Diversity, distribution and relative abundance of the mosquito fauna (Diptera: Culicidae) of Malakand and Dir Lower, Pakistan / Diversidade, distribuição e abundância relativa da fauna de mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) de Malakand e Dir Lower, Paquistão

The present study was conducted to evaluate the diversity, distribution (C) and relative abundance (RA) of the mosquito fauna (Diptera: Culicidae) of Malakand and Dir Lower, Pakistan. Collection of specimens (n = 1087) was made during September 2018 to July 2019 at six different habitats including freshwater bodies, rice fields, animal sheds, indoors, drains and sewage waters. Specimens were collected through light traps, pyrethrum spray, aspirators and nets and subsequently killed, preserved and then arranged in entomological boxes for identification. Three genera were identified namely Culex, Anopheles and Aedes. A total of fourteen species were identified namely: Cx. quinquefasciatus (Say, 1823), An. stephensi (Liston, 1901), Cx. tritaeniorhynchus (Giles, 1901), Ae. vittatus (Bigot, 1861), An. maculatus (Theobald, 1901), An. fluviatilis (James, 1902), Cx. vishnui (Theobald, 1901), Ae. aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) An. subpictus (Grassi, 1899), An. dthali (Patton, 1905), An. culicifascies (Giles, 1901), An. pallidus (Theobald, 1901), Ae. albopictus (Skuse, 1894) and An. annularis (van der Wulp, 1884). Cx. quinquefasciatus was found constantly distributed in the study area with RA = 16.5% and C = 100%. An. annularis was found as a satellite species, sporadically distributed in the study area having RA = 0.9% and C = 17%. Diversity indices of mosquitoes in the studied habitats were found as, Shannon-Wiener Index (2.415), Simpson Index (9.919), Fisher's Index (2.269) and Margalef's Index (1.859). A statistically significant difference was recorded in mosquito diversity in the six habitats (Kruskal-Wallis, chi-squared, H = 17.5, df = 5, P = 0.003 at α = 0.05). The present study encompasses [...].

O presente estudo foi conduzido para avaliar a diversidade, distribuição (C) e abundância relativa (RA) da fauna de mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) de Malakand e Dir Lower, Paquistão. A coleta de espécimes (n = 1087) foi feita durante o período de setembro de 2018 a julho de 2019 em seis habitats diferentes, incluindo corpos d’água, campos de arroz, galpões de animais, ambientes internos, ralos e águas residuais. Os espécimes foram coletados por meio de armadilhas luminosas, spray de piretro, aspiradores e redes e posteriormente mortos, preservados e depois dispostos em caixas entomológicas para identificação. Três gêneros foram identificados, nomeadamente Culex, Anopheles e Aedes. Um total de 14 espécies foi identificado, a saber: Cx. quinquefasciatus (Say, 1823), An. stephensi (Liston, 1901), Cx. tritaeniorhynchus (Giles, 1901), Ae. vittatus (Bigot, 1861), An. maculatus (Theobald, 1901), An. fluviatilis (James, 1902), Cx. vishnui (Theobald, 1901), Ae. aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762), An. subpictus (Grassi, 1899), An. dthali (Patton, 1905), An. culicifascies (Giles, 1901), An. pallidus (Theobald, 1901), Ae. albopictus (Skuse, 1894) e An. annularis (Van der Wulp, 1884). Cx. quinquefasciatus foi encontrado constantemente distribuído na área de estudo com AR = 16,5% e C = 100%. A. annularis foi encontrada como espécie satélite, distribuída esporadicamente na área de estudo com RA = 0,9% e C = 17%. Os índices de diversidade de mosquitos nos habitats estudados foram encontrados como índice de Shannon-Wiener (2,415), índice de Simpson (9,919), índice de Fisher (2,269) e índice de Margalef (1,859). Uma diferença estatisticamente significativa foi registrada na diversidade de mosquitos nos seis habitats (Kruskal-Wallis, qui-quadrado, H = 17,5, df = 5, P = 0,003 em α = 0,05). O presente estudo abrange a fauna de mosquitos de Malakand, Paquistão, com respeito à diversidade, abundância relativa e distribuição em [...].

