Efficacy of a spatial repellent for control of Aedes-borne virus transmission: A cluster-randomized trial in Iquitos, Peru.

Over half the world's population is at risk for viruses transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, such as dengue and Zika. The primary vector, Aedes aegypti, thrives in urban environments. Despite decades of effort, cases and geographic range of Aedes-borne viruses (ABVs) continue to expand. Rigorously proven vector control interventions that measure protective efficacy against ABV diseases are limited to Wolbachia in a single trial in Indonesia and do not include any chemical intervention. Spatial repellents, a new option for efficient deployment, are designed to decrease human exposure to ABVs by releasing active ingredients into the air that disrupt mosquito-human contact. A parallel, cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in Iquitos, Peru, to quantify the impact of a transfluthrin-based spatial repellent on human ABV infection. From 2,907 households across 26 clusters (13 per arm), 1,578 participants were assessed for seroconversion (primary endpoint) by survival analysis. Incidence of acute disease was calculated among 16,683 participants (secondary endpoint). Adult mosquito collections were conducted to compare Ae. aegypti abundance, blood-fed rate, and parity status through mixed-effect difference-in-difference analyses. The spatial repellent significantly reduced ABV infection by 34.1% (one-sided 95% CI lower limit, 6.9%; one-sided P value = 0.0236, z = 1.98). Aedes aegypti abundance and blood-fed rates were significantly reduced by 28.6 (95% CI 24.1%, ∞); z = -9.11) and 12.4% (95% CI 4.2%, ∞); z = -2.43), respectively. Our trial provides conclusive statistical evidence from an appropriately powered, preplanned cluster-randomized controlled clinical trial of the impact of a chemical intervention, in this case a spatial repellent, to reduce the risk of ABV transmission compared to a placebo.

Informing the Need for a SARS-CoV-2 Booster Based Upon the Immune Responses among Young Healthy Adults to Variants Circulating in Late 2023.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 remains a global public health challenge due to new immune-evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants and heterogeneous immunity. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the adaptive immune responses in U.S. active-duty personnel who completed a COVID-19 primary vaccine series and with heterogenous SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and infection histories to 3 previously dominant variants (Ancestral, Delta, BA.5) and 3 circulating variants (XBB.1.5, EG.5, and BA.2.86) in late 2023. Analyses were performed based upon timing (within or beyond 12 months) and type (vaccine or infection) of the most recent exposure. RESULTS: Significant reduction was observed in binding antibodies, neutralization antibodies, memory B cells, and CD8+ T cells against circulating variants compared to previous variants. The reduction in antibody response was more pronounced in those whose most recent exposure was greater than 12 months from enrollment. In contrast, the CD4+ T cell response was largely consistent across all tested variants. The type of most recent exposure was not a significant factor in determining the magnitude of current immune responses. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of the XBB.1.5-based booster is likely to enhance cross-reactive humoral responses against SARS-CoV-2 circulating lineages. Ongoing surveillance of immune responses to emerging variants is needed for informing vaccine composition and timing.

Antibody Responses to the SARS-CoV-2 Ancestral Strain and Omicron Variants in Moderna mRNA-1273 Vaccinated Active-Duty US Navy Sailors and Marines.

Omicron and its subvariants have steadily gained greater capability of immune escape compared to other variants of concern, resulting in an increased incidence of reinfections even among vaccinated individuals. We evaluated the antibody response to Omicron BA.1, BA.2, and BA.4/5 in US military members vaccinated with the primary 2-dose series of Moderna mRNA-1273 in a cross-sectional study. While nearly all vaccinated participants had sustained spike (S) IgG and neutralizing antibodies (ND50) to the ancestral strain, only 7.7% participants had detectable ND50 to Omicron BA.1 at 8 months postvaccination. The neutralizing antibody response to BA.2 and BA.5 was similarly reduced. The reduced antibody neutralization of Omicron correlated with the decreased antibody binding to the receptor-binding domain. The participants' seropositivity to the nuclear protein positively correlated with ND50. Our data emphasizes the need for continuous vigilance in monitoring for emerging variants and the need to identify potential alternative targets for vaccine design.

Clinical and epidemiologic evaluation of a 2020 chikungunya outbreak in Cambodia.

