bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RAPID ASSAY TO IDENTIFY THE TWO GENETIC FORMS OF CULEX (CULEX) PIPIENS L. (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) AND HYBRID POPULATIONS
Authors: BAHNCK CAROLYN M. , FONSECA DINA M.
Published: September 2018

A previously developed method to identify members of the Culex pipiens complex exploiting polymorphisms in a nuclear intron (acetylcholinesterase [ACE] based-assay) cannot differentiate the two forms of Cx. pipiens: form pipiens and form molestus. Notably, the two forms seem to differ extensively in behavior and physiology and likely have very different epidemiologic importance. Because they are morphologically indistinguishable, molecular methods are critical for the evaluation of their relative importance. Although the two forms of Cx. pipiens have been distinguished using a panel of microsatellite loci, such a protocol is laborious and expensive. We developed a rapid assay based on polymorphisms in the flanking region of a microsatellite locus. Used in conjunction with the ACE-assay, this new assay allows the identification of pure and hybrid populations of the two Cx. pipiens forms as well as those including Cx. quinquefasciatus. We discuss the usefulness of the method as well as limitations to its application.
THE FIRST ISOLATION OF JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS VIRUS FROM MOSQUITOES COLLECTED FROM MAINLAND AUSTRALIA
Authors: VAN DEN HURK ANDREW F. , MONTGOMERY BRIAN L. , NORTHILL JUDITH A. , SMITH INA L. , ZBOROWSKI PAUL , RITCHIE SCOTT A. , MACKENZIE JOHN S. , SMITH GREG A.
Published: September 2018

In response to an incursion of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) on Cape York Peninsula, Australia, in 2005, 23,144 Culex mosquitoes were processed for virus detection. A single isolate of JEV was obtained from a pool of Culex sitiens subgroup mosquitoes. This is the first reported mosquito isolate of JEV from the Australian mainland.
DNA PROFILING OF HUMAN BLOOD IN ANOPHELINES FROM LOWLAND AND HIGHLAND SITES IN WESTERN KENYA
Authors: SCOTT THOMAS W. , GITHEKO ANDREW K. , FLEISHER ANDREW , HARRINGTON LAURA C. , YAN GUIYUN
Published: September 2018

We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based DNA profiling to determine the person from whom Anopheles funestus and An. gambiae collected in natural human habitations obtained their blood meals. Less than 20% of human hosts contributed to > 50% of all blood meals, and 42% were not bitten at all, including people in the age group bitten most often. As expected, bites were unevenly distributed by age (young adults > older adults > children). Use of untreated bed nets by adults, but not children, seemed to redirect bites to children. Multiple blood meals in a single gonotrophic cycle occurred frequently enough to be epidemiologically important (14% for An. funestus and 11% for An. gambiae). Mosquitoes that did not bite a person who slept in the collection house can affect estimation of entomological risk. Mosquito–human interactions did not differ across ecologically and epidemiologically distinct highland and lowland sites.
LIMITED DIVERSITY OF ANOPHELES DARLINGI IN THE PERUVIAN AMAZON REGION OF IQUITOS
Authors: PINEDO-CANCINO VIVIANA , SHEEN PATRICIA , TARAZONA-SANTOS EDUARDO , OSWALD WILLIAM E. , JERI CESAR , VITTOR AMY YOMIKO , PATZ JONATHAN A. , GILMAN ROBERT H.
Published: September 2018

Anopheles darlingi is the most important malaria vector in the Amazon basin of South America, and is capable of transmitting both Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. To understand the genetic structure of this vector in the Amazonian region of Peru, a simple polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–based test to identify this species of mosquito was used. A random amplified polymorphic DNA–PCR was used to study genetic variation at the micro-geographic level in nine geographically separate populations of An. darlingi collected in areas with different degrees of deforestation surrounding the city of Iquitos. Within-population genetic diversity in nine populations, as quantified by the expected heterozygosity (HE), ranged from 0.27 to 0.32. Average genetic distance (FST) among these populations was 0.017. These results show that the nine studied populations are highly homogeneous, suggesting that strategies can be developed to combat this malaria vector as a single epidemiologic unit.
MULTILOCUS ENZYME ELECTROPHORESIS AND CYTOCHROME B GENE SEQUENCING–BASED IDENTIFICATION OF LEISHMANIA ISOLATES FROM DIFFERENT FOCI OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN PAKISTAN
Authors: MARCO JORGE D. , BHUTTO ABDUL M. , SOOMRO FAROOQ R. , BALOCH JAVED H. , BARROSO PAOLA A. , KATO HIROTOMO , UEZATO HIROSHI , KATAKURA KEN , KORENAGA MASATAKA , NONAKA SHIGEO , HASHIGUCHI YOSHIHISA
Published: September 2018

Seventeen Leishmania stocks isolated from cutaneous lesions of Pakistani patients were studied by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis and by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of the cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene. Eleven stocks that expressed nine zymodemes were assigned to L. (Leishmania) major. All of them were isolated from patients in the lowlands of Larkana district and Sibi city in Sindh and Balochistan provinces, respectively. The remaining six, distributed in two zymodemes (five and one), isolated from the highland of Quetta city, Balochistan, were identified as L. (L.) tropica. The same result at species level was obtained by the Cyt b sequencing for all the stocks examined. No clear-cut association between the clinical features (wet or dry type lesions) and the Leishmania species involved was found. Leishmania (L.) major was highly polymorphic compared with L. (L.) tropica. This difference may be explained by the fact that humans may act as a sole reservoir of L. (L.) tropica in anthroponotic cycles; however, many wild mammals can be reservoirs of L. (L.) major in zoonotic cycles.
CONCOMITANT EARLY MUCOSAL AND CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN BRAZIL
Authors: BOAVENTURA VIVIANE S. , CAFE VIRGINIA , COSTA JACKSON , OLIVEIRA FABIANO , BAFICA ANDRE , ROSATO ANDREA , de FREITAS LUIZ A. R. , BRODSKYN CLAUDIA , BARRAL-NETTO MANOEL , BARRAL ALDINA
Published: September 2018

