Field detection of Tembusu virus in western Thailand by rt-PCR and vector competence determination of select culex mosquitoes for transmission of the virus.

Tembusu virus (TMUV; Ntaya serocomplex) was detected in two pools of mosquitoes captured near Sangkhlaburi, Thailand, as well as from sera from sentinel ducks from the same area. Although TMUV has been isolated from several mosquito species in Asia, no studies have ever shown competent vectors for this virus. Therefore, we allowed mosquitoes captured near Sangkhlaburi to feed on young chickens that had been infected with TMUV.

Evaluation of a field-portable DNA microarray platform and nucleic acid amplification strategies for the detection of arboviruses, arthropods, and bloodmeals.

Highly multiplexed assays, such as microarrays, can benefit arbovirus surveillance by allowing researchers to screen for hundreds of targets at once. We evaluated amplification strategies and the practicality of a portable DNA microarray platform to analyze virus-infected mosquitoes. The prototype microarray design used here targeted the non-structural protein 5, ribosomal RNA, and cytochrome b genes for the detection of flaviviruses, mosquitoes, and bloodmeals, respectively.

A field-expedient method for detection of leptospirosis causative agents in rodents.

We have developed a thermal-stable, pathogenic Leptospira TaqMan PCR assay intended to support pathogen surveillance in reservoir populations. The assay is packaged specifically for use with a portable, ruggedized, real-time PCR thermocycler. Limit of detection was established at ≤ 100 fg (20 organisms).

Japanese encephalitis virus in culicine mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) collected at Daeseongdong, a village in the demilitarized zone of the Republic of Korea.

In total, 22,846 (17,793 culicines and 5,053 Anopheles spp.) female mosquitoes were captured by a Mosquito Magnet trap at Daeseongdong, a small village adjacent to the military demarcation line (center of the demilitarized zone) in northern Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea (ROK). Culicine mosquitoes were identified to species, placed in pools of up to 30 mosquitoes each, and screened for flavivirus using a SYBR Green I-based real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Comparison of PCR and microscopy for the detection of asymptomatic malaria in a Plasmodium falciparum/vivax endemic area in Thailand.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to compare the performance of nested PCR with expert microscopy as a means of detecting Plasmodium parasites during active malaria surveillance in western Thailand.

Methods: The study was performed from May 2000 to April 2002 in the village of Kong Mong Tha, located in western Thailand. Plasmodium vivax (PV) and Plasmodium falciparum (PF) are the predominant parasite species in this village, followed by Plasmodium malariae (PM) and Plasmodium ovale (PO).

Geographical distribution of Anopheles minimus species A and C in western Thailand.

Elucidating vector distribution based on an accurate species identification is important to understanding the nature of the species complex in order to achieve vector control. Morphologically, An. minimus s.

Morphological variations of Anopheles minimus A in Tak Province, Thailand.

Anopheles minimus Theobald is one of the major vectors of malaria throughout the Oriental Region, and it's complex consists of at least 2 sibling species (A and C) in Thailand. This study aimed to determine the morphological variations of wings of An. minimus A and to clarify the specific status of An.

Water quality and breeding habitats of anopheline mosquito in northwestern Thailand.

Malaria transmission is dependent upon many hydrology-driven ecological factors that directly affect the vectorial competence, including the presence of suitable habitats for the development of anopheline larvae. Larval habitats were identified and characterized at three malaria endemic villages (Ban Khun Huay, Ban Pa Dae, and Ban Tham Seau) in Mae Sot district, Tak Province, in northwestern Thailand between July 2002 and June 2003. The Global Positioning System (GPS) was used to provide precise locational data for the spatial distribution of anopheline mosquito larvae and their habitats.