An overview of mosquito vectors of Zika virus
Publication date: Available online 2 March 2018Source: Microbes and InfectionAuthor(s): Sébastien Boyer, Elodie Calvez, Thais Chouin-Carneiro, Diawo Diallo, Anna-Bella FaillouxAbstractThe mosquito-borne arbovirus Zika virus (ZIKV, Flavivirus, Flaviviridae), has caused an outbreak impressive by its magnitude and rapid spread. First detected in Uganda in Africa in 1947, from where it spread to Asia in the 1960s, it emerged in 2007 on the Yap Island in Micronesia and hit most islands in the Pacific region in 2013. Subsequently, ZIKV was detected in the Caribbean, and Central and South America in 2015, and reached North Ameri...
Source: Microbes and Infection - July 10, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research
The Little-known Freshwater Metopid Ciliate, Idiometopus turbo (Dragesco and Dragesco-Kernéis, 1986) nov. gen., nov. comb., Originally Discovered in Africa, Found on the Micronesian Island of Guam
Publication date: August 2018Source: Protist, Volume 169, Issue 4Author(s): William Bourland, Johana Rotterová, Xiaotian Luo, Ivan ČepičkaClass Armophorea Lynn, 2004 includes two orders of mainly free-living anaerobic ciliates, Armophorida Jankowski, 1980 and Metopida Jankowski, 1980 and, a third, the exclusively endosymbiotic Clevelandellida. Kahl described the majority of free-living metopid species early in the 20th century. Excepting Jankowski in the 1960’s, little further interest was shown in this group. Metopus turbo Dragesco and Dragesco-Kernéis, 1986, from a West African pond, was more recently described. Al...
Source: Protist - July 10, 2018 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Developing an obesity intervention in Micronesia: From needs assessment to planning
Publication date: August 2018Source: Evaluation and Program Planning, Volume 69Author(s): Ann Futterman Collier, Suzanne Daiss, Everlynn Temengil, Samantha Cody Russell, Julia Caroline Miller, Fumiana M. RenguulAbstractEvidence-based obesity reduction programs in the Pacific are scarce to nonexistent. Using a community-based participatory research model (CBPR) we developed a collaboration between our university and a small Pacific Island nation. We established an advisory council of local stakeholders and then conducted an extensive needs assessment with youth, parents, professionals, and lay public. Only 9% of participant...
Source: Evaluation and Program Planning - July 5, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research
An overview of mosquito vectors of Zika virus
Publication date: Available online 2 March 2018Source: Microbes and InfectionAuthor(s): Sébastien Boyer, Elodie Calvez, Thais Chouin-Carneiro, Diawo Diallo, Anna-Bella FaillouxAbstractThe mosquito-borne arbovirus Zika virus (ZIKV, Flavivirus, Flaviviridae), has caused an outbreak impressive by its magnitude and rapid spread. First detected in Uganda in Africa in 1947, from where it spread to Asia in the 1960s, it emerged in 2007 on the Yap Island in Micronesia and hit most islands in the Pacific region in 2013. Subsequently, ZIKV was detected in the Caribbean, and Central and South America in 2015, and reached North Ameri...
Source: Microbes and Infection - July 5, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research
Human Strongyloidiasis in Hawaii: A Retrospective Review of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Serodiagnostic Testing.
Abstract
Human strongyloidiasis is widely prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide but is not endemic in Hawaii. Subclinical, chronic infections may be lifelong; immunosuppressive therapy, particularly with glucocorticoids, may lead to serious or fatal disseminated disease, which is preventable. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients tested for Strongyloides IgG antibody in an academic medical center in Honolulu, Hawaii, from 2005 to 2012. Of the 475 patients tested, 78 (16%) were seropositive. The largest proportion of seropositive cases was found among Micronesians (30%), Polyne...
Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene - June 25, 2018 Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Akiyama M, Brown JD Tags: Am J Trop Med Hyg Source Type: research
The Little-known Freshwater Metopid Ciliate, Idiometopus turbo (Dragesco and Dragesco-Kern éis, 1986) nov. gen., nov. comb., Originally Discovered in Africa, Found on the Micronesian Island of Guam
Publication date: Available online 26 May 2018 Source:Protist Author(s): William Bourland, Johana Rotterová, Xiaotian Luo, Ivan Čepička Class Armophorea Lynn, 2004 includes two orders of mainly free-living anaerobic ciliates, Armophorida Jankowski, 1980 and Metopida Jankowski, 1980 and the exclusively endosymbiotic Clevelandellida. Kahl described the majority of free-living metopid species early in the 20th century. Excepting Jankowski in the 1960's, little further interest was shown in this group. Metopus turbo Dragesco and Dragesco-Kernéis, 1986, from a West African pond, was more recently described. Although n...
Source: Protist - May 27, 2018 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Vaccination Coverage Among Children Aged 2 Years - U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands, April-October, 2016.
Abstract
Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) cause substantial morbidity and mortality in the United States Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI).* CDC collaborates with USAPI immunization programs to monitor vaccination coverage. In 2016, † USAPI immunization programs and CDC piloted a method for estimating up-to-date status among children aged 2 years using medical record abstraction to ascertain regional vaccination coverage. This was the first concurrent assessment of childhood vaccination coverage across five USAPI jurisdictions (American Samoa; Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia [FSM]; Common...
