Publications by authors named "Zaira Barja Simon"
Article Synopsis
- A dengue monitoring system was established in Bolivia to track cases and vectors in Santa Cruz from 2002 to 2008, amidst rising dengue cases in the Americas.
- The analysis revealed annual incidence rates showed higher cases in women and adults, with a distinct pattern of high transmission from January to June, while the city center had notably more cases than the outskirts.
- Despite an overall increase in cases and improved clinical diagnosis, there is a strong suspicion that the actual number of dengue cases is underreported, indicating a need for better surveillance and awareness.
Am J Trop Med Hyg
September 2012
Article Synopsis
- * This study aimed to assess the immune response (specific IgG antibodies) to Aedes aegypti saliva as a potential indicator of mosquito exposure in urban areas affected by dengue.
- * Findings revealed that younger children had stronger IgG responses to the saliva, which decreased with age, and higher antibody levels correlated with greater mosquito presence, indicating that saliva antibody responses could effectively monitor human exposure to Aedes bites.
Infect Genet Evol
August 2012
Article Synopsis
- Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, originally from Africa, invaded the Americas between the 16th and 18th centuries and later caused outbreaks of yellow fever and dengue.
- After being wiped out from many countries in the mid-20th century, they reappeared in the 1970s and 1980s, particularly in Bolivia, where their genetic origins and population dynamics were studied.
- Research revealed two distinct genetic lineages of Ae. aegypti in Bolivia, with one lineage linked to rural South Bolivia and suggested to have roots in West Africa, influencing local disease patterns of dengue and yellow fever.