Mucosal leishmaniasis (ML) is often clinically silent until reaching a highly advanced state. In this prospective study, 6 of 220 patients with early cutaneous leishmaniasis were diagnosed with mucosal involvement by otorhinolaryngological examination (a rate similar to the reported rate of late ML). Detection of early ML may represent an important strategy in preventing severe mucosal destruction in human leishmaniasis.
MORBIDITY INDICATORS OF SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INFECTION AND ANEMIA IN UGANDAN SCHOOLCHILDREN BEFORE AND AFTER PRAZIQUANTEL AND ALBENDAZOLE CHEMOTHERAPY
Authors: KOUKOUNARI ARTEMIS , FENWICK ALAN , WHAWELL SARAH , KABATEREINE NARCIS B. , KAZIBWE FRANCIS , TUKAHEBWA EDRIDAH M. , STOTHARD J. RUSSELL , DONNELLY CHRISTL A. , WEBSTER JOANNE P.
Published: September 2018

The potential relationship between Schistosoma mansoni and anemia was examined using data obtained by the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) before (baseline) and 1 year after (follow-up) a chemotherapeutic treatment program in Uganda. Changes in hemoglobin (Hb) levels in 2,788 children in relation to their schistosomiasis and/or hookworm infection intensity category and baseline anemia status were analyzed. At baseline, significant predictors of childhood anemia were intensities of S. mansoni and hookworm infection. At follow-up, moderate or heavy hookworm as well as heavy S. mansoni infections were important. Children heavily infected with S. mansoni or hookworm had significantly lower Hb counts at baseline compared with those not infected. Among anemic children at the baseline survey, a significant increase in Hb counts of 0.834 g/dL after treatment was found. Our results suggest that anemia is associated with schistosomiasis and hookworm in Ugandan children and that such anemia shows a significant improvement after chemotherapy.
PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON MYCOBACTERIUM SPP. IN DAIRY CATTLE IN ECUADOR
Authors: PROAÑO-PEREZ FREDDY , RIGOUTS LEEN , BRANDT JEF , DORNY PIERRE , RON JORGE , CHAVEZ MARIA-AUGUSTA , RODRIGUEZ RICHAR , FISSETTE KRISTA , VAN AERDE ANITA , PORTAELS FRANÇOISE , BENITEZ-ORTIZ WASHINGTON
Published: September 2018

This study evaluated bovine tuberculosis in Mejia canton, a major dairy cattle production region in Ecuador. Randomly selected cattle (1,012 from 59 farms) classified according to herd size were tested by the single tuberculin test (STT). Sixty days later, positive reactors were tested again by the comparative tuberculin test (CTT). In addition, tissue samples from two STT-CTT-positive reactors detected on a farm were obtained in a local slaughterhouse and analyzed bacteriologically. A total of 4.24% of the cattle were positive in the STT and 3.85% were positive in the CTT, with the highest number (7.95%) in large herds versus 3.4% in medium herds and 0.3% in small herds. Mycobacterium bovis was isolated from mesenteric lymph nodes and lungs of one animal. A 16S ribosomal RNA-based polymerase chain reaction confirmed culture results and differentiated mycobacteria other than M. tuberculosis. This study confirms the zoonotic importance of tuberculosis in Ecuadorian dairy cattle with herd size likely to be a crucial parameter in the prevalence of the disease. The implementation of a national control program is necessary and should be based on the detection of positive cattle by STT in combination with CTT.
IS INJECTING A FINGER WITH RABIES IMMUNOGLOBULIN DANGEROUS?
Authors: SUWANSRINON KANITTA , JAIJAROENSUP WIPAPORN , WILDE HENRY , SITPRIJA VISITH
Published: September 2018

Treating potentially rabies virus infected wounds requires the injection of rabies immunoglobulin into and around the wounds, followed by vaccination with an approved tissue culture rabies vaccine. A significant number of such bite wounds involves fingers where there is little space for expansion. Injecting immunoglobulin into such areas under pressure may induce a compartment syndrome caused by compromising circulation. We carried out a retrospective review and a prospective study of patients seen with digital bite injuries and found that it is a safe procedure if carried out with care by experienced staff.
MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MALARIA IN CAMEROON. XXI. BASELINE THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF CHLOROQUINE, AMODIAQUINE, AND SULFADOXINE-PYRIMETHAMINE MONOTHERAPIES IN CHILDREN BEFORE NATIONAL DRUG POLICY CHANGE
Authors: BASCO LEONARDO K. , NGANE VINCENT FOUMANE , NDOUNGA MATHIEU , SAME-EKOBO ALBERT , YOUMBA JEAN-CHRISTIAN , ABODO RAPHAEL THERESE OKALLA , SOULA GEORGES
Published: September 2018

The availability of epidemiologic data on drug-resistant malaria based on a standardized clinical and parasitological protocol is a prerequisite for a rational therapeutic strategy to control malaria. As part of the surveillance program on the therapeutic efficacy of the first-line (chloroquine and amodiaquine) and second-line (sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine) drugs for the management of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum infections, non-randomized studies were conducted in symptomatic children aged less than 10 years according to the World Health Organization protocol (14-day follow-up period) at 12 sentinel sites in Cameroon between 1999 and 2004. Of 1,407 children enrolled in the studies, 460, 444, and 503 were treated with chloroquine, amodiaquine, or sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, respectively. Chloroquine treatment resulted in high failure rates (proportion of early and late failures, 48.6%). Amodiaquine was effective at all study sites (proportion of failures, 7.3%). Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine therapy was less effective than amodiaquine (P < 0.05), with failures observed in 9.9% of patients. Chloroquine is no longer a viable option and has been withdrawn from the official drug outlets in Cameroon. Amodiaquine and, to a lesser extent, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine monotherapies are still effective in Cameroon, but further development of resistance to these drugs should be delayed by the novel strategy using artemisinin-based combination therapy. Our findings indicate that amodiaquine is the most rational partner for artesunate. Studies on the efficacy of artesunate-amodiaquine combination are currently being undertaken at several sites in the country.
COST CONSIDERATIONS OF MALARIA CHEMOPROPHYLAXIS INCLUDING USE OF PRIMAQUINE FOR PRIMARY OR TERMINAL CHEMOPROPHYLAXIS
Authors: BRYAN JOE P.
Published: September 2018

