Publications by authors named "V Rivera-Amill"
Mosquito-transmitted viruses such as dengue are a global and growing public health challenge. Without widely available vaccines, mosquito control is the primary tool for fighting the spread of these viruses. New mosquito control technologies are needed to complement existing methods, given current challenges with scalability, acceptability, and effectiveness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study focuses on understanding how IgG antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 behave over time in a group of people from Puerto Rico, especially in relation to vaccination and prior infections.
- Researchers conducted a longitudinal analysis with participants providing regular samples for testing from June 2020 to August 2022, allowing them to assess how antibody levels changed based on factors like vaccination status and the timing of infections.
- Findings revealed that a significant majority of participants showed increased antibody prevalence by the end of the study, with vaccinations contributing substantially to IgG levels, while a third booster dose was effective in enhancing and prolonging antibody response.
The alphavirus chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a serious human pathogen that can cause large-scale epidemics characterized by fever and joint pain and often resulting in chronic arthritis. Infection by alphaviruses including CHIKV and the closely related Semliki Forest virus (SFV) can induce the formation of filopodia-like intercellular long extensions (ILEs). ILEs emanate from an infected cell, stably attach to a neighboring cell, and mediate cell-to-cell viral transmission that is resistant to neutralizing antibodies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDengue is a mosquitoborne viral illness that can cause acute febrile illness, severe disease, or death. Worldwide, the number of dengue cases is increasing. During the last dengue outbreaks in Puerto Rico throughout 2010-2013, dengue virus (DENV) serotype 1 (DENV-1) predominated, and the largest proportion of cases occurred among adolescents and young adults aged 10-19 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Approved Live-Attenuated Chikungunya Virus Vaccine (IXCHIQ) Elicits Cross-Neutralizing Antibody Breadth Extending to Multiple Arthritogenic Alphaviruses Similar to the Antibody Breadth Following Natural Infection.
Vaccines (Basel)
August 2024
Article Synopsis
- The recently licensed chikungunya vaccine, IXCHIQ, shows strong cross-neutralizing antibody responses against chikungunya virus and several related alphaviruses.
- The study measured antibody responses at one month, six months, and one year post-vaccination, revealing 100% seroconversion to most viruses tested, except for Ross River virus at 83.3%.
- IXCHIQ appears to provide antibody responses similar to natural chikungunya infections, suggesting it may offer protection to populations at risk from multiple alphavirus infections in areas where the vaccine is deployed.