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bracoviruses contain a large multigene family coding for protein tyrosine phosphatases.the relationship between parasitic wasps and bracoviruses constitutes one of the few known mutualisms between viruses and eukaryotes. the virions produced in the wasp ovaries are injected into host lepidopteran larvae, where virus genes are expressed, allowing successful development of the parasite by inducing host immune suppression and developmental arrest. bracovirus-bearing wasps have a common phylogenetic origin, and contemporary bracoviruses are hypothesized to have been inherited by chrom ...015542661
cysteine and keto acids modulate mosquito kynurenine aminotransferase catalyzed kynurenic acid production.kynurenine aminotransferase (kat) catalyzes the formation of kynurenic acid (kyna), the natural antagonist of ionotropic glutamate receptors. this study tests potential substrates and assesses the effects of amino acids and keto acids on the activity of mosquito kat. various keto acids, when simultaneously present in the same reaction mixture, display a combined effect on kat catalyzed kyna production. moreover, methionine and glutamine show inhibitory effects on kat activity, while cysteine fun ...015556614
natively unfolded domains in endocytosis: hooks, lines and linkers.it is commonly assumed that a protein must adopt a tertiary structure to achieve its active native state and that regions of a protein that are devoid of alpha-helix or beta-sheet structures are functionally inert. although extended proline-rich regions are recognized as presenting binding motifs to, for example, src homology 2 (sh2) and sh3 domains, the idea persists that natively unfolded regions in functional proteins are simply 'spacers' between the folded domains. such a view has been chall ...015520805
reappearance of chikungunya, formerly called dengue, in the americas.after an absence of ≈200 years, chikungunya returned to the american tropics in 2013. the virus is maintained in a complex african zoonotic cycle but escapes into an urban cycle at 40- to 50-year intervals, causing global pandemics. in 1823, classical chikungunya, a viral exanthem in humans, occurred on zanzibar, and in 1827, it arrived in the caribbean and spread to north and south america. in zanzibar, the disease was known as kidenga pepo, swahili for a sudden cramp-like seizure caused by an ...025816211
climate change influences on global distributions of dengue and chikungunya virus vectors.numerous recent studies have illuminated global distributions of human cases of dengue and other mosquito-transmitted diseases, yet the potential distributions of key vector species have not been incorporated integrally into those mapping efforts. projections onto future conditions to illuminate potential distributional shifts in coming decades are similarly lacking, at least outside europe. this study examined the global potential distributions of aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus in relation ...025688023
dengue: recent past and future threats.this article explores four key questions about statistical models developed to describe the recent past and future of vector-borne diseases, with special emphasis on dengue: (1) how many variables should be used to make predictions about the future of vector-borne diseases? (2) is the spatial resolution of a climate dataset an important determinant of model accuracy? (3) does inclusion of the future distributions of vectors affect predictions of the futures of the diseases they transmit? (4) whi ...025688021
present and future projections of habitat suitability of the asian tiger mosquito, a vector of viral pathogens, from global climate simulation.climate change can influence the transmission of vector-borne diseases (vbds) through altering the habitat suitability of insect vectors. here we present global climate model simulations and evaluate the associated uncertainties in view of the main meteorological factors that may affect the distribution of the asian tiger mosquito (aedes albopictus), which can transmit pathogens that cause chikungunya, dengue fever, yellow fever and various encephalitides. using a general circulation model at 50 ...025688015
molecular evolution, structure, and function of peroxidasins.peroxidasins represent the subfamily 2 of the peroxidase-cyclooxygenase superfamily and are closely related to chordata peroxidases (subfamily 1) and peroxinectins (subfamily 3). they are multidomain proteins containing a heme peroxidase domain with high homology to human lactoperoxidase that mediates one- and two-electron oxidation reactions. additional domains of the secreted and glycosylated metalloproteins are type c-like immunoglobulin domains, typical leucine-rich repeats, as well as a von ...022976969
chikungunya outbreak in bueng kan province, thailand, 2013. 025061989
transfusion support in patients with dengue fever.dengue fever has emerged as a global public health problem in the recent decades. the clinical spectrum of the disease ranges from dengue fever to dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. the disease is characterized by increased capillary permeability, thrombocytopenia and coagulopathy. thrombocytopenia with hemorrhagic manifestations warrants platelet transfusions. there is lack of evidence-based guidelines for transfusion support in patients with dengue fever. this contributes to i ...025298950
laboratory evaluation of the development of aedes aegypti in two seasons: influence of different places and different densities.aedes aegypti is an important vector in brazil being the main vector of the dengue-fever. this paper employs survival curves to describe the time in days from larvae to adult forms of aedes aegypti raised, individually and collectively, and compares it during winter and spring when positioned inside and outside a laboratory. the study was conducted in são vicente, a coastal city in southeastern brazil. the lowest water temperature in winter and in spring was 20 °c and the highest was 26 °c in sp ...025229215
detection and characterization of wolbachia infection in silkworm.wolbachia naturally infects a wide variety of arthropods, where it plays important roles in host reproduction. it was previously reported that wolbachia did not infect silkworm. by means of pcr and sequencing we found in this study that wolbachia is indeed present in silkworm. phylogenetic analysis indicates that wolbachia infection in silkworm may have occurred via transfer from parasitic wasps. furthermore, southern blotting results suggest a lateral transfer of the wsp gene into the genomes o ...025249781