BACKGROUND: In 2020, the Kingdom of Cambodia experienced a nationwide outbreak of chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Despite an increase in the frequency of outbreaks and expanding geographic range of CHIKV, diagnostic challenges remain, and limited surveillance data of sufficient granularity are available to characterize epidemiological profiles and disease dynamics of the virus. METHODS: An ongoing and long-standing cross-sectional study of acute undifferentiated febrile illness (AUFI) in Cambodia was leveraged to describe the disease epidemiology and characterize the clinical presentation of patients diagnosed with CHIKV during the 2020 outbreak. Participants presenting with AUFI symptoms at ten study locations provided acute and convalescent blood samples and were tested for CHIKV using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and serological diagnostic methods including IgM and IgG. Acute and follow-up clinical data were also collected. RESULTS: From 1194 participant blood samples tested, 331 (27.7%) positive CHIKV cases were detected. Most CHIKV positive individuals (280, 84.6%) reported having a fever 3 to 4 days prior to visiting a health facility. Symptoms including chills, joint pain, nausea, vomiting, and lesions were all statistically significant among CHIKV positive participants compared to CHIKV negative AUFI participants. Cough was negatively associated with CHIKV positive participants. Positivity proportions were significantly higher among adults compared to children. No significant difference was found in positivity proportion between rainy and dry seasons during the outbreak. Positive CHIKV cases were detected in all study site provinces, with the highest test positivity proportion recorded in the rural northeast province of Kratie. CONCLUSIONS: Surveillance data captured in this study provided a clinical and epidemiological characterization of positive CHIKV patients presenting at selected health facilities in Cambodia in 2020, and highlighted the widespread distribution of the outbreak, impacting both urban and rural locations. Findings also illustrated the importance of utilizing both RT-PCR and serological testing for effective CHIKV surveillance.

Guaroa Virus and Plasmodium vivax Co-Infections, Peruvian Amazon.

During April-June 2014 in a malaria-endemic rural community close to the city of Iquitos in Peru, we detected evidence of Guaroa virus (GROV) infection in 14 febrile persons, of whom 6 also had evidence of Plasmodium vivax malaria. Cases were discovered through a long-term febrile illness surveillance network at local participating health facilities. GROV cases were identified by using a combination of seroconversion and virus isolation, and malaria was diagnosed by thick smear and PCR. GROV mono-infections manifested as nonspecific febrile illness and were clinically indistinguishable from GROV and P. vivax co-infections. This cluster of cases highlights the potential for GROV transmission in the rural Peruvian Amazon, particularly in areas where malaria is endemic. Further study of similar areas of the Amazon may provide insights into the extent of GROV transmission in the Amazon basin.

Heterogeneity of Dengue Illness in Community-Based Prospective Study, Iquitos, Peru.

Measuring heterogeneity of dengue illness is necessary to define suitable endpoints in dengue vaccine and therapeutic trials and will help clarify behavioral responses to illness. To quantify heterogeneity in dengue illness, including milder cases, we developed the Dengue Illness Perceptions Response (IPR) survey, which captured detailed symptom data, including intensity, duration, and character, and change in routine activities caused by illness. During 2016-2019, we collected IPR data daily during the acute phase of illness for 79 persons with a positive reverse transcription PCR result for dengue virus RNA. Most participants had mild ambulatory disease. However, we measured substantial heterogeneity in illness experience, symptom duration, and maximum reported intensity of individual symptoms. Symptom intensity was a more valuable predicter of major activity change during dengue illness than symptom presence or absence alone. These data suggest that the IPR measures clinically useful heterogeneity in dengue illness experience and its relation to altered human behavior.

RNA Polymerase I and Fob1 contributions to transcriptional silencing at the yeast rDNA locus.

RNA polymerase II (Pol II)-transcribed genes embedded within the yeast rDNA locus are repressed through a Sir2-dependent process called 'rDNA silencing'. Sir2 is recruited to the rDNA promoter through interactions with RNA polymerase I (Pol I), and to a pair of DNA replication fork block sites (Ter1 and Ter2) through interaction with Fob1. We utilized a reporter gene (mURA3) integrated adjacent to the leftmost rDNA gene to investigate localized Pol I and Fob1 functions in silencing. Silencing was attenuated by loss of Pol I subunits or insertion of an ectopic Pol I terminator within the adjacent rDNA gene. Silencing left of the rDNA array is naturally attenuated by the presence of only one intact Fob1 binding site (Ter2). Repair of the 2nd Fob1 binding site (Ter1) dramatically strengthens silencing such that it is no longer impacted by local Pol I transcription defects. Global loss of Pol I activity, however, negatively affects Fob1 association with the rDNA. Loss of Ter2 almost completely eliminates localized silencing, but is restored by artificially targeting Fob1 or Sir2 as Gal4 DNA binding domain fusions. We conclude that Fob1 and Pol I make independent contributions to establishment of silencing, though Pol I also reinforces Fob1-dependent silencing.

