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Müller R, Bálint M, Hardes K, Hollert H, Klimpel S, Knorr E, Kochmann J, Lee KZ, Mehring M, Pauls SU, Smets G, Steinbrink A, Vilcinskas A. RNA interference to combat the Asian tiger mosquito in Europe: A pathway from design of an innovative vector control tool to its application. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 66:108167. [PMID: 37164239 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is currently spreading across Europe, facilitated by climate change and global transportation. It is a vector of arboviruses causing human diseases such as chikungunya, dengue hemorrhagic fever and Zika fever. For the majority of these diseases, no vaccines or therapeutics are available. Options for the control of Ae. albopictus are limited by European regulations introduced to protect biodiversity by restricting or phasing out the use of pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or products of genome editing. Alternative solutions are thus urgently needed to avoid a future scenario in which Europe faces a choice between prioritizing human health or biodiversity when it comes to Aedes-vectored pathogens. To ensure regulatory compliance and public acceptance, these solutions should preferably not be based on chemicals or GMOs and must be cost-efficient and specific. The present review aims to synthesize available evidence on RNAi-based mosquito vector control and its potential for application in the European Union. The recent literature has identified some potential target sites in Ae. albopictus and formulations for delivery. However, we found little information concerning non-target effects on the environment or human health, on social aspects, regulatory frameworks, or on management perspectives. We propose optimal designs for RNAi-based vector control tools against Ae. albopictus (target product profiles), discuss their efficacy and reflect on potential risks to environmental health and the importance of societal aspects. The roadmap from design to application will provide readers with a comprehensive perspective on the application of emerging RNAi-based vector control tools for the suppression of Ae. albopictus populations with special focus on Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Müller
- Unit Entomology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 9, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Miklós Bálint
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Kornelia Hardes
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch of Bioresources, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research "ASCRIBE", Germany
| | - Henner Hollert
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Department Media-related Toxicity, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Integrative Parasitology and Zoophysiology, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eileen Knorr
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch of Bioresources, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Judith Kochmann
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Kwang-Zin Lee
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch of Bioresources, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Marion Mehring
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; ISOE - Institute for Social-Ecological Research, Hamburger Allee 45, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Steffen U Pauls
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany; Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Greet Smets
- Perseus BV, Kortrijksesteenweg 127 B1, B-9830 Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium
| | - Antje Steinbrink
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch of Bioresources, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
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ZanzaMapp: A Scalable Citizen Science Tool to Monitor Perception of Mosquito Abundance and Nuisance in Italy and Beyond. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17217872. [PMID: 33121060 PMCID: PMC7672598 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17217872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Mosquitoes represent a considerable nuisance and are actual/potential vectors of human diseases in Europe. Costly and labour-intensive entomological monitoring is needed to correct planning of interventions aimed at reducing nuisance and the risk of pathogen transmission. The widespread availability of mobile phones and of massive Internet connections opens the way to the contribution of citizen in complementing entomological monitoring. ZanzaMapp is the first mobile “mosquito” application for smartphones specifically designed to assess citizens’ perception of mosquito abundance and nuisance in Italy. Differently from other applications targeting mosquitoes, ZanzaMapp prioritizes the number of records over their scientific authentication by requesting users to answer four simple questions on perceived mosquito presence/abundance/nuisance and geo-localizing the records. The paper analyses 36,867 ZanzaMapp records sent by 13,669 devices from 2016 to 2018 and discusses the results with reference to either citizens’ exploitation and appreciation of the app and to the consistency of the results obtained with the known biology of main mosquito species in Italy. In addition, we provide a first small-scale validation of ZanzaMapp data as predictors of Aedes albopictus biting females and examples of spatial analyses and maps which could be exploited by public institutions and administrations involved in mosquito and mosquito-borne pathogen monitoring and control.
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Caputo B, Manica M. Mosquito surveillance and disease outbreak risk models to inform mosquito-control operations in Europe. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 39:101-108. [PMID: 32403040 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Surveillance programs are needed to guide mosquito-control operations to reduce both nuisance and the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Understanding the thresholds for action to reduce both nuisance and the risk of arbovirus transmission is becoming critical. To date, mosquito surveillance is mainly implemented to inform about pathogen transmission risks rather than to reduce mosquito nuisance even though lots of control efforts are aimed at the latter. Passive surveillance, such as digital monitoring (validated by entomological trapping), is a powerful tool to record biting rates in real time. High-quality data are essential to model the risk of arbovirus diseases. For invasive pathogens, efforts are needed to predict the arrival of infected hosts linked to the small-scale vector to host contact ratio, while for endemic pathogens efforts are needed to set up region-wide highly structured surveillance measures to understand seasonal re-activation and pathogen transmission in order to carry out effective control operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beniamino Caputo
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Rome La Sapienza, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 38010, 00185 Rome, Italy.
