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Vaughan AL, Parvizi E, Matheson P, McGaughran A, Dhami MK. Current stewardship practices in invasion biology limit the value and secondary use of genomic data. Mol Ecol Resour 2023. [PMID: 37647021 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Invasive species threaten native biota, putting fragile ecosystems at risk and having a large-scale impact on primary industries. Growing trade networks and the popularity of personal travel make incursions a more frequent risk, one only compounded by global climate change. With increasing publication of whole-genome sequences lies an opportunity for cross-species assessment of invasive potential. However, the degree to which published sequences are accompanied by satisfactory spatiotemporal data is unclear. We assessed the metadata associated with 199 whole-genome assemblies of 89 invasive terrestrial invertebrate species and found that only 38% of these were derived from field-collected samples. Seventy-six assemblies (38%) reported an 'undescribed' sample origin and, while further examination of associated literature closed this gap to 23.6%, an absence of spatial data remained for 47 of the total assemblies. Of the 76 assemblies that were ultimately determined to be field-collected, associated metadata relevant for invasion studies was predominantly lacking: only 35% (27 assemblies) provided granular location data, and 33% (n = 25) lacked sufficient collection date information. Our results support recent calls for standardized metadata in genome sequencing data submissions, highlighting the impact of missing metadata on current research in invasion biology (and likely other fields). Notably, large-scale consortia tended to provide the most complete metadata submissions in our analysis-such cross-institutional collaborations can foster a culture of increased adherence to improved metadata submission standards and a standard of metadata stewardship that enables reuse of genomes in invasion science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Vaughan
- Biocontrol & Molecular Ecology, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Elahe Parvizi
- Te Aka Mātuatua/School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Paige Matheson
- Te Aka Mātuatua/School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Angela McGaughran
- Te Aka Mātuatua/School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Manpreet K Dhami
- Biocontrol & Molecular Ecology, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
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Sulyman AO, Aje OO, Ajani EO, Abdulsalam RA, Balogun FO, Sabiu S. Bioprospection of Selected Plant Secondary Metabolites as Modulators of the Proteolytic Activity of Plasmodium falciparum Plasmepsin V. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 2023:6229503. [PMID: 37388365 PMCID: PMC10307063 DOI: 10.1155/2023/6229503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a devastating disease, and its management is only achieved through chemotherapy. However, resistance to available medication is still a challenge; therefore, there is an urgent need for the discovery and development of therapeutics with a novel mechanism of action to counter the resistance scourge consistent with the currently available antimalarials. Recently, plasmepsin V was validated as a therapeutic target for the treatment of malaria. The pepsin-like aspartic protease anchored in the endoplasmic reticulum is responsible for the trafficking of parasite-derived proteins to the erythrocytic surface of the host cells. In this study, a small library of compounds was preliminarily screened in vitro to identify novel modulators of Plasmodium falciparum plasmepsin V (PfPMV). The results obtained revealed kaempferol, quercetin, and shikonin as possible PfPMV inhibitors, and these compounds were subsequently probed for their inhibitory potentials using in vitro and in silico methods. Kaempferol and shikonin noncompetitively and competitively inhibited the specific activity of PfPMV in vitro with IC50 values of 22.4 and 43.34 μM, respectively, relative to 62.6 μM obtained for pepstatin, a known aspartic protease inhibitor. Further insight into the structure-activity relationship of the compounds through a 100 ns molecular dynamic (MD) simulation showed that all the test compounds had a significant affinity for PfPMV, with quercetin (-36.56 kcal/mol) being the most prominent metabolite displaying comparable activity to pepstatin (-35.72 kcal/mol). This observation was further supported by the compactness and flexibility of the resulting complexes where the compounds do not compromise the structural integrity of PfPMV but rather stabilized and interacted with the active site amino acid residues critical to PfPMV modulation. Considering the findings in this study, quercetin, kaempferol, and shikonin could be proposed as novel aspartic protease inhibitors worthy of further investigation in the treatment of malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulhakeem Olarewaju Sulyman
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Kwara State University, P.M.B. 1530, Malete, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Oluwapelumi Oluwaseun Aje
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Kwara State University, P.M.B. 1530, Malete, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Emmanuel Oladipo Ajani
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Kwara State University, P.M.B. 1530, Malete, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Rukayat Abiola Abdulsalam
