Accurate Recapitulation of Chikungunya Virus Complete Coding Sequence Phylogeny Using Variable Genome Regions for Genomic Surveillance.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is transmitted by mosquito bites and causes chikungunya fever (CHIKF). CHIKV has a single-stranded RNA genome and belongs to a single serotype with three genotypes. The Asian lineage has recently emerged in the Western Hemisphere, likely due to travel-associated introduction.

Development of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) as a tool to detect NS1 of dengue virus serotype 2 in female eggs for the surveillance of dengue fever transmission.

Dengue is a significant disease transmitted by mosquitoes in the tropics and subtropics worldwide. The disease is caused by four virus (DENV) serotypes and is transmitted to humans by female mosquito bites infected with the virus and vertically to their progeny. Current strategies to control dengue transmission focus on the vector.

Structural and immunological basis of cross-reactivity between dengue and Zika infections: Implications in serosurveillance in endemic regions.

Dengue and Zika are arthropod-borne viral diseases present in more than 100 countries around the world. In the past decade, Zika emerged causing widespread outbreaks in new regions, where dengue has been endemic-epidemic for a long period. The wide and extensive dissemination of the mosquito vectors, , and , favor the co-existence of both infections in the same regions.

Towards a unified curriculum system based on a public health holistic approach. Renovation of the academic programs at the School of Public Health of Mexico.

Public health training cannot be practiced in isolation, but rather within the framework of substantive conceptual visions, the organizational structure and teaching culture in a broad sense. The School of Public Health of Mexico (ESPM), in the mist of its 100th anniversary, is implementing an educational restructure with the guidance of conceptual and ethical principles. The restructure of the academic pro-grams will follow a constructivist pedagogical model, based on renewed institutional practices that integrates research, teaching and community outreach, making for truly transfor-mative learning.

Three highly variable genome regions of the four dengue virus serotypes can accurately recapitulate the CDS phylogeny.

The circulation of the four-dengue virus (DENV) serotypes has significantly increased in recent years, accompanied by an increase in viral genetic diversity. In order to conduct disease surveillance and understand DENV evolution and its effects on virus transmission and disease, efficient and accurate methods for phylogenetic classification are required. Phylogenetic analysis of different viral genes sequences is the most used method, the envelope gene (E) being the most frequently selected target.

Genetic diversity and spatiotemporal dynamics of DENV-1 and DENV-2 infections during the 2012-2013 outbreak in Mexico.

Dengue fever is caused by four related dengue virus serotypes, DENV-1 to DENV-4, where each serotype comprises distinct genotypes and lineages. The last major outbreak in Mexico occurred during 2012 and 2013, when 112,698 confirmed cases were reported (DENV-1 and DENV-2 were predominant). Following partial E, NS2A and NS5 gene sequencing, based on the virus genome variability, we analyzed 396 DENV-1 and 248 DENV-2 gene sequences from serum samples from dengue acute clinical cases from 13 Mexican states, Mutations were identified, and their genetic variability estimated, along with their evolutionary relationship with DENV sequences sampled globally.

Genetic Diversity and Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Chikungunya Infections in Mexico during the Outbreak of 2014-2016.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus transmitted by mosquitoes, which causes Chikungunya fever. Three CHIKV genotypes have been identified: West African, East-Central-South African and Asian. In 2014, CHIKV was detected for the first time in Mexico, accumulating 13,569 confirmed cases in the following three years.

A Novel Recycling Route for Spent Li-Ion Batteries.

In this work, a recycling route for spent Li-ion batteries (LIBs) was developed. For this, the recovery of the metal content in both electrodes (anode and cathode) was investigated. Based on these results, an economic analysis of this recycling process was carried out.

Development of the indirect flight muscles of Aedes aegypti, a main arbovirus vector.

Background: Flying is an essential function for mosquitoes, required for mating and, in the case of females, to get a blood meal and consequently function as a vector. Flight depends on the action of the indirect flight muscles (IFMs), which power the wings beat. No description of the development of IFMs in mosquitoes, including Aedes aegypti, is available.

Residual Malaria: Limitations of Current Vector Control Strategies to Eliminate Transmission in Residual Foci.

The transmission of Plasmodium parasites in residual foci is currently a major roadblock for malaria elimination. Human activities and behavior, along with outdoor biting mosquitoes with opportunistic feeding preferences are the main causes of the inefficacy of the main vector control interventions, long lasting insecticide-impregnated nets and insecticide residual spraying. Several strategies to abate or repel outdoor biting mosquito vectors are currently being researched, but the impact of insecticide resistance on the efficacy of these and current indoor-applied insecticides requires further assessment.

Prediction of neuropeptide precursors and differential expression of adipokinetic hormone/corazonin-related peptide, hugin and corazonin in the brain of malaria vector during a infection.

Insect neuropeptides, play a central role in the control of many physiological processes. Based on an analysis of brain transcriptome a neuropeptide precursor database of the mosquito was described. Also, we observed that adipokinetic hormone/corazonin-related peptide (ACP), hugin and corazonin encoding genes were differentially expressed during infection.

Expression of Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70-1) in Plasmodium berghei ookinetes and its participation in midgut mosquito infection.

The heat shock protein family 70 (Hsp70) comprises chaperone proteins that play major multiple roles in Plasmodium asexual and sexual development. In this study, we analyzed the expression of Hsp70-1 in gametocytes, gametes, zygotes, and its participation in ookinete formation and their transition into oocysts. A monoclonal antibody against recombinant Hsp70-1 revealed its presence in zygotes and micronemes of ookinetes.

Molecular variation of Plasmodium vivax dehydrofolate reductase in Mexico and Nicaragua contrasts with that occurring in South America.