bacillus thuringiensis cry1a toxins are versatile proteins with multiple modes of action: two distinct pre-pores are involved in toxicity.cry proteins from bacillus thuringiensis are insecticidal pfts (pore-forming toxins). in the present study, we show that two distinct functional pre-pores of cry1ab are formed after binding of the protoxin or the protease-activated toxin to the cadherin receptor, but before membrane insertion. both pre-pores actively induce pore formation, although with different characteristics, and contribute to the insecticidal activity. we also analysed the oligomerization of the mutant cry1abmod protein. th ...024456341
clinical, virologic, and epidemiologic characteristics of dengue outbreak, dar es salaam, tanzania, 2014.we investigated a dengue outbreak in dar es salaam, tanzania, in 2014, that was caused by dengue virus (denv) serotype 2. denv infection was present in 101 (20.9%) of 483 patients. patient age and location of residence were associated with infection. seven (4.0%) of 176 patients were co-infected with malaria and denv.027088845
an operational framework for insecticide resistance management planning.arthropod vectors transmit organisms that cause many emerging and reemerging diseases, and their control is reliant mainly on the use of chemical insecticides. only a few classes of insecticides are available for public health use, and the increased spread of insecticide resistance is a major threat to sustainable disease control. the primary strategy for mitigating the detrimental effects of insecticide resistance is the development of an insecticide resistance management plan. however, few exa ...027089119
double trouble: combined action of meiotic drive and wolbachia feminization in eurema butterflies.arthropod sex ratios can be manipulated by a diverse range of selfish genetic elements, including maternally inherited wolbachia bacteria. feminization by wolbachia is rare but has been described for eurema mandarina butterflies. in this species, some phenotypic and functional females, thought to be zz genetic males, are infected with a feminizing wolbachia strain, wfem. meanwhile, heterogametic wz females are not infected with wfem. here, we establish a quantitative pcr assay allowing reliable ...025948567
chile confronts its environmental health future after 25 years of accelerated growth.chile has recently been reclassified by the world bank from an upper-middle-income country to a high-income country. there has been great progress in the last 20 to 30 years in relation to air and water pollution in chile. yet after 25 years of unrestrained growth, there remain clear challenges posed by air and water pollution, as well as climate change.026615070
chikungunya outbreak in garo hills, meghalaya: an epidemiological perspective.chikungunya (chik) fever is a mosquito-borne disease caused by chikungunya virus (chikv). chikungunya infection was first reported from india in 1963 from kolkata. we report the serological and molecular evidence of an outbreak of chikungunya in northeast india that occurred in tura, a hilly and forested terrain in garo hills district of meghalaya.026139776
how mathematical epidemiology became a field of biology: a commentary on anderson and may (1981) 'the population dynamics of microparasites and their invertebrate hosts'.we discuss the context, content and importance of the paper 'the population dynamics of microparasites and their invertebrate hosts', by r. m. anderson and r. m. may, published in the philosophical transactions of the royal society as a stand-alone issue in 1981. we do this from the broader perspective of the study of infectious disease dynamics, rather than the specific perspective of the dynamics of insect pathogens. we argue that their 1981 paper fits seamlessly in the systematic study of inf ...025750231
big data: the future of biocuration. 018769432
seasonality and the effectiveness of mass vaccination.many infectious diseases have seasonal outbreaks, which may be driven by cyclical environmental conditions (e.g., an annual rainy season) or human behavior (e.g., school calendars or seasonal migration). if a pathogen is only transmissible for a limited period of time each year, then seasonal outbreaks could infect fewer individuals than expected given the pathogen's in-season transmissibility. influenza, with its short serial interval and long season, probably spreads throughout a population un ...027105983
detection of all four dengue serotypes in aedes aegypti female mosquitoes collected in a rural area in colombia.the aedes aegypti vector for dengue virus (denv) has been reported in urban and periurban areas. the information about denv circulation in mosquitoes in colombian rural areas is limited, so we aimed to evaluate the presence of denv in ae. aegypti females caught in rural locations of two colombian municipalities, anapoima and la mesa. mosquitoes from 497 rural households in 44 different rural settlements were collected. pools of about 20 ae. aegypti females were processed for denv serotype detect ...027074252
molecular determinants of odorant receptor function in insects.the olfactory system of drosophila melanogaster provides a powerful model to study molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying function of a sensory system. in the 1970s siddiqi and colleagues pioneered the application of genetics to olfactory research and isolated several mutant drosophila with odorant-specific defects in olfactory behaviour, suggesting that odorants are detected differentially by the olfactory system. since then basic principles of olfactory system function and development ha ...025116610
spatiotemporal distribution of dengue vectors & identification of high risk zones in district sonitpur, assam, india.dengue is an arboviral disease of public health importance in many parts of india and recently many cases have been reported from northeastern india. aedes mosquitoes, which are the vectors of dengue, are widely prevalent in the region. a study was initiated in sonitpur district of assam to understand the spatiotemporal distribution and seasonal prevalence of dengue vectors and to identify the high risk zones.025297362