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
| | - Fatai Oladunni Balogun
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
| | - Saheed Sabiu
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
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Al-Eryani SM, Irish SR, Carter TE, Lenhart A, Aljasari A, Montoya LF, Awash AA, Mohammed E, Ali S, Esmail MA, Hussain A, Amran JG, Kayad S, Nouredayem M, Adam MA, Azkoul L, Assada M, Baheshm YA, Eltahir W, Hutin YJ. Public health impact of the spread of Anopheles stephensi in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region countries in Horn of Africa and Yemen: need for integrated vector surveillance and control. Malar J 2023; 22:187. [PMID: 37337209 PMCID: PMC10278259 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04545-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anopheles stephensi is an efficient vector of both Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax in South Asia and the Middle East. The spread of An. stephensi to countries within the Horn of Africa threatens progress in malaria control in this region as well as the rest of sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS The available malaria data and the timeline for the detection of An. stephensi was reviewed to analyse the role of An. stephensi in malaria transmission in Horn of Africa of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) in Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. RESULTS Malaria incidence in Horn of Africa of EMR and Yemen, increased from 41.6 in 2015 to 61.5 cases per 1000 in 2020. The four countries from this region, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen had reported the detection of An. stephensi as of 2021. In Djibouti City, following its detection in 2012, the estimated incidence increased from 2.5 cases per 1000 in 2013 to 97.6 cases per 1000 in 2020. However, its contribution to malaria transmission in other major cities and in other countries, is unclear because of other factors, quality of the urban malaria data, human mobility, uncertainty about the actual arrival time of An. stephensi and poor entomological surveillance. CONCLUSIONS While An. stephensi may explain a resurgence of malaria in Djibouti, further investigations are needed to understand its interpretation trends in urban malaria across the greater region. More investment for multisectoral approach and integrated surveillance and control should target all vectors particularly malaria and dengue vectors to guide interventions in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira M Al-Eryani
- Department of Universal Health Coverage/Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control, Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, World Health Organization, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Seth R Irish
- World Health Organization, Headquarters, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Audrey Lenhart
- Entomology Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Adel Aljasari
- World Health Organization, Country Office, Sana'a, Yemen
| | | | - Abdullah A Awash
- World Health Organization, Country Office, Sub-Office, Aden, Yemen
| | | | - Said Ali
- National Malaria Control Programme, Ministry of Health Development, Hargeisa, Somaliland
| | - Mohammed A Esmail
- National Malaria Control Programme, Ministry of Public Health & Population, Sana'a, Yemen
| | | | - Jamal G Amran
- World Health Organization, Country Office, Mogadishu, Somalia
| | - Samatar Kayad
- National Malaria Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Djibouti, Djibouti
| | | | - Mariam A Adam
- World Health Organization, Country Office, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Lina Azkoul
- Department of Universal Health Coverage/Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control, Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, World Health Organization, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Methaq Assada
- National Malaria Control Programme, Ministry of Public Health & Population, Sana'a, Yemen
| | - Yasser A Baheshm
- National Malaria Control Programme, Ministry of Public Health & Population, Aden, Yemen
| | - Walid Eltahir
- Directorate of the Integrated Vector Management (IVM), Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Yvan J Hutin
- Department of Universal Health Coverage/Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control, Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, World Health Organization, Cairo, Egypt
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Hemming-Schroeder E, Ahmed A. Anopheles stephensi in Africa: vector control opportunities for cobreeding An. stephensi and Aedes arbovirus vectors. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:86-90. [PMID: 36522231 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Anopheles stephensi is an urban malaria vector native in some Asian countries and recently emerged in Africa as an invasive vector competent in transmitting Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. The coexistence of An. stephensi and Aedes arboviral vectors offers an optimal opportunity for successful integrated vector management with limited resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Hemming-Schroeder
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases (CVID), Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1685, USA.
| | - Ayman Ahmed
- Institute of Endemic Diseases, University of Khartoum, Khartoum 11111, Sudan; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, CH 4001, Basel, Switzerland.