Detecção de flavivirus e alphavirus em mosquitos (diptera: culicidae) capturados em região próxima à Três Lagoas ­ Ms / Detection of flavivirus and alphavirus in mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) captured in a region close to Tres Lagoas ­ Ms / Detección de flavivirus y alphavirus en mosquitos (diptera: culicidae) capturados en una región cercana a Tres Lagoas ­ Ms

Introdução: Arbovírus são causadores de doenças humanas, sendo que mudança ecológicas e aumento do contato humano-vetor aumenta a possibilidade de surtos. Objetivo: Detectar, identificar e caracterizar arbovírus presentes em mosquitos vetores capturados em regiões de mata próximas a Três Lagoas, MS. Metodologia: Mosquitos foram capturados utilizando armadilhas de luz em regiões de mata circunvizinha a Três Lagoas. Os mosquitos capturados foram classificados por gênero (chave morfológica) e agrupados em pools com até 20 espécimes, e utilizados através da reação de RT-PCR com posterior sequenciamento e análise filogenética. Resultados: Foram capturados 851 dos gêneros: Culex spp. (11 pools); Aedes spp. (13 pools); Haemagogus spp. (7 pools) e outros gêneros não identificados. Sequencias de vírus Dengue (DENV) foram amplificadas de 2/13 (15,38%) pools de Aedes spp. e uma sequência de vírus Mayaro (MAYV) 1/7 (7,7%) foi amplificada de pools de Haemagogus spp. As análises filogenéticas mostraram que as sequências de DENV agrupava-se no clado de DENV1 e DENV2. A sequência de MAYV agrupou-se junto a sequências de amostras de infecções humana por MAYV do grupo L. Conclusão: Estes resultados reforçam a circulação de DENV, que é causador de surtos anuais de doenças febris agudas no município, e detecção, por primeira vez na região, a circulação de MAYV, reforçando a necessidade de monitoramento viral constante nessa região.

Introduction: Arboviruses cause human diseases, and ecological changes and increased human-vector contact increase the possibility of outbreaks. Objective: To detect, identify and characterize arboviruses present in mosquito vectors captured in forest regions close to Tres Lagoas, MS. Methodology: Mosquitoes were captured using light traps in forest regions surrounding Tres Lagoas. The captured mosquitoes were classified by gender (morphological key) and grouped into pools with up to 20 specimens and used through the RT-PCR reaction with subsequent sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Results: 851 of the genera were captured: Culex spp. (11 pools); Aedes spp. (13 pools); Haemagogus spp. (7 pools) and other unidentified genera. Dengue virus (DENV) sequences were amplified from 2/13 (15.38%) pools of Aedes spp. and a Mayaro virus (MAYV) sequence 1/7 (7.7%) were amplified from pools of Haemagogus spp. Phylogenetic analyzes showed that one of the DENV sequences clustered in the DENV1 and DENV2 clade. The MAYV sequence was grouped together with sequences from samples of human MAYV infections of the L group. Conclusion: These results reinforce the circulation of DENV, which causes annual outbreaks of acute febrile illnesses in the municipality, and detection, for the first time in the region, the circulation of MAYV, reinforcing the need for constant viral monitoring in this region.

Introducción: Los arbovirus causan enfermedades humanas, y los cambios ecológicos y el mayor contacto humano-vector aumentan la posibilidad de brotes. Objetivo: Detectar, identificar y caracterizar arbovirus presentes en mosquitos vectores capturados en regiones de selva próximas a Tres Lagoas, MS. Metodología: Los mosquitos fueron capturados utilizando trampas de luz en las regiones forestales que rodean Tres Lagoas. Los mosquitos capturados fueron clasificados por género (clave morfológica) y agrupados en pools de hasta 20 ejemplares, y utilizados mediante la reacción RT-PCR con posterior secuenciación y análisis filogenético. Resultados: Se capturaron 851 de los géneros: Culex spp. (11 pools); Aedes spp. (13 pools); Haemagogus spp. (7 pools) y otros géneros no identificados. Las secuencias del virus del dengue (DENV) se amplificaron a partir de 2/13 (15,38 %) grupos de Aedes spp. y una secuencia de virus Mayaro (MAYV) 1/7 (7,7%) de pools de Haemagogus spp. Los análisis filogenéticos mostraron que una de las secuencias de DENV se agrupaba en el clado DENV1 y DENV2. La secuencia de MAYV se agrupó con secuencias de muestras de infecciones humanas de MAYV del grupo L. Conclusión: Estos resultados refuerzan la circulación de DENV, causante de brotes anuales de enfermedades febriles agudas en el municipio, y la detección, por primera vez en la región, la circulación de MAYV, reforzando la necesidad de un monitoreo viral constante en esta región.

Tetradenia riparia leaves, flower buds, and stem essential oils to control of Aedes aegypti larvae

Abstract Tetradenia riparia (Hochst.) Codd (Lamiaceae) is a species native to the African continent and used as an insect repellent. The objective of the study was to evaluate the larvicidal potential of essential oils (EOs) from the leaves, flower buds, and stem of T. riparia, collected in winter against Aedes aegypti larvae. The EOs were extracted by hydrodistillation (3 h) and identified by GC/MS. The EOs were tested against larvae of A. aegypti at concentrations ranging from 12500 to 1.5 µg/mL for 24 h. The insecticide activity was evaluated by probit analysis, and the anticholinesterase activity was determined by bioautographic method. The results of the class projection indicated sesquiterpenes as the majority class, corresponding to 60.66% (leaves), 64.70% (flower buds) and 83.99% (stem), and the bioassays on A. aegypti larvae indicated LC50 of 1590, 675 and 665 µg/mL, respectively. The anticholinesterase activity indicated that the EO of the leaves inhibited the enzyme at a concentration of 780 µg/mL, and those from the flower buds and stem inhibited up to 1560 µg/mL. The results indicated weak activity of essential oils against A. aegypti larvae.

