Publications by authors named "Ana M B de Filippis"
Dengue virus circulation is on the rise globally, with increased epidemic activity in previously unaffected countries, including within Europe. In 2023, global dengue activity peaked, and Italy reported the highest number of dengue cases and local chains of transmission to date. By curating several sources of information, we introduce a novel data repository focused on dengue reporting in Italy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCoinfection with Canine Distemper Virus and Yellow Fever Virus in a Neotropical Primate in Brazil.
Viruses
October 2024
We describe a natural coinfection with canine distemper virus (CDV) and yellow fever virus in a free-ranging neotropical primate of the genus , found dead in the northeastern region of Brazil. The laboratory diagnosis included histopathology, immunohistochemistry, rRT-PCR, and phylogenetic analyses. The CDV sequences from this primate in Brazil represent a divergent lineage in Rio Grande do Norte, closely related to genotypes EU1/South America 1 and South America 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF: The chikungunya virus (CHIKV), transmitted by infected Aedes mosquitoes, has caused a significant number of infections worldwide. In Brazil, the emergence of the CHIKV-ECSA genotype in 2014 posed a major public health challenge due to its association with more severe symptoms. : This study aimed to shed new light on the host immune response by examining the whole-blood transcriptomic profile of both CHIKV-acute and chronically infected individuals from Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil, a region heavily affected by CHIKV, Dengue, and Zika virus epidemics.
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- Oropouche virus (OROV) is an arbovirus that has spread beyond its usual Amazon basin habitat, with a significant outbreak occurring in the Brazilian Amazon during 2023-24, leading to cases in other Latin American countries.
- A genomic and epidemiological study from January 2023 to July 2024 showed a higher incidence of OROV in smaller municipalities, and a correlation between agricultural area sizes, particularly banana and cassava plantations, and the number of OROV cases.
- Phylogenetic analysis indicated multiple exportation events of a new reassortant lineage of OROV from Amazon regions to other parts of Brazil occurred between January and March 2024.
Integrated analyses of the transmission history of SARS-CoV-2 and its association with molecular evolution of the virus underlining the pandemic outbreaks in Italy, 2019-2023.
Int J Infect Dis
December 2024
Article Synopsis
- * An analysis of viral genome sequences combined with epidemiological data revealed that Italy experienced four significant epidemic waves between 2021 and 2023, marked by reduced fatalities and influenced by variants like Alpha, Delta, and Omicron.
- * This study emphasizes the need for adaptable public health strategies and continuous genomic surveillance to effectively track virus evolution and prepare for potential future outbreaks.
Background: Dengue fever remains a significant public health challenge in tropical and subtropical regions, with its transmission dynamics being influenced by both environmental factors and human mobility. The Dominican Republic, a biodiversity hotspot in the Caribbean, has experienced recurrent dengue outbreaks, yet detailed understanding of the virus's transmission pathways and the impact of climatic factors remains limited. This study aims to elucidate the recent transmission dynamics of the dengue virus (DENV) in the Dominican Republic, utilizing a combination of genomic sequencing and epidemiological data analysis, alongside an examination of historical climate patterns.
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- We use a mix of genomics and epidemiology to study recent dengue virus spread in the Dominican Republic, highlighting a new north-south transmission route with multiple virus strains co-existing.
- Our analysis of historical climate data shows that rising temperatures may increase the likelihood of dengue transmission over time.
- These insights can help public health agencies develop targeted interventions and better prepare for the dengue risks associated with climate change.
We generated 238 Zika virus (ZIKV) genomes from 135 persons in Brazil who had samples collected over 1 year to evaluate virus persistence. Phylogenetic inference clustered the genomes together with previously reported ZIKV strains from northern Brazil, showing that ZIKV has been remained relatively stable over time. Temporal phylogenetic analysis revealed limited within-host diversity among most ZIKV-persistent infected associated samples.
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- The rising spread of arboviruses and increasing infection rates emphasize the urgent need for improved methods to rapidly and accurately detect these pathogens.
- This study focuses on combining nanopore sequencing with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to create a multiplex RT-PCR protocol.
- The new protocol allows the simultaneous detection of multiple viruses, including Chikungunya, dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and West Nile, enhancing our ability to differentiate between arbovirus strains effectively.
Article Synopsis
- * A total of 260 individuals were monitored for 12 months, revealing that Zika virus RNA was detectable for long periods, especially in semen, and various factors influenced how quickly the virus cleared from different fluids.
- * The research highlighted the potential for recurrent detection of Zika virus even after it was cleared, underscoring the importance of ongoing monitoring and prevention strategies to manage its transmission.
Case report: Urbanized non-human primates as sentinels for human zoonotic diseases: a case of acute fatal toxoplasmosis in a free-ranging marmoset in coinfection with yellow fever virus.
Front Public Health
September 2023
Free-ranging non-human primates (NHP) can live in anthropized areas or urban environments in close contact with human populations. This condition can enable the emergence and transmission of high-impact zoonotic pathogens. For the first time, we detected a coinfection of the yellow fever (YF) virus with in a free-ranging NHP in a highly urbanized area of a metropolis in Brazil.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To evaluate immunogenicity and reactogenicity of yellow fever (YF) vaccine in people with HIV (PWH) compared to HIV-uninfected controls.