Objective: To research mutations associated to pyrimethamine resistance in dihydrofolate reductase (pvdhfr) of Plasmodium vivax from Mexico and Nicaragua and compare it to that reported in the rest of America.

Materials And Methods: Genomic DNA was obtained from P. vivax-infected blood samples.

Determination of insecticides' lethal concentrations and metabolic enzyme levels in Triatoma dimidiata.

Objective: The feasibility of the use of WHO impregnated paper and biochemical assays to determine lethal concentrations (LC50 and LC99) and insecticide metabolic enzyme levels of Triatoma dimidiata.

Materials And Methods: LC50 and LC99 were calculated with WHO papers impregnated at different concentrations of malathion, propoxur and deltamethrin; the percentage of insensitive acetylcholinesterase (iAChE); and the levels of esterases, glutathione S-transferases, and monooxygenases in laboratory nymphs of the first stage (5 to 7 days), were undertaken using the WHO biochemical assays.

Results: Respectively the LC50 and LC99 μg/cm2 obtained for malathion were 43.

Ookinete-Specific Genes and 18S SSU rRNA Evidenced in Selection and Adaptation by Sympatric Vectors.

In the southern Pacific coast of Chiapas, Mexico (SM), the two most abundant vector species, and , were susceptible to different Pvs25/28 haplotypes. To broaden our understanding of the existing in the area, genes encoding proteins relevant for ookinete development and the 18S rRNA were studied. infectivity (percentage of infected mosquitoes and oocyst numbers) was evaluated by simultaneously feeding infected blood samples from patients to and female mosquitoes.

Vertical transmission of dengue virus in Aedes aegypti and its role in the epidemiological persistence of dengue in Central and Southern Mexico.

Background: Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the main mosquito species responsible for dengue virus (DENV) transmission to humans in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The role of vertical transmission in the epidemiology of dengue and the maintenance of this arbovirus in nature during interepidemic periods remain poorly understood, and DENV vertical transmission could sustain the existence of virus reservoirs within Aedes populations.

Methods: Between April 2011 and October 2012, we monitored vertical transmission of DENV in Ae.

Plasmodium vivax CSP-Pvs25 variants from southern Mexico produce distinct patterns of infectivity for Anopheles albimanus versus An. pseudopunctipennis, in each case independent of geographical origin.

Background: The susceptibility of Anopheles albimanus and An. pseudopunctipennis to local Plasmodium vivax has been associated in southern Mexico with two ookinete surface proteins (Pvs25/28) polymorphism. Perhaps parasite population selection (i.

Adaptations in energy metabolism and gene family expansions revealed by comparative transcriptomics of three Chagas disease triatomine vectors.

Background: Chagas disease is a parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. It is an important public health problem affecting around seven to eight million people in the Americas. A large number of hematophagous triatomine insect species, occupying diverse natural and human-modified ecological niches transmit this disease.

Design and efficacy of an Ecohealth competency-based course on the prevention and control of vector diseases in Latin America.

Objective: To design and analyze the efficacy of an Ecohealth competency-based course on the prevention and control of vector-borne-diseases for specific stakeholders.

Materials And Methods: Multiple stakeholders and sectors of the region were consulted to identify Ecohealth group-specific competencies using an adjusted analysis matrix. Eight courses based on the competencies were implemented to train EA tutors.

Pathogen-insect interaction candidate molecules for transmission-blocking control strategies of vector borne diseases.

Objective: To analyze the current knowledge of pathogen-insect interactions amenable for the design of molecular-based control strategies of vector-borne diseases.

Materials And Methods: We examined malaria, dengue, and Chagas disease pathogens and insect molecules that participate in interactions during their vectors infection.

Results: Pathogen molecules that participate in the insect intestine invasion and induced vector immune molecules are presented, and their inclusion in transmission blocking vaccines (TBV) and in genetically modify insect (GMI) vectors or symbiotic bacteria are discussed.

Ecdysis-related pleiotropic neuropeptides expression during Anopheles albimanus development.

Objective: To analyze the transcription pattern of neuropeptides in the ontogeny of a malaria vector, the mosquito Anopheles albimanus.

Materials And Methods: The transcription pattern of Crustacean CardioActive peptide (CCAP), corazonin, Ecdysis Triggering Hormone (ETH), allatostatin-A, orcokinin, Insulin Like Peptide 2 (ILP2), Insulin Like Peptide 5 (ILP5) and bursicon was evaluated using qPCR on larvae (1st - 4th instar), pupae and adult mosquitoes.

Results: Unlike in other insects, transcripts of CCAP (70.

Association of dengue fever with Aedes spp. abundance and climatological effects.

Objective: To analyze the association of dengue fever incidence with Aedes mosquito's abundance, and the effect of climatological and geographical variables, in a region in Morelos State, Mexico.

Materials And Methods: Weekly data during the period 2010 to 2014 was used. Mosquito abundance was determined using ovitraps.

Glycosylation on proteins of the intestine and perimicrovillar membrane of Triatoma (Meccus) pallidipennis, under different feeding conditions.

Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, interacts with molecules in the midgut of its insect vector to multiply and reach the infective stage. Many studies suggest that the parasite binds to midgut-specific glycans. We identified several glycoproteins expressed in the intestine and perimicrovillar membrane (PMM) of Triatoma (Meccus) pallidipennis under different feeding conditions.

Comparative genomics analysis of triatomines reveals common first line and inducible immunity-related genes and the absence of Imd canonical components among hemimetabolous arthropods.

Background: Insects operate complex humoral and cellular immune strategies to fend against invading microorganisms. The majority of these have been characterized in Drosophila and other dipterans. Information on hemipterans, including Triatominae vectors of Chagas disease remains incomplete and fractionated.