High resolution proteomics of Aedes aegypti salivary glands infected with either dengue, Zika or chikungunya viruses identify new virus specific and broad antiviral factors.

Arboviruses such as dengue (DENV), Zika (ZIKV) and chikungunya (CHIKV) viruses infect close to half a billion people per year, and are primarily transmitted through Aedes aegypti bites. Infection-induced changes in mosquito salivary glands (SG) influence transmission by inducing antiviral immunity, which restricts virus replication in the vector, and by altering saliva composition, which influences skin infection. Here, we profiled SG proteome responses to DENV serotype 2 (DENV2), ZIKV and CHIKV infections by using high-resolution isobaric-tagged quantitative proteomics. We identified 218 proteins with putative functions in immunity, blood-feeding or related to the cellular machinery. We observed that 58, 27 and 29 proteins were regulated by DENV2, ZIKV and CHIKV infections, respectively. While the regulation patterns were mostly virus-specific, we separately depleted four uncharacterized proteins that were upregulated by all three viral infections to determine their effects on these viral infections. Our study suggests that gamma-interferon responsive lysosomal thiol-like (GILT-like) has an anti-ZIKV effect, adenosine deaminase (ADA) has an anti-CHIKV effect, salivary gland surface protein 1 (SGS1) has a pro-ZIKV effect and salivary gland broad-spectrum antiviral protein (SGBAP) has an antiviral effect against all three viruses. The comprehensive description of SG responses to three global pathogenic viruses and the identification of new restriction factors improves our understanding of the molecular mechanisms influencing transmission.

High larvicidal efficacy of yeast-encapsulated orange oil against Aedes aegypti strains from Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Botanical substances such as essential oils (EOs) have demonstrated insecticidal properties and are a valid option for vector control. However, free EOs are unreliable as mosquito larvicides due their easy degradation by environmental exposure to ultraviolet light and higher temperatures. Here, we assessed the efficacy of a mosquito larvicide based on orange oil in a yeast-based delivery system against Aedes aegypti strains with different resistance status towards chemical neurotoxic insecticides. This larvicide preparation was physicochemically characterized in a previous report. METHODS: Larvae of four Ae. aegypti strains from different regions of Brazil and different resistance profiles for deltamethrin (pyrethroid) and temephos (organophosphate) were tested against yeast-encapsulated orange oil (YEOO) in laboratory conditions for measurement of LC50 and LC90 values. The same assays were performed with the Belo Horizonte strain under environmental conditions (natural light and temperature). The resistance profiles of these strains were compared to the Rockefeller reference strain in all conditions. RESULTS: YEOO was found to be a highly active larvicide (LC50 < 50 mg/L) against all Ae. aegypti strains tested in both laboratory conditions (LC50 = 8.1-24.7 mg/L) and environmental conditions with natural light and temperature fluctuation (LC50 = 20.0-49.9 mg/L). Moreover, all strains were considered susceptible (RR < 5) to YEOO, considering resistance ratios calculated based on the Rockefeller strain. The resistance ratios were only higher than 2.5 for LC90-95 of Belo Horizonte in the laboratory, probably due the higher heterogeneity associated with older egg papers (> 5 months). CONCLUSION: YEOO demonstrates high larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti strains with resistant phenotypes for deltamethrin (PY) and temephos (OP). This larvicidal activity suggests the potential for the development of YEOO as an alternative intervention to synthetic insecticides in integrated vector management programs, for populations with resistance to commonly used insecticides.

El mosquito del dengue en la Ciudad de México. Invasión incipiente de Aedes aegypti y sus potenciales riesgos / Aedes aegypti, the dengue fever mosquito in Mexico City. Early invasion and its potential risks

Resumen Introducción: La Ciudad de México no tiene presencia endémica de Aedes aegypti, por lo que está libre de enfermedades transmitidas por vector como dengue, Zika y chikunguña. Sin embargo, existe evidencia de la presencia de huevecillos en la urbe desde 2015. Objetivo: Reportar la presencia constante y en aumento de huevecillos de Aedes aegypti en la Ciudad de México de 2015 a 2018. Método: Se realizó vigilancia a través de ovitrampas; se contabilizaron y eclosionaron huevecillos para determinar la especie. Resultados: De 2015 a 2018 fueron identificados 378 organismos como Aedes aegypti. En total fueron colectadas 76 ovitrampas positivas a Aedes aegypti en 50 sitios distintos de 11 alcaldías. El noreste de la Ciudad de México fue el área con mayor positividad. Conclusiones: Los resultados pueden estar indicando un periodo de colonización incipiente y la probable la existencia de colonias crípticas del mosquito, por lo que la Ciudad de México podría estar en riesgo de presentar epidemias de enfermedades transmitidas por vector.

