Evidence of Zika virus horizontal and vertical transmission in Aedes albopictus from Spain but not infectious virus in saliva of the progeny

Aedes albopictus mosquitoes have been experimentally demonstrated to be a competent vector for Zika virus (ZIKV) in different countries, but there are still some gaps related to the importance of Ae. albopictus in ZIKV transmission. Recent studies on Spanish Ae. albopictus populations showed controversial results for ZIKV transmission and no studies have been performed yet to detect infectious ZIKV in saliva of progeny of infected female mosquitoes. Herein, the horizontal transmission (HT) and vertical transmission (VT) of ZIKV in field-collected Ae. albopictus mosquitoes from Spain were evaluated for ZIKV strains (African I and Asian lineages) to better estimate the risk of ZIKV transmission by Ae. albopictus. The two field-collected Ae. albopictus populations assayed were infected by all tested ZIKV strains, however differences in terms of vector competence were detected depending on strain-population combination. Moreover, a higher susceptibility to the African I lineage strain than to the Asian lineage strain was observed in both mosquito populations. On the other hand, VT was demonstrated for both ZIKV lineages, detecting the virus in both males and females of the progeny of infected females, although importantly ZIKV dissemination and transmission were not detected in the infected females from the offspring. The results of the present study demonstrate that Spanish Ae. albopictus populations could sustain virus transmission in case of ZIKV introduction, but VT would play a poor role in the ZIKV epidemiology. Overall, our results provide helpful information to health authorities to establish efficient surveillance and vector control programs for ZIKV.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

European Aedes caspius mosquitoes are experimentally unable to transmit Zika virus

Background: Aedes caspius (Pallas, 1771) is a foodwater mosquito species widely distributed in the Western Palae‑ arctic. As an anthropophilic species, its role as an arbovirus vector may be the key for understanding the transmission cycle of certain diseases in Europe such as Zika virus (ZIKV). Concerning vector competence for ZIKV, studies related to Ae. caspius are still scarce. ZIKV is an arbovirus that has provoked a widespread epidemic in the Pacifc region (2007– 2013) and in the Americas (2015–2016). ZIKV is associated with serious neurological injuries (e.g. microcephaly) and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Due to the ZIKV epidemics in the American continent, some viraemic travellers coming from endemic countries have been reported in Europe. More knowledge is therefore required to defne the susceptibility of autochthonous mosquito species such as Ae. caspius for ZIKV in order to improve arbovirus surveillance and control programmes. In the present study, the vector competence of a European population of Ae. caspius was evaluated for two ZIKV lineages, the Suriname ZIKV strain (Asian lineage) and the MR766 ZIKV strain (African I lineage). Females were tested at 7, 14 and 21 days post-exposure (dpe) to infectious blood meals. An Ae. aegypti PAEA strain was used as a positive control. Results: Aedes caspius presented low susceptibility to ZIKV infection and the virus was only detected by RT-qPCR in body samples. Low viral loads were detected for the MR766 strain at 7 dpe and for the Suriname strain at 14 and 21 dpe. Aedes caspius was unable to produce a disseminated infection and virus transmission at any of the tested time points. Using Ae. aegypti PAEA strain, infection, dissemination and transmission rates were calculated for the Suriname ZIKV strain (Asian lineage) at each time point. For the MR766 ZIKV strain (African I lineage), while only infection rates were estimated at each time point, no dissemination or transmission were detected in either species. Conclusions: The results of the present study reveal that the tested Ae. caspius population has a strong midgut escape barrier that limits the dissemination or transmission of the virus. As such, it seems unlikely that European Ae. caspius mosquitoes could be involved in ZIKV transmission if ZIKV was introduced into Europe. This information may help in designing a better strategy to European surveillance and control programmes for ZIKV.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A novel optical sensor system for the automatic classification of mosquitoes by genus and sex with high levels of accuracy

Background: Every year, more than 700,000 people die from vector-borne diseases, mainly transmitted by mosqui‑ toes. Vector surveillance plays a major role in the control of these diseases and requires accurate and rapid taxo‑ nomical identifcation. New approaches to mosquito surveillance include the use of acoustic and optical sensors in combination with machine learning techniques to provide an automatic classifcation of mosquitoes based on their fight characteristics, including wingbeat frequency. The development and application of these methods could enable the remote monitoring of mosquito populations in the feld, which could lead to signifcant improvements in vector surveillance. Methods: A novel optical sensor prototype coupled to a commercial mosquito trap was tested in laboratory conditions for the automatic classifcation of mosquitoes by genus and sex. Recordings of > 4300 laboratory-reared mosquitoes of Aedes and Culex genera were made using the sensor. The chosen genera include mosquito species that have a major impact on public health in many parts of the world. Five features were extracted from each recording to form balanced datasets and used for the training and evaluation of fve diferent machine learning algorithms to achieve the best model for mosquito classifcation. Results: The best accuracy results achieved using machine learning were: 94.2% for genus classifcation, 99.4% for sex classifcation of Aedes, and 100% for sex classifcation of Culex. The best algorithms and features were deep neural network with spectrogram for genus classifcation and gradient boosting with Mel Frequency Cepstrum Coefcients among others for sex classifcation of either genus. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the frst time that a sensor coupled to a standard mosquito suction trap has provided automatic classifcation of mosquito genus and sex with high accuracy using a large number of unique samples with class balance. This system represents an improvement of the state of the art in mosquito surveillance and encourages future use of the sensor for remote, real-time characterization of mosquito populations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Artistas sobre outras obras

