Hepatorenal dysfunction in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Background: Cardiac interactions with organs such as the liver or kidneys have been described in different cardiovascular diseases. However, the clinical relevance of hepatorenal dysfunction in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) remains unclear. We determined the association of hepatorenal dysfunction (measured using the Model for End-stage Liver Disease Sodium [MELDNa] score) with right heart function and survival in patients with CTEPH.

Modelling the monthly abundance of Culicoides biting midges in nine European countries using Random Forests machine learning.

Background: Culicoides biting midges transmit viruses resulting in disease in ruminants and equids such as bluetongue, Schmallenberg disease and African horse sickness. In the past decades, these diseases have led to important economic losses for farmers in Europe. Vector abundance is a key factor in determining the risk of vector-borne disease spread and it is, therefore, important to predict the abundance of Culicoides species involved in the transmission of these pathogens.

Monthly variation in the probability of presence of adult Culicoides populations in nine European countries and the implications for targeted surveillance.

Background: Biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are small hematophagous insects responsible for the transmission of bluetongue virus, Schmallenberg virus and African horse sickness virus to wild and domestic ruminants and equids. Outbreaks of these viruses have caused economic damage within the European Union. The spatio-temporal distribution of biting midges is a key factor in identifying areas with the potential for disease spread.

Spatial and temporal variation in the abundance of Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in nine European countries.

Background: Biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are vectors of bluetongue virus (BTV), African horse sickness virus and Schmallenberg virus (SBV). Outbreaks of both BTV and SBV have affected large parts of Europe. The spread of these diseases depends largely on vector distribution and abundance.

Effects of temperature and photoperiod on the development of overwintering immature Culicoides chiopterus and C. dewulfi.

In areas with harsh winters, several studies have recorded low numbers - or even zero - adult Culicoides during the winter period followed by a population peak in the subsequent spring. This experimental study determined whether temperature, photoperiod, or the combination thereof affect the development of overwintering immature dung breeding Culicoides, resulting in this peak. Temperature had a significant impact on the development period of Culicoides chiopterus (Meigen), 1830 and C.

Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Culex pipiens sensu lato and Culex torrentium (Diptera: Culicidae) Breeding Sites in Germany.

Culex pipiens sensu lato (L.) and Culex torrentium Martini, 1925 are two widely distributed mosquito species in Europe. Due to difficulties in morphological discrimination, the current knowledge on differences in the breeding ecology is fragmentary.

Topsoil conditions correlate with the emergence rates of Culicoides chiopterus and Culicoides dewulfi (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from cowpats.

Culicoides chiopterus (Meigen), 1830 and Culicoides dewulfi Goetghebuer, 1936 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are considered to develop exclusively in dung, but do not necessarily show an equal distribution and abundance on livestock farms in Northern Europe. Recent modelling studies identified soil parameters to explain these differences. The present study addressed the question whether topsoil conditions underneath cowpats correlate with the number of emerging C.

Culicoides biting midge density in relation to the position and substrate temperature in a cattle dung heap.

Dung heaps offer warm breeding sites, which might be suitable for a continuing development or even emergence at low air temperatures in winter. Therefore, this study collected substrate samples from the outer surface and core of a cattle dung heap at the beginning of the winter period. We aimed to analyze the density of immature Culicoides in relation to substrate position and temperature.

Impact of flooding on the immature stages of dung-breeding Culicoides in Northern Europe.

In Northern Europe, dung-breeding Culicoides (e.g., Culicoides chiopterus (Meigen 1830) and Culicoides dewulfi (Goetghebuer 1936)) are considered to be important vectors of the Bluetongue virus and Schmallenberg virus.

Field evaluation of four widely used mosquito traps in Central Europe.

Background: To monitor adult mosquitoes several trapping devices are available. These are differently constructed and use various mechanisms for mosquito attraction, thus resulting in different trapping sensitivities and efficacies for the various species. Mosquito monitoring and surveillance programs in Europe use various types of mosquito traps, but only a few comparisons have been conducted so far.

The use of morphometric wing characters to discriminate female Culex pipiens and Culex torrentium.

The reliability of the length of wing radial vein r(2/3) as a character for the morphological discrimination of the two potential arbovirus vectors Culex pipiens s.s. and Cx.

Impact of mechanical disturbance on the emergence of Culicoides from cowpats.

The outbreaks of Bluetongue virus and Schmallenberg virus between 2006 and 2012 highlighted the need for control methods for north-western Palaearctic biting midge species. There is especially a demand for alternative control methods without application of insecticides. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to evaluate the impact of mechanical disturbance as a control method for Culicoides biting midges in cowpats.