Etiologies of Acute Undifferentiated Febrile Illnesses in and near Iquitos from 1993 to 1999 in the Amazon River Basin of Peru.

The objective of this study was to determine the etiology of febrile illnesses among patients from October 1, 1993 through September 30, 1999, in the urban community of Iquitos in the Amazon River Basin of Peru. Epidemiological and clinical data as well as blood samples were obtained from consenting patients at hospitals, health clinics and private residences. Samples were tested for arboviruses in cell cultures and for IgM and IgG antibodies by ELISA.

A tetravalent dengue vaccine based on a complex adenovirus vector provides significant protection in rhesus monkeys against all four serotypes of dengue virus.

Nearly a third of the human population is at risk of infection with the four serotypes of dengue viruses, and it is estimated that more than 100 million infections occur each year. A licensed vaccine for dengue viruses has become a global health priority. A major challenge to developing a dengue vaccine is the necessity to produce fairly uniform protective immune responses to all four dengue virus serotypes.

A heterologous DNA prime-Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus replicon particle boost dengue vaccine regimen affords complete protection from virus challenge in cynomolgus macaques.

A candidate vaccine (D1ME-VRP) expressing dengue virus type 1 premembrane and envelope proteins in a Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus replicon particle (VRP) system was constructed and tested in conjunction with a plasmid DNA vaccine (D1ME-DNA) expressing identical dengue virus sequences. Cynomolgus macaques were vaccinated with three doses of DNA (DDD), three doses of VRP (VVV group), or a heterologous DNA prime-VRP boost regimen (DDV) using two doses of DNA vaccine and a third dose of VRP vaccine. Four weeks after the final immunization, the DDV group produced the highest dengue virus type 1-specific immunoglobulin G antibody responses and virus-neutralizing antibody titers.

Short report: High incidence of shigellosis among Peruvian soldiers deployed in the Amazon River basin.

We investigated the etiology of acute diarrhea among Peruvian military recruits undergoing three months of basic combat training near the Amazonian city of Iquitos. From January through September 2002, 307 of 967 recruits were seen at the Health Post for diarrhea (attack rate [AR] = 31.8%, incidence = 1.