Browsing by Author "Ramos, Jaime A."
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- Mosquito species distribution in mainland Portugal 2005-2008Publication . Osório, Hugo C.; Amaro, Fátima; Zé-Zé, Líbia; Pardal, Sara; Mendes, Luísa; Ventim, Rita; Ramos, Jaime A.; Nunes, Sofia; Alves, M.J.; REVIVE workgroupInformation on distribution and relative abundance of the mosquito fauna of mainland Portugal has been collected by several surveillance programmes and projects over a long period. The work presented here documents additional information provided by capture of adult mosquitoes by the use of CDC light traps baited with CO2 in 48 localities in 13 districts in different parts of mainland Portugal during the period 2005-2008, and by larval surveys using dippers. More than 150,000 adult mosquitoes and 3,000 larvae belonging to 16 species were identified at the National Institute of Health / Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Research. The three commonest species were Ochlerotatus caspius, Culex pipiens, and Cx. theileri. The most widespread species was Cx. pipiens, followed by Culiseta longiareolata. The composition and abundance of the different mosquito populations varied between geographical locations. Only larvae of two species, Cx. hortensis and Cx. laticinctus, were found. Some effects of collection methods on a complete picture of mosquito distribution and abundance are discussed.
- The importance of lizards and small mammals as reservoirs for Borrelia lusitaniae in PortugalPublication . Norte, Ana Cláudia; Alves da Silva, António; Alves, Joana; Pascoal da Silva, Luís; Núncio, Maria Sofia; Escudero, Raquel; Anda, Pedro; Ramos, Jaime A.; Lopes de Carvalho, IsabelBorrelia lusitaniae is a pathogen frequent in the Mediterranean area. Apart from lizards, evidence for birds and small mammals as competent reservoirs for this genospecies has been occasional. We collected questing ticks, skin biopsies and Ixodes sp. ticks feeding on lizards, birds and small mammals in a B. burgdorferi s.l. (sensu lato) enzootic area to assess their importance in the maintenance of B. lusitaniae. Borrelia lusitaniae was the most prevalent genospecies in questing ticks and was commonly found in larvae feeding on Psammodromus algirus. One biopsy infected with B. lusitaniae was collected from the tail of one Podarcis hispanica, which suggests systemic infection. Ixodes ricinus larvae feeding on Apodemus sylvaticus were infected with B. lusitaniae but with a lower prevalence. Our results reinforce the importance of lizards as reservoirs for B. lusitaniae, suggesting that P. algirus, in particular, acts as main reservoir for B. lusitaniae in Portugal.