bioactivity of indigenous medicinal plants against the cotton whitefly, bemisia tabaci.forty-one methanol extracts of 28 indigenous medicinal plant species were tested for their insecticidal bioactivity against cotton whitefly, bemisia tabaci (gennadius) (hemiptera: aleyrodidae), adults and second nymphal instars under controlled conditions. this study is within a bioprospection context, in the form of utilizing local plant species as an alternative in sustainable agriculture development. eighteen and nine plant extracts caused a significant decrease in number of live adult and ny ...025204756
expression of a toll signaling regulator serpin in a mycoinsecticide for increased virulence.serpins are ubiquitously distributed serine protease inhibitors that covalently bind to target proteases to exert their activities. serpins regulate a wide range of activities, particularly those in which protease-mediated cascades are active. the drosophila melanogaster serpin spn43ac negatively controls the toll pathway that is activated in response to fungal infection. the entomopathogenic fungus beauveria bassiana offers an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides for inse ...024837378
differential behavioral responses to water-borne cues to predation in two container-dwelling mosquitoes.larvae of the mosquito toxorhynchites rutilus (coquillett) prey upon other container-dwelling insects, including larvae of aedes albopictus (skuse), which is native to asia but was introduced into the united states, and on the native tree hole mosquito ochlerotatus triseriatus (say). previous work has established that o. triseriatus adopts low-risk behaviors in the presence of predation risk from t. rutilus. it is unknown whether introduced a. albopictus show a similar response to this predator. ...017710216
the sublethal effects of the entomopathic fungus leptolegnia chapmanii on some biological parameters of the dengue vector aedes aegypti.the mosquito aedes aegypti (l.) (diptera: culicidae) is the primary vector of dengue in the americas. the use of chemical insecticides is recommended during outbreaks of dengue in order to reduce the number of adult mosquitoes; however, because ae. aegypti is highly synanthropic, the use of insecticides in densely populated areas is a dangerous practice. leptolegnia chapmanii seymour (straminipila: peronosporomycetes) is an entomopathogenic microorganism that has demonstrated marked pathogenicit ...023901823
functional classification and central nervous projections of olfactory receptor neurons housed in antennal trichoid sensilla of female yellow fever mosquitoes, aedes aegypti.mosquitoes are highly dependent on their olfactory system for, e.g. host location and identification of nectar-feeding and oviposition sites. odours are detected by olfactory receptor neurons (orns) housed in hair-shaped structures, sensilla, on the antennae and maxillary palps. in order to unravel the function of the olfactory system in the yellow fever vector, aedes aegypti, we performed single-sensillum recordings from trichoid sensilla on female antennae. these sensilla are divided into four ...017880395
an empirical test of the aggregation model of coexistence and consequences for competing container-dwelling mosquitoes.we investigated the aggregation model of coexistence as a potential mechanism explaining patterns of coexistence between container mosquitoes aedes albopictus and aedes aegypti in southern florida, usa. aedes aegypti coexists with the invasive a. albopictus in many locations despite being an inferior resource competitor under most conditions. in agreement with aggregation theory we observed significant intraspecific aggregation of a. albopictus in all six field sites sampled in southern florida ...023691666
predator identity and additive effects in a treehole community.multiple predator species can interact as well as strongly affect lower trophic levels, resulting in complex, nonadditive effects on prey populations and community structure. studies of aquatic systems have shown that interactive effects of predators on prey are not necessarily predictable from the direct effects of each species alone. to test for complex interactions, the individual and combined effects of a top and intermediate predator on larvae of native and invasive mosquito prey were exami ...016676542
does differential predation permit invasive and native mosquito larvae to coexist in florida?1. the hypothesis that selective predation on larvae of the invasive aedes albopictus (skuse) could account for its stable coexistence with the native mosquito species and inferior competitor ochlerotatus triseriatus (say) in florida treeholes and container systems was tested experimentally.2. functional responses of the two dipteran predators toxorhynchites rutilus (coquillett) and corethrella appendiculata (grabham) were evaluated separately for a. albopictus and o. triseriatus prey. both pred ...022532705
cloning of the heat shock protein 60 gene from the stem borer, chilo suppressalis, and analysis of expression characteristics under heat stress.heat shock protein 60 is an important chaperonin. in this paper, hsp60 of the stem borer, chilo suppressalis (walker) (lepidoptera: pyralidae), was cloned by rt-pcr and rapid amplification of cdna end (race) reactions. the full length cdna of hsp6 degrees consisted of 2142 bp, with an orf of 1719 bp, encoding 572 amino acid residues, with a 5'utr of 158 bp and a 3'utr of 265 bp. cluster analysis confirmed that the deduced amino acid sequence shared high identity with the reported sequences from ...020673188
vasa genes: emerging roles in the germ line and in multipotent cells.sexually reproducing metazoans establish a cell lineage during development that is ultimately dedicated to gamete production. work in a variety of animals suggests that a group of conserved molecular determinants act in this germ line maintenance and function. the most universal of these genes are vasa and vasa-like dead-box rna helicase genes. however, recent evidence indicates that vasa genes also function in other cell types, distinct from the germ line. here we evaluate our current understan ...020586054
