Dengue in the campus community of an overseas American university: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: After a large outbreak of dengue virus (DENV) serotype-3 in Saint Kitts and Nevis (SKN) in 2008, we performed a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of anti-DENV immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in expatriate and local persons affiliated with an American veterinary school there.

Methodology: This campus community comprised mostly expatriate students and faculty and Kittitian administrative staff. In 2009, a stratified random sample of students, faculty and staff was invited to complete an electronic survey to assess risk factors for DENV and provide blood for testing for anti-DENV IgG antibodies by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Ecology of Bats, Their Ectoparasites, and Associated Pathogens on Saint Kitts Island.

Ectoparasites of bats and bat-associated pathogens are poorly studied in the Lesser Antilles Islands. We report on an 11-mo field study on Saint Kitts Island of bat populations, their associated ectoparasites, and pathogens. We report on five ectoparasite species, including four Streblidae (Diptera) and a Spinturnicidae (Acari).

A Mosquito Survey of the Twin-Island Caribbean Nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, 2010.

Adult mosquito surveys of Saint Kitts and Nevis (SKN) were performed in the dry season (March 16-23, 2010) in Saint Kitts, and the rainy season (October 18-25, 2010) in SKN. Biogents (BG) Sentinel Traps were set with CO₂and BG Lure in urban, rural, mangrove, and dry forest habitats. Mosquitoes were identified to species, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed on potential vector species for dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and West Nile virus (WNV).

Resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae to the innate immune system of African green monkeys.

In recent years, an emergent Klebsiella pneumoniae hypermucoviscosity (HMV) phenotype has been associated with increased invasiveness and pathogenicity in primates. In this project, bacteria recovered from infected African green monkeys (AGM) (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) were screened for HMV phenotype, and were compared to non-HMV isolates in in vitro, serum, and oxidative-mediated killing assays. Complement-mediated killing was assessed utilizing freshly collected serum from healthy AGM.

Effect of size and temperature at vaccination on immunization and protection conferred by a live attenuated Francisella noatunensis immersion vaccine in red hybrid tilapia.

Francisella noatunensis subsp. orientalis (Fno) is a pleomorphic, facultative intracellular, Gram-negative, emerging bacterial pathogen of marine and fresh water fish with worldwide distribution. In this study, the efficacy of an attenuated Fno intracellular growth locus C (iglC) mutant was evaluated for use as a live immersion vaccine, when administered to hybrid tilapia at two different stages of growth (5 g fry and 10 g fingerlings) and at two temperatures (25 °C and 30 °C).