Abstract Introduction: Mexico City has no endemic presence of Aedes aegypti, and it is therefore free of vector-borne diseases, such as dengue fever, Zika and chikungunya. However, evidence has shown the presence of Aedes aegypti eggs in the city since 2015. Objective: To report the constant and increasing presence of Aedes aegypti eggs in Mexico City from 2015 to 2018. Methods: Surveillance was carried out using ovitraps. Eggs were counted and hatched in order to determine the species. Results: From 2015 to 2018, 378 organisms were identified as Ae. aegypti. In total, 76 Aedes aegypti-positive ovitraps were collected at 50 different places in 11 boroughs of the city. Northeastern Mexico City was the area with the highest number of positive traps. Conclusions: The results may be indicating a period of early colonization and the probable existence of cryptic colonies of the mosquito, and Mexico City could be therefore at risk of experiencing vector-borne epidemics.

Importance of microenvironment to arbovirus vector distribution in an urban area, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The study of the landscape ecology, biological microhabitat, and epidemiological implications for the distribution of the main vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus contribute to the prevention and control actions regarding the diseases they transmit. METHODS: This study sought to assess data on positive properties of the vector control program activities from 1998 to 2010. An entomological survey was also carried out on a sample of buildings collecting larvae and pupae from containers between October and April (spring / summer) from 2002 to 2005. We assessed the physico-chemical data of the water in 20% of positive containers. The vegetation and urbanization were assessed with the aid of satellite images and microenvironments were classified as urbanized, woods, and shrubs. The data were analyzed using statistical and geoprocessing software. RESULTS: Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus colonized all types of microhabitats and microenvironments, predominantly in the urbanized area, in isolation and in coexistence. The microhabitat of Ae. aegypti showed a temperature gradient greater than that of Ae. albopictus, and there was an association with urbanized areas for the first species and wooded areas for the last species. CONCLUSIONS: Landscape ecology and intra-urban differences favor different microclimates, which contribute to the coexistence of species in the urban environment in an area close to the forest, raising the risk of other arbovirus infections in urban areas. The ecological niche should be considered for Ae. albopictus. Entomological and virologic monitoring are suggested as arbovirus surveillance actions in urban infested centers near preserved forests.

Infestation of an endemic arbovirus area by sympatric populations of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Brazil

BACKGROUND Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the most important arbovirus vectors in the world. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate and compare the infestation pattern of these species in a neighbourhood of Recife, Brazil, endemic for arboviruses in 2005 (T1) and 2013 (T2). METHODS Infestation, distribution and relative abundance of these sympatric species were recorded by egg collection using a network of 59 sentinel ovitraps (s-ovt) at fixed sampling stations for 12 months in T1 and T2. FINDINGS A permanent occupation pattern was detected which was characterised by the presence of egg-laying females of one or both species with a high ovitrap positivity index (94.3 to 100%) throughout both years analysed. In terms of abundance, the total of eggs collected was lower (p < 0.005) in T2 (146,153) than in T1 (281,103), although ovitraps still displayed a high index of positivity. The spatial distribution showed the presence of both species in 65.1% of the 148 s-ovt assessed, while a smaller number of traps exclusively contained Ae. aegypti (22%) or Ae. albopictus (13.2%) eggs. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Our comparative analysis demonstrated the robustness of the spatial occupation and permanence of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus populations in this endemic urban area.

Aedes aegypti spreading in South America: new coldest and southernmost records

The geographic distribution of Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (L.) in South America has been expanding during the last decades. Herein we present two new distribution records that extend its southern limits towards localities with extremer environmental conditions than reported to date. San Antonio Oeste constitutes the southernmost finding for the continent (40º44'S), whereas Tandil is the infested locality with the coldest mean annual temperature in Argentina (14.17ºC). The projection of a previous distribution model for Ae. aegypti predicts these two cities as positive and suggests several other localities with suitable conditions for vector proliferation beyond its assumed distribution limits.

Increased capture of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) (Diptera: Culicidae) by removing one ADULTRAP component

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Aedes aegypti is the main vector responsible for the transmission of numerous arboviruses. Adultrap® has been developed to catch these insects. METHODS: We tested the effectiveness of capturing adults with and without one of the components of Adultrap®. RESULTS: The mean number of insects caught by the original trap was 1.25 (standard deviation = 1.28), while the average obtained with the modified trap was 8.88 (standard deviation = 3.44). The medians were statistically different (p = 0.001) according to the Mann-Whitney test. CONCLUSIONS: The modification of Adultrap® increased the average catch of Ae. aegypti by up to seven times.