the central role of mosquito cytochrome p450 cyp6zs in insecticide detoxification revealed by functional expression and structural modelling.the resistance of mosquitoes to chemical insecticides is threatening vector control programmes worldwide. cytochrome p450 monooxygenases (cyps) are known to play a major role in insecticide resistance, allowing resistant insects to metabolize insecticides at a higher rate. among them, members of the mosquito cyp6z subfamily, like aedes aegypti cyp6z8 and its anopheles gambiae orthologue cyp6z2, have been frequently associated with pyrethroid resistance. however, their role in the pyrethroid degr ...023844938
multimodal integration of carbon dioxide and other sensory cues drives mosquito attraction to humans.multiple sensory cues emanating from humans are thought to guide blood-feeding female mosquitoes to a host. to determine the relative contribution of carbon dioxide (co2) detection to mosquito host-seeking behavior, we mutated the aaeggr3 gene, a subunit of the heteromeric co2 receptor in aedes aegypti mosquitoes. gr3 mutants lack electrophysiological and behavioral responses to co2. these mutants also fail to show co2-evoked responses to heat and lactic acid, a human-derived attractant, suggest ...024581501
nutrition-dependent control of insect development by insulin-like peptides.in metazoans, members of the insulin-like peptide (ilp) family play a role in multiple physiological functions in response to the nutritional status. ilps have been identified and characterized in a wide variety of insect species. insect ilps that are mainly produced by several pairs of medial neurosecretory cells in the brain circulate in the hemolymph and act systemically on target tissues. physiological and biochemical studies in lepidoptera and genetic studies in the fruit fly have greatly e ...026664828
cloning, expression analysis, and molecular modeling of the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor alpha2 subunit gene from the common cutworm, spodoptera litura.intensive research on the molecule structures of the gamma-nminobutyric acid (gaba) receptor in agricultural pests has great significance to the mechanism investigation, resistance prevention, and molecular design of novel pesticides. the gaba receptor a2 (slgabarα2) subunit gene in spodoptera litura (fabricius) (lepidoptera: noctuidae) was cloned using the technologies of reverse transcription pcr and rapid amplification of cdna ends. the gemonic dna sequence of slgabarα2 has 5164 bp with 8 exo ...023909412
towards abolition of immunogenic structures in insect cells: characterization of a honey-bee (apis mellifera) multi-gene family reveals both an allergy-related core alpha1,3-fucosyltransferase and the first insect lewis-histo-blood-group-related antigen-synthesizing enzyme.glycoproteins from honey-bee (apis mellifera), such as phospholipase a2 and hyaluronidase, are well-known major bee-venom allergens. they carry n-linked oligosaccharide structures with two types of alpha1,3-fucosylation: the modification by alpha1,3-fucose of the innermost core glcnac, which constitutes an epitope recognized by ige from some bee-venom-allergic patients, and an antennal lewis-like galnacbeta1,4(fucalpha1,3)glcnac moiety. we now report the cloning and expression of two cdnas encod ...017029591
comparative genomics of odorant binding proteins in anopheles gambiae, aedes aegypti, and culex quinquefasciatus.about 1 million people in the world die each year from diseases spread by mosquitoes, and understanding the mechanism of host identification by the mosquitoes through olfaction is at stake. the role of odorant binding proteins (obps) in the primary molecular events of olfaction in mosquitoes is becoming an important focus of biological research in this area. here, we present a comprehensive comparative genomics study of obps in the three disease-transmitting mosquito species anopheles gambiae, a ...023292137
molecular determinants of differential ligand sensitivities of insect ecdysteroid receptors.the functional receptor for insect ecdysteroid hormones is a heterodimer consisting of two nuclear hormone receptors, ecdysteroid receptor (ecr) and the retinoid x receptor homologue ultraspiracle (usp). although ecdysone is commonly thought to be a hormone precursor and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20e), the physiologically active steroid, little is known about the relative activity of ecdysteroids in various arthropods. as a step toward characterization of potential differential ligand recognition, we ...010805730
but2 is a member of the third major group of hat transposons and is involved in horizontal transfer events in the genus drosophila.the hat superfamily comprises a large and diverse array of dna transposons found in all supergroups of eukaryotes. here we characterized the drosophila buzzatii but2 element and found that it harbors a five-exon gene encoding a 643-aa putatively functional transposase. a phylogeny built with 85 hat transposases yielded, in addition to the two major groups already described, ac and buster, a third one comprising 20 sequences that includes but2, tip100, hat-4_bm, and rp-hat1. this third group is h ...024459285
cloning and immunoreactivity of the 5-ht 1mac and 5-ht 2mac receptors in the central nervous system of the freshwater prawn macrobrachium rosenbergii.biogenic amines are implicated in several mental disorders, many of which involve social interactions. simple model systems, such as crustaceans, are often more amenable than vertebrates for studying mechanisms underlying behaviors. although various cellular responses of biogenic amines have been characterized in crustaceans, the mechanisms linking these molecules to behavior remain largely unknown. observed effects of serotonin receptor agonists and antagonists in abdomen posture, escape respon ...019184976
proteome changes in the plasma of papilio xuthus (lepidoptera: papilionidae): effect of parasitization by the endoparasitic wasp pteromalus puparum (hymenoptera: pteromalidae).although the biochemical dissection of parasitoid-host interactions is becoming well characterized, the molecular knowledge concerning them is minimal. in order to understand the molecular bases of the host immune response to parasitoid attack, we explored the response of papilio xuthus parasitized by the endoparasitic wasp pteromalus puparum using proteomic approach. by examining the differential expression of plasma proteins in the parasitized and unparasitized host pupae by two-dimensional (2 ...019489110
foreword. 024473796
