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Parasit Vectors 2020 Jun 1;13(1):277. Epub 2020 Jun 1.

Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia, Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, 00185, Italy.

Background: Despite the overall major impact of long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) in eliciting individual and collective protection to malaria infections, some sub-Saharan countries, including Burkina Faso, still carry a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. This study aims to analyse the possible entomological bases of LLIN limited impact, focusing on a LLIN-protected village in the Plateau Central region of Burkina Faso.

Methods: Human landing catches (HLCs) were carried out in 2015 for 12 nights both indoors and outdoors at different time windows during the highest biting activity phase for Anopheles gambiae (s. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020 May 27;17(11). Epub 2020 May 27.

Department Population Health Sciences, Division of Veterinary Public Health, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80178, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Over time the human-animal bond has been changed. For instance, the role of pets has changed from work animals (protecting houses, catching mice) to animals with a social function, giving companionship. Pets can be important for the physical and mental health of their owners but may also transmit zoonotic infections. Read More

Medicina (Kaunas) 2020 May 20;56(5). Epub 2020 May 20.

Department of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, Division of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Hematology, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska Str. 211a, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland.

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) infections have been the cause of threatening outbreaks for many years. Apart from several physical and chemical methods to prevent tick bites, active vaccination of people highly exposed to infection is still the most important strategy of prevention. However, in some subjects, the lack of or low response to TBEV antigens is observed. Read More

Parasite Epidemiol Control 2020 Aug 20;10:e00149. Epub 2020 Apr 20.

Arba Minch University, Department of Biology, Arba Minch, Ethiopia.

Malaria is a complex disease and its distribution is not random in endemic areas, and hence areas with low malaria transmission require fine spatial sampling and careful follow-up to identify the hot spots for effective resource utilization to control malaria. The present study is aimed to assess malaria infection in both humans and mosquitoes in a small residential lowland area of southern Ethiopia from July to December 2016. A repeated cross-sectional household survey was conducted in Kolla-Shara (village) to describe the distribution of malaria and infectious mosquitoes. Read More

Hell J Nucl Med 2020 Jan-Apr;23(1):4-5

Former Consultant Medical Oncologist, Formerly, Lead Clinician of the Melanoma Unit, Imperial College at Charing Cross Hospital, London, U.K.

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Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2020 Apr 24. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

Virology Research Center, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo state, Brazil.

Background: Human infections by Mayaro virus (MAYV) occur by insect bites upon exposure to rural or sylvatic areas. Information regarding MAYV transmission is limited due to a lack of commercial diagnostic assays and diagnostic confusion on account of similarities of clinical signs with other co-circulating arboviral diseases.

Methods: A serological survey of MAYV and Chikunguya virus (CHIKV) antibodies was performed by ELISA. Read More

Sci Rep 2020 Apr 24;10(1):6975. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections, Medical University of Białystok, Żurawia 14, 15-540, Białystok, Poland.

Tick-borne diseases are a major threat to human and animal health. An increasing number of natural habitats have been transformed into urban areas by human activity; hence, the number of reported tick bites in urban and suburban areas has risen. This retrospective analysis evaluated 53 scientific reports concerning infections of Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from urban and suburban areas of Europe between 1991 and 2017. Read More

Emerg Infect Dis 2020 May;26(5):985-988

In 2015, we evaluated 221 patients with undifferentiated fever and tick bite or animal exposure in Xinyang, China, for Rickettsia infection. Three with mild disease were infected with Candidatus R. xinyangensis, which clustered with R. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2020 Apr 17;13(1):199. Epub 2020 Apr 17.

University of Strasbourg, Virulence bactérienne précoce UR7290-Lyme borreliosis group, FMTS - CHRU Strasbourg, Institut de Bactériologie, Strasbourg, France.

Background: Borrelia miyamotoi is a relapsing fever Borrelia species transmitted by ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex. Human disease caused by B. miyamotoi was first described in Russia and later in the USA and Japan. Read More

Front Immunol 2020 6;11:204. Epub 2020 Mar 6.

Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Although viruses and bacteria have been known as agents of diseases since 1546, 250 years went by until the first vaccines against these pathogens were developed (1796 and 1800s). In contrast, Malaria, which is a protozoan-neglected disease, has been known since the 5th century BCE and, despite 2,500 years having passed since then, no human vaccine has yet been licensed for Malaria. Additionally, no modern human vaccine is currently licensed against Visceral or Cutaneous leishmaniasis. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 03 20;14(3):e0007947. Epub 2020 Mar 20.

Biology Department, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a major public health concern in Ethiopia. However, knowledge about the complex zoonotic transmission cycle is limited, hampering implementation of control strategies. We explored the feeding behavior and activity of the vector (Phlebotomus pedifer) and studied the role of livestock in CL transmission in southwestern Ethiopia. Read More

Emerg Infect Dis 2020 Apr;26(4):641-647

Ticks and tickborne diseases are increasingly problematic. There have been positive developments that should result in improved strategies and better tools to suppress ticks, reduce human tick bites, and roll back tickborne diseases. However, we equally need to address the question of who is responsible for implementing the solutions. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2020 Mar 6;20(1):203. Epub 2020 Mar 6.

School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand.

Background: Rabies is endemic in southern Bhutan, associated with 1-2 human deaths and high post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) costs annually. Evaluation of clinicians' management of human cases potentially exposed to rabies could contribute to improving PEP prescribing practices to both reduce unnecessary costs associated with PEP and reach the target of zero human deaths due to rabies by 2023.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 50 clinicians' management of human cases potentially exposed to rabies was conducted in 13 health centers in high-rabies-risk areas of Bhutan during February-March 2016. Read More

World J Urol 2020 Feb 27. Epub 2020 Feb 27.

Department of Urology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Purpose: Infectious diseases that often follow geographical distribution patterns are increasingly crossing such boundaries, aided by human travel and commerce. These pose a new challenge to physicians who are required to diagnose previously unseen conditions and address drug-resistant organisms. We review some such common infections. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 02 27;14(2):e0007248. Epub 2020 Feb 27.

Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.

Background: Human rabies is a notifiable condition in Thailand, and 46 confirmed and probable cases were reported from 2010-2015; eleven were reported from Eastern Thailand. Although rabies is vaccine preventable, more than 90% of persons who died of rabies in Thailand either did not receive or inappropriately discontinued post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). In 2012 Thailand launched a national animal rabies elimination program with the goal of elimination by 2020. Read More

Pathogens 2020 Feb 24;9(2). Epub 2020 Feb 24.

Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.

In Europe, ticks transmit pathogens such as sensu lato and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). In addition, there is evidence for transmission to humans from of , , , , and . However, whether infection with these potential tick-borne pathogens results in human disease has not been fully demonstrated for all of these tick-borne microorganisms. Read More

Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020 May 4;11(3):101405. Epub 2020 Feb 4.

Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Change and Health, UK; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, UK.

The Channel Islands are British Crown dependencies located in the English Channel to the west of the Normandy coast in northern France. Whilst there have been studies investigating tick occurrence and distribution in different habitats on the mainland of the UK and in France, the Channel Islands have been relatively understudied. As such, little is known about whether the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus, is present, and whether there is a potential risk of Lyme borreliosis on the Channel Islands. Read More

Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020 May 1;11(3):101387. Epub 2020 Feb 1.

University of Louisville, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Infectious Diseases Laboratory, 511 S. Floyd St, Medical Dental Research Building Room 104, Louisville, KY 40292 USA. Electronic address:

Cases of tick-borne diseases are increasing in the United States, and new tick-borne pathogen species causing human illness are being discovered. The specific etiology is generally difficult to diagnose based on clinical signs and symptoms alone, because of their generalized nature and often lack of a known tick bite. For some infections, such as Lyme disease and spotted fever group rickettsioses, serology remains the most appropriate laboratory diagnostic tool, but for others such as anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and babesiosis, direct detection in the blood is preferred for rapid diagnosis. Read More

Travel Med Infect Dis 2020 Jan 28:101564. Epub 2020 Jan 28.