Design: In this longitudinal interventional trial (NCT03132311), PWH with CD4 + cell count ≥200 cells/μl and controls, aged 18-59, without a previous history of YF vaccination received a single standard dose of YF vaccine (17DD) and were followed at Days 5, 30 and Year 1.
Methods: YF-neutralization titers were measured at Days 0, 30 and Year 1 and geometric mean titers (GMT) were calculated.
Article Synopsis
- The Chikungunya virus poses a significant public health threat in the Americas, with over 120,000 cases and 51 fatalities reported in 2023.
- Paraguay was the most affected, accounting for 46 of those deaths.
- Researchers used advanced genomic, phylodynamic, and epidemiologic methods to study and understand the current chikungunya epidemic in Paraguay.
Article Synopsis
- * Collaborative efforts led to the collection of 422 chikungunya virus genomes from 12 states, offering insights into how the virus has spread and evolved across the country.
- * Analysis of the genetic data revealed two distinct subclades of the virus and highlighted Northeast Brazil as the main spreading region, with immune system factors potentially influencing its genetic diversity.
Article Synopsis
- - Researchers analyzed 3 local cases and 1 imported case of dengue virus serotype 3 in Brazil, highlighting its return after 15 years.
- - The cases were reported from two different regions in Brazil, North and South.
- - A new Asian lineage of the virus was identified, which raises concerns about potential future outbreaks in the Americas.
Article Synopsis
- - The Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) epidemic in the Americas is a major public health issue, with over 120,000 reported cases and 51 fatalities in 2023, predominantly in Paraguay.
- - Researchers employed various genomic, phylodynamic, and epidemiological methods to study the epidemic and understand its progression.
- - The findings contribute to the broader understanding of how CHIKV spreads and can help in managing future outbreaks.
Article Synopsis
- Mosquito-borne diseases like Yellow Fever, Zika, Chikungunya, and Dengue are causing big health problems in Brazil, especially since Chikungunya started spreading in 2014.
- In two years (2021-2022), scientists created 422 new virus genomes from 12 states to better understand how Chikungunya spreads, as there were over 312,000 reported cases.
- They discovered that the northeast region of Brazil is the main area where the virus is spreading to other places and found that certain factors in the immune system might be changing the virus's genes in Brazil.
Background: Chikungunya-fever (CHIKF) remains a public health major issue. It is clinically divided into three phases: acute, post-acute and chronic. Chronic cases correspond to 25-40% individuals and, though most of them are characterized by long-lasting arthralgia alone, many of them exhibit persistent or recurrent inflammatory signs that define post-Chikungunya chronic inflammatory joint disease (pCHIKV-CIJD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSerological Evidence of Exposure to Saint Louis Encephalitis and West Nile Viruses in Horses of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Viruses
November 2022
Infections with arboviruses are reported worldwide. Saint Louis encephalitis (SLEV) and West Nile (WNV) viruses are closely related flaviviruses affecting humans and animals. SLEV has been sporadically detected in humans, and corresponding antibodies have been frequently detected in horses throughout Brazil.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe used nanopore sequencing and phylogenetic analyses to identify a cosmopolitan genotype of dengue virus serotype 2 that was isolated from a 56-year-old male patient from the state of Goiás in Brazil. The emergence of a cosmopolitan genotype in Brazil will require risk assessment and surveillance to reduce epidemic potential.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Zika virus infection is commonly described as a mild and self-limiting illness. However, cardiac complications were associated with acute Zika virus infection.
Case Presentation: A 46-year-old woman without previous comorbidities with a 1-day history of symptoms tested positive for ZIKV by real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR).
Callitrichine gammaherpesvirus 3 and Human alphaherpesvirus 1 in New World Primate negative for yellow fever virus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz
April 2022
Background: Herpesvirus transmission between humans and non-human primate (NHP) can occur through contact scratches with lesions, infected saliva, and mainly through contaminated food. Therefore, cross-infection can lead to severe illness or even death for both the animal and human. In 2017, during the yellow fever (YF) outbreak in Brazil, species of the New World Primates (NWP) from Rio de Janeiro state, tested negative for yellow fever virus (YFV) detection.
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- - Brazil became a major COVID-19 epicenter in Latin America by May 2021, experiencing high transmission rates and deaths, but gaps remain in understanding how the virus spreads nationally.
- - The study analyzes nearly complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes from Brazil and Paraguay, revealing that the initial wave was marked by multiple imported viral lineages mainly from Europe, leading to significant local transmission clusters.
- - As the pandemic progressed without effective restrictions, Brazil saw the emergence and spread of concerning variants like Gamma and Zeta, highlighting the need for extensive genomic surveillance in South America for better pandemic management and public health strategies.
To determine the extent of exposure to Zika virus (ZIKV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in Jamaica, we collected serum from 584 pregnant women during 2017-2019. We found that 15.6% had antibodies against ZIKV and 83.
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- Nucleic acid testing (NAT), especially quantitative PCR, is a key method for diagnosing flaviviruses, but often requires further sequencing for species identification.
- This study developed a semi-comprehensive detection system combining pan-flavivirus PCR with Nanopore sequencing to identify different flavivirus species efficiently.
- The new method showed higher sensitivity in detecting multiple flaviviruses in clinical samples and demonstrates promising results at low costs, making it a viable alternative to commercial NATs.