cloning and sequence analysis of chitin synthase gene fragments of demodex mites.to our knowledge, few reports on demodex studied at the molecular level are available at present. in this study our group, for the first time, cloned, sequenced and analyzed the chitin synthase (chs) gene fragments of demodex folliculorum, demodex brevis, and demodex canis (three isolates from each species) from xi'an china, by designing specific primers based on the only partial sequence of the chs gene of d. canis from japan, retrieved from genbank. results show that amplification was successf ...023024043
insights into the venom composition of the ectoparasitoid wasp nasonia vitripennis from bioinformatic and proteomic studies.with the nasonia vitripennis genome sequences available, we attempted to determine the proteins present in venom by two different approaches. first, we searched for the transcripts of venom proteins by a bioinformatic approach using amino acid sequences of known hymenopteran venom proteins. second, we performed proteomic analyses of crude n. vitripennis venom removed from the venom reservoir, implementing both an off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography matrix-assisted laser desorption/ io ...020167014
mechanisms and dynamics of orphan gene emergence in insect genomes.orphan genes are defined as genes that lack detectable similarity to genes in other species and therefore no clear signals of common descent (i.e., homology) can be inferred. orphans are an enigmatic portion of the genome because their origin and function are mostly unknown and they typically make up 10% to 30% of all genes in a genome. several case studies demonstrated that orphans can contribute to lineage-specific adaptation. here, we study orphan genes by comparing 30 arthropod genomes, focu ...023348040
a visible dominant marker for insect transgenesis.transgenesis of most insects currently relies on fluorescence markers. here we establish a transformation marker system causing phenotypes visible to the naked eye due to changes in the color of melanin pigments, which are widespread in animals. ubiquitous overexpression of arylalkylamine-n-acetyl transferase in the silkworm, bombyx mori, changes the color of newly hatched first-instar larvae from black to a distinctive light brown color, and can be used as a molecular marker by directly connect ...023250425
a mosquito sperm's journey from male ejaculate to egg: mechanisms, molecules, and methods for exploration.the fate of mosquito sperm in the female reproductive tract has been addressed sporadically and incompletely, resulting in significant gaps in our understanding of sperm-female interactions that ultimately lead to fertilization. as with other diptera, mosquito sperm have a complex journey to their ultimate destination, the egg. after copulation, sperm spend a short time at the site of insemination where they are hyperactivated and quickly congregate near the entrance of the spermathecal ducts. w ...027147424
inner workings: a big role for a microbial parasite. 027095842
sub-lethal metal stress response of larvae of aedes aegypti.aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae) has adapted to urban environments; the urbanisation process provides suitable habitats for this disease vector subsequently increasing the probability of the transmission of pathogens in high-density environments. urban environments provide metal stressed larval habitats. however, little is known about the physiological cost of metal stress or how this might affect the performance of this mosquito species. this study aims to characterise the sub-lethal physiolo ...024926118
contribution of dengue fever to the burden of acute febrile illnesses in papua new guinea: an age-specific prospective study.malaria is a major contributor to the burden of febrile illnesses in papua new guinea (png). dengue fever (df) is likely to contribute; however, its epidemiology in png is poorly understood. we performed a prospective age-stratified study in outpatient clinics investigating the prevalence of df; 578 patients were enrolled, and 317 patients with a negative rapid diagnostic test (rdt) for malaria were tested for dengue. malaria was confirmed in 52% (301/578, 95% confidence interval [ci] = 48-56%), ...021734138
mosquitocidal properties of igg targeting the glutamate-gated chloride channel in three mosquito disease vectors (diptera: culicidae).the glutamate-gated chloride channel (glucl) is a highly sensitive insecticide target of the avermectin class of insecticides. as an alternative to using chemical insecticides to kill mosquitoes, we tested the effects of purified immunoglobulin g (igg) targeting the extracellular domain of glucl from anopheles gambiae (agglucl) on the survivorship of three key mosquito disease vectors: anopheles gambiae s.s., aedes aegypti and culex tarsalis. when administered through a single blood meal, anti-a ...025994632
diversity of wolbachia pipientis strain wpip in a genetically admixtured, above-ground culex pipiens (diptera: culicidae) population: association with form molestus ancestry and host selection patterns.analysis of molecular genetic diversity in nine marker regions of five genes within the bacteriophage wo genomic region revealed high diversity of the wolbachia pipentis strain wpip in a population of culex pipiens l. sampled in metropolitan chicago, il. from 166 blood fed females, 50 distinct genetic profiles of wpip were identified. rarefaction analysis suggested a maximum of 110 profiles out of a possible 512 predicted by combinations of the nine markers. a rank-abundance curve showed that fe ...022679853
effects of temperature on emergence and seasonality of west nile virus in california.temperature has played a critical role in the spatiotemporal dynamics of west nile virus transmission throughout california from its introduction in 2003 through establishment by 2009. we compared two novel mechanistic measures of transmission risk, the temperature-dependent ratio of virus extrinsic incubation period to the mosquito gonotrophic period (bt), and the fundamental reproductive ratio (r(0)) based on a mathematical model, to analyze spatiotemporal patterns of receptivity to viral ampl ...022556092
