Convergent habitat segregation of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera : Culicidae) in southeastern Brazil and Florida

During the rainy season of 2001, the incidence of the dengue vectors Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus was examined in different habitats of two cities (Rio de Janeiro and Nova Iguacu) in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, and in two cities (Palm Beach and Boca Raton) in Florida. Oviposition trap collections were performed in urban, suburban, and rural habitats in both areas. Our hypothesis that the abundances and frequencies of occurrence of Ae. aegypti and Ae albopictus are affected in opposite ways by increasing urbanization was only partially supported. City, habitat, and their interaction significantly affected the abundance of both species. Cities with high abundance of Ae. aegypti also had a high abundance of Ae. albopictus. The two species were most abundant in the cities of Rio de Janeiro state and the lowest in Boca Raton. Habitat bad a significant but opposite effect on the abundances of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. In general, Ae. aegypti was most prevalent in highly urbanized areas and Ae. albopictus in rural, suburban, and vegetated urban areas in Rio de Janeiro state and Florida. However, abundances of the two species were similar in most suburban areas. Analyses of frequencies of occurrence showed an unexpected high level of co-occurrence of both species in the same oviposition trap. Despite the different geographical origins of Ae. albopictus in Brazil and the United States, the habitats used by this recent invader are remarkably similar in the two countries

Prioritizing Emerging Zoonoses in The Netherlands

Background: To support the development of early warning and surveillance systems of emerging zoonoses, we present a general method to prioritize pathogens using a quantitative, stochastic multi-criteria model, parameterized for the Netherlands. Methodology/Principal Findings: A risk score was based on seven criteria, reflecting assessments of the epidemiology and impact of these pathogens on society. Criteria were weighed, based on the preferences of a panel of judges with a background in infectious disease control. Conclusions/Significance: Pathogens with the highest risk for the Netherlands included pathogens in the livestock reservoir with a high actual human disease burden (e.g. Campylobacter spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Coxiella burnetii) or a low current but higher historic burden (e.g. Mycobacterium bovis), rare zoonotic pathogens in domestic animals with severe disease manifestations in humans (e.g. BSE prion, Capnocytophaga canimorsus) as well as arthropod-borne and wildlife associated pathogens which may pose a severe risk in future (e.g. Japanese encephalitis virus and West-Nile virus). These agents are key targets for development of early warning and surveillance.Infrastructures, Systems and ServicesTechnology, Policy and Managemen

Towards an integrated approach in surveillance of vector-borne diseases in Europe

Vector borne disease (VBD) emergence is a complex and dynamic process. Interactions between multiple disciplines and responsible health and environmental authorities are often needed for an effective early warning, surveillance and control of vectors and the diseases they transmit. To fully appreciate this complexity, integrated knowledge about the human and the vector population is desirable. In the current paper, important parameters and terms of both public health and medical entomology are defined in order to establish a common language that facilitates collaboration between the two disciplines. Special focus is put on the different VBD contexts with respect to the current presence or absence of the disease, the pathogen and the vector in a given location. Depending on the context, whether a VBD is endemic or not, surveillance activities are required to assess disease burden or threat, respectively. Following a decision for action, surveillance activities continue to assess trends

Complete mitogenome sequences of Aedes (Howardina) busckii and Aedes (Ochlerotatus) taeniorhynchus from the Caribbean Island of Saba

We report the complete mitogenome (Mt) sequences of Aedes (Howardina) busckii and Aedes (Ochlerotatus) taeniorhynchus. The sequences were extracted from one individual per species from the Dutch Leeward Island of Saba. The length of the Ae. busckii Mt was 16,794 bp with 80.6% AT content. The Ae. taeniorhynchus Mt was 16,216 bp long with 79.8% AT content. These are the first full Mt sequences available for these species

<i>M</i>.<i>anisopliae</i> conidia attached to front tarsal segments of a male of <i>Ae</i>. <i>aegypti</i>.

<p>Intersection of gray line denotes the conidia layer pasted on the tarsi and white arrows show the polyhedronic shapes of conidia clusters which appeared pasted on tarsal segments.</p

Daily number of <i>Ae</i>. <i>aegypti</i> female mosquitoes mated by a fungus-exposed and an uninfected male in a greenhouse.

<p>Data are the least square means (LSMs) ± standard error (SE) number of <i>Ae</i>. <i>aegypti</i> female mosquitoes in five “copulation status” (combination of insemination or not/<i>M</i>. <i>anisopliae</i>-infection). LSMs were calculated by a glimmix model from 10 replicates. Different letters above bars denote significant differences (p < 0.05) accordingly to pair-wise <i>t</i> tests conducted by Tukey-Cramer multiple comparisons.</p

Daily number of <i>Ae</i>. <i>aegypti</i> females mated by a <i>M</i>. <i>anisopliae</i>-exposed male and an uninfected one in laboratory.

<p>Data is the least square means (LSMs) ± standard error (SE) number of <i>Ae</i>. <i>aegypti</i> female mosquitoes in each insemination class calculated with a glimmix model from 10 replicates. Different letters above bars denote significant differences (p < 0.05) accordingly to by pair-wise Student <i>t</i> tests ran by Tukey-Cramer multiple comparisons.</p

<i>Aedes aegypti</i> mosquito adults marked with fluorescent powders.

<p>A: <i>M</i>. <i>anisopliae</i>-exposed male marked with red fluorescent powder. B: Uninfected male marked with yellow powder. C: A female mosquito that was mated by both fungus-exposed male and uninfected one, showing spots of powder of both colors on the last abdominal segments (red and yellow arrows).</p