Source: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl... - May 25, 2018 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Tippins A, Murthy N, Meghani M, Solsman A, Apaisam C, Basilius M, Eckert M, Judicpa P, Masunu Y, Pistotnik K, Pedro D, Sasamoto J, Underwood JM Tags: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Source Type: research
A systematic review of human and animal leptospirosis in the Pacific Islands reveals pathogen and reservoir diversity
Conclusions/SignificanceOur study suggests that, as in other tropical regions, leptospirosis is widespread in the PIs while showing some epidemiological heterogeneity. Data are scarce or absent from many PIs. Rodents, cattle, pigs and dogs are all likely to be important carriers, but the relative importance of each animal species in human infection needs to be clarified. Epidemiological surveys with appropriate sampling design, pathogen typing and data analysis are needed to improve our understanding of transmission patterns and to develop effective intervention strategies. (Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases)
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - May 14, 2018 Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Vanina Guernier Source Type: research
Zika virus outbreak in Suriname, a report based on laboratory surveillance data
This article describes the laboratory based surveillance system in Suriname and the incidence of confirmed cases of ZIKV infection according to sex, age, and spatial and temporal distribution
Methods
General practitioners and public health centers located in different districts of Suriname were asked to send blood samples from suspicious cases to Academic Hospital for molecular diagnosis of Zika virus infection. In particular, in cases involving pregnant women, samples were screened for free upon request. Viral RNA was extracted from blood and urine samples using a RNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). An in-house...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - May 10, 2018 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Claude Flamand Source Type: research
Developing an Obesity Intervention in Micronesia: From Needs Assessment to Planning
Publication date: Available online 5 April 2018 Source:Evaluation and Program Planning Author(s): Ann Futterman Collier, Suzanne Daiss, Everlynn Temengil, Samantha Cody Russell, Julia Caroline Miller, Fumiana M. Renguul (Source: Evaluation and Program Planning)
Source: Evaluation and Program Planning - April 6, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research
Epidemiology of the Zika Virus Outbreak in the Cabo Verde Islands, West Africa
Conclusions
With an AR ranging from 42% to 61%, our findings suggest that between ~221,000 to ~329,000 people may have been infected with ZIKV during the recent outbreak in Cabo Verde. Was the viral lineage that caused this large outbreak in Cabo Verde introduced from the Americas or from another African country? A rapid assessment of the global air travel network suggests the presence of similar ecologies and direct air travel connections between the northeast of Brazil and Santiago island where most cases were observed. Given the timing of the epidemic (Figure 1a) and the high number of travellers visiting Cabo Verde fro...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - March 15, 2018 Category: Epidemiology Authors: jose.lourenco at zoo.ox.ac.uk Source Type: research
An overview of mosquito vectors of Zika virus
Publication date: Available online 2 March 2018 Source:Microbes and Infection Author(s): Sébastien Boyer, Elodie Calvez, Thais Chouin-Carneiro, Diawo Diallo, Failloux Anna-Bella The mosquito-borne arbovirus Zika virus (ZIKV, Flavivirus, Flaviviridae), has caused an outbreak impressive by its magnitude and rapid spread. First detected in Uganda in Africa in 1947, from where it spread to Asia in the 1960s, it emerged in 2007 on the Yap Island in Micronesia and hit most islands in the Pacific region in 2013. Subsequently, ZIKV was detected in the Caribbean, and Central and South America in 2015, and reached North Amer...
Source: Microbes and Infection - March 3, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research
Corallibacterium pacifica gen. nov., sp. nov., a Novel Bacterium of the Family Vibrionaceae Isolated from Hard Coral.
Abstract
A gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile, oxidase- and catalase-positive, non-pigmented marine bacterium, designated strain OS-11M-2T, was isolated from a coral sample collected from the Osakura coastal area in Micronesia. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequences indicated that strain OS-11M-2T is a member of the family Vibrionaceae, its closest neighbors being Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida NCIMB 2058T (94.9%), Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae CIP 102761T (94.75%), Grimontia marina IMCC5001T (94.5%), Enterovibrio coralii LMG 22228T (94.5%), and Grimontia ...
Source: Current Microbiology - February 20, 2018 Category: Microbiology Authors: Hettiarachchi SA, Lee SJ, Lee Y, Kwon YK, Kwon KK, Yang SH, Jo E, Kang DH, Oh C Tags: Curr Microbiol Source Type: research
[The Recent Epidemic Spread of Zika Virus Disease].
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is one of the members of the Spondweni serocomplex within the genus Flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae. The virus was first isolated from a serum specimen from a sentinel non-human primate in the Zika forest of Uganda in 1947. ZIKV is transmitted by Aedes aegypti and A. albopictus in an urban cycle and maintained in a sylvatic cycle between Aedes mosquitoes and monkeys in Africa and Asia. Initially, the virus was thought to cause only mild and nonspecific clinical symptoms in humans. However, ZIKV became a serious public health concern in recent years due to an association wit...
Source: Uirusu. Journal of Virology - December 31, 2017 Category: Virology Authors: Lim CK Tags: Uirusu Source Type: research
