Zika virus (ZIKV) has spread in the Americas since 2015 and the potential establishment of a sylvatic transmission cycle in the continent has been hypothesized. We evaluated vector competence of five sylvatic Neotropical mosquito species to two ZIKV isolates. Distinct batches of Haemagogus leucoceleanus, Sabethes albiprivus, Sabethes identicus, Aedes terrens and Aedes scapularis females were respectively orally challenged and inoculated intrathoracically with ZIKV. Orally challenged mosquitoes were refractory or exhibited low infection rates. Viral dissemination was detected only in Hg. leucocelaenus, but with very low rates. Virus was not detected in saliva of any mosquito orally challenged with ZIKV, regardless of viral isolate and incubation time. When intrathoracically injected, ZIKV disseminated in high rates in Hg. leucocelaenus, Sa. identicus and Sa. albpiprivus, but low transmission was detected in these species; very low dissemination and no transmission was detected in Ae. terrens and Ae. scapularis. Together these results suggest that genetically determined tissue barriers, especially in the midgut, play a vital role in inhibiting ZIKV for transmission in the tested sylvatic mosquito species. Thus, an independent enzootic transmission cycle for ZIKV in South America is very unlikely.

• MeSH
• Disease Vectors MeSH
• Zika Virus Infection diagnosis   epidemiology   transmission   virology   MeSH
• Mosquito Vectors virology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Public Health Surveillance MeSH
• Viral Load MeSH
• Zika Virus * classification   genetics   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• South America MeSH

BACKGROUND: Human granulocytic anaplasmosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease with increasing relevance for public health in Europe. The understanding of its sylvatic cycle and identification of competent reservoir hosts are essential for improving disease risk models and planning preventative measures. RESULTS: In 2012 we collected single ear biopsy punches from 964 live-trapped rodents in the Province of Trento, Italy. Genetic screening for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (AP) was carried out by PCR amplification of a fragment of the 16S rRNA gene. Fifty-two (5.4%) samples tested positive: 49/245 (20%) from the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) and 3/685 (0.4%) samples collected from the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis). From these 52 positive samples, we generated 38 groEL and 39 msp4 sequences. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the existence of a distinct rodent strain of AP. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the circulation of a specific strain of AP in rodents in our study area; moreover, they provide further evidence of the marginal role of A. flavicollis compared to M. glareolus as a reservoir host for this pathogen.

• MeSH
• Anaplasma phagocytophilum genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Arvicolinae MeSH
• Animals, Wild MeSH
• Ehrlichiosis epidemiology   microbiology   MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Genetic Variation * MeSH
• Rodentia MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Rodent Diseases microbiology   MeSH
• Prevalence MeSH
• Disease Reservoirs microbiology   MeSH
• Zoonoses MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Italy epidemiology   MeSH

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are worldwide spread parasites, causing serious illnesses in sensitive animals; toxoplasmosis is also important zoonosis. Although neosporosis is not considered as a zoonosis, it leads to aborted births in cattle, as well as paresis and paralysis in dogs. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to discover the prevalence of N. caninum and T. gondii antibodies in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the Czech Republic. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Sera of 80 foxes from 8 regions of the Czech Republic were tested for antibodies to N. caninum and T. gondii by competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) and indirect ELISA. All samples were simultaneously tested by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) to detect both N. caninum and T. gondii antibodies. RESULTS: Antibodies to N. caninum were found by IFAT in 3 (3.8%) red foxes with titre 50 and in 2 (2.5%) red foxes with inhibition 42.7% and 30.2 %. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in all tested animals in both IFAT (titres 50-6400) and in ELISA (S/P ranging from 34%-133%). CONCLUSION: This is the first prevalence study of N. caninum and T. gondii antibodies in red foxes in the Czech Republic. The results obtained show that red foxes are exposed at different levels to both protozoan infections, and thus could play an important role in the transmission cycle of N. caninum and T. gondii in sylvatic cycle.

• MeSH
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay veterinary   MeSH
• Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect veterinary   MeSH
• Coccidiosis epidemiology   parasitology   veterinary   MeSH
• Foxes * MeSH
• Neospora isolation & purification   MeSH
• Prevalence MeSH
• Antibodies, Protozoan blood   MeSH
• Seroepidemiologic Studies MeSH
• Toxoplasma isolation & purification   MeSH
• Toxoplasmosis, Animal epidemiology   parasitology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH

BACKGROUND: Mosquito-borne flaviviruses are a major public health threat in many countries worldwide. In Central Europe, West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV), both belonging to the Japanese encephalitis virus group (Flaviviridae) have emerged in the last decennium. Surveillance of mosquito vectors for arboviruses is a sensitive tool to evaluate virus circulation and consequently to estimate the public health risk. METHODS: Mosquitoes (Culicidae) were collected at South-Moravian (Czech Republic) fishponds between 2010 and 2014. A total of 61,770 female Culex modestus Ficalbi mosquitoes, pooled to 1,243 samples, were examined for flaviviruses by RT-PCR. RESULTS: One pool proved positive for USUV RNA. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that this Czech USUV strain is closely related to Austrian and other Central European strains of the virus. In addition, nine strains of WNV lineage 2 were detected in Cx. modestus collected in the same reed bed ecosystem. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first detection of USUV in Cx. modestus. The results indicate that USUV and WNV may co-circulate in a sylvatic cycle in the same habitat, characterised by the presence of water birds and Cx. modestus mosquitoes, serving as hosts and vectors, respectively, for both viruses.

• MeSH
• Arboviruses genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Culex virology   MeSH
• Culicidae virology   MeSH
• Ecosystem MeSH
• Encephalitis, Arbovirus epidemiology   MeSH
• Epidemiological Monitoring MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Insect Vectors virology   MeSH
• Flavivirus Infections epidemiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Molecular Sequence Data MeSH
• Birds MeSH
• Base Sequence MeSH
• Sequence Analysis, DNA MeSH
• West Nile virus genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Encephalitis Viruses, Japanese genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• West Nile Fever epidemiology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Europe epidemiology   MeSH

BACKGROUND: Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens are mosquito-transmitted zoonotic nematodes, causing heartworm disease and skin lesions, respectively, in carnivores. In Europe, the domestic dog is apparently the main definitive host, but patent infections occur also in other species of carnivores. The rapid spread of the golden jackals (Canis aureus) throughout Europe opens a question of involvement of this species in the sylvatic cycle of pathogens in the colonised territories, including Dirofilaria spp. METHODS: Between January 2014 and May 2015, 54 golden jackals from 18 localities in Romania were examined by full necropsy for the presence of adult filarioid nematodes and blood samples from all animals were screened for the presence of microfilariae of D. immitis, D. repens and Acanthocheilonema reconditum by multiplex PCR DNA amplification. RESULTS: Nematodes morphologically identified as D. immitis were found in 18.52% of the animals, originating from the southern part of Romania. No D. repens or A. reconditum were found at necropsy. The molecular prevalence in blood samples from the same animals was 9.26% for D. immitis and 1.85% for D. repens. All samples were negative by PCR for A. reconditum. CONCLUSION: The relatively high prevalence of Dirofilaria spp. infections in golden jackals from Romania together with the increasing density of the jackal populations highlight their potential role in the transmission of these zoonotic parasites and in the maintenance of natural disease foci.

• MeSH
• Dirofilaria * MeSH
• Dirofilariasis MeSH
• Dogs MeSH
• Jackals * MeSH
• Disease Reservoirs veterinary   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Dogs MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Romania epidemiology   MeSH