Article
Infectious Diseases
Oliver J. Brady, Adam J. Kucharski, Sebastian Funk, Yalda Jafari, Marnix Van Loock, Guillermo Herrera-Taracena, Joris Menten, W. John Edmunds, Shuzhen Sim, Lee-Ching Ng, Stephane Hue, Martin L. Hibberd
Summary: CATI strategies may be effective for dengue control, especially in lower density areas with large intervention radii. They are predicted to be more effective with prophylactic drugs and may interrupt transmission chains if rapidly deployed, but may lose effectiveness in areas with high transmission rates or low case detection rates. Controlled field trials are needed to assess their practical application.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Carlos Alberto Montenegro-Quinonez, Valerie R. Louis, Olaf Horstick, Raman Velayudhan, Peter Dambach, Silvia Runge-Ranzinger
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of structural housing interventions against Aedes mosquitoes and dengue. The results showed that interventions at the household level had positive effects on the immature mosquito stages, but performed less effectively against adult mosquitoes. The meta-analysis did not find a statistically significant reduction in seroconversion outcomes.
Article
Mathematics
Edwin Barrios-Rivera, Olga Vasilieva, Mikhail Svinin
Summary: This study aims to contribute to the research on vector control by designing optimal strategies for insecticide spraying based on a mathematical model. The results show that reducing the budget for corrective control is unwise as it may lead to additional public spending.
Review
Virology
Samson T. Ogunlade, Michael T. Meehan, Adeshina I. Adekunle, Emma S. McBryde
Summary: A systematic review is conducted to explore the present understanding of the effectiveness of vector control approaches via dengue transmission models.
Article
Environmental Studies
Shabbir Ahmad, Sriram Shankar, John Steen, Martie-Louise Verreynne, Abid Aman Burki
Summary: Research shows that in smallholder horticulture farms in Pakistan, technical efficiency and mix efficiency contribute almost equally to production efficiency. There are significant efficiency disparities across different agro-climatic zones and farm sizes, attributed to suboptimal agricultural practices. Policy-makers should focus on improving both technical and mix inefficiency.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Akhil Kumar Srivastav, Anuj Kumar, Prashant K. Srivastava, Mini Ghosh
Summary: This study presents a mathematical model for dengue transmission which incorporates the impact of information-based behavioral response and the segregation of infected human population. The sensitivity analysis identifies key model parameters influencing disease transmission. An optimal control problem is proposed, showing that comprehensive control strategies are effective in reducing infection and cost. The study also examines the effect of basic reproduction number on control strategies, concluding that a comprehensive approach is effective even in severe epidemics.
EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL PLUS
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Alejandra Taborda, Cindy Chamorro, Juliana Quintero, Gabriel Carrasquilla, Dario Londono
Summary: This study compared the economic benefits of a regular dengue prevention program with a new intervention in an area with high dengue prevalence. The results showed that the new intervention was associated with increased costs but also had potential economic viability in high-risk dengue areas.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2022)
Article
Virology
Victor Hugo Pena-Garcia, Francis M. Mutuku, Bryson A. Ndenga, Joel Omari Mbakaya, Samwuel Otieno Ndire, Gladys Adhiambo Agola, Paul S. Mutuku, Said L. Malumbo, Charles M. Ng'ang'a, Jason R. Andrews, Erin A. Mordecai, A. Desiree LaBeaud
Summary: Most vector control activities in urban areas focus on household environments. However, there is limited information about infection risks in spaces other than households, and the relative risk of these spaces is not fully understood. Using simulations based on data, this study investigated the importance of household and non-household environments for dengue entomological risk in two Kenyan cities. The results suggest that non-household environments have a higher density of vectors and pose a potential risk for dengue transmission.
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Sangeeta Saha, Guruprasad Samanta
Summary: The study proposes a biologically well-posed epidemic model to analyze the dynamics of dengue strain. It finds that severe dengue cases are more infectious and continuous mosquito removal significantly reduces the chances of infection. An optimal control problem is formulated, showing that effective non-pharmaceutical precautions and periodic mosquito removal decrease the infection level.
MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTERS IN SIMULATION
(2022)
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Akhil Kumar Srivastav, Vanessa Steindorf, Nico Stollenwerk, Maira Aguiar
Summary: Dengue fever is a globally important viral mosquito-borne disease, with 3.9 billion people at risk of infection. Control measures including mosquito bite prevention and vector control programs have been used for years in endemic countries. Vaccination has also become an important tool for disease prevention and control. The economic costs of dengue control programs vary, so it is important to evaluate optimal control strategies in different epidemiological contexts.