evaluation of carbon dioxide- and 1-octen-3-ol-baited centers for disease control fay-prince traps to collect aedes albopictus.during the summer of 2001, field studies were performed to evaluate the effects of carbon dioxide (co2) and 1-octen-3-ol (octenol) on the ability to collect aedes albopictus with centers for disease control (cdc) fay-prince traps. results from these studies indicated that ae. albopictus is significantly more attracted to co2- or co2 + octenol-baited cdc fay-prince traps than unbaited or octenol-baited traps. however, the difference between the responses to co2 and co2 + octenol was not statistic ...014710753
epidemic infections and their relevance to the gulf and other arabian peninsula countries. 024019727
preliminary analysis of several attractants and spatial repellents for the mosquito, aedes albopictus using an olfactometer.mosquito attractants and spatial repellents hold great promise in controlling mosquito pests. in assessing the effectiveness of mosquito attractants and repellents, a good olfactometer system, and optimized testing conditions, are essential. in this research, we demonstrated the usefulness of an olfactometer system, and optimized testing conditions for aedes albopictus (diptera: culicidae). we found no significant difference in the biting activity of the insect between 8:00 and 22:00. furthermor ...023418948
culex mosquitoes are experimentally unable to transmit zika virus.we report that two laboratory colonies of culex quinquefasciatus and culex pipiens mosquitoes were experimentally unable to transmit zikv either up to 21 days post an infectious blood meal or up to 14 days post intrathoracic inoculation. infectious viral particles were detected in bodies, heads or saliva by a plaque forming unit assay on vero cells. we therefore consider it unlikely that culex mosquitoes are involved in the rapid spread of zikv.027605159
experimental investigation of the susceptibility of italian culex pipiens mosquitoes to zika virus infection.we investigated the susceptibility of an italian population of culex pipiens mosquitoes to zika virus (zikv) infection, tested in parallel with aedes aegypti, as a positive control. we analysed mosquitoes at 0, 3, 7, 10, 14, 20 and 24 days after an infectious blood meal. viral rna was detected in the body of cx. pipiens up to three days post-infection, but not at later time points. our results indicate that cx. pipiens is not susceptible to zikv infection.027605056
zika in the united states: how are we preparing? 027581255
the mysterious zika virus: adding to the tropical flavivirus mayhem.until now, known as the demure cousin of dengue virus (denv) inhabiting africa, zika virus (zikv) has reinvented itself to cause explosive epidemics captivating the western hemisphere. the outbreak causing potential for zikv was realized when it made its way from africa to yap island micronesia in 2007, and in french polynesia in 2013. from there, it moved on to brazil in 2015. now zikv has infected people in more than 33 countries in central and south america and the caribbean. moreover the epi ...027763483
vector-borne disease, cities, and climate change. 027737979
a search for mosquito larvicidal compounds by blocking the sterol carrying protein, aescp-2, through computational screening and docking strategies.sterol is a very vital compound for most of the insects and mosquitoes to complete their life cycle. unfortunately mosquitoes cannot synthesize the sterol, it depends on mammals for the same. mosquitoes take the sterol from the plant decays during their larval stage in the form of phytosterol, which is then converted to cholesterol for further growth and reproduction. this conversion occurs with the help of the sterol carrier protein 2(scp2).021808576
mayaro virus and dengue virus 1 and 4 natural infection in culicids from cuiabá, state of mato grosso, brazil.this study aimed to verify the diversity of culicidae species and their frequency of infection with flaviviruses and alphaviruses in cuiabá, state of mato grosso, brazil. mosquitoes were captured with nasci aspirators and hand net in 200 census tracts, identified alive at species level and pooled in one-20 (11,090 mosquitoes, 14 species). female pools (n = 610) were subjected to multiplex seminested-reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rt-pcr) for 11 flavivirus and five alphavirus. p ...026784852
is transfusion-transmitted dengue fever a potential public health threat?dengue is an arboviruses due to single-stranded enveloped ribonucleic acid viruses, named dengue viruses (denv), that include four serotypes and are mainly transmitted via the bite of mosquitoes of the genus aedes (a. aegypti and a. albopictus). the distribution of the disease was historically limited to intertropical areas; however, during the last thirty years, the perimeter of the disease extended considerably and temperate areas are now at risk of outbreaks. the present global burden of deng ...025964876
advances and controversies in yellow fever vaccination.ever since its development in 1937, the live-attenuated 17d yellow fever (yf) vaccine has been one of the most effective vaccines available to man. in this review we highlight the major steps in the development of 17d yf vaccine. we discuss the use of neutralizing antibodies as a surrogate marker for protection, and explore the strengths and weaknesses of the current plaque reduction neutralization test (prnt), a technique developed in the 1960s that continues to be superior to every modern test ...024757521
indigenous dengue fever, buenos aires, argentina. 018760035
thoughts around the zika virus crisis.as a lot of reviews are available on zika virus (zikv), in this short commentary, we will focus on the recent advances and gaps in knowledge regarding our understanding of zikv infections and on the reaction to the "zikv crisis."027832453
geographic variation in adult survival and reproductive tactics of the mosquito aedes albopictus.climate differences across latitude can result in seasonal constraints and selection on life history characters. since aedes albopictus (skuse) invaded north america in the mid-1980s, it has spread across a range of approximately 14 degrees latitude and populations in the north experience complete adult mortality due to cold winter temperatures that are absent in the south. life table experiments were conducted to test for differences in the adult survival and reproductive schedules of ae. albop ...018402136
emerging viral diseases. 018491811
in search of a better mosquito repellent. 018709154