The costs of mefloquine, chloroquine, doxycycline, primaquine, and atovaquone/proguanil are calculated for various durations of exposure to malaria. The cost is included for detecting glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency before administering primaquine for primary or terminal prophylaxis. For durations of exposure ranging from 3 to 730 days, if no terminal prophylaxis is given, doxycycline (generic) is the least expensive regimen. Compared with doxycycline hyclate, chloroquine costs three to four times more, and primaquine, after screening for G6PD, costs about eight times more. Atovaquone/proguanil is less expensive than mefloquine for a 3-day exposure, but more expensive for 7 or more days. When terminal chemoprophylaxis with primaquine for 14 days is used in addition to doxycycline, mefloquine, chloroquine, or atovaquone/proguanil, primaquine alone is the least expensive regimen for exposures of < 10 days. Thereafter, doxycycline plus 14 days of primaquine is most economical. For subsequent exposures when G6PD status is already known, primaquine alone is the least expensive regimen for up to 9 days of exposure, but doxycycline is less expensive thereafter. In general, generic doxycycline hyclate is the least expensive regimen. Primaquine alone is economically attractive. Mefloquine, doxycyline monohydrate, and atovaquone/proguanil, the most expensive regimens, are similar in cost for a 7-day exposure, but thereafter, atovaquone/proguanil is much more expensive.
CRITICAL EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT METHODS FOR MEASURING THE FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY OF ANTIBODIES AGAINST MALARIA BLOOD STAGE ANTIGENS
Authors: BERGMANN-LEITNER ELKE S. , DUNCAN ELIZABETH H. , MULLEN GREGORY E. , BURGE JOHN ROBERT , KHAN FARHAT , LONG CAROLE A. , ANGOV EVELINA , LYON JEFFREY A.
Published: September 2018

Antibodies are thought to be the primary immune effectors in the defense against erythrocytic stage Plasmodium falciparum. Thus, malaria vaccines directed to blood stages of infection are evaluated based on their ability to induce antibodies with anti-parasite activity. Such antibodies may have different effector functions (e.g., inhibition of invasion or inhibition of parasite growth/development) depending on the target antigen. We evaluated four methods with regards to their ability to differentiate between invasion and/or growth inhibitory activities of antibodies specific for two distinct blood stage antigens: AMA1 and MSP142. We conclude that antibodies induced by these vaccine candidates have different modes of action that vary not only by the antigen, but also by the strain of parasite being tested. Analysis based on parasitemia and viability was essential for defining the full range of anti-parasite activities in immune sera.
POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION DETECTION AND SEROLOGIC FOLLOW-UP AFTER TREATMENT WITH BENZNIDAZOLE IN BOLIVIAN CHILDREN INFECTED WITH A NATURAL MIXTURE OF TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI I AND II
Authors: FLORES-CHAVEZ MARIA , BOSSENO MARIE-FRANCE , BASTRENTA BRIGITTE , DALENZ JOSE-LOUIS ALCAZAR , HONTEBEYRIE MIREILLE , REVOLLO SUSANA , BRENIÈRE SIMONE FRÉDÉRIQUE
Published: September 2018

Thirty-five Bolivian children (5–10 years of age) seropositive for infection with T. cruzi underwent specific chemotherapy with benznidazole. Before treatment, 57.1% had a positive parasitologic diagnosis. Some patients presented an early conversion by polymerase chain reaction of blood samples, while others were still positive four and seven months after the end of the treatment, which indicated an absence of parasite clearance. Strain typing showed that most patients were infected by a mixture of clones I and II of T. cruzi. Serologic conversion in conventional tests and antibodies to shed acute-phase antigen were observed in two and four patients, respectively. For the other patients, the average rate of antibody decay was half the initial rate. The parasitologic and serologic data indicated that chemotherapy acts throughout the course of infection in a long-lasting process in which the decrease of specific antibody production is related to the reduction of the live parasite load.
A SIMPLE FLUOROGENIC METHOD TO DETECT VIBRIO CHOLERAE AND AEROMONAS HYDROPHILA IN WELL WATER FOR AREAS IMPACTED BY CATASTROPHIC DISASTERS
Authors: RICHARDS GARY P. , WATSON MICHAEL A.
Published: September 2018

The colony overlay procedure for peptidases (COPP) is a simple, fluorogenic assay that can rapidly detect and quantify Vibrio cholerae and Aeromonas hydrophila in well water. Cleavage of the substrate L-lysyl-7-amino-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin by enzymes present in Vibrio and Aeromonas species produces fluorescent foci on cellulose acetate membranes exposed to long-wave ultraviolet light. Vibrio cholerae O1, O139, O155, and A. hydrophila were readily detected using this procedure, whereas Enterobacteriaceae and other non-Vibrionaceae pathogens did not produce fluorescence. The assay is practical for assessing the relative safety of well water in areas that have experienced catastrophic devastation from natural disasters, acts of war, or civil strife and may help curb outbreaks of cholera and other enteric illnesses in affected areas. In tropical climates, the procedure may be adapted for use in areas without electricity.
LABORATORY USE IN GHANA: PHYSICIAN PERCEPTION AND PRACTICE
Authors: POLAGE CHRISTOPHER R. , BEDU-ADDO GEORGE , OWUSU-OFORI ALEX , FRIMPONG ENOCH , LLOYD WESTON , ZURCHER EMILY , HALE DEVON , PETTI CATHY A.
Published: September 2018