Itaya virus, a Novel Orthobunyavirus Associated with Human Febrile Illness, Peru.

Our genetic analyses of uncharacterized bunyaviruses isolated in Peru identified a possible reassortant virus containing small and large gene segment sequences closely related to the Caraparu virus and a medium gene segment sequence potentially derived from an unidentified group C orthobunyavirus. Neutralization tests confirmed serologic distinction among the newly identified virus and the prototype and Caraparu strains. This virus, named Itaya, was isolated in 1999 and 2006 from febrile patients in the cities of Iquitos and Yurimaguas in Peru. The geographic distance between the 2 cases suggests that the Itaya virus could be widely distributed throughout the Amazon basin in northeastern Peru. Identification of a new Orthobunyavirus species that causes febrile disease in humans reinforces the need to expand viral disease surveillance in tropical regions of South America.

Etiology and risk factors for diarrheal disease amongst rural and peri-urban populations in Cambodia, 2012-2018.

Diarrheal diseases are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity, disproportionally affecting persons residing in low and middle-income countries. Accessing high-resolution surveillance data to understand community-level etiology and risk remains challenging, particularly in remote and resource limited populations. A multi-year prospective cohort study was conducted in two rural and two peri-urban villages in Cambodia from 2012 to 2018 to describe the epidemiology and etiology of acute diarrheal diseases within the population. Suspected diarrheal episodes among participants were self-reported or detected via routine weekly household visits. Fresh stool and fecal swabs were tested, and acute-illness and follow-up participant questionnaires collected. Of 5027 enrolled participants, 1450 (28.8%) reported at least one diarrheal incident. A total of 4266 individual diarrhea case events were recorded. Diarrhea incidence rate was calculated to be 281.5 persons per 1000 population per year, with an event rate of 664.3 individual diarrhea events occurring per 1000 population per year. Pathogenic Escherichia coli, Aeromonas spp., and Plesiomonas shigelloides were the most prevalent bacterial infections identified. Hookworm and Strongyloides stercoralis were the predominant helminth species, while Blastocystis hominis and Giardia lamblia were the predominant protozoan species found. Norovirus genotype 2 was the predominant virus identified. Mixed infections of two or more pathogens were detected in 36.2% of positive cases. Risk analyses identified unemployed status increased diarrhea risk by 63% (HR = 1.63 [95% CI 1.46, 1.83]). Individuals without access to protected water sources or sanitation facilities were 59% (HR = 1.59 [95% CI 1.49, 1.69]) and 19% (HR = 1.19 [95% CI 1.12, 1.28]) greater risk of contracting diarrhea, respectively. Patient-level surveillance data captured in this long-term study has generated a unique spatiotemporal profile of diarrheal disease in Cambodia. Understanding etiologies, together with associated epidemiological and community-level risk, provides valuable public health insight to support effective planning and delivery of appropriate local population-targeted interventions.

Antibodies to S2 domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in Moderna mRNA vaccinated subjects sustain antibody-dependent NK cell-mediated cell cytotoxicity against Omicron BA.1.

Vaccination with the primary two-dose series of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA protects against infection with the ancestral strain, and limits the presentation of severe disease after re-infection by multiple variants of concern (VOC), including Omicron, despite the lack of a strong neutralizing response to these variants. We compared antibody responses in serum samples collected from mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccinated subjects to identify mechanisms of immune escape and cross-protection. Using pseudovirus constructs containing domain-specific amino acid changes representative of Omicron BA.1, combined with domain competition and RBD-antibody depletion, we showed that RBD antibodies were primarily responsible for virus neutralization and variant escape. Antibodies to NTD played a less significant role in antibody neutralization but acted along with RBD to enhance neutralization. S2 of Omicron BA.1 had no impact on neutralization escape, suggesting it is a less critical domain for antibody neutralization; however, it was as capable as S1 at eliciting IgG3 responses and NK-cell mediated, antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC). Antibody neutralization and ADCC activities to RBD, NTD, and S1 were all prone to BA.1 escape. In contrast, ADCC activities to S2 resisted BA.1 escape. In conclusion, S2 antibodies showed potent ADCC function and resisted Omicron BA.1 escape, suggesting that S2 contributes to cross-protection against Omicron BA.1. In line with its conserved nature, S2 may hold promise as a vaccine target against future variants of SARS-CoV-2.

