0.46). The clinical relevance of such findings would suggest that sex does not have to be taken into account as a factor when prescribing primaquine for radical cure or terminal prophylaxis of Plasmodium vivax malaria.
COMMUNITY PERCEPTION OF SCHOOL-BASED DEWORMING PROGRAM IN SANLIURFA, TURKEY
Authors: ULUKANLIGIL MUSTAFA
Published: September 2018

This article presents an evaluation of the community perception of the recently implemented School Based Health Program, which delivered anthelmintics to 96,000 schoolchildren in Sanliurfa, Turkey. One hundred forty-four parents and 140 teachers were interviewed through questionnaires, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews. The evaluation indicated that most of the parents and teachers reported that the program was beneficial as it led to improvement in children’s health and well being. The evaluation also indicated that 99% of the parents and 98.4% of the teachers approved of the teacher’s role in this program. Nearly all of the teachers and parents showed willingness to continue the program in the future and 75% of the parents indicated willingness to pay for the drugs. The evaluation also highlighted that there were critical issues for the successful implementation of the program such as the issue of educating illiterate mothers, higher involvement of families in the mass treatment process, ability to reach a larger number of school absentees, and overcoming the prejudice against externally funded measures, which are perceived by some of the members of the community as an experiment run by foreigners on the local population and the concern of some parents that anthelmintic drug (mebendazole) might cause sexual sterility.
USE OF IgG AVIDITY TO INDIRECTLY MONITOR EPIZOOTIC TRANSMISSION OF SIN NOMBRE VIRUS IN DEER MICE (PEROMYSCUS MANICULATUS)
Authors: SAFRONETZ DAVID , LINDSAY ROBBIN , HJELLE BRIAN , MEDINA RAFAEL A. , MIROWSKY-GARCIA KATY , DREBOT MICHAEL A.
Published: September 2018

An IgG avidity assay was developed to differentiate deer mice that had recently acquired Sin Nombre virus (SNV) from those that were infected in the distant past. Using this procedure, low avidity antibodies were predominantly detected in experimentally infected deer mice (89.5%) within the first 30 days post-inoculation. The assay was then applied to sera from naturally infected deer mice collected during a field investigation associated with a cluster of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome cases. A higher proportion of seropositive mice collected during the outbreak had serum with low avidity antibodies (16.7%) when compared with mice trapped four months later (5.7%). Sin Nombre virus RNA was detectable in blood in a similar fraction of low- (45%) and high- (38.7%) avidity groups. Non-adult mice were more likely to contain low-avidity antibodies (44.4%) than were adults (9.6%). Our results indicate that the IgG avidity assay shows promise as a tool to better characterize epizootic intensity and to identify factors involved in SNV transmission.
MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF BLOOD-MEAL SOURCES IN CULISETA MELANURA AND CULISETA MORSITANS FROM AN ENDEMIC FOCUS OF EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS VIRUS IN NEW YORK
Authors: MOLAEI GOUDARZ , OLIVER JOANNE , ANDREADIS THEODORE G. , ARMSTRONG PHILIP M. , HOWARD JOHN J.
Published: September 2018

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus perpetuates in an enzootic cycle involving ornithophilic mosquito vectors, principally Culiseta melanura (Coquillett) and avian amplification hosts. To better understand the role of Cs. melanura and Culiseta morsitans (Theobald) in the epizootiology of EEE virus, we collected blood-fed mosquitoes between 31 May and 15 October 2004 at two sites associated with an EEE virus focus in central New York and identified the source of vertebrate blood by nucleotide sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of the cytochrome b gene. Analysis of 484 Cs. melanura and 122 Cs. morsitans revealed that 94.2% and 86.9%, respectively, acquired blood solely from avian hosts. Blood meals derived exclusively from mammals were detected in 0.8% of Cs. melanura and 1.6% of Cs. morsitans. Individual mosquitoes containing mixed-blood meals from both avian and mammalian hosts were also detected in 5.0% of Cs. melanura and 11.5% of Cs. morsitans. Wood thrush constituted the most common vertebrate host for Cs. melanura (23.6%) and Cs. morsitans (30.9%), followed by American robin, song sparrow, ovenbird, red-eyed vireo, and common yellowthroat. Mammalian-derived blood meals were identified as white-tailed deer, horse, domestic cat, and eastern pipistrelle bat. There were three isolations of EEE virus from Cs. melanura and one from Cs. morsitans. These results suggest that wood thrush and a few other passerine birds may play key roles in supporting EEE virus transmission in the northeast and possibly throughout the geographic range of EEE in North America. The frequency of mammalian feedings also suggests that Cs. melanura and Cs. morsitans may play a role in the transmission of EEE virus to equines, in addition to maintaining enzootic transmission among avian hosts. We report the first isolation of arboviruses from mosquito vectors concomitant with the identifications of their blood meal sources.