Clinical diagnosis of infectious diseases in Africa has been associated with increased misdiagnosis and mortality, but when laboratory testing is available, it remains underused. We retrospectively compared infectious diagnoses, test results, anti-microbial use, and patient cost with laboratory and physician surveys at a teaching hospital in Ghana to evaluate the potential barriers to laboratory use and financial impact for patients. Laboratory capacity was high, but physician survey results and objective data indicated a reliance on clinical judgment and empirical therapy. For the study period, 9–15% of malaria diagnoses, 34–43% of urinary tract infections (UTIs), and 62% of meningitis cases were supported by abnormal laboratory results. For the same period, 0.82–2.09 units of antibiotics were consumed per patient day, and patient cost for antibiotics was 4.8–21.6 times that of laboratory testing. Physician perception regarding the value of diagnostic testing is potentially a major barrier to laboratory use, resulting in empiricism, disproportionate anti-microbial administration, and cost to patients.
A MODIFIED FILTER PAPER CULTURE TECHNIQUE FOR SCREENING OF STRONGYLOIDES STERCORALIS IVERMECTIN SENSITIVITY IN CLINICAL SPECIMENS
Authors: INTAPAN PEWPAN M. , PRASONGDEE THIDARAT K. , LAUMMAUNWAI PORNTIP , SAWANYAWISUTH KITTISAK , SINGTHONG SAREE , MALEEWONG WANCHAI
Published: September 2018

An in vitro test for the detection of ivermectin sensitivity of Strongyloides stercoralis in human clinical specimens was developed. The test has a simple procedure that combines parasite culture with a drug assay. It is based on the principle of the drug effect on larval development test, combined with a modified coproculture using the filter paper culture technique. This does not require parasite isolation, and drug sensitivity can be shown in relationship to the dose. This test can be applied in field surveys for anthelmintic sensitivity and for appropriate drug rotation strategies when drug resistance occurs.
PLACENTAL MALARIA IN WOMEN WITH SOUTH-EAST ASIAN OVALOCYTOSIS
Authors: BENET ARIADNA , KHONG T. YEE , URA ALICE , SAMEN REBECCA , LORRY KERRY , MELLOMBO MATA , TAVUL LIVINGSTONE , BAEA KEY , ROGERSON STEPHEN J. , CORTÉS ALFRED
Published: September 2018

Malaria during pregnancy, which is characterized by the accumulation of infected erythrocytes in the placenta, often has severe consequences for the mother and newborn. We assessed the effect of the genetic trait South-East Asian ovalocytosis (SAO) on placental malaria in women from Papua New Guinea. In children, this trait confers protection against cerebral malaria, but not against mild malaria disease, malaria parasitemia, or severe malaria anemia. Using a case-control approach, we found that SAO women suffer from placental malaria, and SAO-infected erythrocytes can sequester in the placenta, but heavy placental infections tended to be less common in SAO than in control pregnant women. Reduced prevalence and severity of placental infection associated with SAO were observed only for primigravid women, who are the group at highest risk of suffering from severe manifestations of placental malaria. Furthermore, we found that the prevalence of the SAO trait was lower among pregnant women than among non-pregnant controls.
AMINO ACID MUTATIONS IN PLASMODIUM VIVAX DHFR AND DHPS FROM SEVERAL GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ANTIFOLATE DRUGS
Authors: AULIFF ALYSON , WILSON DANNY W. , RUSSELL BRUCE , GAO QI , CHEN NANHUA , ANH LE NGOC , MAGUIRE JASON , BELL DAVID , O’NEIL MICHAEL T. , CHENG QIN
Published: September 2018

The increasing use of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for the treatment of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum has resulted in increased reports of SP resistance of P. falciparum worldwide. Selection of SP-resistant Plasmodium vivax in areas where P. falciparum and P. vivax co-exist is not entirely clear. We examined the prevalence and extent of point mutations in pvdhfr and pvdhps in 70 P. vivax isolates from China, East Timor, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Philippines, Vanuatu, and Vietnam. Mutations in seven codon positions were found in pvdhfr, with the majority of isolates having double mutations (S58R/S117N). The greatest range of mutations was observed in the PNG and Vanuatu isolates, ranging from single to quadruple mutations (F57L/S58R/T61M/S117T). Single mutations in pvdhps were observed only in parasites with mutations in corresponding pvdhfr. Parasites with the S58R/S117N dhfr allelic type showed an MIC level for pyrimethamine and cycloguanil comparable to that previously reported, but were susceptible to WR99210.
SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION OF INSECTICIDE-TREATED BED NET DISTRIBUTION WITH MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION IN CENTRAL NIGERIA
Authors: BLACKBURN BRIAN G. , EIGEGE ABEL , GOTAU HABILA , GERLONG GEORGE , MIRI EMMANUEL , HAWLEY WILLIAM A. , MATHIEU ELS , RICHARDS FRANK
Published: September 2018

In Africa anopheline mosquitoes transmit malaria and lymphatic filariasis (LF); insecticide-treated bed nets significantly reduce transmission of both. Insecticide-treated bed net provision to children under 5 (U5) and pregnant women (PW) is a major goal of malaria control initiatives, but use in Africa remains low because of cost and logistics. We therefore integrated insecticide-treated bed net distribution with the 2004 LF/onchocerciasis mass drug administration (MDA) program in Central Nigeria. Community volunteers distributed 38,600 insecticide-treated bed nets, while simultaneously treating 150,800 persons with ivermectin/albendazole (compared with 135,600 in 2003). This was subsequently assessed with a 30-cluster survey. Among surveyed households containing U5/PW, 80% (95% CI, 72–87%) owned ≥ 1 insecticide-treated bed net, a 9-fold increase from 2003. This first linkage of insecticide-treated bed net distribution with mass drug administration resulted in substantial improvement in insecticide-treated bed net ownership and usage, without adversely affecting mass drug administration coverage. Such integration allowed two programs to share resources while realizing mutual benefit, and is one model for rapidly improving insecticide-treated bed net coverage objectives.
EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION OF CULEX ANNULIROSTRIS, CULEX GELIDUS, AND AEDES VIGILAX WITH A YELLOW FEVER/JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS VIRUS VACCINE CHIMERA (CHIMERIVAX™-JE)
Authors: REID MARK , MACKENZIE DONNA , BARON ANDREW , LEHMANN NATALIE , LOWRY KYM , AASKOV JOHN , GUIRAKHOO FARSHAD , MONATH THOMAS P.
Published: September 2018

