Evidence of Spreading Zika Virus Infection Caused by Males of Different Species

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA flavivirus and is mainly transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. This arbovirus has had a significant impact on health in recent years by causing malformations, such as microcephaly in babies and Guillain–Barré syndrome in adults. Some evidence indicates that ZIKV can be sexually transmitted and may persist in the male reproductive tract for an extended period in humans. Knockout and vasectomized mice have been used as models to reveal ZIKV infection in the male reproductive tract as a virus source. ZIKV presence in male and female mosquito reproductive tracts and eggs point to venereal and vertical/transovarian transmission, again demonstrating that the reproductive tract can be involved in the spread of ZIKV. Moreover, eggs protected by eggshells have the potential to be a ZIKV reservoir. Given the +-lack of vaccines and therapies for Zika fever and the underestimated prevalence rate, an understanding of ZIKV infection and its spread from the reproductive tract, which is protected from the immune system and potentially active for virus transmission, is imperative. We must also develop cheaper, more efficient techniques for virological surveillance inside vectors and humans, control vectors with ecofriendly insecticides, and promote condom use to avoid ZIKV contamination during sexual intercourse, as recommended by the World Health Organization

ATIVIDADES EDUCATIVAS: MÉTODOS PARA A SENSIBILIZAÇÃO DE MANIPULADORES DE ALIMENTOS QUANTO À IMPORTÂNCIA DA ADOÇÃO DE PROCEDIMENTOS DE BOAS PRÁTICAS

As boas práticas (BP) devem ser adotadas pelos gestores dos serviços de alimentação para garantir a qualidade higiênico-sanitária e a conformidade da produção de refeições com a legislação vigente, e neste processo a capacitação dos manipuladores é parte importante. Entretanto, a participação em capacitações não é uma atividade bem recebida pelos manipuladores da maioria dos estabelecimentos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os métodos de capacitação para a sensibilização e estímulo de manipuladores de uma unidade de alimentação e nutrição (UAN) quanto à importância da adoção das BP. A capacitação ocorreu em outubro de 2014 em uma UAN localizada em canteiro de obra na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, que serve cerca de 4000 refeições/dia. Duas turmas de aproximadamente 70 manipuladores participaram das atividades. O contato primário foi apático e levemente hostil em função da realização de uma atividade teórica indesejável para o grupo. Como atividade prática foi simulada a contaminação utilizando um frango de borracha, celular e caldo com fluorescência. Um manipulador foi orientado a "temperar” o frango com o caldo. Foi simulado o toque do celular para avaliar quais cuidados de higiene seriam adotados. Para verificar se houve “contaminação cruzada” foi utilizada luz negra para refletir a fluorescência. Também foram entregues, aos manipuladores, placas de Petri contendo ágar padrão para contagem que foram inoculadas com amostras das mãos, cabelos, brincos, celular e dinheiro. Foi organizada uma competição para verificar qual manipulador apresentava a menor contagem de bactérias nas placas de cultivo após a lavagem supervisionada das mãos. As placas com meio de cultivo foram incubadas à 37 ºC/48h no Laboratório de Microbiologia de Alimentos da UFRJ. Em ambas as turmas, o momento responsável pela mudança de comportamento foi o início das primeiras atividades práticas, em que mesmo os funcionários mais apáticos mostraram interesse e intensa participação.  Após as práticas foi frequente a busca voluntária por maiores informações sobre o tema assim como a solicitação de uso do material didático em casa para mostrar a amigos e familiares.  As atividades práticas foram responsáveis pela avaliação positiva do curso por 100% dos manipuladores capacitados, além de auxiliar na discussão sobre a importância da adoção de procedimentos de BP na UAN

History, epidemiology and diagnostics of dengue in the American and Brazilian contexts: a review

Abstract Dengue virus (DENV), an arbovirus transmitted by mosquitoes, has become a major threat to American human life, reaching approximately 23 million cases from 1980 to 2017. Brazil is among the countries most affected by this terrible viral disease, with 13.6 million cases. DENV has four different serotypes, DENV1-4, which show a broad clinical spectrum. Dengue creates a staggering epidemiological and economic burden for endemic countries. Without a specific therapy and with a commercial vaccine that presents some problems relative to its full effectiveness, initiatives to improve vector control strategies, early disease diagnostics and the development of vaccines and antiviral drugs are priorities. In this study, we present the probable origins of dengue in America and the trajectories of its spread. Overall, dengue diagnostics are costly, making the monitoring of dengue epidemiology more difficult and affecting physicians’ therapeutic decisions regarding dengue patients, especially in developing countries. This review also highlights some recent and important findings regarding dengue in Brazil and the Americas. We also summarize the existing DENV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic tests to provide an improved reference since these tests are useful and accurate at discriminating DENV from other flaviviruses that co-circulate in the Americas. Additionally, these DENV PCR assays ensure virus serotyping, enabling epidemiologic monitoring

Additional file 1: of History, epidemiology and diagnostics of dengue in the American and Brazilian contexts: a review

Table S1. Cases of dengue. Brazil, major regions and federated units, 1990 to 2017. (DOCX 20 kb

Aedes aegypti post-emergence transcriptome: Unveiling the molecular basis for the hematophagic and gonotrophic capacitation.

The adult females of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are facultative hematophagous insects but they are unable to feed on blood right after pupae emergence. The maturation process that takes place during the first post-emergence days, hereafter named hematophagic and gonotrophic capacitation, comprises a set of molecular and physiological changes that prepare the females for the first gonotrophic cycle. Notwithstanding, the molecular bases underlying mosquito hematophagic and gonotrophic capacitation remain obscure. Here, we investigated the molecular and biochemical changes in adult Ae. aegypti along the first four days post-emergence, prior to a blood meal. We performed a RNA-Seq analysis of the head and body, comparing male and female gene expression time courses. A total of 811 and 203 genes were differentially expressed, respectively in the body and head, and both body parts showed early, mid, and late female-specific expression profiles. Female-specific up-regulation of genes involved in muscle development and the oxidative phosphorylation pathway were remarkable features observed in the head. Functional assessment of mitochondrial oxygen consumption in heads showed a gradual increase in respiratory capacity and ATP-linked respiration as a consequence of induced mitochondrial biogenesis and content over time. This pattern strongly suggests that boosting oxidative phosphorylation in heads is a required step towards blood sucking habit. Several salivary gland genes, proteases, and genes involved in DNA replication and repair, ribosome biogenesis, and juvenile hormone signaling were up-regulated specifically in the female body, which may reflect the gonotrophic capacitation. This comprehensive description of molecular and biochemical mechanisms of the hematophagic and gonotrophic capacitation in mosquitoes unravels potentially new targets for vector control