Casos importados e autóctones na dinâmica da epidemia de dengue no Brasil

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the basic reproduction number (R0) of dengue fever including both imported and autochthonous cases. METHODS: The study was conducted based on epidemiological data of the 2003 dengue epidemic in Brasília, Brazil. The basic reproduction number is estimated from the epidemic curve, fitting linearly the increase of initial cases. Aiming at simulating an epidemic with both autochthonous and imported cases, a "susceptible-infectious-resistant" compartmental model was designed, in which the imported cases were considered as an external forcing. The ratio between R0 of imported versus autochthonous cases was used as an estimator of real R0. RESULTS: The comparison of both reproduction numbers (only autochthonous versus all cases) showed that considering all cases as autochthonous yielded a R0 above one, although the real R0 was below one. The same results were seen when the method was applied on simulated epidemics with fixed R0. This method was also compared to some previous proposed methods by other authors and showed that the latter underestimated R0 values. CONCLUSIONS: It was shown that the inclusion of both imported and autochthonous cases is crucial for the modeling of the epidemic dynamics, and thus provides critical information for decision makers in charge of prevention and control of this disease.OBJETIVO: Estimar el número de reproducción básica (R0) de la fiebre del dengue incluyendo casos importados y autóctonos. MÉTODOS: El estudio fue realizado basándose en datos epidemiológicos de la epidemia del dengue ocurrida en Brasilia, Districto Federal de Brasil, en el 2003. El número de reproducción básica es estimado de la curva epidémica, fijando el incremento lineal de los casos iniciales. Señalando casos importados y autóctonos en una simulación epidémica, fue diseñado un compartimiento "infeccioso-susceptible-resistente", en el cual los casos importados fueron considerados una fuerza externa. La tasa entre R0 de casos importados versus casos autóctonos fue usado como una estimación real de R0. RESULTADOS: La comparación de ambos números de reproducción (sólo autóctonos versus todos los casos) mostró que considerando todos los casos como autóctonos produjo un R0 por encima de uno, a pesar de que el valor real de R0 era menor que uno. Los mismos resultados fueron obtenidos cuando se aplicó el método a epidemias simuladas con valor fijo de R0. Este método fue también comparado con métodos propuestos anteriormente por otros autores y mostró los mismos valores subestimados de R0. CONCLUSIONES: Fue demostrado que la inclusión de casos importados y autóctonos es crucial para el modelaje de dinámicas epidémicas, y que provee información crítica para aquellos que participan en la toma de decisiones en la prevención y control de esta enfermedad.OBJETIVO: Estimar o número básico de reprodução da dengue (R0), com base nos casos importados, além dos casos autóctones. MÉTODOS: O estudo foi feito sobre dados epidemiológicos da epidemia de dengue em Brasília, 2003. O número básico de reprodução é determinado a partir da curva epidêmica, ajustando uma reta ao crescimento inicial do número de casos. Para simular uma epidemia com casos autóctones e importados, foi criado um modelo compartimentado do tipo "suscetíveis-infectados-resistentes". O R0 real foi estimado pela fração entre R0 dos casos autóctones e dos importados. RESULTADOS: A comparação de ambos valores de reprodução (apenas autóctones versus todos os casos) mostrou que considerando todos casos como autóctones, o valor de R0 foi superior a um, enquanto o R0 real era inferior a um. O mesmo resultado foi obtido com o conjunto de dados simulando uma epidemia com R0 fixo. O método foi também comparado a outros, observando-se que estes últimos subestimaram os valores do R0. CONCLUSÕES: A inclusão de tanto casos autóctones como os importados é essencial para modelar a dinâmica da epidemia, possibilitando informação crítica aos tomadores de decisão, responsáveis pelo controle da doença

Yellow fever virus envelope protein expressed in insect cells is capable of syncytium formation in lepidopteran cells and could be used for immunodetection of YFV in human sera