Australian mosquitoes from which Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) has been recovered (Culex annulirostris, Culex gelidus, and Aedes vigilax) were assessed for their ability to be infected with the ChimeriVax™-JE vaccine, with yellow fever vaccine virus 17D (YF 17D) from which the backbone of ChimeriVax™-JE vaccine is derived and with JEV-Nakayama. None of the mosquitoes became infected after being fed orally with 6.1 log10 plaque-forming units (PFU)/mL of ChimeriVax™-JE vaccine, which is greater than the peak viremia in vaccinees (mean peak viremia = 4.8 PFU/mL, range = 0–30 PFU/mL of 0.9 days mean duration, range = 0–11 days). Some members of all three species of mosquito became infected when fed on JEV-Nakayama, but only Ae. vigilax was infected when fed on YF 17D. The results suggest that none of these three species of mosquito are likely to set up secondary cycles of transmission of ChimeriVax™-JE in Australia after feeding on a viremic vaccinee.
NATURAL ANAPLASMA PHAGOCYTOPHILUM INFECTION OF TICKS AND RODENTS FROM A FOREST AREA OF JILIN PROVINCE, CHINA
Authors: CAO WU-CHUN , ZHAN LIN , HE JING , FOLEY JANET E. , DE VLAS SAKE J. , WU XIAO-MING , YANG HONG , RICHARDUS JAN. H. , HABBEMA J. DIK F.
Published: September 2018

Polymerase chain reaction integrated with sequence analysis was carried out to investigate the natural Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in ticks and rodents from a forest area of Jilin Province, China. Four (4.0%) of 100 Ixodes persulcatus and 2 (0.7%) of 286 Dermacentor silvarum ticks collected by flagging vegetation were positive. Nine (8.8%) of 102 rodents were infected, as well as 2 (2.8%) of 71 I. persulcatus parasitizing on 25 rodents. The nucleotide sequences of 1442-bp A. phagocytophilum 16S rRNA gene amplified from rodents and ticks were identical to each other and to that previously reported in Heilongjiang Province of China (GenBank accession no. AF205140), but different from those of other countries. The sequences of 357-bp partial citrate synthase gene from the above specimens were homologic, and varied from known A. phagocytophilum agents. These findings add new information on the ecologic features of A. phagocytophilum and indicate the threat of anaplasmosis in the area.
PSEUDOTYPED VIRUSES PERMIT RAPID DETECTION OF NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODIES IN HUMAN AND EQUINE SERUM AGAINST VENEZUELAN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS VIRUS
Authors: KOLOKOLTSOV ANDREY A. , WANG ERYU , COLPITTS TONYA M. , WEAVER SCOTT C. , DAVEY ROBERT A.
Published: September 2018

Virus envelope proteins are the primary targets of neutralizing antibody responses. The epitopes recognized differ sufficiently between virus subtypes and species to distinguish viruses and provide an important basis for disease diagnosis. Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) causes acute febrile illness in humans and has high mortality in equines. The most specific detection methods for serum antibodies use live virus in neutralization assays or in blocking enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. However, work with Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus requires biosafety level 3 containment and select agent security in the United States. We report two new assays for detection of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus neutralizing antibody responses, based on virus pseudotypes. The first provides detection by marker gene expression after 20 hours and is particularly suited for high-throughput screening; the second uses a new, rapid virus entry assay to give readouts within 1 hour. Both assays are safe, sensitive, and in general recapitulate neutralizing antibody titers obtained by conventional plaque reduction assays. Each is suitable as a rapid primary screen for detection of neutralizing antibodies against Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus.
EXPOSURE TO HUMAN RESPIRATORY VIRUSES AMONG URBAN PERFORMING MONKEYS IN INDONESIA
Authors: SCHILLACI MICHAEL A. , JONES-ENGEL LISA , ENGEL GREGORY A. , KYES RANDALL C.
Published: September 2018

Performing monkeys, a common phenomena in Asia, occupy a unique urban niche that comprises a number of factors influencing the likelihood of cross-species transmission of pathogens. Here we present the first documented evidence of exposure to measles, rubella, and parainfluenza in a population of performing monkeys. Evidence of exposure to these endemic human respiratory viruses in the performing monkeys confirms human-to-primate transmission and suggests the possibility of primate-to-human transmission. Urban animal markets, the likely source of these performing monkeys, may represent an environment conducive to the mixing of animals and pathogens, making these monkeys a potential conduit for infectious agents passing from a variety of animals found in animal markets to humans. The potential significance of these results to human public health and the unique contexts of disease transmission associated with the urban ecology of the performance monkeys are discussed. Given the level of overseas travel, this potential threat is not confined solely to Asia.
ISOLATION OF RICKETTSIA AKARI FROM ESCHARS OF PATIENTS WITH RICKETTSIALPOX
Authors: PADDOCK CHRISTOPHER D. , KOSS TAMARA , EREMEEVA MARINA E. , DASCH GREGORY A. , ZAKI SHERIF R. , SUMNER JOHN W.
Published: September 2018