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Ma J, Guo Y, Gao J, Tang H, Xu K, Liu Q, Xu L. Climate Change Drives the Transmission and Spread of Vector-Borne Diseases: An Ecological Perspective. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1628. [PMID: 36358329 PMCID: PMC9687606 DOI: 10.3390/biology11111628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Climate change affects ecosystems and human health in multiple dimensions. With the acceleration of climate change, climate-sensitive vector-borne diseases (VBDs) pose an increasing threat to public health. This paper summaries 10 publications on the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and human health; then it synthesizes the other existing literature to more broadly explain how climate change drives the transmission and spread of VBDs through an ecological perspective. We highlight the multi-dimensional nature of climate change, its interaction with other factors, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on transmission and spread of VBDs, specifically including: (1) the generally nonlinear relationship of local climate (temperature, precipitation and wind) and VBD transmission, with temperature especially exhibiting an n-shape relation; (2) the time-lagged effect of regional climate phenomena (the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and North Atlantic Oscillation) on VBD transmission; (3) the u-shaped effect of extreme climate (heat waves, cold waves, floods, and droughts) on VBD spread; (4) how interactions between non-climatic (land use and human mobility) and climatic factors increase VBD transmission and spread; and (5) that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on climate change is debatable, and its impact on VBDs remains uncertain. By exploring the influence of climate change and non-climatic factors on VBD transmission and spread, this paper provides scientific understanding and guidance for their effective prevention and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Ma
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute for Healthy China, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yongman Guo
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute for Healthy China, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jing Gao
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine & Centre for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hanxing Tang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute for Healthy China, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Keqiang Xu
- Clinical Pharmacy Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Qiyong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Lei Xu
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute for Healthy China, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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Ahmed A, Abubakr M, Sami H, Mahdi I, Mohamed NS, Zinsstag J. The First Molecular Detection of Aedes albopictus in Sudan Associates with Increased Outbreaks of Chikungunya and Dengue. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911802. [PMID: 36233103 PMCID: PMC9570206 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
As part of our surveys of the invasive malaria vector Anopheles stephensi in four Sudanese states, including North and South Kordofan, Sennar, and White Nile, we collected 166 larvae. Our morphological identification confirmed that 30% of the collected mosquito samples were Anopheles species, namely An. gambiae s.l. and An. stephensi, while the 117 Aedes specimens were Ae. luteocephalus (39%), Ae. aegypti (32%), Ae. vexans (9%), Ae. vittatus (9%), Ae. africanus (6%), Ae. metalicus (3%), and Ae. albopictus (3%). Considering the serious threat of Ae. albopictus emergence for the public health in the area and our limited resources, we prioritized Ae. albopictus samples for further genomic analysis. We extracted the DNA from the three specimens and subsequently sequenced the cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1) gene and confirmed their identity as Aedes albopictus and their potential origin by phylogenetic and haplotype analyses. Aedes albopictus, originating from Southeast Asia, is an invasive key vector of chikungunya and dengue. This is the first report and molecular characterization of Ae. albopictus from Sudan. Our sequences cluster with populations from the Central African Republic and La Réunion. Worryingly, this finding associates with a major increase in chikungunya and dengue outbreaks in rural areas of the study region and might be linked to the mosquito’s spread across the region. The emergence of Ae. albopictus in Sudan is of serious public health concern and urges for the improvement of the vector surveillance and control system through the implementation of an integrated molecular xenosurveillance. The threat of major arboviral diseases in the region underlines the need for the institutionalization of the One Health strategy for the prevention and control of future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman Ahmed
- Institute of Endemic Diseases, University of Khartoum, Khartoum 11111, Sudan
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), CH-4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
- Molecular Biology Unit, Sirius Training and Research Centre, Khartoum 11111, Sudan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +249-123997091
| | - Mustafa Abubakr
- Directorate of Environmental Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum 11111, Sudan