survival of west nile virus-challenged southern house mosquitoes, culex pipiens quinquefasciatus, in relation to environmental temperatures.we investigated the effect of west nile virus (wnv) infection on survival in two colonies of culex pipiens quinquefasciatus say (diptera: culicidae) originating from vero beach and gainesville, fl. mosquitoes were fed west nile virus-infected blood and checked daily for survival. exposure to wnv decreased survival among cx. p. quinquefasciatus from gainesville relative to unexposed individuals at 31° c. in contrast, exposure to wnv enhanced survival among cx. p. quinquefasciatus from vero beach ...024820564
zika virus, french polynesia, south pacific, 2013. 024856001
public health response to aedes aegypti and ae. albopictus mosquitoes invading california, usa.aedes aegypti and ae. albopictus mosquitoes, primary vectors of dengue and chikungunya viruses, were recently detected in california, usa. the threat of potential local transmission of these viruses increases as more infected travelers arrive from affected areas. public health response has included enhanced human and mosquito surveillance, education, and intensive mosquito control.026401891
regulation of physiological processes by micrornas in insects.micrornas (mirnas) are small non-coding rnas that function in gene regulatory processes in plants and animals by targeting sites within messenger rna. in insects, mirnas have been shown to regulate a variety of physiological processes throughout insect development, including molting, metamorphosis, oogenesis, embryogenesis, behavior and host-pathogen interactions. the roles of mirnas in the model organism, drosophila melanogaster, have been studied extensively due to the conserved nature of mirn ...026251827
hla class ii allele polymorphism in an outbreak of chikungunya fever in middle andaman, india.a sudden upsurge of fever cases with joint pain was observed in the outpatient department, community health centre, rangat during july-august 2010 in rangat middle andaman, india. the aetiological agent responsible for the outbreak was identified as chikungunya virus (chikv), by using rt-pcr and igm elisa. the study investigated the association of polymorphisms in the human leucocyte antigen class ii genes with susceptibility or protection against chikv. one hundred and one patients with clinica ...023710940
next-generation sequencing in clinical virology: discovery of new viruses.viruses are a cause of significant health problem worldwide, especially in the developing nations. due to different anthropological activities, human populations are exposed to different viral pathogens, many of which emerge as outbreaks. in such situations, discovery of novel viruses is utmost important for deciding prevention and treatment strategies. since last century, a number of different virus discovery methods, based on cell culture inoculation, sequence-independent pcr have been used fo ...026279987
analysis of post-blood meal flight distances in mosquitoes utilizing zoo animal blood meals.we assessed the post-blood meal flight distance of four mosquito species in a unique environment using blood meal analysis. mosquitoes were trapped at the rio grande zoo in albuquerque, nm, and the blood source of blood-engorged mosquitoes was identified. the distance from the enclosure of the animal serving as a blood source to the trap site was then determined. we found that mosquitoes captured at the zoo flew no more than 170 m with an average distance of 106.7 m after taking a blood meal. th ...022548540
aedes (stegomyia) aegypti and aedes (howardina) cozumelensis in yucatán state, méxico, with a summary of published collection records for ae. cozumelensis.we collected mosquito immatures from artificial containers during 2010-2011 from 26 communities, ranging in size from small rural communities to large urban centers, located in different parts of yucatán state in southeastern méxico. the arbovirus vector aedes (stegomyia) aegypti was collected from all 26 examined communities, and nine of the communities also yielded another container-inhabiting aedes mosquito: aedes (howardina) cozumelensis. the communities from which ae. cozumelensis were coll ...023181861
urbanization and geographic expansion of zoonotic arboviral diseases: mechanisms and potential strategies for prevention.arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) mainly infect people via direct spillover from enzootic cycles. however, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever viruses have repeatedly initiated urban transmission cycles involving human amplification and peridomestic mosquito vectors to cause major epidemics. here, i review these urban emergences and potential strategies for their prevention and control.023910545
modeling and biological control of mosquitoes.models can be useful at many different levels when considering complex issues such as biological control of mosquitoes. at an early stage, exploratory models are valuable in exploring the characteristics of an ideal biological control agent and for guidance in data collection. when more data are available, models can be used to explore alternative control strategies and the likelihood of success. there are few modeling studies that explicitly consider biological control in mosquitoes; however, t ...017853610
habitat segregation of mosquito arbovirus vectors in south florida.oviposition traps set in rural to urban environments in three south florida counties were colonized predominantly by culex quinquefasciatus say (35.1%), aedes albopictus (skuse) (34.5%), aedes aegypti (l.) (23.8%), and culex nigripalpus theobald (6.6%) during 1 yr of monthly sampling. significant differences were detected among counties for abundances of cx. quinquefasciatus and for percentage composition of that species and ae. albopictus. aerial images of habitats around each collection site w ...017162945
antiviral natural products and herbal medicines.viral infections play an important role in human diseases, and recent outbreaks in the advent of globalization and ease of travel have underscored their prevention as a critical issue in safeguarding public health. despite the progress made in immunization and drug development, many viruses lack preventive vaccines and efficient antiviral therapies, which are often beset by the generation of viral escape mutants. thus, identifying novel antiviral drugs is of critical importance and natural produ ...024872930