ESME - Research Group Epidemiological and Statistical Methods, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany; Institute for Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, Hannover-Braunschweig Site, Germany. Electronic address:

Background: Aim of our study was to identify conditions under which malaria transmission caused by imported infectious mosquitoes or travellers could occur at large central European airports, and if such transmission could be sustained by indigenous mosquitoes.

Methods: We developed a deterministic and a stochastic compartmental Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered-Susceptible (humans)/Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious (mosquitoes) model with two mosquito (imported Anopheles gambiae, indigenous A. plumbeus) and three human (travellers, airport personnel exposed/not exposed to imported A. Read More

Malar J 2020 Jan 23;19(1):42. Epub 2020 Jan 23.

Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.

Background: The humoral immune response against Anopheles salivary glands proteins in the vertebrate host can reflect the intensity of exposure to Anopheles bites and the risk of Plasmodium infection. In Colombia, the identification of exposure biomarkers is necessary due to the several Anopheles species circulating. The purpose of this study was to evaluate risk of malaria infection by measuring antibody responses against salivary glands extracts from Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albimanus and Anopheles (Nys. Read More

Sci Transl Med 2020 01;12(527)

Virus Host Interaction Team, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK.

Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are important human pathogens for which there are no specific antiviral medicines. The abundance of genetically distinct arbovirus species, coupled with the unpredictable nature of their outbreaks, has made the development of virus-specific treatments challenging. Instead, we have defined and targeted a key aspect of the host innate immune response to virus at the arthropod bite that is common to all arbovirus infections, potentially circumventing the need for virus-specific therapies. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 01 21;14(1):e0007949. Epub 2020 Jan 21.

Tropical Diseases Department, Botucatu Medical School - UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil.

Leishmaniasis is caused by intracellular parasites transmitted to vertebrates by sandfly bites. Clinical manifestations include cutaneous, mucosal or visceral involvement depending upon the host immune response and the parasite species. To assure their survival inside macrophages, these parasites developed a plethora of highly successful strategies to manipulate various immune system pathways. Read More

Infect Immun 2020 Mar 23;88(4). Epub 2020 Mar 23.

State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, People's Republic of China

Spotted fever group rickettsia (SFGR) can cause mild to fatal illness. The early interaction between the host and rickettsia in skin is largely unknown, and the pathogenesis of severe rickettsiosis remains an important topic. A surveillance of SFGR infection by PCR of blood and skin biopsy specimens followed by sequencing and immunohistochemical (IHC) detection was performed on patients with a recent tick bite between 2013 and 2016. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 01 2;14(1):e0007953. Epub 2020 Jan 2.

Epidemiology Unit, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "B. Ubertini", Bologna, Italy.

Background: West Nile virus (WNV) transmission was much greater in 2018 than in previous seasons in Europe. Focusing on Emilia-Romagna region (northern Italy), we analyzed detailed entomological and epidemiological data collected in 2013-2018 to quantitatively assess environmental drivers of transmission and explore hypotheses to better understand why the 2018 epidemiological season was substantially different than the previous seasons. In particular, in 2018 WNV was detected at least two weeks before the observed circulation in 2013-2017 and in a larger number of mosquito pools. Read More

J Clin Oncol 2020 Mar 2;38(8):775-783. Epub 2020 Jan 2.

Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.

Purpose: The anti-B-cell maturation antigen BiTE molecule AMG 420 was assessed in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Patients And Methods: In this first-in-human study, up to 10 cycles of AMG 420 were given (4-week infusions/6-week cycles). Patients had progression after ≥ 2 lines of prior therapy and no extramedullary disease. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2019 Dec 30;12(1):612. Epub 2019 Dec 30.

Centre de Recherche Entomologique de Cotonou (CREC), Cotonou, Benin.

Background: The current study shows the results of three years of IRS entomological monitoring (2016, before intervention; 2017 and 2018, after intervention) performed in Alibori and Donga, northern Benin.