| | - Hamza Sami
- Directorate of the Integrated Vector Management (IVM), Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum 11111, Sudan
| | - Isam Mahdi
- Directorate of the Integrated Vector Management (IVM), Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum 11111, Sudan
| | - Nouh S. Mohamed
- Molecular Biology Unit, Sirius Training and Research Centre, Khartoum 11111, Sudan
| | - Jakob Zinsstag
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), CH-4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
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Nzoumbou-Boko R, Velut G, Imboumy-Limoukou RK, Manirakiza A, Lekana-Douki JB. Malaria research in the Central African Republic from 1987 to 2020: an overview. Trop Med Health 2022; 50:70. [PMID: 36131331 PMCID: PMC9490699 DOI: 10.1186/s41182-022-00446-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The national malaria control policy in the Central African Republic (CAR) promotes basic, clinical, and operational research on malaria in collaboration with national and international research institutions. Preparatory work for the elaboration of National Strategic Plans for the implementation of the national malaria control policy includes developing the research component, thus requiring an overview of national malaria research. Here, this survey aims to provide an inventory of malaria research as a baseline for guiding researchers and health authorities in choosing the future avenues of research. Methods Data sources and search strategy were defined to query the online Medline/PubMed database using the “medical subject headings” tool. Eligibility and study inclusion criteria were applied to the selected articles, which were classified based on year, research institute affiliations, and research topic. Results A total of 118 articles were retrieved and 51 articles were ultimately chosen for the bibliometric analysis. The number of publications on malaria has increased over time from 1987 to 2020. These articles were published in 32 different journals, the most represented being the Malaria Journal (13.73%) and the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (11.76%). The leading research topics were drug evaluation (52.94%), expatriate patients (23.54%), malaria in children (17.65%), morbidity (13.7%), and malaria during pregnancy (11.76%). The publications’ authors were mainly affiliated with the Institut Pasteur of Bangui (41%), the French Military Medical Service (15.5%), and the University of Bangui (11.7%). Collaborations were mostly established with France, the UK, and the USA; some collaborations involved Switzerland, Austria, Pakistan, Japan, Sri Lanka, Benin, Cameroun, Ivory Coast, and Madagascar. The main sources of research funding were French agencies (28.6%) and international agencies (18.3%). Most studies included were not representative of the whole country. The CAR has the capacity to carry out research on malaria and to ensure the necessary collaborations. Conclusion Malaria research activities in the CAR seem to reflect the priorities of national policy. One remaining challenge is to develop a more representative approach to better characterize malaria cases across the country. Finally, future research and control measures need to integrate the effect of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romaric Nzoumbou-Boko
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Institut Pasteur de Bangui, PO Box 923, Bangui, Central African Republic.
| | - Guillaume Velut
- French Military Health Service, French Armed Forces Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health (CESPA), Marseille, France
| | - Romeo-Karl Imboumy-Limoukou
- Unité Évolution, Épidémiologie Et Résistances Parasitaires (UNEEREP), Centre International de Recherche Médicale de Franceville (CIRMF), BP769, Franceville, Gabon
| | - Alexandre Manirakiza
- Service d'épidémiologie, Institut Pasteur de Bangui, PO Box 923, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Jean-Bernard Lekana-Douki
- Unité Évolution, Épidémiologie Et Résistances Parasitaires (UNEEREP), Centre International de Recherche Médicale de Franceville (CIRMF), BP769, Franceville, Gabon.,Département de Parasitologie-Mycologie Médecine Tropicale, Faculté de Médecine, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Libreville, B.P. 4009, Franceville, Gabon
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Anopheles stephensi in Africa requires a more integrated response. Malar J 2022; 21:156. [PMID: 35641958 PMCID: PMC9152833 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04197-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There are increasing reports of the Asian malaria mosquito, Anopheles stephensi invading and spreading in Eastern Africa. We discuss the importance of these invasions in the context of broader challenges facing malaria control in Africa and argue against addressing it as an isolated problem. Anopheles stephensi is only one of multiple biological threats facing malaria control in the region—and is itself an indication of wide-ranging weaknesses in vector surveillance and control programs. Expanded investigations are needed in both urban and rural areas, especially in countries serviced by the Indian Ocean trade routes, to establish the full extent and future trajectories of the problem. More importantly, instead of tackling this vector species as a stand-alone threat, affected countries should adopt more integrated and multi-sectorial initiatives that can sustainably drive and keep out malaria.