| | - Mattia Manica
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Via E. Mach 1, 38010 San Michele all' Adige, Italy
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Caputo B, Moretti R, Manica M, Serini P, Lampazzi E, Bonanni M, Fabbri G, Pichler V, Della Torre A, Calvitti M. A bacterium against the tiger: preliminary evidence of fertility reduction after release of Aedes albopictus males with manipulated Wolbachia infection in an Italian urban area. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2020; 76:1324-1332. [PMID: 31603613 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Novel tools are needed to reduce the nuisance and risk of exotic arbovirus transmission associated with the colonization of temperate regions by Aedes albopictus. The incompatible insect technique (IIT) is a population suppression approach based on cytoplasmic incompatibility between males with manipulated endosymbionts and wild females. Here, we present the results of the first field experiment in Europe to assess the capacity of an Ae. albopictus line (ARwP) deprived of its natural endosymbiont Wolbachia and transinfected with a Wolbachia strain from the mosquito Culex pipiens, to sterilize wild females. RESULTS We released ∼ 4500 ARwP males weekly for 6 weeks in a green area within urban Rome (Italy) and carried out egg (N = 13 442), female (N = 128) and male (N = 352) collections. Egg (N = 13 783) and female (N = 48) collections were also carried out at two untreated control sites. The percentage of viable eggs during release was, on average, significantly lower in treated sites than in control sites, with the greatest difference (16%) seen after the fourth release. The ARwP to wild male ratio in the release spots between day 3 after the first ARwP male release and day 7 after the last release was, on average, 7:10. Released males survived up to 2 weeks. Approximately 30% of females collected in the release spots showed 100% sterility and 20% showed strongly reduced fertility compared with control sites. CONCLUSIONS Results support the potential of IIT as a tool contributing to Ae. albopictus control in the urban context, and stress the need for larger field trials to evaluate the cost-efficacy of the approach in suppressing wild populations. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beniamino Caputo
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Università di Roma Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Riccardo Moretti
- Biotechnology and Agroindustry Division, ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development), Casaccia Research Center, Rome, Italy
| | - Mattia Manica
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Trento, Italy
| | - Paola Serini
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Università di Roma Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Lampazzi
- Biotechnology and Agroindustry Division, ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development), Casaccia Research Center, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Bonanni
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Università di Roma Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Fabbri
- Biotechnology and Agroindustry Division, ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development), Casaccia Research Center, Rome, Italy
| | - Verena Pichler
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Università di Roma Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Della Torre
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Università di Roma Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Calvitti
- Biotechnology and Agroindustry Division, ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development), Casaccia Research Center, Rome, Italy
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Pichler V, Malandruccolo C, Serini P, Bellini R, Severini F, Toma L, Di Luca M, Montarsi F, Ballardini M, Manica M, Petrarca V, Vontas J, Kasai S, Della Torre A, Caputo B. Phenotypic and genotypic pyrethroid resistance of Aedes albopictus, with focus on the 2017 chikungunya outbreak in Italy. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2019; 75:2642-2651. [PMID: 30729706 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The highly invasive mosquito species Aedes albopictus has become a major health concern in temperate areas due to its role as vector of exotic arboviruses. Pyrethroid insecticides represent the main tools for limiting the circulation of such mosquito-borne viruses. The present work aim to extend previous reports on phenotypic pyrethroid-resistance in European Ae. albopictus, to identify its genetic basis and to monitor the geographical distribution of resistant genotypes, with a particular focus on sites experiencing the 2017 chikungunya outbreak in Italy. RESULTS Bioassays, performed according to World Health Organization protocols, showed full susceptibility to deltamethrin (concentration = 0.05%) and varying levels of resistance to permethrin (0.75%) and/or α-cypermethrin (0.05%) across Italy, with highest levels in the core of the 2017 chikungunya outbreak. Partial genotyping of the VSSC gene revealed widespread distribution of V1016G mutation and confirmed its association with pyrethroid resistance. CONCLUSION The results obtained show that the condition for the spread of pyrethroid resistance in Ae. albopictus in Europe exists under strong selective pressure due to intensive insecticide spraying to control exotic arbovirus outbreak or high levels of nuisance. The results draw attention to the need for an evidence-based implementation of mosquito nuisance control, taking insecticide resistance management into consideration. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Pichler
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Università Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Malandruccolo
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Università Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Serini