First record of Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus in the state of Amapá, northern Brazil / Primeiro registro de Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus no Estado do Amapá, Brasil

We report the first record of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in the state of Amapá, northern Brazil. Two female specimens were collected from a Shannon trap in the locality of Ilha de Santana, municipality of Santana, Amapá. The occurrence of the species was confirmed with the installation of ten ovitraps. Aedes albopictus is a species of epidemiological importance for the transmission of arboviruses. Amapá was one of two Brazilian states without any record of this species. (AU)

Relatamos o primeiro registro de Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) no Estado do Amapá, no norte do Brasil. Dois espécimes foram coletados em uma armadilha de Shannon na localidade de "Ilha de Santana", município de Santana, no Amapá. O registro foi confirmado com a instalação de dez ovitrampas. Aedes albopictus é uma espécie com importância epidemiológica na transmissão de arboviroses. O Amapá era um de dois estados brasileiros sem registro dessa espécie.(AU)

Identification of Zika virus in immature phases of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus: a surveillance strategy for outbreak anticipation

A progressive increase in the circulation of arboviruses in tropical countries has been observed, accounting for 700,000 yearly deaths in the world. The main objective of this article was to identify the presence of Zika (ZIKV), dengue (DENV), and Chikungunya (CHIKV) viruses in immature stages of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Household collections of immature phases of the vectors were carried out in the years 2015 and 2016. A total of 2902 dwellings were visited and the rate of infestation with larvae and pupae of Aedes mosquitoes was 283/1462 (19.4%) in March 2015 and 55/1440 (3.8%) in June 2015. In March 2015, 907 larvae/pupae were collected (583 or 64.3% of Ae. aegypti and 324 or 35.7% of Ae. albopictus) while in June 2015 there was a reduction in the number of immature forms found: 197 larvae/pupae (121 or 61.4% of Ae. aegypti and 76 or 38.6% of Ae. albopictus). This reduction was accompanied by a decrease in suspected human ZIKV cases from March to June 2015. The RT-qPCR performed in 18 pools identified that three (two of Ae. aegypti and one of Ae. albopictus) were positive for ZIKV, and none were positive for DENV or CHIKV. Our findings demonstrated that ZIKV was present in immature stages of insect vectors in the study region at least five months prior to the peak of ZIKV associated cases. Xenomonitoring of immature phases of the vectors may prove useful for predicting outbreaks.

Dengue: 30 years of cases in an endemic area

The present study aimed to review literature on studies of dengue cases conducted over 30 years in the state of Ceará. Between November 2015 and January 2016, articles published in Portuguese and English in 7 databases were searched using keywords and a Boolean operator. A total of 191 articles were identified in the databases; 133 were excluded according to the exclusion criteria, and 58 were included in the study. Of the 58 articles analyzed, 6 reported data from Brazil; including the Northeast region and the state of Ceará; 41 reported data for only the city of Fortaleza; 7 reported data for the state of Ceará; 4 reported data for cities in the interior of the state; and 3 included only children. The studies adopted different approaches and focused on different aspects of the disease. Study outcomes included the identification of serological, epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics; potential larvicides and biological predators of mosquitoes; potential antiviral agents; vector density characteristics; and educational dengue prevention and control strategies. Additionally, one vaccine trial was included. Although studies on dengue in the state of Ceará are scarce, they are encompassing, including several lines of research, and the number of studies and reports on dengue in the state of Ceará continues to increase.

A populational-based birth cohort study in a low-income urban area in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: implementation and description of the characteristics of the study / Um estudo de coorte de nascimento de base populacional em uma área urbana desfavorecida no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: implementação e descrição das características do estudo / Estudio de una cohorte de nacimientos de base poblacional en un área urbana desfavorecida de Río de Janeiro, Brasil: implementación y descripción de las características del estudio

Abstract: A comprehensive cohort study including an entomological surveillance component can contribute to our knowledge of clinical aspects and transmission patterns of arbovirosis. This article describes the implementation of a populational-based birth cohort study that included an entomological surveillance component, and its associated challenges in a low-income community of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The participants were recruited in two periods: from 2012 to 2014, and from 2015 to 2017. The children had scheduled pediatric consultations and in case of fever. Epidemiological, clinical data and biological samples were collected at pediatric visits. Active febrile surveillance was performed by telephone calls, social networking, message apps, and household visits. A total of 387 newborns and 332 new children were included during the first and second recruitment periods, respectively. By July 2017, there were 451 children on follow-up. During the study, 2,759 pediatric visits were performed: 1,783 asymptomatic and 976 febrile/rash consultations. The number of febrile or rash consultations increased 3.5-fold after the use of media tools for surveillance. No temporal pattern, seasonality or peak of febrile cases was observed during the study period. A total of 10,105 adult mosquitoes (including 3,523 Aedes spp. and 6,582 Culex quinquefasciatus) and 46,047 Aedes eggs were collected from households, schools, and key sites. Although challenging, this structured sentinel populational-based birth cohort is relevant to the knowledge of risks and awareness of emerging pathogens.