interspecific competition of a new invasive mosquito, culex coronator, and two container mosquitoes, aedes albopictus and cx. quinquefasciatus (diptera: culicidae), across different detritus environments.the mosquito culex coronator (dyar and knab) (diptera: culicidae) has undergone rapid range expansion in the united states since 2003, with its historical distribution in the southwest expanding eastward to the atlantic coast. although cx. coronator nominally use small natural aquatic habitats for development, the use of containers (e.g., tires) makes it potentially important as container invasive. to determine the potential ecological effects of cx. coronator on resident container species, we c ...024605457
history, epidemiology, and clinical manifestations of zika: a systematic review.to describe salient epidemiological characteristics of zika virus outbreaks across the world and to examine the clinical presentations, complications, and atypical manifestations related to their occurrence in recent history.026959260
zika virus: a global threat to humanity: a comprehensive review and current developments.at present, one of greatest concerns of medical personnel is zika virus (zikv). though it has been reported for quite a long time, its rapid emergence, new modes of transmission, and more importantly, the congenital anomalies associated with it have made the situation worse. it was first detected in 1947. after that, this infection was found in the countries of africa as well as asia. at present, interestingly it has been reported from brazil. microcephaly and intracranial calcification have bee ...027114968
dengue in the context of "safe blood" and global epidemiology: to screen or not to screen? 022882092
virus evolution and transmission in an ever more connected world.the frequency and global impact of infectious disease outbreaks, particularly those caused by emerging viruses, demonstrate the need for a better understanding of how spatial ecology and pathogen evolution jointly shape epidemic dynamics. advances in computational techniques and the increasing availability of genetic and geospatial data are helping to address this problem, particularly when both information sources are combined. here, we review research at the intersection of evolutionary biolog ...026702033
genomic screening with rnai: results and challenges.rna interference (rnai) is an effective tool for genome-scale, high-throughput analysis of gene function. in the past five years, a number of genome-scale rnai high-throughput screens (htss) have been done in both drosophila and mammalian cultured cells to study diverse biological processes, including signal transduction, cancer biology, and host cell responses to infection. results from these screens have led to the identification of new components of these processes and, importantly, have also ...020367032
facts and ideas from anywhere. 016369660
peripheral coding of taste.five canonical tastes, bitter, sweet, umami (amino acid), salty, and sour (acid), are detected by animals as diverse as fruit flies and humans, consistent with a near-universal drive to consume fundamental nutrients and to avoid toxins or other harmful compounds. surprisingly, despite this strong conservation of basic taste qualities between vertebrates and invertebrates, the receptors and signaling mechanisms that mediate taste in each are highly divergent. the identification over the last two ...024607224
volatile phytochemicals as mosquito semiochemicals.plant biochemical processes result in the release of an array of volatile chemical substances into the environment, some of which are known to play important plant fitness enhancing functions, such as attracting pollinators, thermal tolerance of photosynthesis, and defense against herbivores. cunningly, phytophagous insects have evolved mechanisms to utilize these volatiles to their own advantage, either to colonize a suitable host for feeding, reproduction and oviposition or avoid an unsuitable ...025383131
evaluation of a stable isotope method to mark naturally-breeding larval mosquitoes for adult dispersal studies.understanding mosquito dispersal is critically important for vector-borne disease control and prevention. mark-release-recapture methods using various marking techniques have made substantial contributions to the study of mosquito biology. however, the ability to mark naturally breeding mosquitoes noninvasively and with life-long retention has remained problematic. here, we describe a method to mark naturally breeding mosquitoes with stable isotopes. culex pipiens f. molestus mosquitoes were pro ...022308772
dengue outbreak in key west, florida, usa, 2009.after 3 dengue cases were acquired in key west, florida, we conducted a serosurvey to determine the scope of the outbreak. thirteen residents showed recent infection (infection rate 5%; 90% ci 2%-8%), demonstrating the reemergence of dengue in florida. increased awareness of dengue among health care providers is needed.022257471
risk assessment for yellow fever in western and north-western provinces of zambia.north-western and western provinces of zambia were reclassified as low-risk areas for yellow fever (yf). however, the current potential for yf transmission in these areas is unclear.025722614
functional circadian clock genes are essential for the overwintering diapause of the northern house mosquito, culex pipiens.the short day lengths of late summer are used to program the overwintering adult diapause (dormancy) of the northern house mosquito, culex pipiens. here, we investigated the role of clock genes in initiating this diapause and asked whether the circadian cycling of clock gene expression persists during diapause. we provide evidence that the major circadian clock genes continue to cycle throughout diapause and after diapause has been terminated. rna interference (rnai) was used to knock down the c ...025653422
outsmarting olfaction: the next generation of mosquito repellents. 016002364
passive prophylaxis with permethrin-treated tents reduces mosquito bites among north american summer campers.over 2 million adolescents participate in summer-camp experiences, placing themselves at risk for mosquito-borne illness. insect repellent is recommended but often not used. it is unknown whether permethrin treatment of a location, such as a campsite, provides passive prophylaxis reducing mosquito bites among all persons in the immediate vicinity.015813141
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