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Yellow fever is an haemorrhagic disease caused by a virus that belongs to the genus Flavivirus (Flaviviridae family) and is transmitted by mosquitoes. Among the viral proteins, the envelope protein (E) is the most studied one, due to its high antigenic potencial. Baculovirus are one of the most popular and efficient eukaryotic expression system. In this study a recombinant baculovirus (vSynYFE) containing the envelope gene (<it>env</it>) of the 17D vaccine strain of yellow fever virus was constructed and the recombinant protein antigenicity was tested.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Insect cells infected with vSynYFE showed syncytium formation, which is a cytopathic effect characteristic of flavivirus infection and expressed a polypeptide of around 54 kDa, which corresponds to the expected size of the recombinant E protein. Furthermore, the recombinant E protein expression was also confirmed by fluorescence microscopy of vSynYFE-infected insect cells. Total vSynYFE-infected insect extracts used as antigens detected the presence of antibodies for yellow fever virus in human sera derived from yellow fever-infected patients in an immunoassay and did not cross react with sera from dengue virus-infected patients.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The E protein expressed by the recombinant baculovirus in insect cells is antigenically similar to the wild protein and it may be useful for different medical applications, from improved diagnosis of the disease to source of antigens for the development of a subunit vaccine.</p

Offline Decoding of Upper Limb Muscle Synergies from EEG Slow Cortical Potentials

Muscle synergies are thought to be the building blocks used by the central nervous system to control the underdetermined problem of muscles activation. Decoding these synergies from EEG could provide useful tools for BCI-controlled orthotic devices. In this paper, we assess the possibility of decoding muscle synergies from EEG slow cortical potentials in two healthy subjects and two stroke patients performing a center-out reaching task. We were able to successfully decode the extracted muscle synergies in both healthy subject and one patient

Scanning electron microscopy study of the egg of Haemagogus (Haemagogus) capricornii Lutz, 1904 (Diptera: Culicidae)

Morphological details are provided for the dorsal and ventral surfaces of both extremities and the micropylar area of eggs of Haemagogus (Haemagogus) capricornii Lutz, captured in the Biological Reserve of Tinguá, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The eggs were observed by scanning electron microscopy with a morphometrical analysis of the main structures. The outer chorionic cells on the ventral surface were extremely regular, such as those observed in Hg. equinus and Hg. janthinomys. The tubercles present differences in form, size, and distribution. Filaments to attach to the substrate were observed in this species

Aedes albopictus pode não ser vetor da dengue durante epidemias no Brasil

Mais de 60.500 casos de dengue foram notificados no Espírito Santo, entre 1995 e 1998. Realizou-se estudo com o objetivo de averiguar se o mosquito Aedes albopictus estava transmitindo o vírus durante uma epidemia em Vila Bethânia (Viana), no sudeste de Vitória, capital capixaba. De 3 a 9 de abril de 1998, amostras de sangue e (ou) soro de pacientes foram coletadas e os mosquitos foram capturados diariamente, tanto para isolamento viral como para testes sorológicos. Em onze casos autóctonos, quatro foram confirmados por isolamento do vírus DEN 1, e dois por reação MAC ELISA Dos 37 Ae. aegypti e 200 Ae. albopictus adultos capturados e inoculados, apenas uma amostra de vírus DEN 1 foi obtida de um lote de duas fêmeas de Ae. aegypti. Os resultados sugerem que a espécie Ae. albopictus ainda não pode ser considerada um vetor inter-humano durante epidemias de dengue no Brasil.Over 60,500 dengue cases were reported in the state of Espírito Santo (ES), Brazil, between 1995 and 1998. The study's purpose was to identify whether Aedes albopictus was transmitting the dengue virus during an epidemic in the locality of Vila Bethânia (Viana County),Vitória, ES. From April 3 to 9, 1998, blood and serum samples were collected daily for virus isolation and serological testing. Four autochthonous cases were confirmed through DEN 1 virus isolation and two autochthonous cases through MAC ELISA testing. Of 37 Ae. aegypti and 200 Ae. albopictus adult mosquitoes collected and inoculated, DEN1 virus was isolated only from a pool of two Ae. aegypti female mosquitoes. The study results suggest that Ae. albopictus still cannot be considered an inter-human vector in dengue epidemics in Brazil

Susceptibility of Aedes aegypti larvae to the insecticide temephos in the Federal District, Brazil