Resumo: Estudos de coorte com um componente de vigilância epidemiológica podem contribuir para nosso conhecimento dos aspectos clínicos e dos padrões de transmissão de arboviroses. Este artigo descreve a implementação de um estudo de coorte de nascimento de base populacional que incluiu um componente de vigilância entomológica e desafios relacionados numa comunidade desfavorecida do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Os participantes foram recrutados em dois períodos: de 2012-2014 e de 2015-2017. As crianças tiveram consultas pediátricas agendadas e em caso de febre. Dados epidemiológicos, clínicos e amostras biológicas foram coletadas nas visitas pediátricas. A vigilância ativa febril foi realizada por meio de ligações telefônicas, redes sociais, aplicativos de mensagens e visitas domiciliares. Um total de 387 recém-nascidos e 332 novas crianças foram incluídas durante o primeiro e segundo períodos de recrutamento, respectivamente. Em Julho de 2017, havia 451 crianças em seguimento. Durante o estudo, foram realizadas 2.759 visitas pediátricas: 1.783 assintomáticas e 976 consultas por febre/exantema. O número de consultas por febre ou exantema aumentou 3,5 vezes após uso de ferramentas de mídia para vigilância. Nenhum padrão temporal, sazonalidade ou pico de casos de febre foi observado durante o período do estudo. Um total de 10.105 mosquitos adultos (incluindo 3.523 Aedes spp. e 6.582 Culex quinquefasciatus) e 46.047 ovos foram coletados de domicílios, escolas, e pontos estratégicos. Apesar dos desafios, esta coorte de nascimento sentinela de base populacional é relevante para o conhecimento dos riscos e de patógenos emergentes.

Resumen: Un estudio completro de cohorte que incluya una vigilancia entomológica puede contribuir a nuestro conocimiento de aspectos clínicos y patrones de transmisión de arbovirosis. Este artículo describe la implementación de un estudio poblacional de cohorte de nascimientos que incluyó el componente de vigilancia entomológica y los desafios asociados en una comunidad desfavorecida de Río de Janeiro, Brasil. Los participantes fueron captados en dos periodos: de 2012 a 2014 y de 2015 a 2017. Los niños tenían fijadas consultas pediátrica regulares y por fiebre. Durante las visitas pediátricas, se recogieron datos epidemiológicos y clínicos, así como muestras biológicas. Se realizó una vigilancia activa de la fiebre mediante llamadas telefónicas, redes sociales, aplicaciones de mensajes, y visitas a domicilio. Un total de 387 recién nacidos y 332 nuevos niños fueron incluidos durante el primer y segundo período de reclutamiento, respectivamente. En julio de 2017 se había realizado un seguimiento a 451 niños. Durante el estudio, se realizaron 2.759 visitas pediátricas: 1.783 asintomáticas y 976 por fiebre/urgencias. El número de consultas por fiebre o urgencias aumentó 3.5-veces tras el uso de herramientas de comunicación para la viglancia. No se observaron patrones temporales, estacionalidad o casos de picos de fiebre durante el periodo de estudio. Un total of 10.105 mosquitos adultos (incluyendo 3.523 Aedes spp. y 6.582 Culex quinquefasciatus) y 46.047 huevos fueron recogidos de viviendas, escuelas, y lugares estratégicos. A pesar de los retos, esta cohorte de nacimiento estructurada y supervisada, basada en población es relevante para el conocimiento de los riesgos y la concienciación sobre patógenos emergentes.

Ocotea nutans (Nees) Mez (Lauraceae): chemical composition, antioxidant capacity and biological properties of essential oil

The present study was undertaken to assess the potential uses of the essential oil obtained from Ocotea nutans (Nees) Mez. The hydrodistilled essential oil from O. nutans leaves was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fifty-eight compounds representing 87,29% of the total leaf essential oil components were identified, of which biciclogermacrene(11.41%), germacrene-D (4.89%), bisabolol-11-ol(3.73%) and spathulenol (3.71%) were the major compounds. The essential oil from O. nutans were tested for antibacterial activity using the minimum inhibitory concentracion (MIC) method, Artemia salina method, larvicidal activity in Aedes aegypti, and antioxidant capacity.The antioxidant activity measured by the phosphomolybdenum complex and Prussian blue method had positive results. The minimum inhibitory concentration for the microorganisms tested allowed moderate inhibitionfor Enterococcus faecalis (MIC=500 µg/mL). Artemia salina were toxic to the organisms in the study (LC50= 71,70 µg /mL). The essential oil showed remarkable larvicidal activity potencial (LC50= 250 µg/mL). The present results showed thatO. nutans essential oil has potential biological uses