CHAOS SOLITONS & FRACTALS
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Joshua M. Wong, Laura E. Adams, Anna P. Durbin, Jorge L. Munoz-Jordan, Katherine A. Poehling, Liliana M. Sanchez-Gonzalez, Hannah R. Volkman, Gabriela Paz-Bailey
Summary: Dengue is a common arboviral disease caused by dengue viruses, with the greatest burden in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Effective prevention and control measures are necessary to prevent the increasing disease burden and geographic range. Clinicians should understand the clinical presentation and management of dengue patients. The recommendation of Dengvaxia as a routine vaccine and the requirement for laboratory testing of potential recipients are important milestones in controlling dengue.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nurul Azam Mohd Salim, Yap Bee Wah, Caitlynn Reeves, Madison Smith, Wan Fairos Wan Yaacob, Rose Nani Mudin, Rahmat Dapari, Nik Nur Fatin Fatihah Sapri, Ubydul Haque
Summary: This study evaluated the dengue fever situation in five districts in Selangor, Malaysia, and identified the best machine learning model for prediction. The results showed that the Support Vector Machine (linear kernel) had the best prediction performance, with "week-of-the-year" being the most important predictor in the model.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Debashis Ghosh, Abdul Alim, M. Mamun Huda, Christine M. Halleux, Md Almahmud, Piero L. Olliaro, Greg Matlashewski, Axel Kroeger, Dinesh Mondal
Summary: This pilot study compared the effects of different vector control tools on sandfly densities and mortality, and found varying effectiveness and acceptability of existing interventions at different time points. The results will guide the National Kala-azar Elimination Program in selecting appropriate control tools during the elimination process.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Sandthya Pramasivan, Romano Ngui, Nantha Kumar Jeyaprakasam, Van Lun Low, Jonathan Wee Kent Liew, Indra Vythilingam
Summary: This study provides insights into the distribution of Leucosphyrus Group of Anopheles mosquitoes in Malaysia. A predictive statistical model was developed using significant environmental factors, and distribution maps were created. The research is crucial for informing future malaria control interventions.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Seth E. O'Neal, Ian W. Pray, Percy Vilchez, Ricardo Gamboa, Claudio Muro, Luz Maria Moyano, Viterbo Ayvar, Cesar M. Gavidia, Robert H. Gilman, Armando E. Gonzalez, Hector H. Garcia
Summary: This study conducted in Peru found that significant reductions in seroincidence among pigs were observed in all three intervention approaches, suggesting that multiple strategies can achieve rapid control of T. solium transmission.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Kathryn L. Schaber, T. Alex Perkins, Alun L. Lloyd, Lance A. Waller, Uriel Kitron, Valerie A. Paz-Soldan, John P. Elder, Alan L. Rothman, David J. Civitello, William H. Elson, Amy C. Morrison, Thomas W. Scott, Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec
Summary: The study shows the significant impact of different population behavior responses and activity reductions on the transmission and outbreak of DENV, leading to changes in transmission methods at the individual level and reducing the importance of transmission from the activity space outside symptomatic cases.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Amy C. Morrison, Julia Schwarz, Jennie L. Mckenney, Jhonny Cordova, Jennifer E. Rios, W. Lorena Quiroz, S. Alfonso Vizcarra, Heng Sopheab, Karin M. Bauer, Chhorvann Chhea, Vonthanak Saphonn, Robert D. Hontz, Pamina M. Gorbach, Valerie A. Paz-Soldan
Summary: Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have the potential to quickly identify infectious diseases, but the study found varied levels of competency in using RDTs between residents in Iquitos, Peru and Phnom Penh, Cambodia. When provided at no cost, only a portion of febrile cases opted to use the RDTs provided, indicating the need for further research on the appropriate level of instructions or training needed for different settings.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Jennifer Baltzegar, Michael Vella, Christian Gunning, Gissella Vasquez, Helvio Astete, Fred Stell, Michael Fisher, Thomas W. Scott, Audrey Lenhart, Alun L. Lloyd, Amy Morrison, Fred Gould
Summary: This study investigates the evolution of knockdown resistance (kdr) haplotypes in Aedes aegypti over 18 years in Iquitos, Peru, in response to pyrethroid insecticide use. The research provides evidence of a direct connection between citywide pyrethroid spraying and the increase in frequency of specific kdr haplotypes, and highlights the rapid evolution of Ae. aegypti populations even under infrequent insecticide pressure. In addition to temporal shifts, spatial suppression experiments demonstrate genetic heterogeneity at both citywide and fine scales within the city.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Editorial Material
Infectious Diseases
Tyler M. Sharp, Kathryn B. Anderson, Leah C. Katzelnick, Hannah Clapham, Michael A. Johansson, Amy C. Morrison, Eva Harris, Gabriela Paz-Bailey, Stephen H. Waterman
Summary: The frequency and contributing factors of severe dengue virus infection are not well understood. Consistent definitions of disease severity are needed for reliable characterization of severe dengue epidemiology. Hospital admission, although used as a proxy, lacks specificity and variability in clinical practices. Previous infection with dengue virus is a known risk factor for severe dengue, but the timing and sequence of infections on disease severity is only beginning to be understood. Comprehensive studies across various age groups and geographical regions are needed to improve our understanding of the clinical spectrum of disease resulting from dengue virus infection.