Quantifying heterogeneities in arbovirus transmission: Description of the rationale and methodology for a prospective longitudinal study of dengue and Zika virus transmission in Iquitos, Peru (2014-2019).

Current knowledge of dengue virus (DENV) transmission provides only a partial understanding of a complex and dynamic system yielding a public health track record that has more failures than successes. An important part of the problem is that the foundation for contemporary interventions includes a series of longstanding, but untested, assumptions based on a relatively small portion of the human population; i.e., people who are convenient to study because they manifest clinically apparent disease. Approaching dengue from the perspective of people with overt illness has produced an extensive body of useful literature. It has not, however, fully embraced heterogeneities in virus transmission dynamics that are increasingly recognized as key information still missing in the struggle to control the most important insect-transmitted viral infection of humans. Only in the last 20 years have there been significant efforts to carry out comprehensive longitudinal dengue studies. This manuscript provides the rationale and comprehensive, integrated description of the methodology for a five-year longitudinal cohort study based in the tropical city of Iquitos, in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon. Primary data collection for this study was completed in 2019. Although some manuscripts have been published to date, our principal objective here is to support subsequent publications by describing in detail the structure, methodology, and significance of a specific research program. Our project was designed to study people across the entire continuum of disease, with the ultimate goal of quantifying heterogeneities in human variables that affect DENV transmission dynamics and prevention. Because our study design is applicable to other Aedes transmitted viruses, we used it to gain insights into Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission when during the project period ZIKV was introduced and circulated in Iquitos. Our prospective contact cluster investigation design was initiated by detecttion of a person with a symptomatic DENV infection and then followed that person's immediate contacts. This allowed us to monitor individuals at high risk of DENV infection, including people with clinically inapparent and mild infections that are otherwise difficult to detect. We aimed to fill knowledge gaps by defining the contribution to DENV transmission dynamics of (1) the understudied majority of DENV-infected people with inapparent and mild infections and (2) epidemiological, entomological, and socio-behavioral sources of heterogeneity. By accounting for factors underlying variation in each person's contribution to transmission we sought to better determine the type and extent of effort needed to better prevent virus transmission and disease.

MERS-CoV seroconversion amongst Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East, 2016-2018: results from the MERCURIAL multiyear prospective cohort study.

Prospective cohort study to investigate the potential exposure to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) following Hajj pilgrims is still very limited. Here, we report the antibody seroconversion study results obtained from successive three years cohort studies (2016-2018) involving the Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East. A cohort study of Hajj pilgrims from Malaysia enrolled 2,863 participants from 2016-2018, all of whom consented to provide paired blood samples for both pre- and post-Hajj travel to the Middle East. ELISAs and micro-neutralization assays were performed to detect the presence of MERS-CoV IgG antibodies. Sociodemographic data, symptoms experienced during Hajj, and history of exposure to camels or camel products were recorded using structured pre- and post-Hajj questionnaires. A 4-fold increase in anti-MERS-CoV IgG between paired pre-Hajj and post-Hajj serum samples in twelve participants was observed. None of the twelve ELISA-positive sera had detectable levels of virus-neutralizing antibodies. All reportedly had mild symptoms of respiratory symptoms at a certain point during the pilgrimage, implying mild or asymptomatic infections. No association between post-Hajj serum positivity and a history of exposure to camels or camel products was obtained. Findings from the study suggest that serologic conversion to MERS-CoV occurred in at least 0.6% of the Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East. Since all the seroconvertants had mild to no symptoms during the sampling period, it highlights the likelihood of occurrence of only low infectivity spillover infections among the Hajj pilgrims.

Direct mosquito feedings on dengue-2 virus-infected people reveal dynamics of human infectiousness.

