Essential oils from Zanthoxylum fagara Wild Lime, Ruta chalepensis L. and Thymus vulgaris L.: Composition and activity against Aedes aegypti larvae.

The dengue virus is transmitted by Aedes aegypti. Several plants are used to control this mosquito. In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oils of Ruta chalepensis, Zanthoxylum fagara and Thymus vulgaris were analyzed, and their activities against larvae of two A. aegypti populations were evaluated. The major compounds found in T. vulgaris were thymol and -cymene at 39.8% and 30.5%, respectively, with the major components being oxygenated monoterpenes and monoterpene hydrocarbons at 55.5% and 40.4%, respectively. For Z. fagara, the major compounds were sylvestrene and E-caryophyllene at 25.3% and 23.6%, respectively, with the major components being sesquiterpene and monoterpene hydrocarbons at 51.1% and 37.5%, respectively. Ketones were the predominant group of compounds found in R. chalepensis, with the major components being 2-undecanone and 2-nonanona at 43.7% and 35.4%, respectively. Essential oils from T. vulgaris, Z. fagara and R. chalepensis showed activity against larvae of the A. aegypti New Orleans strain, producing median lethal concentrations (LC50) of 2.14, 27.57 and 2.69 g/mL, respectively, at 24 h. LC50 values produced against larvae of a local A. aegypti population in Nuevo Leon, México, were 25.37, 60.42 and 20.13 g/mL, respectively, at 24 h.

Larvicidal and cytotoxic activities of extracts from 11 native plants from northeastern Mexico.

Of all mosquito-borne viral diseases, dengue is spreading most rapidly worldwide. Conventional chemical insecticides (e.g., organophosphates and carbamates) effectively kill mosquitoes at their larval stage, but are toxic to humans. Natural product-based insecticides may be highly specific. Herein, we report the insecticidal activities of 11 native Mexican plants against Aedes aegypti (L). Ether extracts of Ambrosia confertiflora De Candolle, Thymus vulgaris (L.), and Zanthoxylum fagara (L.), and both ether and methanol extracts of Ruta chalepensis L. were significantly larvicidal toward the dengue mosquito after 24 h of exposure. Of them, only the ether extract of A. confertiflora was toxic to Vero cells. In conclusion, the ether extracts of Thymus vulgaris, Z. fagara, and both ether and methanol extracts of Ruta chalepensis L., could be considered as potential bioinsecticides.

Molecular Characterization of Associated Pathogens in Febrile Patients during Inter-Epidemic Periods of Urban Arboviral Diseases in Tapachula Southern Mexico.

Emerging and re-emerging vector-borne infections are a global public health threat. In endemic regions, fever is the main reason for medical attention, and the etiological agent of such fever is not usually identified. In this study, non-specific febrile pathogens were molecularly characterized in serum samples from 253 patients suspected of arbovirus infection. The samples were collected in the southern border region of Mexico from April to June 2015, and February to March 2016. ZIKV, CHIKV, DENV, leptospirosis, and rickettsiosis were detected by qPCR and nested PCR to identify flavivirus and alphavirus genera. The results indicated that 71.93% of the samples were positive for CHIKV, 0.79% for ZIKV, and 0.39% for DENV, with the number positive for CHIKV increasing to 76.67% and those positive for ZIKV increasing to 15.41% under the nested PCR technique. Leptospira Kmetyi was identified for the first time in Mexico, with a prevalence of 3.16%. This is the first report of ZIKV in Mexico, as well the first detection of the virus in early 2015. In conclusion, the etiological agent of fever was determined in 94% of the analyzed samples.

Evaluación de la sensibilidad a organofosforados en poblaciones de Aedes aegypti (L. ) (Diptera: Culicidae) del departamento de La Guajira, Colombia / Evaluation of susceptibility to organophosphates in populations of Aedes aegypti (L. ) (Diptera: Culicidae) in La Guajira, Colombia

Introducción. El dengue es un problema de salud pública para el departamento de La Guajira. El control se ha enfocado en el vector con el uso de insecticidas, entre ellos los organofosforados. Objetivo. Evaluar el estado de la sensibilidad a insecticidas organofosforados de quince poblaciones de Aedes aegypti (L.) en el departamento de La Guajira, Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Se realizaron bioensayos para temefos, malatión y pirimifos- metil en larvas de tercer estadio y mosquitos adultos de Ae. aegypti en los municipios de Albania, Barrancas, Dibulla, Distracción, El Molino, Fonseca, Hatonuevo, La Jagua del Pilar, Maicao, Manaure, Riohacha, San Juan del Cesar, Uribia, Urumita y Villanueva, siguiendo la metodología de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) y la técnica de botellas usando la guía de los de los Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, respectivamente. Se determinó la sensibilidad por medio de la relación de resistencia a CL50 y CL95 (RRCL50, RRCL95) para temefos y a dosis y tiempo diagnóstico para temefos, malatión y pirimifos-metil en las poblaciones de campo evaluadas, usando como control la cepa sensible Rockefeller. Resultados. Las 15 poblaciones del departamento de La Guajira son sensibles a: temefos (relación de la resistencia a CL50<5,0; relación de resistencia a CL95<5,0; 98 a 100 % de mortalidad); pirimifos-metil (99 a 100 % de mortalidad) y malatión (100 % de mortalidad). Conclusión. Con base en los resultados obtenidos, es factible el uso de temefos, malatión y pirimifos-metil para el control de Ae. aegypti en las poblaciones evaluadas.

Introduction. Dengue is a public health problem in La Guajira region. Control has focused on the vector using insecticides, including organophosphates. Objective. To evaluate the state of susceptibility to organophosphates insecticides in fifteen Aedes aegypti (L.) populations in La Guajira, Colombia. Materials and methods. We collected samples of third-instar larvae and adult mosquitoes of Ae. aegypti in the municipalities of Albania, Barrancas, Dibulla, Distracción, El Molino, Fonseca, Hatonuevo, La Jagua del Pilar, Maicao, Manaure, Riohacha, San Juan del Cesar, Uribia, Urumita, Villanueva. Bioassays for temefos, malathion, and pirimiphos-methyl were carried out following the methodology of the World Health Organization, and the bottle technique using the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Susceptibility to temefos was determined through the resistance ratio between lethal concentration 50 and lethal concentration 95; for the compounds temefos, malathion and pirimiphos-methyl, susceptibility was calculated using diagnostic dose and diagnostic time in the populations evaluated. Rockefeller susceptible strain was used as a control. Results. All evaluated populations of Ae. aegypti from La Guajira were found to be susceptible to temefos (ratio resistance to CL50<5.0; ratio resistance to CL95<5.0; 98 - 100 % mortality); pirimiphosmethyl (99 - 100 % mortality), and malathion (100 % mortality). Conclusion. Based on the results, the use of temefos, malathion, and pirimiphosmethyl is feasible for the control of Ae. aegypti in the evaluated populations.