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Ahmed A, Ali Y, Salim B, Dietrich I, Zinsstag J. Epidemics of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Sudan between 2010 and 2020. Microorganisms 2022; 10:928. [PMID: 35630372 PMCID: PMC9147186 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10050928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a zoonotic arboviral disease that poses a great threat to global health in the Old World, and it is endemic in Europe, Asia, and Africa, including Sudan. In this retrospective study, we reviewed previous epidemiological reports about the major epidemics of CCHF throughout Sudan between 2010 and 2020. During these epidemics, the infection of humans with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), the causative agent of CCHF, was diagnosed using qRT-PCR. We have identified 88 cases of CCHF, including 13 fatalities reported during five epidemics that occurred in 2010, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2020. The two epidemics in 2010 and 2011 were by far the largest, with 51 and 27 cases reported, respectively. The majority of cases (78%) were reported in the endemic region of Kordofan. Here, we document that the first emergence of CCHFV in the Darfur region, West Sudan, occurred in 2010. We were not able to investigate outbreak dynamics through phylogenetic analysis due to the limited diagnostic capacity and the lack of sequencing services in the country. These findings call for establishing a genomic-based integrated One Health surveillance and response system for the early preparedness, prevention, and control of CCHF in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman Ahmed
- Institute of Endemic Diseases, University of Khartoum, Khartoum 11111, Sudan
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), CH-4123 Allschwil, Switzerland;
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
- Sudanese National Academy of Sciences, Khartoum 11111, Sudan
| | - Yousif Ali
- Health Emergencies and Epidemics Control General Directorate, Sudan Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum 11111, Sudan;
| | - Bashir Salim
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum 11111, Sudan;
| | | | - Jakob Zinsstag
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), CH-4123 Allschwil, Switzerland;
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
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Altahir O, AbdElbagi H, Abubakr M, Siddig EE, Ahmed A, Mohamed NS. Blood meal profile and positivity rate with malaria parasites among different malaria vectors in Sudan. Malar J 2022; 21:124. [PMID: 35428264 PMCID: PMC9013081 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04157-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria is a life-threatening public health problem globally with particularly heavy burden in the sub-Saharan Africa including Sudan. The understanding of feeding preference of malaria vectors on different hosts is a major challenge for hindering the transmission cycle of malaria. In this study, blood meals taken by blood-fed Anopheles mosquitoes collected from the field in malaria endemic areas of Sudan were analysed for source of blood meal and malaria parasite presence. Methods Anopheles mosquitoes were collected from different regions in Sudan: Khartoum state, Sennar state, Northern state, and El Gedarif state between September 2020 and February 2021. Anopheles mosquitoes were collected using the standard pyrethrum spray catch and back-pack aspirator. Mosquito samples were sorted and morphologically identified to species level using international identification keys. Morphologically identified mosquito species were also confirmed using PCR. Genomic DNA was extracted from mosquitoes for molecular identification of blood meal source and parasite detection. The presence of Plasmodium species DNA in each mosquito sample was investigated using semi-nested PCR. Frequency of each blood meal source, Anopheles mosquito vector, and malaria parasite detected was calculated. Positivity rate of each fed female Anopheles mosquito was calculated for each species. Results A total of 2132 Anopheles mosquitoes were collected. 571 (26.8%) were males and 1561 (73.2%) were females classified based on their abdominal status into 1048 (67.1%) gravid, 274 (17.6%) fed, and 239 (15.3%) unfed females. Among the blood fed Anopheles mosquitoes, 263 (96.0%) were morphologically identified and confirmed using PCR to Anopheles arabiensis, 9 (3.3%) to Anopheles stephensi, and 2 (0.7%) to Anopheles rufipes. Of 274 blood-fed An. arabiensis, 68 (25.9%) fed on mixed blood meals from human and cattle, 8 (3.0%) fed on cattle and goat, and 13 (4.8%) fed on human, cattle and goat. For single blood meal sources, 70 (26.6%) fed on human, 95 (36.1%) fed on cattle, 8 (3.0%) fed on goat, and 1 (0.4%) fed on dog. While An. rufipes and An. stephensi fed on dog (2; 0.75%) and cattle (9; 3.3%), respectively. Plasmodium parasite detection in the blood meals showed that 25/274 (9.1%) An. arabiensis meals were positive for Plasmodium vivax and 19/274 (6.9%) An. arabiensis meals were positive for Plasmodium falciparum. The rate of positivity of An. arabiensis with any Plasmodium species was 16.7%. However, the positivity rate with P. falciparum only was 7.2%, while P. vivax was 9.5%. Both An. rufipes and An. stephensi were having positivity rates of 0.0% each. Conclusions This study which was mainly on blood-fed Anopheles mosquitoes showed a diversity in the type of diet from human, cattle, and goat. Anopheles mosquitoes especially An. arabiensis in Sudan, are opportunistic blood feeders and can feed broadly on both human and cattle. The application of blood meal identification is not only important in malaria vector epidemiological surveillance but also is very useful in areas where arthropods exhibit zoophilic feeding behaviour for mammals.
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