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Università Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Romeo Bellini
- Centro Agricoltura Ambiente "G.Nicoli", Crevalcore, Italy
| | - Francesco Severini
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Luciano Toma
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Di Luca
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Marco Ballardini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Mattia Manica
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Petrarca
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Università Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - John Vontas
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
- Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Shinji Kasai
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Beniamino Caputo
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Università Sapienza, Rome, Italy
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Zhao Y, Ge L, Zhou Y, Sun Z, Zheng E, Wang X, Huang Y, Cheng H. A new Seasonal Difference Space-Time Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SD-STARIMA) model and spatiotemporal trend prediction analysis for Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207518. [PMID: 30475830 PMCID: PMC6261020 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a naturally-occurring, fecally transmitted disease caused by a Hantavirus (HV). It is extremely damaging to human health and results in many deaths annually, especially in Hubei Province, China. One of the primary characteristics of HFRS is the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of its occurrence, with notable seasonal differences. In view of this heterogeneity, the present study suggests that there is a need to focus on trend simulation and the spatiotemporal prediction of HFRS outbreaks. To facilitate this, we constructed a new Seasonal Difference Space-Time Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SD-STARIMA) model. The SD-STARIMA model is based on the spatial and temporal characteristics of the Space-Time Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (STARMA) model first developed by Cliff and Ord in 1974, which has proven useful in modelling the temporal aspects of spatially located data. This model can simulate the trends in HFRS epidemics, taking into consideration both spatial and temporal variations. The SD-STARIMA model is also able to make seasonal difference calculations to eliminate temporally non-stationary problems that are present in the HFRS data. Experiments have demonstrated that the proposed SD-STARIMA model offers notably better prediction accuracy, especially for spatiotemporal series data with seasonal distribution characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youlin Zhao
- Business School of Hohai University, Nanjing city, Jiangsu Province, PR China
- * E-mail: (YZ); (LG)
| | - Liang Ge
- Tianjin Institute of Surveying and Mapping, Tianjin city, PR China
- * E-mail: (YZ); (LG)
| | - Yijun Zhou
- Tianjin Institute of Surveying and Mapping, Tianjin city, PR China
| | - Zhongfang Sun
- Tianjin Institute of Surveying and Mapping, Tianjin city, PR China
| | - Erlong Zheng
- Tianjin Institute of Surveying and Mapping, Tianjin city, PR China
| | - Xingmeng Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Surveying and Mapping, Tianjin city, PR China
| | - Yongchun Huang
- Business School of Hohai University, Nanjing city, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Huiping Cheng
- School of Economics and Management, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan,Hubei Province, PR China
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Guzzetta G, Trentini F, Poletti P, Baldacchino FA, Montarsi F, Capelli G, Rizzoli A, Rosà R, Merler S, Melegaro A. Effectiveness and economic assessment of routine larviciding for prevention of chikungunya and dengue in temperate urban settings in Europe. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005918. [PMID: 28892499 PMCID: PMC5608415 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decades, several European countries where arboviral infections are not endemic have faced outbreaks of diseases such as chikungunya and dengue, initially introduced by infectious travellers from tropical endemic areas and then spread locally via mosquito bites. To keep in check the epidemiological risk, interventions targeted to control vector abundance can be implemented by local authorities. We assessed the epidemiological effectiveness and economic costs and benefits of routine larviciding in European towns with temperate climate, using a mathematical model of Aedes albopictus populations and viral transmission, calibrated on entomological surveillance data collected from ten municipalities in Northern Italy during 2014 and 2015.We found that routine larviciding of public catch basins can limit both the risk of autochthonous transmission and the size of potential epidemics. Ideal larvicide interventions should be timed in such a way to cover the month of July. Optimally timed larviciding can reduce locally transmitted cases of chikungunya by 20% - 33% for a single application (dengue: 18-22%) and up to 43% - 65% if treatment is repeated four times throughout the season (dengue: 31-51%). In larger municipalities (>35,000 inhabitants), the cost of comprehensive larviciding over the whole urban area overcomes potential health benefits related to preventing cases of disease, suggesting the adoption of more localized interventions. Small/medium sized towns with high mosquito abundance will likely have a positive cost-benefit balance. Involvement of private citizens in routine larviciding activities further reduces transmission risks but with disproportionate costs of intervention. International travels and the incidence of mosquito-borne diseases are increasing worldwide, exposing a growing number of European citizens to higher risks of potential outbreaks. Results from this study may support the planning and timing of interventions aimed to reduce the probability of autochthonous transmission as well as the nuisance for local populations living in temperate areas of Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Filippo Trentini
