Browsing by Author "Amaro, F."
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- Borrelia hispanica in Ornithodoros erraticus, PortugalPublication . Palma, Mariana; Lopes de Carvalho, I.; Figueiredo, M.; Amaro, F.; Boinas, F.; Cutler, S.J.; Núncio, M.S.Clin Microbiol Infect ABSTRACT: Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a spirochetal infection caused by the genus Borrelia. The disease is distributed in the Old and New World with many different species reported. In Europe, TBRF is caused by B. hispanica transmitted to man by Ornithodoros erraticus, a soft tick usually found in old premises to shelter pig herds. In Portugal, the first human case of TBRF was reported in 1942 but since the beginning of the 1960s, the disease has rarely been described and seems to either have disappeared or have been undiagnosed. Therefore, in 2009 a survey was undertaken to evaluate the presence of the tick in this type of premises and to evaluate its role as a reservoir of Borrelia. The work was carried out where the ticks were previously reported in the Alentejo and Algarve regions. Of 63 pigpens surveyed, O. erraticus was collected from 19% (n = 12) of these pigpens using CO(2) traps. To evaluate potential Borrelia hosts, both pigs (n = 25) and small rodents (n = 10) inhabiting these pigpens were surveyed for Borrelia presence, by whole blood PCR and/or tissue culture, respectively. All results for pigs and rodents were negative for the presence of B. hispanica. PCR assays targeting the 16S rRNA gene and intergenic spacer region of Borrelia were used. Sequence analysis of the positive samples confirmed the presence of B. hispanica in 2.2% (n = 5) of ticks from a pigpen in Alentejo. These results confirm natural, but albeit low, persistence of this agent in Portugal.
- Clinical presentaion and laboratory findings for the first autochthonous cases of Dengue fever in Madeira island, Portugal, October 2012Publication . Alves, M.J.; Fernandes, P.L.; Amaro, F.; Osório, H.; Luz, T.; Parreira, P.; Andrade, G.; Zé-Zé, Líbia; Zeller, H.
- Diagnóstico imunológico de doenças associadas a vectores existentes em PortugalPublication . Alves, M.J.; Luz, T.; Santos, A.S.; De Sousa, R.; Lopes de Carvalho, I.; Zé-Zé, Líbia; Amaro, F.; Parreira, P.; Núncio, M.S.
- First autochthonous dengue virus infections in Madeira Island, Portugal, in 2012.Publication . Zé-Zé, Líbia; Amaro, F.; Osório, H.C.; Parreira, P.; Luz, T.; Andrade, G.; Fernandes, P.L.; Alves, M.J.
- Genetic characterization of Arrabida virus, a novel phlebovirus isolated in South PortugalPublication . Amaro, F.; Hanke, D.; Zé-Zé, L.; Alves, M.J.; Becker, S.C.; Höper, D.In order to detect phleboviruses’ natural infection in sandflies, an entomological survey was carried out, from May to October in 2007 and 2008, in Arrábida region in the south of Portugal. The isolation of a new phlebovirus was achieved after inoculation of a sandfly pool homogenate in Vero E6 cells. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the complete genome sequences from the Small, Medium and Large, segments obtained with Next Generation sequencing, we can assume that the new phlebovirus, provisionally named Arrabida virus, is closely related to Massilia, Granada and Punique viruses. This is the first isolation of a sandfly-borne phlebovirus from the Sandfly Naples Fever Virus group in Portugal. Further investigation is needed in order to assess the importance of this phlebovirus for Public Health.
- Infecção por vírus West Nile [Flavivírus] em Portugal. Considerações acerca de um caso clínico de síndrome febril com exantemaPublication . Alves, M.J.; Poças, J.M.; Luz, T.; Amaro, F.; Zé-Zé, Líbia; Osório, H.O vírus West Nile [WN] é um flavivírus transmitido por mosquitos e agente etiológico de febre e de doença neuroinvasiva. O vírus WN mantém-se na natureza em ciclos enzoóticos que envolvem mosquitos ornitofílicos, como vectores primários, e algumas espécies de aves como reservatório primário. A sua presença em Portugal é conhecida, surgindo esporadicamente alguns casos de infecção em equinos e humanos. Em 2010 foi identificado um caso humano detectado em toda a época de actividade de mosquitos nesse ano. Neste caso a paciente apresentava quadro febril com hiperpirexia muito irregular, por vezes com calafrios e picos de febre superiores a 39ºC, cefaleias, mialgias, adinamia e astenia acentuada, adenomegalias volumosas e dolorosas na região cervical, assim como exantema eritematoso difuso com maior expressão no tronco. Os exames laboratoriais identificaram seroconversão de anticorpos IgM contra o vírus West Nile.