Dengue virus (DENV) transmission from humans to mosquitoes is a poorly documented, but critical component of DENV epidemiology. Magnitude of viremia is the primary determinant of successful human-to-mosquito DENV transmission. People with the same level of viremia, however, can vary in their infectiousness to mosquitoes as a function of other factors that remain to be elucidated. Here, we report on a field-based study in the city of Iquitos, Peru, where we conducted direct mosquito feedings on people naturally infected with DENV and that experienced mild illness. We also enrolled people naturally infected with Zika virus (ZIKV) after the introduction of ZIKV in Iquitos during the study period. Of the 54 study participants involved in direct mosquito feedings, 43 were infected with DENV-2, two with DENV-3, and nine with ZIKV. Our analysis excluded participants whose viremia was detectable at enrollment but undetectable at the time of mosquito feeding, which was the case for all participants with DENV-3 and ZIKV infections. We analyzed the probability of onward transmission during 50 feeding events involving 27 participants infected with DENV-2 based on the presence of infectious virus in mosquito saliva 7-16 days post blood meal. Transmission probability was positively associated with the level of viremia and duration of extrinsic incubation in the mosquito. In addition, transmission probability was influenced by the day of illness in a non-monotonic fashion; i.e., transmission probability increased until 2 days after symptom onset and decreased thereafter. We conclude that mildly ill DENV-infected humans with similar levels of viremia during the first two days after symptom onset will be most infectious to mosquitoes on the second day of their illness. Quantifying variation within and between people in their contribution to DENV transmission is essential to better understand the biological determinants of human infectiousness, parametrize epidemiological models, and improve disease surveillance and prevention strategies.

Multi-omics of NET formation and correlations with CNDP1, PSPB, and L-cystine levels in severe and mild COVID-19 infections.

The detailed mechanisms of COVID-19 infection pathology remain poorly understood. To improve our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 pathology, we performed a multi-omics and correlative analysis of an immunologically naïve SARS-CoV-2 clinical cohort from blood plasma of uninfected controls, mild, and severe infections. Consistent with previous observations, severe patient populations showed an elevation of pulmonary surfactant levels. Intriguingly, mild patients showed a statistically significant elevation in the carnosine dipeptidase modifying enzyme (CNDP1). Mild and severe patient populations showed a strong elevation in the metabolite L-cystine (oxidized form of the amino acid cysteine) and enzymes with roles in glutathione metabolism. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) were observed in both mild and severe populations, and NET formation was higher in severe vs. mild samples. Our correlative analysis suggests a potential protective role for CNDP1 in suppressing PSPB release from the pulmonary space whereas NET formation correlates with increased PSPB levels and disease severity. In our discussion we put forward a possible model where NET formation drives pulmonary occlusions and CNDP1 promotes antioxidation, pleiotropic immune responses, and vasodilation by accelerating histamine synthesis.

A case-control study of the causes of acute respiratory infection among hospitalized patients in Northeastern Laos.

With the advent of highly sensitive real-time PCR, multiple pathogens have been identified from nasopharyngeal swabs of patients with acute respiratory infections (ARIs). However, the detection of microorganisms in the upper respiratory tract does not necessarily indicate disease causation. We conducted a matched case-control study, nested within a broader fever aetiology project, to facilitate determination of the aetiology of ARIs in hospitalised patients in Northeastern Laos. Consenting febrile patients of any age admitted to Xiengkhuang Provincial Hospital were included if they met the inclusion criteria for ARI presentation (at least one of the following: cough, rhinorrhoea, nasal congestion, sore throat, difficulty breathing, and/or abnormal chest auscultation). One healthy control for each patient, matched by sex, age, and village of residence, was recruited for the study. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from participants and tested for 33 pathogens by probe-based multiplex real-time RT-PCR (FastTrack Diagnostics Respiratory pathogen 33 kit). Attributable fraction of illness for a given microorganism was calculated by comparing results between patients and controls (= 100 * [OR - 1]/OR) (OR = odds ratio). Between 24th June 2019 and 24th June 2020, 205 consenting ARI patients and 205 matching controls were recruited. After excluding eight pairs due to age mismatch, 197 pairs were included in the analysis. Males were predominant with sex ratio 1.2:1 and children < 5 years old accounted for 59% of participants. At least one potential pathogen was detected in 173 (88%) patients and 175 (89%) controls. ARI in admitted patients were attributed to influenza B virus, influenza A virus, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in 17.8%, 17.2%, 7.5%, and 6.5% of participants, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in any cases or controls. Determining ARI aetiology in individual patients remains challenging. Among hospitalised patients with ARI symptoms presenting to a provincial hospital in Northeastern Laos, half were determined to be caused by one of several respiratory viruses, in particular influenza A virus, influenza B virus, HMPV, and RSV.