- Dondena Centre for Research on Social Dynamics and Public Policy, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
| | - Piero Poletti
- Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy
- Dondena Centre for Research on Social Dynamics and Public Policy, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Fabrizio Montarsi
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Padova, Italy
| | - Gioia Capelli
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Padova, Italy
| | - Annapaola Rizzoli
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige (Trento), Italy
| | - Roberto Rosà
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige (Trento), Italy
| | | | - Alessia Melegaro
- Dondena Centre for Research on Social Dynamics and Public Policy, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
- Department of Policy Analysis and Public Management, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
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Millet JP, Montalvo T, Bueno-Marí R, Romero-Tamarit A, Prats-Uribe A, Fernández L, Camprubí E, Del Baño L, Peracho V, Figuerola J, Sulleiro E, Martínez MJ, Caylà JA. Imported Zika Virus in a European City: How to Prevent Local Transmission? Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1319. [PMID: 28769893 PMCID: PMC5513902 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: On February 1st 2016 the WHO declared the Zika Virus (ZIKV) infection a worldwide public health emergency because of its rapid expansion and severe complications, such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome or microcephaly in newborn. The huge amount of people traveling to endemic areas and the presence of Aedes albopictus in Barcelona increase the risk of autochtonous transmission. The objective of this study was to describe the first ZIKV cases diagnosed in our city and to analyze the surveillance, prevention, and control measures implemented to avoid autochthonous transmission. Methods: An observational cross-sectional population-based study in Barcelona, Spain was performed.An analysis of the socio-demographic, epidemiological, clinical characteristics, and mosquito control activities of the ZIKV cases detected between January 1st and December 2016 was carried out using a specific ZIKV epidemiological survey of the Barcelona Public Health Agency. Results: A total of 118 notifications of possible ZIKV infections were received, and 44 corresponded to confirmed cases in Barcelona residents.Amongst these, the median age was 35 years and 57% were women. All cases were imported, 48% were Spanish-born and 52% foreign-born. Dominican Republic was the most visited country amongst foreign-born patients and Nicaragua amongst Spanish-born. The most frequent symptoms were exanthema, fever, and arthralgia. Among the 24 diagnosed women, 6 (25%) were pregnant. There was one case of microcephaly outside Barcelona city. Entomological inspections were done at the homes of 19 cases (43.2% of the total) and in 34 (77.3%) public spaces. Vector activity was found in one case of the 44 confirmed cases, and 134 surveillance and vector control were carried out associated to imported ZIKV cases. In all cases prevention measures were recommended to avoid mosquito bites on infected cases. Conclusion: Epidemiological and entomological surveillance are essential for the prevention of autochthonous transmission of arbovirosis that may have a great impact on Public Health.The good coordination between epidemiologists, entomologists, microbiologists, and clinicians is a priority in a touristic city with an intense relationship with endemic countries to minimize the risk of local transmission by competent vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan-Pau Millet
- Servicio de Epidemiología, Agència de Salut Publica de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain.,CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud PúblicaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Tomàs Montalvo
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud PúblicaBarcelona, Spain.,Servicio de Vigilancia y Control de Plagas Urbanas, Agencia de Salud Pública de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Ruben Bueno-Marí
- Laboratorios Lokímica, Departamento de Investigación y Desarrollo (I+D)Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Albert Prats-Uribe
- Servicio de Epidemiología, Agència de Salut Publica de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain.,Unitat Docent de Medicina Preventiva i Salut Pública Parc Salut Mar-Universitat Pompeu Fabra-Agència de Salut Pública de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Lidia Fernández
- Servicio de Vigilancia y Control de Plagas Urbanas, Agencia de Salud Pública de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Esteve Camprubí
- Servicio de Epidemiología, Agència de Salut Publica de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Lucía Del Baño
- Servicio de Epidemiología, Agència de Salut Publica de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Victor Peracho
- Servicio de Vigilancia y Control de Plagas Urbanas, Agencia de Salud Pública de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud PúblicaBarcelona, Spain.,Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasSevilla, Spain
| | - Elena Sulleiro
- Microbiology Department, Hospital Vall d' Hebron, PROSICS Barcelona, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel J Martínez
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain.,ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Joan A Caylà
- Servicio de Epidemiología, Agència de Salut Publica de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain.,CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud PúblicaBarcelona, Spain
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