Rickettsialpox is a cosmopolitan, mite-borne, spotted fever rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia akari. The disease is characterized by a primary eschar, fever, and a papulovesicular rash. Rickettsialpox was first identified in New York City in 1946 and the preponderance of recognized cases in the United States continues to originate from this large metropolitan center. The most recently isolated U.S. strain of R. akari was obtained more than a half century ago. We describe the culture and initial characterization of five contemporaneous isolates of R. akari obtained from eschar biopsy specimens from New York City patients with rickettsialpox. This work emphasizes the importance and utility of culture-and molecular-based methods for the diagnosis of rickettsialpox and other eschar-associated illnesses.
CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS: PREVALENCE, GENOTYPE ANALYSIS, AND SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN IN KENYA
Authors: GATEI WANGECI , WAMAE CLAIRE N. , MBAE CECILIA , WARURU ANTHONY , MULINGE ERASTUS , WAITHERA TABITHA , GATIKA SIMON M. , KAMWATI STANELY K. , REVATHI GUNTURU , HART CHARLES A.
Published: September 2018

Cryptosporidium parasites are leading causes of enteric disease, especially in children. A prospective survey on the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in children less than five years of age was undertaken at six microbiology laboratories in Kenya on fecal samples submitted for routine parasite and ova investigations. Analysis of 4,899 samples over a two-year study period showed an overall prevalence of cryptosporidiosis of 4% that was highest between November to February. Investigations on the nature of enteric diseases prompting ova and cyst examination requests showed 66.4% had acute diarrhea, 9% had persistent diarrhea, and 21% had recurrent diarrhea. The main symptoms were abdominal pain (51.1%), vomiting (51.6%), and abdominal swelling (11%). The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis was highest among children 13–24 months of age (5.2%) and least among those 48–60 months of age (2%). No significant differences were observed by sex but vomiting was slightly higher in males than in females (65% males and 52% females; P = 0.07). Cryptosporidiosis was significantly associated with persistent diarrhea (P = 0.0001, odds ratio [OR] = 2.193, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.463–3.29), vomiting (P = 0.0273, OR = 1.401, 95% CI = 1.04–1.893), and abdominal swelling (P = 0.0311, OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.04–2.34). Genotype analysis based on polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism of the 18S rRNA gene fragment showed that 87% (153 of 175) of the Cryptosporidium isolates were C. hominis, 9% (15 of 175) were C. parvum, and remaining 4% were C. canis, C. felis, C. meleagridis, and C. muris. The most common protozoa in coinfected patients were Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar, E. coli, and Giardia intestinalis (6%, 5%, and 2%, respectively). Our results show that Cryptosporidium is among the most common protozoan parasites in children with enteric diseases and that anthroponotic species are the leading cause of human cryptosporidiosis in Kenya, which suggests that human-to-human transmission is the main mode of spread.
MALARIAL RETINOPATHY: A NEWLY ESTABLISHED DIAGNOSTIC SIGN IN SEVERE MALARIA
Authors: BEARE NICHOLAS A. V. , TAYLOR TERRIE E. , HARDING SIMON P. , LEWALLEN SUSAN , MOLYNEUX MALCOLM E.
Published: September 2018

Severe malaria is commonly misdiagnosed in Africa, leading to a failure to treat other life-threatening illnesses. In malaria-endemic areas, parasitemia does not ensure a diagnosis of severe malaria because parasitemia can be incidental to other concurrent disease. The detection of malarial retinopathy is a candidate diagnostic test for cerebral malaria. Malarial retinopathy consists of a set of retinal abnormalities that is unique to severe malaria and common in children with cerebral malaria. Its presence and severity are related to risk of death and length of coma in survivors. A large, prospective autopsy study of children dying with cerebral malaria in Malawi found that malarial retinopathy was better than any other clinical or laboratory feature in distinguishing malarial from non-malarial coma. However, visualization has to date relied on specialist examination techniques. Further studies are planned to evaluate the usefulness of funduscopy by general clinicians in a variety of settings across Africa. Studies of the retina and retinal blood vessels provide an unparalleled opportunity to visualize an infected microvasculature and its effect on neural tissue in vivo. This report reviews current knowledge of malarial retinopathy, including its use as a diagnostic test in the comatose child, and its value as a tool for research into the pathophysiology of cerebral malaria.
GENETIC DIVERSITY OF PLASMODIUM VIVAX PVCSP AND PVMSP1 IN GUYANA, SOUTH AMERICA
Authors: BONILLA J. ALFREDO , VALIDUM LLOYD , CUMMINGS RUDOLPH , PALMER CAROL J.
Published: September 2018

Approximately 55% of malaria infections in the Guyana Amazon region are attributed to Plasmodium falciparum while the other 45% are attributed to non-falciparum, mostly Plasmodium vivax. However, little is known about the P. vivax strain types circulating in the region. Using PCR for Plasmodium detection and two genetic markers specific to P. vivax to detect the polymorphic circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and the conserved 19-kDa region of the merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1), we investigated the overall Plasmodium strain distribution and population diversity within P. vivax in isolates collected from the blood of infected individuals in the interior Amazon region of Guyana, South America. Out of a total of 250 samples positive for Plasmodium, P. vivax was detected in 30% (76/250) and P. falciparum was detected in 76% (189/250). Mixed infections containing both P. falciparum and P. vivax constituted 6% (15/250) of the total positive samples. Further analysis of P. vivax strains showed that 92% (56/61) of the P. vivax samples hybridized with a probe specific to type VK210, 39% (24/61) hybridized with a probe specific for type VK247, and 25% (15/61) hybridized with a probe specific for the P. vivax-like CS genotype. DNA sequencing of the 19-kDa C-terminal domain in block 13 of MSP-1 amplified from 61 samples from patients infected with P. vivax demonstrated that this region is highly conserved, and all samples were identical at the nucleotide level to the Belem and Salvador-1 types. No synonymous or nonsynonymous mutations were observed in this region of the gene, indicating that current vaccine-development efforts based on the MSP-119 fragment would be applicable in Guyana.
REFERENCE VALUES FOR LEISHMANIA INFANTUM PARASITEMIA IN DIFFERENT CLINICAL PRESENTATIONS: QUANTITATIVE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION FOR THERAPEUTIC MONITORING AND PATIENT FOLLOW-UP
Authors: MARY CHARLES , FARAUT FRANÇOISE , DROGOUL MARIE-PIERRE , XERIDAT BERNARD , SCHLEINITZ NICOLAS , CUISENIER BERNADETTE , DUMON HENRI
Published: September 2018