Contribution of Viral Respiratory Infections to Dengue-Like Illness Presentation at a Community Clinic in Southern Malaysia.

This study explored the contribution of viral respiratory infections (VRIs) in dengue-like illness (DLI) patients and their distinguishing clinicolaboratory parameters. Two hundred DLI patients were prospectively recruited (July 1- October 1, 2019) from a community clinic in Southern Malaysia. Patients ≥ 18 years with acute fever and fulfilling the WHO criteria of probable dengue were recruited. They underwent blood testing: blood counts, rapid dengue tests (nonstructural antigen-1/IgM) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and Leptospira. Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPSs) were collected for FilmArray®RP2plus testing. From the 200 NPSs, 58 respiratory viruses (RVs) were detected in 54 patients. Of the 96 dengue-confirmed cases, 86 had dengue mono-infection, and 10 were coinfected with RVs. Of the 104 nondengue, 44 were RV positive and 4 Leptospira positive. Zika and chikungunya virus were not detected. Overall, the etiological diagnosis was confirmed for 72% of patients. Clinicolaboratory parameters were compared between dengue mono-infection and VRI mono-infection. Patients with coinfections were excluded. Multiple logistic regression showed that recent household/neighborhood history of dengue (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 5.9, 95% CI = 1.7-20.7), leukopenia (aOR: 12.5, 95% CI = 2.6-61.4) and thrombocytopenia (aOR: 5.5, 95% CI = 1.3-23.0) predicted dengue. Inversely, rhinorrhoea (aOR: 0.1, 95% CI = 0.01-0.3) and cough (aOR: 0.3, 95% CI = 0.1-0.9) favored VRI. Thus, VRIs comprise many infections diagnosed initially as DLIs. Early clinicolaboratory parameters can guide physicians screen patients for further testing.

Rapid testing requires clinical evaluation for accurate diagnosis of dengue disease: A passive surveillance study in Southern Malaysia.

BACKGROUND: Dengue fever is the most common mosquito-borne infection worldwide where an expanding surveillance and characterization of this infection are needed to better inform the healthcare system. In this surveillance-based study, we explored the prevalence and distinguishing features of dengue fever amongst febrile patients in a large community-based health facility in southern peninsular Malaysia. METHODS: Over six months in 2018, we recruited 368 adults who met the WHO 2009 criteria for probable dengue infection. They underwent the following blood tests: full blood count, dengue virus (DENV) rapid diagnostic test (RDT), ELISA (dengue IgM and IgG), nested RT-PCR for dengue, multiplex qRT-PCR for Zika, Chikungunya and dengue as well as PCR tests for Leptopspira spp., Japanese encephalitis and West Nile virus. RESULTS: Laboratory-confirmed dengue infections (defined by positive tests in NS1, IgM, high-titre IgG or nested RT-PCR) were found in 167 (45.4%) patients. Of these 167 dengue patients, only 104 (62.3%) were positive on rapid diagnostic testing. Dengue infection was significantly associated with the following features: family or neighbours with dengue in the past week (AOR: 3.59, 95% CI:2.14-6.00, p<0.001), cutaneous rash (AOR: 3.58, 95% CI:1.77-7.23, p<0.001), increased temperature (AOR: 1.33, 95% CI:1.04-1.70, p = 0.021), leucopenia (white cell count < 4,000/µL) (AOR: 3.44, 95% CI:1.72-6.89, p<0.001) and thrombocytopenia (platelet count <150,000/µL)(AOR: 4.63, 95% CI:2.33-9.21, p<0.001). Dengue infection was negatively associated with runny nose (AOR: 0.47, 95% CI:0.29-0.78, p = 0.003) and arthralgia (AOR: 0.42, 95% CI:0.24-0.75, p = 0.004). Serotyping by nested RT-PCR revealed mostly mono-infections with DENV-2 (n = 64), DENV-1 (n = 32) and DENV-3 (n = 17); 14 co-infections occurred with DENV-1/DENV-2 (n = 13) and DENV-1/DENV-4 (n = 1). Besides dengue, none of the pathogens above were found in patients' serum. CONCLUSIONS: Acute undifferentiated febrile infections are a diagnostic challenge for community-based clinicians. Rapid diagnostic tests are increasingly used to diagnose dengue infection but negative tests should be interpreted with caution as they fail to detect a considerable proportion of dengue infection. Certain clinical features and haematological parameters are important in the clinical diagnosis of dengue infection.