OBJETIVO: Estudar o padrão de suscetibilidade do Aedes aegypti ao inseticida organofosforado temefós. MÉTODOS: Amostras de larvas de Ae. aegypti foram obtidas com armadilhas para oviposição, em oito cidades do Distrito Federal, nos anos 2000 e 2001. As larvas foram submetidas à dose diagnóstica de 0,012 mg/l de temefós, segundo metodologia padronizada pela Organização Mundial da Saúde. As populações de campo foram testadas em paralelo com a cepa de referência Rockefeller e a cepa DIVAL, do insetário da Diretoria de Vigilância Ambiental. A concentração e a pureza das soluções de temefós foram analisadas por cromatografia gasosa. Os cálculos de correlação foram determinados pelo programa StatView — SAS Institute Inc., versão 5. Utilizou-se o teste t de Student para verificar diferenças de suscetibilidade, com níveis de significância, a=0,05. RESULTADOS: Em 2000, as populações de larvas de Ae. aegypti nas cidades de Taguatinga, Guará e Núcleo Bandeirante apresentaram-se resistentes ao temefós, com mortalidade de larvas entre 54,1 e 63,4%. As populações do Gama, Planaltina e Sobradinho apresentaram alterações nos níveis de suscetibilidade (mortalidade de 83,6 a 92,8%). A população de Ceilândia foi a única suscetível, com 98% de mortalidade. Em 2001, todas as populações testadas mostraram-se resistentes (44,4 a 66,4% de mortalidade). Nenhuma correlação significativa foi encontrada entre a suscetibilidade das populações e a distância entre essas cidades ou a quantidade de inseticida aplicado nos anos anteriores ao estudo. CONCLUSÕES: Os níveis de suscetibilidade do Ae. aegypti ao temefós vêm se alterando no Distrito Federal. É essencial a continuidade de programas de monitoramento da resistência desse vetor aos inseticidas para se garantir a eficiência dos programas de controle e a proteção da saúde humana.Objective: To study the susceptibility status of Aedes aegypti to the organophosphate insecticide temephos. Methods Samples of Ae. aegypti larvae were obtained, using ovitraps, from eight cities of the Federal District, central Brazil, in 2000 and 2001. Larvae were submitted to the diagnostic dose of 0.012 mg/l temephos, as recommended by standard World Health Organization methodology. Field populations were tested in parallel with reference strains Rockefeller and DIVAL, from the Environmental Surveillance Directory (DIVAL) insectary. The concentration and purity of temephos solutions were verified by gas chromatography. Correlation calculations were performed using StatView – SAS Institute Inc., version 5. Student’s t test was used for detecting differences in susceptibility, with significance levels of =0.05. Results In 2000, Ae. aegypti larvae populations from Taguatinga, Guará, and Núcleo Bandeirante showed resistance to temephos, with mortality ranging from 54.1 to 63.4%. The populations from Gama, Planaltina, and Sobradinho showed altered levels of susceptibility (mortality ranging from 83.6 to 92.8%). The population from Ceilândia was the only susceptible one, with 98% mortality. In 2001, all populations tested were resistant (44.4 to 66.4% mortality). No significant correlation was found between the susceptibility of populations and the distance between the cities of origin, or the amount of insecticide applied in the years preceding the study. Conclusions Ae. aegypti susceptibility to temephos is changing in the Federal District. It is essential to continue monitoring the resistance of this vector to insecticides in order to ensure the efficiency of programs aimed at vector control and at the protection of human health

Suscetibilidade de larvas de Aedes aegypti ao inseticida temefós no Distrito Federal

