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Epidemiological, virological and clinical characterization of a Dengue/Zika outbreak in the Caribbean region of Costa Rica 2017–2018
(2024-06-26) Soto Garita, Claudio; Murillo Corrales, Tatiana; Chávez Peraza, Ileana; Campos Ávila, Josué; Prado Hidalgo, Grace; Drexler, Jan Felix; Moreira Soto, Andrés; Corrales Aguilar, Eugenia
The increase in incidence and geographical expansion of viruses transmitted bythe Aedes mosquitoes, such as dengue (DENV) and zika (ZIKV) in the Americas,represents a burden for healthcare systems in tropical and subtropical regions.These and other under-detected arboviruses co-circulate in Costa Rica, addingadditional complexity to their management due to their shared epidemiologicalbehavior and similarity of symptoms in early stages. Since diagnostics of febrileillness is mostly based on clinical symptoms alone, we gathered acute-phaseserum and urine from 399 samples of acute dengue-like cases from twohealthcare facilities of Costa Rica, during an outbreak of arboviruses from July2017 to May 2018, and tested them using molecular and serological methods.The analyses showed that of the clinically presumptive arbovirus cases that werereported, only 39.4% (n=153) of the samples were confirmed positive by RT-PCRto be DENV (DENV (10.3%), CHIKV (0.2%), ZIKV (27.3%), or mixed infections (1.5%).RT-PCR for other alphaviruses and flaviviruses, and PCR for Leptospira sp werenegative. Furthermore, to assess flavivirus positivity in post-acute patients, thenegative sera were tested against Dengue-IgM. 20% of sera were found positive,confounding even more the definitive number of cases, and emphasizing theneed of several distinct diagnostic tools for accurate diagnostics. Molecularcharacterization of the prM and E genes from isolated viruses revealed that theAmerican/Asian genotype of DENV-2 and the Asian lineage of ZIKV werecirculating during this outbreak. Two different clades of DENV-2 American/Asian genotype were identified to co-circulate in the same region and adifference in the platelet and leukocyte count was noted between peopleinfected with each clade, suggesting a putative distinct virulence. Our studysheds light on the necessity for healthcare strategies in managing arbovirusoutbreaks, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive molecular andserological diagnostic approaches, as well as molecular characterization. Thisapproach aids in enhancing our understanding of the clinical andepidemiological aspects of arboviral diseases during outbreaks. Our researchhighlights the need to strengthen training programs for health professionals andthe need to increase research-based on laboratory evidence for diagnosticaccuracy, guidance, development and implementation of public healthinterventions and epidemiological surveillance.
Assessing the drivers of gut microbiome composition in wild redfronted lemurs via longitudinal metacommunity analysis
(2022-12-12) Murillo Corrales, Tatiana; Schneider, Dominik; Heistermann, Michael; Daniel, Rolf; Fichtel, Claudia
The gut microbiome influences host’s immunity, development, and metabolism and participatesin the gut–brain axis, thus impacting the health of the host. It is a dynamic community varyingbetween individuals and within individuals at different time points. Hence, determining the factorscausing this variability may elucidate their impact on host’s health. However, understanding thedrivers of variation has proven difficult particularly as multiple interactions occur simultaneouslyin the gut microbiome. We investigated the factors shaping the gut microbiome by applying themetacommunity concept where the gut microbiome is considered as a microbial community shapedby the interactions within the community, with the host and microbial communities outside the host,this through a longitudinal study in a wild primate. Focal behavioral data were collected for 1 year infour groups of redfronted lemurs to determine individual social and feeding behaviors. In addition,regular fecal samples were collected to assess bacteria, protozoa, and helminths through markergene analysis and to measure fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations to investigatethe impact of physiological stress on the gut microbiome. Higher consumption of leaves and elevatedfGCM concentrations correlated with higher alpha diversity, which also differed among groups.The major drivers of variation in beta diversity were group membership, precipitation and fGCMconcentrations. We found positive and negative associations between bacterial genera and almostall studied factors. Correlations between bacterial indicator networks and social networks indicatetransmission of bacteria between interacting individuals. We detected that processes occurring insidethe gut environment are shaping the gut microbiome. Host associated factors such as, HPA axis,dietary changes, and fluctuations in water availability had a greater impact than interactions withinthe microbial community. The interplay with microbial communities outside the host also shape thegut microbiome through the exchange of bacteria through social relationships between individualsand the acquisition of microorganisms from environmental water sources.