Potential for community based surveillance of febrile diseases: Feasibility of self-administered rapid diagnostic tests in Iquitos, Peru and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have the potential to identify infectious diseases quickly, minimize disease transmission, and could complement and improve surveillance and control of infectious and vector-borne diseases during outbreaks. The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Joint Science and Technology Office (DTRA-JSTO) program set out to develop novel point-of-need RDTs for infectious diseases and deploy them for home use with no training. The aim of this formative study was to address two questions: 1) could community members in Iquitos, Peru and Phnom Penh, Cambodia competently use RDTs of different levels of complexity at home with visually based instructions provided, and 2) if an RDT were provided at no cost, would it be used at home if family members displayed febrile symptoms? Test kits with written and video (Peru only) instructions were provided to community members (Peru [n = 202]; Cambodia [n = 50]) or community health workers (Cambodia [n = 45]), and trained observers evaluated the competency level for each of the several steps required to successfully operate one of two multiplex RDTs on themselves or other consenting participant (i.e., family member). In Iquitos, >80% of residents were able to perform 11/12 steps and 7/15 steps for the two- and five-pathogen test, respectively. Competency in Phnom Penh never reached 80% for any of the 12 or 15 steps for either test; the percentage of participants able to perform a step ranged from 26-76% and 23-72%, for the two- and five-pathogen tests, respectively. Commercially available NS1 dengue rapid tests were distributed, at no cost, to households with confirmed exposure to dengue or Zika virus; of 14 febrile cases reported, six used the provided RDT. Our findings support the need for further implementation research on the appropriate level of instructions or training needed for diverse devices in different settings, as well as how to best integrate RDTs into existing local public health and disease surveillance programs at a large scale.

Multiyear prospective cohort study to evaluate the risk potential of MERS-CoV infection among Malaysian Hajj pilgrims (MERCURIAL): a study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory infection caused by the MERS-CoV. MERS was first reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2012. Every year, the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca attracts more than two million pilgrims from 184 countries, making it one of the largest annual religious mass gatherings (MGs) worldwide. MGs in confined areas with a high number of pilgrims' movements worldwide continues to elicit significant global public health concerns. MERCURIAL was designed by adopting a seroconversion surveillance approach to provide multiyear evidence of MG-associated MERS-CoV seroconversion among the Malaysian Hajj pilgrims. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: MERCURIAL is an ongoing multiyear prospective cohort study. Every year, for the next 5 years, a cohort of 1000 Hajj pilgrims was enrolled beginning in the 2016 Hajj pilgrimage season. Pre-Hajj and post-Hajj serum samples were obtained and serologically analysed for evidence of MERS-CoV seroconversion. Sociodemographic data, underlying medical conditions, symptoms experienced during Hajj pilgrimage, and exposure to camel and untreated camel products were recorded using structured pre-Hajj and post-Hajj questionnaires. The possible risk factors associated with the seroconversion data were analysed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The primary outcome of this study is to better enhance our understanding of the potential threat of MERS-CoV spreading through MG beyond the Middle East. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has obtained ethical approval from the Medical Research and Ethics Committee (MREC), Ministry of Health Malaysia. Results from the study will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and presented in conferences and scientific meetings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NMRR-15-1640-25391.

Genetic identification of factors that modulate ribosomal DNA transcription in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is transcribed from the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) genes by RNA polymerase I (Pol I). Despite being responsible for the majority of transcription in growing cells, Pol I regulation is poorly understood compared to Pol II. To gain new insights into rDNA transcriptional regulation, we developed a genetic assay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that detects alterations in transcription from the centromere-proximal rDNA gene of the tandem array. Changes in Pol I transcription at this gene alter the expression of an adjacent, modified URA3 reporter cassette (mURA3) such that reductions in Pol I transcription induce growth on synthetic media lacking uracil. Increases in Pol I transcription induce growth on media containing 5-FOA. A transposon mutagenesis screen was performed with the reporter strain to identify genes that play a role in modulating rDNA transcription. Mutations in 68 different genes were identified, several of which were already known to function in chromatin modification and the regulation of Pol II transcription. Among the other classes of genes were those encoding proteasome subunits and multiple kinases and phosphatases that function in nutrient and stress signaling pathways. Fourteen genes were previously uncharacterized and have been named as regulators of rDNA transcription (RRT).