Quantification of Leishmania infantum DNA in blood samples by an ultrasensitive quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) detected parasitemias in different clinical presentations. We observed a large range of parasitemias, more than 9 log values, and could determine the threshold between asymptomatic carriage and disease in the Mediterranean area (approximately one parasite/mL of blood. Based on kinetoplast DNA amplification, this assay had a sensitivity of 0.001 parasite DNA equivalents/mL and detected asymptomatic carriage of Leishmania. It detected parasite DNA in 58% of healthy subjects, while an immunoblot detected specific antibodies in only 16%. For initial diagnosis of disease, this quantitative PCR with blood samples constitutes a non-invasive alternative to bone marrow aspiration. Its main applications are monitoring of drug therapy and follow-up of immunodeficient patients for biologic confirmation of relapses.
CYSTATIN C AS A MARKER OF IMMUNE COMPLEX–ASSOCIATED RENAL IMPAIRMENT IN A SUDANESE POPULATION WITH VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS
Authors: ELSHAFIE AMIR IBRAHIM , ELGHAZALI GEHAD , RÖNNELID JOHAN , VENGE PER
Published: September 2018

Renal function was studied in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) by means of the specific marker cystatin C and related to circulating immune complexes and cytokine production. Forty patients with VL (23 with sub-acute disease and 17 with acute disease), 17 patients with PKDL, and 22 healthy controls were included. Cystatin C, but not creatinine, was significantly raised in VL (P = 0.004). The highest levels of cystatin C were found in those with acute disease (P < 0.0001). In VL, cystatin C levels were positively correlated to circulating immune complexes and production of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), but negatively correlated to aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase. We conclude that cystatin C is a superior marker of glomerular function in leishmaniasis and that immune complex deposition and GM-CSF are two functions that most likely are causally involved in the mechanisms leading to glomerular dysfunction in leishmaniasis.
VARIATION IN RECOMBINATION RATE ACROSS THE X CHROMOSOME OF ANOPHELES GAMBIAE
Authors: POMBI MARCO , STUMP ARAM D. , TORRE ALESSANDRA DELLA , BESANSKY NORA J.
Published: September 2018

The M and S molecular forms of Anopheles gambiae are considered to be incipient species, despite residual gene exchange. Of the three small genome regions that are strongly differentiated between the molecular forms (“speciation islands”), two are located near centromeres, on the left arm of chromosome 2 and the X chromosome. To test the prediction of reduced recombination in these islands, we estimated recombination rates between microsatellite loci on the X chromosome using two M-form strains. Across most of the chromosome, recombination occurred at ~1 centimorgan per megabase (cM Mb−1), a value closely matching the genome-wide average estimated for A. gambiae and for other eukaryotes. Recombination was much higher at the telomeric end, > 7 cM Mb−1. In the speciation island at the centromeric end, recombination was sharply reduced to ~0.2 cM Mb−1, consistent with a role for reduced recombination in maintaining differentiation between nascent species despite gene flow.
SYMPTOMS REPORTED AFTER MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION FOR LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS IN LEOGANE, HAITI
Authors: HOCHBERG NATASHA , MICHEL MARIE C. , LAMMIE PATRICK J. , MATHIEU ELS , DIRENY ABDEL N. , DE ROCHARS MADSEN BEAU , ADDISS DAVID G.
Published: September 2018

Mass drug administration (MDA) for lymphatic filariasis (LF) can cause adverse reactions from microfilarial and adult worm death. Symptoms after the fifth annual MDA in Leogane, Haiti, were studied to determine whether they resulted from parasite death. Persons reporting post-MDA systemic symptoms at 5 of 148 drug distribution posts and men reporting scrotal pain at any post were interviewed. Participants were tested with immunochromatographic tests (ICTs), and men with scrotal symptoms were examined. At the five posts, 3,781 persons took anti-filarial medication. Of these, 314 (8%) returned with symptoms; the most common were headache (36%) and gastrointestinal complaints (28%). Of the 294 (94%) who consented to ICT testing, 47 (16%) were positive. Of 69 men with scrotal symptoms who consented to ICT testing, 18 (26.1%) were positive. After Leogane’s fifth MDA, most symptomatic persons had undetectable levels of filarial antigen by ICT. Free symptomatic treatment may motivate some people to report symptoms and seek care.
MUCOCUTANEOUS ENTOMOPHTHORAMYCOSIS ACQUIRED BY CONJUNCTIVAL INOCULATION OF THE FUNGUS
Authors: BITTENCOURT ACHILÉA L. , MARBACK ROBERTO , NOSSA LIVIA M. B.
Published: September 2018

Entomophthoramycoses are classified into subcutaneous, mucocutaneous, and primary visceral forms. The mucocutaneous form, also known as rhinoentomophthoramycosis, involves the mucosa and subcutaneous tissues of the nose and is caused by Conidiobolus coronatus (Entomophthora coronata). In this report, we describe the first case of mucocutaneous entomophthoramycosis acquired by introduction of the fungus through the conjunctival mucosa as a consequence of trauma involving contamination with soil. The patient was a 37-year-old man with no other complaints. The lesion was tumoral and extended into the ethmoidal and maxillary sinuses. The histopathologic appearance of the lesion was characteristic of this infection with a granulomatous process rich in eosinophils and with hyphae surrounded by an eosinophilic, periodic acid–Schiff stain–positive halo (Splendore-Hoeppli phenomenon). To the best of our knowledge, this case constitutes the first report of mucocutaneous entomophthoramycosis acquired by ocular contamination.
MODERATE- AND LOW-INTENSITY CO-INFECTIONS BY INTESTINAL HELMINTHS AND SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI, DIETARY IRON INTAKE, AND ANEMIA IN BRAZILIAN CHILDREN
Authors: BRITO LUCIARA L. , BARRETO MAURÍCIO L. , DE CÁSSIA R. SILVA RITA , ASSIS ANA MARLÚCIA O. , REIS MITERMAYER G. , PARRAGA ISABEL M. , BLANTON RONALD E.
Published: September 2018