Exposure to non-endemic arboviruses (alphaviruses) in Costa Rica assessed from human samples collected in areas with contrasting levels of dengue endemicity
(2025-02-19) Valles Morera, Andrea; Murillo Corrales, Tatiana; Lizano Bolaños, Jose; Gutiérrez Roche, Sergio; Alvarado Salazar, Margarita; Alfaro Alvarado, Jonathan; Calvo Salas, Gerardo Andrés; Prado Hidalgo, Grace; Ortega, Johis; Corrales Aguilar, Eugenia
Arboviruses represent a global public health challenge. The lack of diagnosticprotocols and the presence of asymptomatic infections complicate confirmatorydiagnostics. Alphaviruses, such as the equine encephalitis viruses, can cause severeoutbreaks and are usually misdiagnosed as dengue. Thus, evidence for theircirculation was assessed here. Plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) wasused to compare sera collected during 2022–2023 from an area with high dengueendemicity (Hone Creek) with another with low endemicity (Great MetropolitanArea, GMA) to elucidate the putative alphavirus circulation and determine whetherthere were differences between the two areas. The screening results of PRNT50%against the Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) and the Eastern equineencephalitis virus showed that 20.5% of sera collected from Hone Creek werepositive for VEEV, with 15.4% (n = 40) showing real neutralizing titers. In the GMA,only 0.8% tested positive for VEEV during the screening, with only 0.3% (n = 1)showing a true neutralizing titer. No sample was positive for the Eastern equineencephalitis virus or Mayaro (MAYV) and one serum sample from Hone Creek waschikungunya positive. This study underscores the global health challenge posedby arboviruses with their similar clinical presentation and antibody cross-reactivity,particularly in tropical regions where flaviviruses and alphaviruses prevail and cocirculate.The comparison of PRNT results between high and low dengue-endemicareas in Costa Rica shed light on the potential circulation of the VEEV and thefact that there is no circulation of Eastern equine encephalitis virus or Mayaroyet. These findings indicate a higher prevalence of VEEV in the high-endemicarea, emphasizing the importance of targeted surveillance, control measures,and better diagnostics.
Description of a Neotropical gall inducer on Araceae: Arastichus, gen. nov. (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) and two new species
(2022-08-31) Zhang, Miles; Gates, Michael W.; Hanson Snortum, Paul E.; Jansen González, Sergio
A new genus of a Neotropical gall inducing tetrastichine eulophid on Araceae is described and confirmed using Ultraconserved Elements (UCE) phylogenomic data. Arastichus Gates, Hanson, Jansen-González & Zhang, gen. nov., includes two new species and one species transferred from Aprostocetus Westwood: A. capipunctata Gates, Hanson, Jansen-González & Zhang, sp. nov., A. gallicola (Ferrière), comb. nov., and A. gibernau, Gates, Hanson, Jansen-González & Zhang, sp. nov.
Another species of Quadrastichus (Hymenopera; Eulophidae; Tetrastichinae) attacking Erythrina (Fabaceae) in the Neotropics: a report from Costa Rica
(2019-05) Jansen González, Sergio; Rojas Barrantes, Mainor; Ramírez Valerio, Daniel; Constantino, Miguel; García Jiménez, Fiorella Cristina; Hanson Snortum, Paul E.
Since the description of Quadrastichus erythrinae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae: Tetrastichinae) in 2004, this invasive species has been reported in various tropical and subtropical regions, causing damage to several species of coral trees (Erythrina spp.). Here
we report the presence of yet another invasive Quadrastichus attacking native and introduced species of Erythrina in Costa Rica. We present morphological evidence that strongly suggests that this species is not Q. erythrinae; rather, the species found in Costa Rica appears to be either Q. bardus or an undescribed species. We call for an urgent international effort to characterize the phytophagous Quadrastichus species associated with Erythrina species from around the world in order to clarify which species are invasive and document where these invasive species are currently known to occur