New record and extended geographical distribution of Aedes fluviatilis (Lutz, 1904) in Ceará, northeastern Brazil

Abstract INTRODUCTION Aedes fluviatilis(Lutz, 1904) is considered a potential vector of yellow fever and dengue viruses and is naturally infected by Wolbachia. METHODS In March 2018, during a field activity in the municipality of Saboeiro, 163 mosquito larvae were collected in a dammed area of the Jaguaribe River. RESULTS Of the larvae collected, 143 (87.7%) were identified asAe. fluviatilis. CONCLUSIONS We report the first documentation of Ae. fluviatilis in the municipality of Saboeiro, northeastern Brazil. It is important to conduct additional entomological surveys to characterize the local Culicidae fauna. Ignoring the presence and dispersion of this vector could be a public health risk.

Building Infestation Index for Aedes aegypti and occurrence of dengue fever in the municipality of Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil, from 2001 to 2016

Abstract INTRODUCTION: the Building Infestation Index (BII) uses the Rapid Assay of the Larval Index for Aedes aegypti (LIRAa) to express the relationship between positive and surveyed properties. We evaluated LIRAa and the relationship between the BII and climate variables for dengue cases in Foz do Iguaçu municipality, Paraná. METHODS: Spearman's correlations for mean precipitation, mean temperature, BII, and dengue cases (time lag). RESULTS: positive correlations between BII and cases, and mean temperature and cases at two months. Weak correlation between precipitation and cases at three months. CONCLUSIONS: LIRAa and climate variables correlate with dengue cases.

Isolation of an insulin-like peptide from the Asian malaria mosquito, Anopheles stephensi, that acts as a steroidogenic gonadotropin across diverse mosquito taxa.

Many insulin-like peptides (ILPs) have been identified in insects, yet only a few were isolated in their native form for structural and functional studies. Antiserum produced to ILP3 in Aedes aegypti was used in a radioimmunoassay to monitor the purification of an ILP from heads of adult An. stephensi and recognized the ILP in other immunoassays. The structure of the purified peptide matched that predicted for the ILP3 in this species. The native form stimulated ecdysteroid production by ovaries isolated from non-blood fed females. Synthetic forms of An. stephensi ILP3 and ILP4 similarly activated this process in a dose responsive manner. This function was first established for ILP3 and ILP4 homologs in Aedes aegypti, thus suggesting their structural and functional conservation in mosquitoes. We tested the extent of conservation by treating ovaries of An. gambiae, Ae. aegypti, and Culex quinquefasciatus with the An. stephensi ILPs, and both the native and synthetic ILP3 were stimulatory, as was the ILP4. Taken together, these results offer the first evidence for ILP functional conservation across the Anophelinae and Culicinae subfamilies.

Distribuição espaçotemporal de Aedes aegypti e de Aedes albopictus no estado de São Paulo: Brasil, 1986 a 2015 / Spatiotemporal distribution of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in the state of São Paulo: Brazil, 1986 to 2015

Objetivo: Caracterizar a série histórica do número de municípios infestados por Aedes aegypti e por Aedes albopictus no estado de São Paulo (ESP), de 1986 a 2015. Analisar sua sazonalidade, temperaturas médias, indicadores de infestação de cada espécie, e verificar sua interdependência espacial na Região Metropolitana do Vale do Paraíba Paulista (RMVP). Material e Métodos: Os dados das ações de vigilância entomológica foram obtidos com o índice de Breteau (IB), do banco de dados da Superintendência de Controle de Endemias (Sucen). Foram calculadas as médias aritméticas por mês e ano, e analisadas pelo teste de Wilcoxon. Os mapas de temperatura foram obtidos junto ao Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET). Para análise geoespacial das espécies na RMVP foi empregado o indicador global de Moran (I) e o estimador de densidade Kernel (k). Resultados: O estado de São Paulo apresentou-se quase que totalmente infestado pelas duas espécies, com registro de coexistência em 93,64% dos municípios. A trajetória geográfica dessas espécies vetoras apresentou-se antagônica, com a sobreposição prevalecendo com o tempo, e sempre com diferenças na abundância larval. A sazonalidade evidenciou o primeiro trimestre de cada ano como o período mais favorável. O aumento das temperaturas médias foi coincidente com a expansão geográfica e temporal de Ae. aegypti. No ESP, a estimativa de densidade larvária de Ae. aegypti foi 4,27 vezes maior do que a observada para Ae. albopictus. Para a RMVP, verificou-se declínio da espécie precursora, Ae. albopictus, após o estabelecimento do Ae. aegypti. O índice global de Moran (I) não revelou dependência espacial entre os municípios analisados. A intensidade da 7 infestação pelo Kernel indicou distribuição heterogênea com áreas críticas para as duas espécies. Conclusão: Ae. aegypti e Ae. albopictus apresentaram, inicialmente, ocupação de áreas geográficas distintas e opostas, porém com o decorrer do tempo observou-se variação no padrão de infestação e coexistência das espécies, onde Ae. aegypti foi a espécie predominante, o que sugere sua superioridade competitiva no ESP. Ambos os vetores mostraram comportamento nitidamente sazonal, com maiores abundâncias nos meses mais quentes. A elevação das temperaturas médias e a expansão da ocorrência de Ae. aegypti foram coincidentes, demonstrando sua contribuição na dispersão desta espécie. A ausência de autocorrelação da infestação dos municípios da RMVP mostrou independência espacial sendo, portanto, dependente de suas características locais. O estimador de densidade de Kernel apontou conglomerados de municípios estratégicos para redução de densidade populacional do vetor. (AU)

