Population movement can be critical factor in dengue's spreadNovember 10, 2009Human movement is a key factor of dengue virus inflow in Rio de Janeiro, according to results from researchers based at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) in Brazil. The results, based on data from a severe epidemic in 2007-2008, contribute to new understanding on the dynamics of dengue fever in the second largest city in Brazil. Details are published November 10 in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Dengue fever is a major public health problem in many tropical regions of the world. It is a vector-borne disease, transmitted most often by the mosquito Aedes aegypti. According to the WHO, the prevalence of dengue is highest in tropical areas of Asia and the Americas, with 50-100 million estimated cases of dengue fever and 250,000-500,000 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever occurring annually worldwide as explosive outbreaks in urban areas. In Brazil, three dengue virus serotypes (DENV) have been introduced in the past three decades. In 2007-2008, a dengue fever epidemic in Rio de Janeiro led to 240 deaths registered (100 deaths due to dengue hemorrhagic fever and 140 due to other dengue-related complications). This populous city presents highly favorable conditions for transmission of dengue. Dengue surveillance and control in large urban areas with high levels of dengue transmission pose important challenges. Therefore, consistent knowledge of the dynamics of this disease that integrates epidemiological and entomological data is essential. The present research combines data on dengue fever seroprevalence, recent dengue infection, and vector density in three neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro: an urban, a suburban, and a slum area. Serological surveys were conducted before and during the epidemic period. Entomological surveys consisted of weekly collections of A. aegypti eggs and adults from traps. This integrated entomological-serological survey showed evidence of silent transmission even during a severe epidemic. No association was observed between household infestation index and risk of dengue infection in these areas, raising new questions about where transmission occurs - in the household, at work or elsewhere. When combined, the neighborhood-specific seroprevalence maps correlated significantly higher risk with areas of intense people traffic. These results add to previous epidemiological studies of dengue virus infections and contribute to the understanding of A. aegypti habits. The conclusions may provide a basis for new studies that could further identify the higher seroprevalence risk areas and help to develop and implement dengue-control programs. Public Library of Science |
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| Related Dengue Fever Current Events and Dengue Fever News Articles On the Trail of a Vaccine for Lyme Disease: Yale Researchers Target Tick Saliva A protein found in the saliva of ticks helps protect mice from developing Lyme disease, Yale researchers have discovered. The findings, published in the November 19 issue of Cell Host & Microbe, may spur development of a new vaccine against infection from Lyme disease, which is spread through tick bites. Climate variability and dengue incidence Research published this week in PLoS Medicine demonstrates associations between local rainfall and temperature and cases of dengue fever, which affects an estimated fifty million people per year worldwide. Drug industry, nonprofits join forces to fight world's neglected diseases Drug companies and nonprofit organizations are joining forces to develop new drugs and vaccines to target so-called "neglected" diseases that claim millions of lives in the developing world each year. UH Manoa researcher examines possible implications of daily commute and mosquito-borne diseases University of Hawaii at Manoa assistant researcher Durrell Kapan recently published a paper, Man Bites Mosquito: Understanding the Contribution of Human Movement to Vector-Borne Disease Dynamics, in PLoS One. Published August 26, the paper highlights how daily commuting patterns in mega-cities may be a critically overlooked factor in understanding the resurgence of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever, infecting 50-100 million people annually. Researchers develop the first climate-based model to predict Dengue fever outbreaks Dengue Fever (DF) and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) are the most important vector-borne viral diseases in the World. Dengue fever costs billions in health care, lost productivity and absenteeism Researchers at Brandeis, in collaboration with several other institutions worldwide, have pinpointed for the first time the multi-country economic costs of dengue fever, the endemic and epidemic mosquito-borne illness that is a rapidly growing public health problem in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Visualizing virus replication in 3 dimensions Dengue fever is the most common infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes - some 100 million people around the world are infected. Researchers at the Hygiene Institute at Heidelberg University Hospital were the first to present a three-dimensional model of the location in the human cell where the virus is reproduced. La Jolla Institute announces 2.0 launch of major database to aid vaccine development worldwide Key improvements in a major infectious disease database that will aid vaccine development worldwide were unveiled today with the 2.0 launch of the National Institutes of Health-sponsored Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (IEDB). Mosquito parasite may help fight dengue fever Dengue fever is a terrible viral disease blighting many of the world's tropical regions. Carried by mosquitoes, such as Aedes aegypti, 40% of the world's population is believed to be at risk from the infection. Indigenous peoples at world summit to share climate change observations, coping techniques With the first climate change-related relocation of an Inuit village already underway, some 400 Indigenous People and observers from 80 nations are convening in Alaska for a UN-affiliated conference April 20-24 to discuss ways in which traditional knowledge can be used to both mitigate and adapt to climate change. More Dengue Fever Current Events and Dengue Fever News Articles |
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