Diagnostic Importance of Female External Genital Structure of Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera:Psychodidae) as Observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Morphological description of sand flies has remained a neglected area. The different organs used in taxonomy have not yet been described adequately with the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We have examined the external genital structures of females of three Old World phlebotomine sand flies under SEM and recorded the morphological variations of the organs. We have found the female external genital structures of the three species varied considerably in morphology. The importance of the female external genital structures in sand fly identification is indicated

Morphology and Histology of the Female Reproductive System of Abedus ovatus Stal (Belostomatidae: Hemiptera: Insecta)

In Abedus ovatus Stal, the female reproductive system consists of a pair of ovaries leading to oviduct and opens out by genital aperture. Each ovary is composed of five telotrophic ovarioles, with four different regions, terminal filament, germarium, vitellarium and pedicel. Germarium and vitellarium are the germ tubes in which the development of oocyte occurs. In the germarium, the differentiation of trophocytes into young oocytes was observed in three zones, ZI, ZII and ZIII. Further development of oocytes in the vitellarium could be divided into seven stages, STI STVII. The developed eggs are lodged in the pedicel

The Effects of a DNA Virus Infection on the Reproductive Potential of Female Tsetse Flies, Glossina morsitans centralis and Glossina morsitans morsitans (Diptera: Glossinidae)

Reproductive anomalies associated with the tsetse DNA virus infection in the female tsetse hosts, Glossina morsitans centralis Machado and Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood, inoculated with the virus during the 3rd instar larval stage were studied and the data compared to those obtained from the control females injected with sterile physiological saline. Virus infected flies had significantly longer first and second pregnancy cycles (P<0.0001) and produced pupae that were of significantly less weight in milligrams (P<0.0001) compared to controls. Transmission of the virus to progeny was not absolute and only 21% of G. m. centralis and 48% of G. m. morsitans first progeny flies from infected females developed salivary gland hypertrophy as a result of transmission from mother to progeny. The virus infected females produced significantly fewere pupae compared to the controls during the experimental period (P<0.00001).

Risk Factors for Human T Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type I among Injecting Drug Users in Northeast Brazil: Possibly Greater Efficiency of Male to Female Transmission

It was observed in the city of Salvador, State of Bahia, the highest seroprevalence of human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I) infection in Brazil as demonstrated by national wide blood bank surveys. In this paper, we report results of an investigation of drug use and sexual behavior associated with HTLV-I infection among male and female injecting drug users (IDUs) in Salvador. A cross sectional study was conducted in the Historical District of Salvador from 1994-1996 (Projeto Brasil-Salvador) and 216 asymptomatic IDUs were selected using the snowball contact technique. Blood samples were collected for serological assays. Sera were screened for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1/2) and HTLV-I/II antibodies by ELISA and confirmed by Western blot. The overall prevalence of HTLV-I/II was 35.2% (76/216). The seroprevalence of HTLV-I, HTLV-II and HIV-1 was for males 22%, 11.3% and 44.1% and for females 46.2%, 10.3% and 74.4% respectively. HTLV-I was identified in 72.4% of HTLV positive IDUs. Variables which were significantly associated with HTLV-I infection among males included needle sharing practices, duration of injecting drug use, HIV-1 seropositivity and syphilis. Among women, duration of injecting drug use and syphilis were strongly associated with HTLV-I infection. Multivariate analysis did not change the direction of these associations. Sexual intercourse might play a more important role in HTLV-I infection among women than in men.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Seroprevalence among Inmates of the Penitentiary Complex of the Region of Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil

Six hundred and ninety three male inmates from three penitentiaries, two (A and B) maximum-security systems and one (C) minimum-security facility, located in Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil were studied for the presence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies, using a cross-sectional design. The search for anti-HIV antibodies in 693 samples of sera collected was carried out by two serological tests: (a) the Microparticle enzyme immunoassay-HIV-1 and HIV-2 (MEIA) (Abbott Laboratories) and (b) the Western Blot-HIV-1 (WB) (Cambridge Biotech Corporation) to confirm positive results with MEIA. Sera reactivity for HIV antibodies was 14.4%. The highest frequency of anti-HIV antibodies was found in the A and B maximum-security prisons: 17% and 21.5%, respectively. In prison C, the frequency of reagents was 10.9%. Seventy three inmates, initially negative in the MEIA test, were checked again five and seven months later. Three of them, all from the maximum-security facilities, became reactive in the MEIA test, with confirmation in the WB, suggesting that serological conversion had occurred after imprisonment.