Methods: Mosquito collections were performed on a monthly basis using human landing catches and pyrethrum spray catches in six districts including four treated with Actellic 300 CS (Kandi, Gogounou, Djougou and Copargo) and two untreated (Bembèrèkè and Kouandé) which served as control sites. Key transmission indicators of Anopheles gambiae (s. Read More

Malar J 2019 Dec 27;18(1):445. Epub 2019 Dec 27.

Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Background: Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying of insecticide (IRS) are widely recommended for the prevention of malaria in endemic regions. Data from human landing catches provide information on the impact of vector control on vector populations. Here, malaria transmission indoors and outdoors, before and after mass deployment of LLINs and IRS in Uganda was compared. Read More

PLoS One 2019 27;14(12):e0213120. Epub 2019 Dec 27.

Laboratório de Epidemiologia e Geoprocessamento, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Animal na Amazônia, Universidade Federal do Para, Castanhal, Para, Brasil.

Based on notified cases of human rabies exposure and human deaths by rabies to Colombia public health surveillance system between 2007 and 2016, we conducted a spatiotemporal analysis to identify epidemiological scenarios of high human rabies exposure due to dogs, cats, bats, or farm animals (n = 666,411 cases). The incidence rate of human rabies exposures was analyzed by using geographical information system (spatiotemporal distribution and Cluster and Outlier Analysis (Anselin Local Moran's I)) data for all Colombian cities. The incidence rate of human rabies exposures due to dogs and cats showed an increasing trend, while aggression due bats and farm animals fluctuated throughout the analyzed period. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2019 Dec 21;12(1):599. Epub 2019 Dec 21.

Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the agent of tick-borne fever, equine, canine and human granulocytic anaplasmosis. The common route of A. phagocytophilum transmission is through a tick bite, the main vector in Europe being Ixodes ricinus. Read More

Viruses 2019 12 20;12(1). Epub 2019 Dec 20.

Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.

We report the detection and gene coding sequences of three novel species found in six dead farmed white-tailed deer in the United States. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the new orbiviruses are genetically closely related to the Guangxi, Mobuck, Peruvian horse sickness, and Yunnan orbiviruses, which are thought to be solely borne by mosquitos. However, four of the six viruses analyzed in this work were found as co-infecting agents along with a known cervid pathogen, epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus-2 (EHDV-2), raising questions as to whether the new viruses are primary pathogens or secondary pathogens that exacerbate EHDV-2 infections. Read More

Rev Chilena Infectol 2019 Oct;36(5):650-655

Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, México.

Ehrlichiosis is a disease transmitted by tick's bite that affect dogs and humans caused by the species Ehrlichia canis and E. chaffeensis, respectively. These bacteria are obligated intracellular gram negatives, with a cocoid to pleomorph aspect and can infect monocytes and trigger symptoms such as high fever, anorexia, thrombocytopenia, hemorrhages, anemia, and some serious problems such as splenomegaly, hepatomegaly and meningitis. Read More

Infect Dis Rep 2019 Dec 5;11(3):8272. Epub 2019 Dec 5.

Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

species are gram-negative bacilli that inhabit mammalian oral surfaces and can cause opportunistic infection, especially in asplenic patients. The species is particularly associated with dog bites and is known to cause endocarditis, meningitis, and sepsis in the general population. In pregnant patients, infections tied to species from human flora have been associated with preterm labor, chorioamnionitis, and neonatal septicemia. Read More

Front Public Health 2019 5;7:305. Epub 2019 Nov 5.

Aix-Marseille Univ, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.

Most of the human pandemics reported to date can be classified as zoonoses. Among these, there is a long history of infectious diseases that have spread from non-human primates (NHP) to humans. For millennia, indigenous groups that depend on wildlife for their survival were exposed to the risk of NHP pathogens' transmission through animal hunting and wild meat consumption. Read More

J Hosp Infect 2020 May 9;105(1):43-52. Epub 2019 Dec 9.