Objective: To characterize the historical series of the number of cities infected by Aedes aegypti and by Aedes albopictus in the state of São Paulo (ESP), from 1986 to 2015. To analyze their seasonality, average temperatures, infestation indicators of each species, and to verify their spatial interdependence in Metropolitan Region of the Vale do Paraíba Paulista (RMVP). Material and Methods: The data from entomological surveillance actions were obtained using the Breteau index (IB), from the database of the superintendence of Control of Endemics (Sucen). The arithmetic means were calculated by month and year and, then, analyzed by the Wilcoxon test. The temperature maps were obtained at the National Institute of Meteorology (NIMET). For the geospatial analysis of the species in the Metropolitan Region of the Paraiba Valley (RMVP), Moran global indicator (I) and Kernel density estimator (K) were used. Results: The state of São Paulo demonstrated to be almost totally infected by these two species, with record of coexistence in 93,64% of the cities. The geographic track of these vectors species was antagonistic, but the overlap prevailed over time, and always with differences in larval abundance. The seasonality highlighted the first quarter of every year as the most favorable time. The elevation of average temperatures and the expansion of the occurrence of Ae. aegypti were coincident, demonstrating their contribution in the dispersion of this species. In the ESP, the estimate of Ae. aegypti larval density was 4.27 times higher than that observed for Ae. albopictus. For the RMVP, it could be verified the decline of the precursor species, Ae. albopictus, after the establishing of the Ae. aegypti. The Moran global index (I) did not reveal the spatial dependency 9 among the analyzed cities. The infestation intensity by Kernel indicated a heterogenic distribution with critical areas for both species. Conclusion: Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus presented, initially, occupancy in distinct and opposite geographic areas, but with the passage of time it was observed variation in the pattern of infestation and coexistence of the species, where Ae. aegypti was the predominant species, which suggests its competitive superiority in ESP. Both vectors showed distinctly seasonal behavior, with higher abundances in the warmer months. The elevation of average temperatures and the expansion of the Ae. aegypti occurrence, showed its contribution in the dispersion of this species. The absence of the infestation autocorrelation in the cities of the Metropolitan Region of the Paraiba Valley showed spatial independency, being, therefore, dependant of its local characteristics. The Kernel density estimator pointed conglomerates of strategic cities for the reduction of the vector population density. (AU)

Dengue serotype-specific immune response in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus

BACKGROUND Dengue viruses (DENV) are considered one of the most important emerging pathogens and dengue disease is a global health threat. The geographic expansion of dengue viruses has led to co-circulation of all four dengue serotypes making it imperative that new DENV control strategies be devised. OBJECTIVES Here we characterize dengue serotype-specific innate immune responses in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus using DENV from Puerto Rico (PR). METHODS Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were infected with dengue serotype 1 and 2 isolated from Puerto Rico. DENV infected mosquito samples were collected and temporal change in expression of selected innate immune response pathway genes analyzed by quantitative real time PCR. FINDINGS The Toll pathway is involved in anti-dengue response in Ae. aegypti, and Ae. albopictus. Infections with PR DENV- 1 elicited a stronger response from genes of the Toll immune pathway than PR DENV-2 in Ae. aegypti but in infected Ae. albopictus expression of Toll pathway genes tended to be similar between the serotypes. Two genes (a ribosomal S5 protein gene and a nimrod-like gene) from Ae. albopictus were expressed in response to DENV. MAIN CONCLUSIONS These studies revealed a role for antiviral genes in DENV serotype-specific interactions with DENV vectors, demonstrated that infections with DENV-2 can modulate the Toll immune response pathway in Ae. aegypti and elucidated candidate molecules that might be used to interfere with serotype specific vector-virus interactions.