The concentration of Mansonella ozzardi microfilariae in skin capillaries

The densities of microfilariae of Mansonella ozzardi in different regions of the body of infected individuals were studied. The density in venous blood closely approximated to that found in finger capillaries, but was significantly lower than the densities in capillaries of the scapular region and buttocks. A possible explanation for this concentration of microfilariae is the lack of glomi in these two sites, which consequently have a lower flow of blood than areas where glomi occur and where microfilarial densities are lower. No relationship was found between blood and skin densities in the buttocks and scapular region, probably due to the inadequacy of the skin snip method used for the detection of this species of filaria. It was concluded that the most acceptable detection method for M. ozzardi remains the sampling of finger capillary blood. It could not be decided, due to the paucity of data, whether any relationship exists between skin microfilarial densities and the biting sites of the vectors.     

Infection of an Aedes aegypti cell line with infectious arbovirus-antibody complexes

Aedes aegypti cells exposed to infectious complexes of WN or YF virus and homologous antiserum produced lower yields of virus over a 10-day observation period than were produced by Aedes aegypti cells treated with a comparable dose of virus mixed with non-immune serum. When Ae. aegypti cells were infected with WN virus mixed with MVE, NTA, DEN-2 or YF antisera the virus yield over 10 days was lower than in cell cultures infected at similar titres with mixtures of WN virus with non-immune serum. If Ae. aegypti cell cultures were infected with mixtures of YF virus and WN or DEN-2 antiserum the resulting production of virus was lower over 10 days than in virus mixed with non-immune serum.Human serum samples from the field were tested for the presence of antibody by preincubation of the serum with WN virus prior to inoculation on to mosquito cell cultures. The results indicated that this method is as sensitive in detecting antibody as a mouse neutralization test using regression analysis of average survival time.     

Infection of the mosquito Aedes aegypti with infectious west Nile virus-antibody complexes

Aedes aegypti fed through chick skin membranes on West Nile virus-homologous antiserum mixtures shown by an anti-globulin neutralization test to be highly infectious complexes (in terms of plaque formation in tissue culture) failed to become infected. Control mosquitoes fed on West Nile virus—normal rabbit serum mixtures containing similar or smaller amounts of infectious virus were shown to become infected.Mosquitoes ingesting suspensions of West Nile virus previously incubated with Murray Valley encephalitis or Ntaya antiserum became infected at significantly lower rates (P = < 0.05) than controls ingesting West Nile virus—normal rabbit serum mixtures.West Nile virus—17D yellow fever or dengue—2 antiserum mixtures did not produce significantly reduced infection rates in Ae. aegypti when compared to controls.     

Infection and dissemination of dengue virus type 2 in Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Aedes scutellaris from the Torres Strait, Australia

To determine their relative roles in transmission of dengue virus (DENV) in the Torres Strait region of northern Australia, we examined infection and dissemination of a sympatric strain of dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) in Aedes scutellaris, Ae. albopictus, and Ae. aegypti. In experiments using membrane feeders for virus exposure, infection rates were 83% and 43% for Ae. scutellaris and Ae. aegypti, respectively. Salivary gland infection rates for both species were 43%. In experiments using pledgets for virus exposure, infection rates for Ae. aegypti, Ae. scutellaris, and Ae. albopictus were 68%, 55%, and 37%, respectively. Aedes albopictus exhibited the greatest barriers to infection with only 7% tested developing a salivary gland infection, compared to 42% and 24% of Ae. aegypti and Ae. scutellaris, respectively. These results suggest that Ae. scutellaris may have been responsible for DENV transmission on Torres Strait islands, where Ae. aegypti does not occur. In contrast, Ae. albopictus may not be an important vector of DENV-2 from the Torres Strait.     

The prevalence and distribution of Mansonella ozzardi in coastal north Trinidad, W.I.

A day blood smear survey for Mansonella ozzardi in the north coast communities of Trinidad recorded a prevalence of 4.8% in 4,488 persons examined. Prevalence rates were highest in the four western-most communities, where the vector, Culicoides phlebotomus, is a severe nuisance problem. Prevalence rates increased with age and were higher in males than in females. Mean microfilaria densities were low in both sexes up to 50 years of age but in older males the density increased with age. Wuchereria bancrofti infections were detected in five of the ten communities surveyed.     

Experimental infection of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus with dengue viruses

The susceptibility of two Aedes (Stegomyia) species, Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, to infection with dengue virus was assessed using both natural feeding on a viraemic gibbon and a membrane feeding technique. Both species were highly susceptible to dengue virus infection.     

Infection with Mansonella perstans Nematodes in Buruli Ulcer Patients,Ghana

During August 2010–December 2012, we conducted a study of patients in Ghana who had Buruli ulcer, caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, and found that 23% were co-infected with Mansonella perstans nematodes; 13% of controls also had M. perstans infection. M. perstans co-infection should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of Buruli ulcer.     

Frequency of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus larvae and pupae in traps, Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the monthly frequency of larvae and pupae of Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti and other mosquitoe species in tires, and the influence of environmental factors on that. METHODS: The immature stages of mosquitoes were collected monthly from four tires in the municipality of Nova Igua?u, Brazil, from November 1997 to October 1998. The following variables were measured: rainfall, temperature, water volume, water pH. The tires were arranged in a pyramid, one at the base (tire 1) and 3 others (2,3 e 4) laying over it. RESULTS: Were collected 10,310 larvae and 612 pupae. Aedes albopictus was the most common species in both the larval and pupal stages. Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus were collected throughout the year but were more frequent during in the rainy season. The number of Aedes aegypti was significantly correlated with the temperature, rainfall and water volume of the tires. The correlation between water pH and number of larvae was not significant. Aedes albopictus larvae were more frequent in tires left in the shade. CONCLUSIONS: Aedes albopictus was more abundant in tires than Aedes aegypti. Discarded tires seem to be an important source of both Aedes species throughout the year. The favored environmental conditions of the tires, such as water volume and exposure to sunlight differ for Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti.     

Aedes bahamensis: its invasion of south Florida and association with Aedes aegypti

The exotic mosquito, Aedes bahamensis, is now well-established in south Florida, where it is widely distributed throughout Dade and southern Broward Counties in both urban and rural areas east of the Everglades. When discarded automobile tires were sampled in areas near human habitation, larvae and pupae of Ae. bahamensis were frequently found in association with immature Ae. aegypti. Elsewhere, however, Ae. bahamensis generally occurred in the absence of Ae. aegypti. The persistence of Ae. bahamensis populations at specific sites was documented in egg collections from ovitraps and in larval samples from the water retained in discarded tires.