Department of Microbiology, National Reference Centre for Arboviruses and Haemorrhagic Fever Viruses, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an acute febrile illness, often accompanied by haemorrhagic manifestations, with a high case fatality rate (CFR). The causative agent is CCHF virus (CCHFV), and is transmitted to humans mainly through tick bites or exposure to blood or tissues of viraemic patients or livestock. Human-to-human transmission usually occurs in hospital settings, and healthcare workers (HCWs) are mainly affected. Read More

PLoS One 2019 10;14(12):e0216511. Epub 2019 Dec 10.

Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands.

The socio-economic and demographic changes that occurred over the past 50 years have dramatically expanded urban areas around the globe, thus bringing urban settlers in closer contact with nature. Ticks have trespassed the limits of forests and grasslands to start inhabiting green spaces within metropolitan areas. Hence, the transmission of pathogens causing tick-borne diseases is an important threat to public health. Read More

Pan Afr Med J 2019 12;34:25. Epub 2019 Sep 12.

Department of Veterinary and Pest Control Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, PMB 135, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria.

Introduction: Estimation of dog population is relevant in Animal Health Planning; some of the benefits include rabies control and possible elimination, estimation of quantity of dog vaccines and drugs required in the state, policy development and implementation.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the population of dogs in Nasarawa state; a local government area (LGA) was randomly selected from each of the three senatorial districts and two wards were selected randomly from the selected LGA's. Three hundred and thirteen questionnaires were administered through face to face interview with dog owners and their dogs in view. Read More

Malar J 2019 Dec 2;18(1):386. Epub 2019 Dec 2.

Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.

Background: Measuring human exposure to mosquito bites is a crucial component of vector-borne disease surveillance. For malaria vectors, the human landing catch (HLC) remains the gold standard for direct estimation of exposure. This method, however, is controversial since participants risk exposure to potentially infected mosquito bites. Read More

Acta Trop 2020 Feb 25;202:105282. Epub 2019 Nov 25.

Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Rickettsioses are emerging, and re-emerging diseases caused by obligate intracellular arthropod-borne bacteria that infect humans and animals worldwide. Various rickettsiae such as Orientia, Rickettsia, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia have been circulated in companion, domesticated and wild animals through bites of infected ticks, fleas, lice or mites. This review summarizes the infections of rickettsiae, including the newly discovered regional species Rickettsia thailandii, Candidatus Rickettsia sepangensis, Candidatus Rickettsia johorensis, Candidatus Rickettsia laoensis, Candidatus Rickettsia mahosotii, Candidatus Rickettsia khammouanensis, Candidatus Anaplasma pangolinii, and other novel genotypes in vectors, humans and animals in Southeast Asia. Read More

Euro Surveill 2019 Nov;24(47)

Immunization Unit, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.

The United Kingdom (UK) has thus far been considered to be free from tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), yet in July 2019, a German infant developed serologically diagnosed TBE following a tick bite in southern England. This first report of a probable human case together with recent findings of TBE virus in ticks in foci in England suggest that TBE may be acquired in parts of England and should be considered in patients with aetiologically-unexplained neurological manifestations. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2019 Nov 21;12(1):550. Epub 2019 Nov 21.

Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.

Background: In order to evaluate the risk of human exposure to tick-borne pathogens in Belgium, a study on the prevalence of several pathogens was conducted on feeding ticks removed from humans in 2017.

Methods: Using a citizen science approach based on an existing notification tool for tick bites, a sample of ticks was collected across the country. Collected ticks were screened by PCR for the presence of the following pathogens: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia spp. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 11 21;13(11):e0007761. Epub 2019 Nov 21.

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Mt. Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.

Plague is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is transmitted through the bites of infected rodent fleas. Plague is well known for causing 3 major human pandemics that have killed millions of people since 541 A.D. Read More

Zoonoses Public Health 2020 Mar 8;67(2):112-121. Epub 2019 Nov 8.

Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology Group, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Salisbury, UK.