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Oscar Mikery, Julio C. Rojas, Eduardo A. Rebollar-Tellez, Javier Valle-Mora, Alfredo Castillo
Summary: Effective attractants for monitoring Lutzomyia cruciata, a potential vector of Leishmania mexicana, are limited. This study found that 1-octen-3-ol was the most effective attractant for female L. cruciata in field conditions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PEST MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Amy C. Morrison, Robert C. Reiner, William H. Elson, Helvio Astete, Carolina Guevara, Clara del Aguila, Isabel Bazan, Crystyan Siles, Patricia Barrera, Anna B. Kawiecki, Christopher M. Barker, Gissella M. Vasquez, Karin Escobedo-Vargas, Carmen Flores-Mendoza, Alfredo A. Huaman, Mariana Leguia, Maria E. Silva, Sarah A. Jenkins, Wesley R. Campbell, Eugenio J. Abente, Robert D. Hontz, Valerie A. Paz-Soldan, John P. Grieco, Neil F. Lobo, Thomas W. Scott, Nicole L. Achee
Summary: This study provides conclusive evidence from a clinical trial that a transfluthrin-based spatial repellent significantly reduces ABV infection and has a significant impact on the population and blood-fed rates of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Douglas M. Watts, Kevin L. Russell, Mark T. Wooster, Trueman W. Sharp, Amy C. Morrison, Tad J. Kochel, Christian T. Bautista, Karla Block, Carolina Guevara, Patricia Aguilar, Pedro M. Palermo, Carlos Calampa, Kevin R. Porter, Curtis G. Hayes, Scott C. Weaver, Amelia Travassos De Rosa, Joseph M. Vinetz, Robert E. Shope, Eduardo Gotuzzo, Hilda Guzman, Robert B. Tesh
Summary: The objective of this study was to determine the cause of febrile illnesses in the urban community of Iquitos in Peru's Amazon River Basin. The results showed that arboviruses, malaria, and leptospirosis accounted for approximately 50% of the febrile cases.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
William H. Elson, Anna B. Kawiecki, Marisa A. P. Donnelly, Arnold O. Noriega, Jody K. Simpson, Din Syafruddin, Ismail Ekoprayitno Rozi, Neil F. Lobo, Christopher M. Barker, Thomas W. Scott, Nicole L. Achee, Amy C. Morrison
Summary: Vector-borne diseases are a significant burden to health systems, especially in developing regions. Vector control is the primary prevention strategy, and new interventions must be assessed for their public health value. Mobile data collection systems have been implemented to overcome challenges in data reporting and quality assurance. A case study conducted in Peru discusses the development and implementation of a mobile data collection system for a clinical trial evaluating a spatial repellent intervention.