Ouvir os criadores, os artistas, pode ter uma pertinência resistente. Pertinência, se for um exercício continuado. Resistente se se propiciarem discursos alternativos, fora dos circuitos de legitimação, descentrados, e verdadeiramente críticos, sem interesses no teatro da arte contemporânea. É possível descolonizar a arte? Entre a arte o poder estabelece-se ora oposições ora alianças, ambas construtoras de identidades e de discursos, no contexto da crise de descentramento em torno do etnocentrismo, do género, do pós-colonialismo. As imagens tornaram-se hoje mais letalmente políticas (as fakenews, os memes, as redes): são as ‘imagens armadilha,’ ou as ‘imagens ofensivas.’ Ao museu, tingido de hibridação, sobra a desconfiança da sua génese colonial: afinal o oriente foi lá imaginado primeiro.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

First detection of <em>Wolbachia</em>-infected <em>Culicoides</em> (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Europe: <em>Wolbachia</em> and <em>Cardinium</em> infection across <em>Culicoides</em> communities revealed in Spain

International audienceBiting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) transmit pathogens that cause important diseases. No effective technique has been found to properly control either Culicoides spp. abundance or their likelihood to transmit pathogens. Endosymbionts, particularly Wolbachia, represent powerful alternatives to control arthropods of health interest. In arthropods, Wolbachia can reduce vector fitness and vector's pathogen transmission capacity, thus being a potential target for population reduction and replacement strategies. The presence of Wolbachia and Cardinium endosymbionts was screened in Spanish Culicoides spp. populations at livestock premises and natural habitats. The first detection of Wolbachia-infected Culicoides spp. in Europe is reported. The putative Palaearctic vectors for bluetongue and Schmallenberg diseases, C. imicola, C. obsoletus (s.s.) and C. pulicaris (s.l.), were infected with Wolbachia. Four genetic clusters of closely-related Wolbachia strains from A and B supergroups were detected infecting Culicoides. Cardinium strain of the C-group was detected in C. obsoletus (s.l.). Both endosymbionts, Wolbachia and Cardinium, were detected in Culicoides species of minor epidemiological relevance as well. Higher prevalence of Wolbachia infection was detected in natural habitats, while livestock premises lead to higher prevalence of Cardinium. Significant differences in the prevalence of Wolbachia, but not Cardinium, were also detected between some Culicoides species and between locations. The presence of Wolbachia and Cardinium endosymbionts in Culicoides is expected to trigger new research towards the control of Culicoides-transmitted diseases. The results of the present study could have an impact beyond the Culicoides arena because successful Wolbachia transfection is possible even across genus and species barriers

Schmallenberg virus detection in <em>Culicoides</em> biting midges in Spain: First laboratory evidence for highly efficient infection of <em>Culicoides</em> of the Obsoletus complex and <em>Culicoides imicola</em>

International audienceSince Schmallenberg disease was discovered in 2011, the disease rapidly spread across Europe. Culicoides biting midges have been implicated as putative Schmallenberg vectors in Europe. The detection of Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in field collected Culicoides was evaluated through retrospective (2011-2012) collections and captures performed in 2013. This study represents the first detection of SBV in field collected Culicoides in Spain. Infectious midges were detected at the foothills of Pyrenees, Aramunt, in the summer 2012. All the specimens infected with Schmallenberg were of the species Culicoides obsoletus s.s. confirming its putative vector status in Spain. Experimental infection on field collected Culicoides provided evidence of atypical high efficiency for SBV vector infection and transmission potential in local populations of Culicoides imicola and in Culicoides of the Obsoletus complex. However, captured individuals of C.imicola were more susceptible to SBV infection than C.obsoletus s.l. (p<.001), with an infection ratio of 0.94 and 0.63, respectively. In contrast, a Culicoides nubeculosus colony appeared to be refractory to SBV infection

Integrated archaeozoological research of shell middens: new insights into hunter-gatherer-fisher coastal exploitation in Tierra del Fuego

Shells of Nacella magellanica are abundant in archaeological shell middens distributed along the Beagle Channel. In this study we analyzed the osigen isotopic composition of shells of this species to obtain information on its seasonal exploitation patterns by bunter-gatberer-fisher groups in this region during the nineteenth century. Oxygen isotopic data from shells recovered from Lanashuata and from some ocupationsc of Túnel VII (both contact sites) indicate that N. magellanicawas gathered in different seasons. Our data agree with fauna-derived seasonal reconstructions, and collectively these data provide more detatled economic scenarios. Comprehensive results confirm that in the nineteenth century. Yamana people continuousty occupied the coast of the Beagle Channel by means of short-lived campsites.Peer reviewe

Additional file 1: Table S1. of First detection of Wolbachia-infected Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Europe: Wolbachia and Cardinium infection across Culicoides communities revealed in Spain

NCBI published sequences used to better reconstruct the evolutionary relationship of Wolbachia and Cardinium isolates. (DOCX 48 kb