Tick bites on humans can occur in a variety of habitats and may result in the transmission of tick-borne pathogens, such as the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis (LB), Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. As the risk of transmission of this pathogen to the host increases with the duration of tick feeding, the recognition and removal of ticks as soon as possible following attachment is important for reducing the risk of infection. Performing a thorough body examination for ticks following potential exposure is recommended by tick awareness campaigns. Read More

Int J Infect Dis 2020 Jan 5;90:206-212. Epub 2019 Nov 5.

Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Quds University, Main Campus, P.O. Box 5100, Abu Dies, Jerusalem, Palestine. Electronic address:

Objectives: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a deadly disease endemic in all countries around the Mediterranean Sea. In Palestine, VL is transmitted to humans from infected dogs by a sandfly bite. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology and spatiotemporal pattern of VL in Palestine within a period of 27 years (1990-2017). Read More

Braz J Infect Dis 2019 Nov - Dec;23(6):410-418. Epub 2019 Nov 4.

Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Public Health and Epidemiology Department, Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: Studies related to infectivity status of insect vectors are seen as necessities in understanding the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases and planning effective control measures. This study assessed the infectivity ofSimulium damnosum s.l. Read More

mSphere 2019 11 6;4(6). Epub 2019 Nov 6.

Institut Pasteur, Biology of Infection Unit, Inserm U1117, Pathogen Discovery Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France

Jingmenvirus is a recently identified group of segmented RNA viruses phylogenetically linked with unsegmented viruses. Primarily identified in various tick genera originating in China, Jingmenvirus geographical distribution has rapidly expanded to cover Africa, South America, Caribbean, and Europe. The identification of Jingmen-related viruses in various mammals, including febrile humans, opens the possibility that Jingmenviruses may be novel tick-borne arboviruses. Read More

Int J Infect Dis 2020 Jan 2;90:167-169. Epub 2019 Nov 2.

Infectious Diseases Unit, Prince Sultan Military Medical City (PSMMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

We here present a young patient who developed fever, headache, maculopapular skin rash and an eschar 3 days following a tick bite. Serology for Rickettsia was consistent with acute spotted fever group (SFG) infection. He had a dramatic response to doxycycline. Read More

Georgian Med News 2019 Sep(294):109-113

I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ukraine.

Malaria is a parasitic disease. It is one of blood infections caused by malaria plasmodia. The disease is transmitted to a human by a bite of a female mosquito of Anopheles genus. Read More

Front Microbiol 2019 17;10:2315. Epub 2019 Oct 17.

Institut Pasteur, Biology of Infection Unit, Inserm U1117, Pathogen Discovery Laboratory, Paris, France.

Emerging zoonoses caused by previously unknown agents are one of the most important challenges for human health because of their inherent inability to be predictable, conversely to emergences caused by previously known agents that could be targeted by routine surveillance programs. Emerging zoonotic infections either originate from increasing contacts between wildlife and human populations, or from the geographical expansion of hematophagous arthropods that act as vectors, this latter being more capable to impact large-scale human populations. While characterizing the viral communities from candidate vectors in high-risk geographical areas is a necessary initial step, the need to identify which viruses are able to spill over and those restricted to their hosts has recently emerged. Read More

Wilderness Environ Med 2019 Dec 28;30(4):454-460. Epub 2019 Oct 28.

College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Parirenyatwa Hospital, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe.

Pig bite injuries are an infrequently described consequence of human-animal conflict. The domestic pig is thought to be a placid animal not given to unprovoked aggression. We report 2 separate cases of children managed at our institution who sustained abdominal injuries after attack by domestic pigs in rural Zimbabwe. Read More

Elife 2019 10 22;8. Epub 2019 Oct 22.

Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.

Human movement into insect vector and wildlife reservoir habitats determines zoonotic disease risks; however, few data are available to quantify the impact of land use on pathogen transmission. Here, we utilise GPS tracking devices and novel applications of ecological methods to develop fine-scale models of human space use relative to land cover to assess exposure to the zoonotic malaria in Malaysian Borneo. Combining data with spatially explicit models of mosquito biting rates, we demonstrate the role of individual heterogeneities in local space use in disease exposure. Read More