Letter
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Riley I. Taitingfong, Cynthia Triplett, Valeri N. Vasquez, Ramya M. Rajagopalan, Robyn Raban, Aaron Roberts, Gerard Terradas, Bridget Baumgartner, Claudia Emerson, Fred Gould, Fredros Okumu, Cynthia E. Schairer, Herve C. Bossin, Leah Buchman, Karl J. Campbell, Anna Clark, Jason Delborne, Kevin Esvelt, Joshua Fisher, Robert M. Friedman, Gigi Gronvall, Nikos Gurfield, Elizabeth Heitman, Natalie Kofler, Todd Kuiken, Jennifer Kuzma, Pablo Manrique-Saide, John M. Marshall, Michael Montague, Amy C. Morrison, Chris C. Opesen, Ryan Phelan, Antoinette Piaggio, Hector Quemada, Larisa Rudenko, Natewinde Sawadogo, Robert Smith, Holly Tuten, Anika Ullah, Adam Vorsino, Nikolai Windbichler, Omar S. Akbari, Kanya Long, James V. Lavery, Sam Weiss Evans, Karen Tountas, Cinnamon S. Bloss
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Amy C. H. Morrison, Valerie A. Paz-Soldan, Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec, Louis Lambrechts, William H. Elson, Patricia A. Barrera, Helvio C. Astete, Veronica B. Briesemeister, Mariana C. Leguia, Sarah A. Jenkins, Kanya C. L. Long, Anna B. A. Kawiecki, Robert C. D. Reiner Jr, T. Alex T. Perkins, Alun L. M. Lloyd, Lance A. Waller, Robert D. P. Hontz, Steven T. L. Stoddard, Christopher M. W. Barker, Uriel Kitron, John P. Elder, Alan L. Rothman, Thomas W. Scott
Summary: Current knowledge of dengue virus transmission is limited and has more failures than successes. The foundation for interventions is based on untested assumptions from a small portion of the human population with clinically apparent disease. There is a need to embrace heterogeneities in virus transmission dynamics and conduct comprehensive longitudinal studies.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Hasitha Tissera, D. S. Anoja F. Dheerasinghe, Neelika Malavige, H. Asita de Silva, Amy C. C. Morrison, Thomas W. W. Scott, Robert C. C. Reiner Jr, John P. P. Grieco, Nicole L. L. Achee
Summary: This article describes a trial conducted in Sri Lanka to evaluate the efficacy of a spatial repellent called Mosquito Shield (TM) in reducing Aedes-borne viruses. The trial uses a cluster-randomized design and measures the effect of the repellent through serological testing and entomological surveys. The results will be submitted to the World Health Organization for assessment and potential endorsement of spatial repellents in Aedes-borne virus control programs.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Christian E. Gunning, Amy C. Morrison, Kenichi W. Okamoto, Thomas W. Scott, Helvio Astete, Gissella M. Vasquez, Fred Gould, Alun L. Lloyd
Summary: The importance of mosquitoes in transmitting human pathogens has led to research efforts in mosquito biology to improve vector control measures. In this study, a model called Skeeter Buster 2 (SB2) was used to predict the impact of insecticidal control measures on Aedes aegypti mosquito populations. Field experiments were conducted in Peru to validate the model and compare the results with empirical observations. The model and empirical results showed similar effects of insecticidal spraying on mosquito populations, but there were some differences in certain parameters. The study highlights the importance of nonlinear dynamics and the limitations of fine-grained predictability in mosquito population dynamics.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biology
David P. Tchouassi, Jandouwe Villinger, Amy C. Morrison
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Eder Cano-Perez, Martha Gonzalez-Beltran, Julia S. S. Ampuero, Doris Gomez-Camargo, Amy C. Morrison, Helvio Astete
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of Culicidae fauna in rural and peri-urban areas of the Colombian Caribbean region and assessed the risk of mosquito-borne pathogen transmission. The study found a high diversity of mosquito species in the study area, including arbovirus vectors, indicating a potential disease transmission risk in these areas.
TROPICAL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Nicole L. Achee, T. Alex Perkins, Sean M. Moore, Fang Liu, Issaka Sagara, Suzanne Van Hulle, Eric O. Ochomo, John E. Gimnig, Hasitha A. Tissera, Steven A. Harvey, April Monroe, Amy C. Morrison, Thomas W. Scott, Robert C. Reiner Jr, John P. Grieco
Summary: Spatial repellent products are designed to provide protection against daytime and early-evening biting, in enclosed/semi-enclosed and peri-domestic spaces. They have demonstrated effectiveness against insecticide-resistant vectors linked to malaria and dengue transmission. However, the lack of epidemiological data showing their public health impact across different settings limits the ability to make WHO policy recommendations.
CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)