- Molecular characterization of a new isolate of Borrelia lusitaniae derived from Apodemus sylvaticus in PortugalPublication . de Carvalho, Isabel Lopes; Zeidner, N.; Ullmann, A.; Hojgaard, A.; Amaro, F.; Zé-Zé, Líbia; Alves, M.J.; De Sousa, R.; Piesman, J.; Núncio, M.S.A total of 196 small mammals were collected in Portugal and tested for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Tissue samples were taken from each animal and cultured in Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly (BSK)-II medium. The single strain of spirochete isolated was confirmed as Borrelia lusitaniae by genetic analyses. This is the first report of B. lusitaniae isolated from Apodemus sylvaticus.
- Molecular Identification and Ecology of Portuguese Wild-Caught Phlebotomine Sandfly SpecimensPublication . Zé-Zé, L.; Amaro, F.; Osório, H.; Giovanetti, M.; Lourenço, J.; Alves, M.J.Phlebotomine sandflies are important vectors of Leishmania spp. and phleboviruses causing disease in animals and humans. Morphological identification of phlebotomine sandflies to the species level is challenging, requiring microscopical examination of the genitalia, which is demanding and time consuming. Molecular sandfly species identification can be a practical solution to save resources since it enables further molecular studies capable of generating data, such as biting preferences by blood meal analysis. In this study, resorting to a sandfly dataset collected between 2014 and 2018 across Portuguese territory under active mosquito surveillance and sandfly specific surveys, we used molecular methods to explore the genetic diversity and spatial distribution, further exploring ecological co-variants of four sandfly species—Phlebotomus ariasi, P. perniciosus, P. sergenti, and Sergentomyia minuta—all of which are of public health importance. Sandflies were collected from Spring to Autumn (May–November) following local temperature patterns. P. perniciosus was the most widespread detected species, with a nationwide distribution. All studied species clustered together with known samples from the Iberian Peninsula. Further monitoring studies of sandfly species diversity, distribution, and seasonality are essential for surveillance and control of sandfly-borne pathogens both nationally and globally
- Mosquito surveillance for prevention and control of emerging mosquito-borne diseases in Portugal - 2008-2014Publication . Osório, H.C.; Zé-Zé, Líbia; Amaro, F.; Alves, M.J.Mosquito surveillance in Europe is essential for early detection of invasive species with public health importance and prevention and control of emerging pathogens. In Portugal, a vector surveillance national program-REVIVE (REde de VIgilância de VEctores)-has been operating since 2008 under the custody of Portuguese Ministry of Health. The REVIVE is responsible for the nationwide surveillance of hematophagous arthropods. Surveillance for West Nile virus (WNV) and other flaviviruses in adult mosquitoes is continuously performed. Adult mosquitoes-collected mainly with Centre for Disease Control light traps baited with CO2-and larvae were systematically collected from a wide range of habitats in 20 subregions (NUTS III). Around 500,000 mosquitoes were trapped in more than 3,000 trap nights and 3,500 positive larvae surveys, in which 24 species were recorded. The viral activity detected in mosquito populations in these years has been limited to insect specific flaviviruses (ISFs) non-pathogenic to humans. Rather than emergency response, REVIVE allows timely detection of changes in abundance and species diversity providing valuable knowledge to health authorities, which may take control measures of vector populations reducing its impact on public health. This work aims to present the REVIVE operation and to expose data regarding mosquito species composition and detected ISFs.
- Phylogenetic Analysis of Massilia phlebovirus in PortugalPublication . Amaro, F.; Zé-Zé, L.; Lourenço, J.; Giovanetti, M.; Becker, S.C.; Alves, M.J.In the last two decades, molecular surveys of arboviruses have enabled the identification of several new viruses, contributing to the knowledge of viral diversity and providing important epidemiological data regarding possible new emerging viruses. A combination of diagnostic assays, Illumina sequencing and phylogenetic inference are here used to characterize two new Massilia phlebovirus strains isolated from sandflies collected in the Arrábida region, Portugal. Whole genome sequence analysis enabled their identification as reassortants and the recognition of genomic variants co-circulating in Portugal. Much is still unknown about the life cycle, geographic range, evolutionary forces and public health importance of these viruses in Portugal and elsewhere, and more studies are needed.