Redescription of the Male of Lutzomyia lutziana (Costa Lima) and Description of the Female (Diptera: Psychodidae)

During the course of taxonomic studies of New World phlebotomine sand flies, it was discovered that the female specimen considered to be the female of Lutzomyia lutziana does not belong to this species. A new description of the female of L. lutziana is presented, based on specimens captured in Lassance, State of Minas Gerais, the type locality of the species. The male of L. lutziana is also redescribed, based on an exemplar caught in Curvelo, State of Minas Gerais.

Description of the female of Sciopemyia servulolimai (Damasceno & Causey) (Diptera: Psychodidae)

The female of Sciopemyia servulolimai (Damasceno & Causey), based on three specimens captured during an epidemiological research project in the state of Ceará, Brazil, is described and illustrated for the first time.

Correlation of male genital filaments and female spermathecal ducts in New World sand flies of the Lutzomyia intermedia species complex (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae)

The lengths of the male genital filaments and female spermathecal ducts were measured in phlebotomine sand flies of the Lutzomyia intermedia species complex and the ratios between these characters calculated. Ratios for L. intermedia s. s. from Northeast vs Southeast Brazil (Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais), Espírito Santo/Minas Gerais vs Rio de Janeiro/São Paulo and L. intermedia vs L. neivai were significantly different at P < 0.1, 0.05 and 0.01 respectively when compared using ANOVA. The spermathecal ducts and genital filaments of L. intermedia were significantly longer than those of L. neivai (P < 0.01) and could be used to differentiate these species. The taxonomic and biological significance of these differences is discussed.

Efficiency of rubidium marking in Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae): preliminary evaluation on persistence of egg labeling, survival, and fecundity of marked female

Rubidium chloride (RbCl) has been used for the study of vector biology and behavior, although the efficacy of marking, egg production, and survivorship of marked females have been poorly studied. Four concentrations of RbCl were tested, among which 0.025 M was the best for marking Aedes albopictus: more than 80% of egg batches of females fed once with blood containing RbCl were marked; Rb-marked egg batches, interspersed with non marked ones were recovered until 61 days after a blood meal containing RbCl followed by non marked meals; RbCl was essentially detected in the abdomen of marked females, whose egg production and survivorship did not differ from non marked ones, at least in the three weeks following the Rb-marked blood meal.

Description of Micropygomyia (Micropygomyia) ancashensis sp. nov. and the female of Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) chavinensis Pérez & Ogusuku (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) from Ancash department, Peru

A male of a new species Micropygomyia (Micropygomyia) ancashensis sp. nov. and a female of the Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) chavinensis Pérez & Ogusuku, 1999 captured in the Antonio Raymondi province, department of Ancash, Peru are described and illustrated. The new species belongs to the cayennensis series, being closest to Mi. lewisi (Feliciangeli Ordoñez & Férnandez) though presenting highly sclerotized pseudotracheae on the labella that seem to constitute an autapomorphy among American Phlebotominae, and a clypeus almost completely covered with setae, as in Warileya. The female of Lu. chavinensis is close to those of Lu. blancasi Galati & Cáceres 1990, Lu. noguchii (Shannon, 1929), and Lu. pallidithorax Galati & Cáceres 1994.