To determine the role of moderate- and low-intensity infections with Schistosoma mansoni and intestinal helminths (hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides) on the prevalence of anemia and their relationship to iron consumption, a cross-section of 1,709 children in rural Brazil was studied. All participants were selected for infection with one or multiple helminthic parasites, and demographic, anthropometric, and dietary intake were surveyed. The prevalence and intensity were as follows: hookworm infection, 15.7% and 8.6 eggs/g; T. trichiura, 74.8% and 190.5 eggs/g; A. lumbricoides, 63% and 1,905.5 eggs/g; S. mansoni, 44.5% and 60.3 eggs/g. There was no increase in odds ratio for anemia with any combination of intestinal helminths without S. mansoni infection. By logistic regression, the odds ratio for having anemia when infected with S. mansoni and two intestinal helminths was 1.7 (95% CI, 1.1–2.5) and for S. mansoni and three intestinal helminths was 2.4 (95% CI, 1.2–4.6) compared with children with a single parasite species. Children with an adequate intake of iron had no increased odds of anemia independent of the combination of parasite infections.
RESTRICTED T-CELL EPITOPE DIVERSITY IN THE CIRCUMSPOROZOITE PROTEIN FROM PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM POPULATIONS PREVALENT IN IRAN
Authors: ZAKERI SEDIGHEH , AVAZALIPOOR MEHDI , MEHRIZI AKRAM ABOUEI , DJADID NAVID DINPARAST , SNOUNOU GEORGES
Published: September 2018

Parasite genotyping studies have indicated that the Plasmodium falciparum populations circulating in Iran are genetically diverse and that multiple genotype infections are observed regularly. We wished to extend the analysis to the Pfcsp gene, coding for the dominant sporozoite surface antigen on which the leading malaria vaccine candidate RTS,S is based. Infected blood samples were collected mainly from Iranian, as well as Afghani and Pakistani, patients on admission with falciparum malaria. DNA was purified from 90 isolates, and from these, 21 fragments corresponding to Pfcsp and 69 fragments corresponding to the 3′-end conserved domain were amplified and sequenced. Overall diversity was low. Six patterns were noted for the repeat region, but mixed genotypes were not observed in any of the isolates. T cell epitopes also displayed limited diversity, with only five haplotypes (combined Th2R/Th3R epitopes) noted, and of these, three were dominant, accounting for 94% of the 90 sequences. These observations are akin to those observed in Thai P. falciparum isolates, where a particular Pfscp Th2R/Th3R haplotype seems to be maintained in an otherwise genetically diverse parasite population. The data imply that the selective pressure that maintains a restricted T cell epitope is caused by factors outside the mammalian host immune responses. Furthermore, they sustain the notion that protective responses induced by RTS,S vaccination are not strain-specific.
ENHANCED MALARIA PARASITE TRANSMISSION FROM HELMINTH CO-INFECTED MICE
Authors: NOLAND GREGORY S. , GRACZYK THADDEUS K. , FRIED BERNARD , KUMAR NIRBHAY
Published: September 2018

Helminth infections are prevalent in malaria-endemic areas, yet the potential for helminths to alter malaria transmission has not been closely examined. We used the Echinostoma caproni–Plasmodium yoelii murine model of co-infection to assess the impact of helminth co-infection on malaria transmission. In four replicate experiments, Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes exposed to co-infected mice five days post-malaria infection had a higher rate of infectivity (80.1%, n = 241) than those exposed to malaria only–infected mice (72.0%, n = 232, P = 0.039). Intensity of malaria parasite transmission was also greater, with approximately two-fold more oocysts (geometric mean = 19.2 versus 10.5, P = 0.004) and an increase in sporozoite burden observed in mosquitoes exposed to co-infected mice. Malaria parasite prevalence and anemia were similar between co-infected and malaria only–infected mice, which suggested that enhanced malaria parasite transmission was due to helminth-induced modulation of host responses.
SENSITIVITY TO ANTIFOLATES AND GENETIC ANALYSIS OF PLASMODIUM VIVAX ISOLATES FROM THAILAND
Authors: RUNGSIHIRUNRAT KANCHANA , NA-BANGCHANG KESARA , HAWKINS VIVIAN N. , MUNGTHIN MATHIRUT , SIBLEY CAROL HOPKINS
Published: September 2018

We investigated the association between the Plasmodium vivax dihydrofolate reductase (Pvdhfrtas) and the P. vivax dihydropteroate synthase (Pvdhps) genotype and in vitro sensitivity to the antifolates pyrimethamine, WR99210, chlorcycloguanil, sulfadoxine, and dapsone. Drug responses of 32 P. vivax isolates were assessed in two in vitro systems: schizont maturation inhibition and a yeast expression system. The geometric mean of 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) values for pyrimethamine, chlorcycloguanil, WR99210, sulfadoxine, and dapsone were 85 ± 88, 784 ± 662, 95 ± 87, 2,424 ± 2,784, and 1,625 ± 1,801 nM, respectively, for the schizont maturation assay. Five different Pvdhfr alleles and four Pvdhps alleles were observed: 26 of 32 quadruple mutant alleles of Pvdhfr (F57I,L/S58R/T61M/S117T), four triple mutants (S58R/T61M/S117T, K49C/S58R/S117N), and two double mutant isolates (S58R/S117N). All isolates carried Pvdhps 585V. Twenty four isolates carried double mutant Pvdhps (A383G/A553G), six an additional mutation, S382A,C/A383G/A553G, and two a single mutation, A383G. Increasing geometric mean IC50 values were observed with increased number of Pvdhfr mutations from double to quadruple. Results suggest that quadruple mutant alleles confer decreased sensitivity to pyrimethamine but retain sensitivity to WR99210.