OBJECTIVE: To study the susceptibility status of Aedes aegypti to the organophosphate insecticide temephos. METHODS: Samples of Ae. aegypti larvae were obtained, using ovitraps, from eight cities of the Federal District, central Brazil, in 2000 and 2001. Larvae were submitted to the diagnostic dose of 0.012 mg/l temephos, as recommended by standard World Health Organization methodology. Field populations were tested in parallel with reference strains Rockefeller and DIVAL, from the Environmental Surveillance Directory (DIVAL) insectary. The concentration and purity of temephos solutions were verified by gas chromatography. Correlation calculations were performed using StatView - SAS Institute Inc., version 5. Student's t test was used for detecting differences in susceptibility, with significance levels of alpha=0.05. RESULTS: In 2000, Ae. aegypti larvae populations from Taguatinga, Guará, and Núcleo Bandeirante showed resistance to temephos, with mortality ranging from 54.1 to 63.4%. The populations from Gama, Planaltina, and Sobradinho showed altered levels of susceptibility (mortality ranging from 83.6 to 92.8%). The population from Ceilândia was the only susceptible one, with 98% mortality. In 2001, all populations tested were resistant (44.4 to 66.4% mortality). No significant correlation was found between the susceptibility of populations and the distance between the cities of origin, or the amount of insecticide applied in the years preceding the study. CONCLUSIONS: Ae. aegypti susceptibility to temephos is changing in the Federal District. It is essential to continue monitoring the resistance of this vector to insecticides in order to ensure the efficiency of programs aimed at vector control and at the protection of human health.OBJETIVO: Estudar o padrão de suscetibilidade do Aedes aegypti ao inseticida organofosforado temefós. MÉTODOS: Amostras de larvas de Ae. aegypti foram obtidas com armadilhas para oviposição, em oito cidades do Distrito Federal, nos anos 2000 e 2001. As larvas foram submetidas à dose diagnóstica de 0,012 mg/l de temefós, segundo metodologia padronizada pela Organização Mundial da Saúde. As populações de campo foram testadas em paralelo com a cepa de referência Rockefeller e a cepa DIVAL, do insetário da Diretoria de Vigilância Ambiental. A concentração e a pureza das soluções de temefós foram analisadas por cromatografia gasosa. Os cálculos de correlação foram determinados pelo programa StatView - SAS Institute Inc., versão 5. Utilizou-se o teste t de Student para verificar diferenças de suscetibilidade, com níveis de significância, alfa=0,05. RESULTADOS: Em 2000, as populações de larvas de Ae. aegypti nas cidades de Taguatinga, Guará e Núcleo Bandeirante apresentaram-se resistentes ao temefós, com mortalidade de larvas entre 54,1 e 63,4%. As populações do Gama, Planaltina e Sobradinho apresentaram alterações nos níveis de suscetibilidade (mortalidade de 83,6 a 92,8%). A população de Ceilândia foi a única suscetível, com 98% de mortalidade. Em 2001, todas as populações testadas mostraram-se resistentes (44,4 a 66,4% de mortalidade). Nenhuma correlação significativa foi encontrada entre a suscetibilidade das populações e a distância entre essas cidades ou a quantidade de inseticida aplicado nos anos anteriores ao estudo. CONCLUSÕES: Os níveis de suscetibilidade do Ae. aegypti ao temefós vêm se alterando no Distrito Federal. É essencial a continuidade de programas de monitoramento da resistência desse vetor aos inseticidas para se garantir a eficiência dos programas de controle e a proteção da saúde humana

An Epidemic of Sylvatic Yellow Fever in the Southeast Region of Maranhao State, Brazil, 1993–1994: Epidemiologic and Entomologic Findings

Ministério da Saúde. Fundação Nacional de Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Fundação Nacional de Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Fundação Nacional de Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil/ Institut Français de Recherche Scientifique pour le Developpement. Marseille, France.Ministério da Saúde. Fundação Nacional de Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Fundação Nacional de Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Fundação Nacional de Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Fundação Nacional de Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil / Institut Français de Recherche Scientifique pour le Developpement. Marseille, France.Ministério da Saúde. Fundação Nacional de Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, BrasilMinistério da Saúde. Fundação Nacional de Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Yellow fever virus transmission was very active in Maranhao State in Brazil in 1993 and 1994. An investigation was carried out to evaluate the magnitude of the epidemic. In 1993, a total of 932 people was examined for yellow fever from Maranhao: 70 were positive serologically, histopathologically, and/or by virus isolation, and another four cases were diagnosed clinically and epidemiologically. In Mirador (17,565 inhabitants), the incidence was 3.5 per 1,000 people (case fatality rate [number of deaths/number of cases diagnosed] = 16.4 percent), while in a rural yellow fever risk area (14,659 inhabitants), the incidence was 4.2 and the case-fatality rate was 16.1 percent (10 of 62). A total of 45.2 percent (28 of 62) asymptomatic infections were registered. In 1994, 49 serum samples were obtained and 16 cases were confirmed (two by virus isolation, two by seroconversion, and 12 by serology). No fatal cases were reported. In 1993, 936 potential yellow fever vectors were captured in Mirador and a single strain was isolated from a pool of Haemagogus janthinomys (infection rate = 0.16 percent). In 1994, 16 strains were isolated from 1,318 Hg. janthinomys (infection rate = 1.34 percent) and one Sabethes chloropterus (infection rate = 1.67 percent). Our results suggest that this was the most extensive outbreak of yellow fever in the last 20 years in Brazil. It is also clear that the lack of vaccination was the principal reason for the epidemic, which occurred between April and June, during the rainy season, a period in which the mosquito population in the forest increases