Characterization of the external female genitalia of six species of Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidade) by scanning electron microscopy

By macroscopic and microscopic dorsal side observation, it was noted that the IX and X segments of two species each of Panstrongylus and Triatoma terminate in an elongated way, whereas they terminate abruptly in the two species of Rhodnius. Scanning observation of the dorsal, ventral, lateral and posterior sides of the female genitalia of Panstrongylus herreri, Panstrongylus megistus, Rhodnius colombiensis, Rhodnius prolixus, Triatoma infestans and Triatoma vitticeps revealed that these six species are generally and specifically distinguished based on these elements. We describe several components that distinguish P. herreri from P. megistus: four on the dorsal side: the VII, VIII, IX and X segments, on the ventral view, three: VII sternite, VIII gonocoxite and VIII gonapophyse, on the lateral view one character, VIII gonocoxite and on the posterior view three characters: VIII and IX gonocoxite and XI gonopophyse. Comparing R. colombiensis and R. prolixus, there were three distinct characters on the dorsal side: the VII, VIII and X segments, on the ventral view three characters: the IX and X segments and VIII gonocoxite and on the posterior view four characters: the VIII, IX, X segments and VIII gonapophyse that distinguish the two species. T. infestans and T. vitticeps have four different characters on the dorsal side: the VII, VIII, IX and X segments, on the ventral view four characters: the VII and X segments, VIII gonocoxite and VIII gonapophyse, on the lateral view two characters, IX and X segments and on the posterior view four characters: the IX and X segments, VIII gonocoxite and VIII gonapophyse that distinguish the two species. Examination of the external female genitalia of six triatomine species by scanning suggests that these components are useful for taxonomical studies.

Genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance in Streptococcus agalactiae strains recovered from female carriers in the Bucharest area

For the first time, we used multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to understand how Romanian group B streptococcus (GBS) strains fit into the global GBS population structure. Colonising isolates recovered from adult human females were tested for antibiotic resistance, were molecularly serotyped based on the capsular polysaccharide synthesis (cps) gene cluster and further characterised using a set of molecular markers (surface protein genes, pilus-encoded islands and mobile genetic elements inserted in the scpB-lmb intergenic region). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was used to complement the MLST clonal distribution pattern of selected strains. Among the 55 strains assigned to six cps types (Ia, Ib, II-V), 18 sequence types (STs) were identified by MLST. Five STs represented new entries to the MLST database. The prevalent STs were ST-1, ST-17, ST-19 and ST-28. Twenty molecular marker profiles were identified. The most common profiles (rib+GBSi1+PI-1, rib+GBSi1+PI-1, PI-2b and alp2/3+PI-1, PI-2a) were associated with the cps III/ST-17 and cps V/ST-1 strains. A cluster of fluoroquinolone-resistant strains was detected among the cps V/ST-19 members; these strains shared alp1 and IS1548 and carried PI-1, PI-2a or both. Our results support the usefulness of implementing an integrated genotyping system at the reference laboratory level to obtain the reliable data required to make comparisons between countries.

Detection of all four dengue serotypes in Aedes aegypti female mosquitoes collected in a rural area in Colombia

The Aedes aegypti vector for dengue virus (DENV) has been reported in urban and periurban areas. The information about DENV circulation in mosquitoes in Colombian rural areas is limited, so we aimed to evaluate the presence of DENV in Ae. aegypti females caught in rural locations of two Colombian municipalities, Anapoima and La Mesa. Mosquitoes from 497 rural households in 44 different rural settlements were collected. Pools of about 20 Ae. aegypti females were processed for DENV serotype detection. DENV in mosquitoes was detected in 74% of the analysed settlements with a pool positivity rate of 62%. The estimated individual mosquito infection rate was 4.12% and the minimum infection rate was 33.3/1,000 mosquitoes. All four serotypes were detected; the most frequent being DENV-2 (50%) and DENV-1 (35%). Two-three serotypes were detected simultaneously in separate pools. This is the first report on the co-occurrence of natural DENV infection of mosquitoes in Colombian rural areas. The findings are important for understanding dengue transmission and planning control strategies. A potential latent virus reservoir in rural areas could spill over to urban areas during population movements. Detecting DENV in wild-caught adult mosquitoes should be included in the development of dengue epidemic forecasting models.