Journal of Vector Borne Diseases最新文献

Background objectives: Plasmodium falciparum is a protozoan parasite that causes malaria in humans. It is considered as the deadliest species of Plasmodium that infects humans. Research continues to focus on understanding the biology and genetics of P. falciparum to develop new tools, vaccines, and treatments aimed at reducing the global burden of malaria caused by this parasite.

Methods: In this study, three active compounds chrysin, indole-3-carbinol, and curcumin, were optimized using Gaussian16, and a molecular docking study was conducted against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7, along with an evaluation of pharmacokinetic properties.

Results: Molecular docking studies indicated that the chrysin compound exhibits a stronger binding affinity to selected receptors of P. falciparum compared to the other compounds. Additionally, in silico ADME screening was used to predict the pharmacological characteristics of potential drugs and their metabolites.

Interpretation conclusion: The findings predict that the chrysin compound exhibits better affinity with P. falciparum proteins, suggesting that this compound can effectively interact with specific targets within the parasite. It also highlights the favorable electrostatic interactions that contribute to its pharmacological effectiveness as an acetyl-CoA reductase inhibitor.

Japanese encephalitis (JE) which is caused by Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a significant public health concern in Asia. The JEV is mainly transmitted by Culex mosquitoes breeding in flooded rice fields. The disease can range from mild flu-like symptoms to severe encephalitis and long-term neurological effects with potentially fatal outcomes with a 30% mortality rate. This review aims to gather information on JE's public health importance, JE epidemiology, history, vaccination strategies, and public health interventions in Asian countries. A systematic literature search was conducted across various databases, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, including publications up till 2024. Search terms included "Japanese encephalitis", "epidemiology", "outbreaks", "prevalence" and "prevention & control". This review highlights the importance of comprehensive vaccination strategies and integrated vector management. Continued efforts are essential to enhance vaccination coverage and strengthen public health infrastructure to mitigate the burden of JE in Asia.

Tropical infections continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality in India. While mixed tropical infections are relatively common in the general population, they are rare during pregnancy. We report a 24-year-old pregnant woman with a history of previous lower segment caesarean section and preeclampsia, who developed dengue and scrub typhus infection near-term. The illness was complicated by multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, yet with timely multidisciplinary management, both maternal and neonatal outcomes were favourable. Literature on such mixed tropical infections in pregnancy remains scarce.

Vector-borne diseases remain a pressing global health challenge exacerbated by climate change, urbanization, and insecticide resistance. This review evaluates how artificial intelligence can strengthen vector surveillance, forecast outbreaks, and optimize interventions in public-health programs. Traditional control strategies rely on reactive. AI-driven systems, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs, a form of image-recognition AI) and advanced machine learning models, achieve over 90% accuracy in real-time mosquito species identification, enabling targeted responses to invasive vectors such as Anopheles stephensi and Aedes aegypti. The integration of satellite imagery, climate data, and citizen science inputs into machine learning models improves outbreak prediction, with Bayesian networks forecasting dengue incidence 30 d in advance with 81% accuracy. AI also streamlines resource allocation and reduces insecticide use by 20-40% through reinforcement learning and drone-based habitat mapping. However, barriers to implementation persist, including data inequities, algorithmic biases, and infrastructure gaps in low-income regions. Ethical considerations such as privacy in data-sharing systems and community engagement in surveillance necessitate collaborative frameworks that bridge technologists, public health experts, and local stakeholders. Although AI cannot replace traditional methods, its capacity to augment decision-making in real time and data-driven insights offer a pathway for resilient, equitable vector control systems. Success depends on context-specific adaptation, investment in digital infrastructure, and sustained cross-sector partnerships to mitigate the disproportionate burden of vector-borne diseases on vulnerable populations.

Background objectives: Dengue, caused by a single-stranded RNA virus of the Flaviviridae family of Arboviruses, remains a severe public health threat, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, seasonal trends, and secondary dengue infection cases in the western area of Uttar Pradesh.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at VRDL, Department of Microbiology, Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences, analyzed 11,618 serum samples over the last three years, from January 2022-December 2024. Serum samples from suspected cases were subjected to NS1 antigen, IgM, and IgG antibodies enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results: 11618 samples were tested with 2158 (18.57%) positive samples in the last 3 years. A total of 9571 samples were tested for NS1 Ag, of which 1459 (15.24%) were positive. There were 11454 samples tested for IgM, of which 789 (6.87%) were positive. Out of 9215 samples tested for IgG, 1068 were positive (11.58%). A higher percentage of positivity was observed in the age group 11-20 years, and males (18.68%) were more affected than females (16.41%). Peak cases showed during September-November, which correlates with the monsoon season, while transmission declined in winter.

Interpretation conclusion: The study found that young adults, particularly males, were most affected. An understanding of seasonal patterns and the need for early diagnosis and vector-control measures are crucial to managing effective dengue outbreaks.

Localized adverse events following mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis elimination are often self-limiting. However, they are of significant concern to the participants and may affect community drug compliance if not managed appropriately. Here, we report a rather uncommon adverse event, the 'string sign' in a south Indian woman with bancroftian filarial infection treated with triple drug regimen (IDA-Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine and Albendazole). String sign is the manifestation of acute lymphangitis as a cordlike subcutaneous swelling due to the swollen and inflamed lymphatic vessel, which is believed to occur due to the death of the adult filarial worms subsequent to chemotherapy. Health care workers need to be aware of such unusual localized adverse events that may occur following MDA for LF elimination. Prompt medical management of adverse events and health education are important to ensure adherence to drug consumption during mass drug administration program.

Background objectives: Japanese encephalitis (JE) remains a significant public health concern in India. IgM capture ELISA is widely used for laboratory confirmation, but cross-reactivity with other flaviviruses like Dengue virus (DEN) can lead to false positives in endemic countries like India. To overcome this problem, WHO recommends an IgM capture ELISA-based differential testing algorithm which includes JE IgM testing followed by DEN IgM testing. This study evaluates the performance of JE and DEN IgM capture ELISA kits from NIV, Pune in differentiating JE and DENV infections using ELISA-based differential testing algorithm in comparison with Inbios JE and DEN detect IgM capture ELISA kits.

Methods: A total of 131 serum samples from patients with suspected AES were tested initially using both NIV JE IgM ELISA kit and Inbios JE detect followed by NIV Dengue IgM and Inbios DEN detect kits, and results were compared.

Results: The NIV kit showed a higher JE IgM positivity rate (77.9%) than the Inbios kit (69.5%). Differential testing reclassified 21.5% (22/102) of NIV JE IgM positive cases and 16.4% (15/91) of Inbios JE IgM positive cases as DEN positive.

Interpretation conclusion: The results emphasise the presence of cross reactivity between the JE and DEN viruses. Despite limitations such as the absence of PRNT, the findings support differential testing as a cost-effective strategy to enhance JE diagnostic accuracy in resource limited settings and reinforce the need for improved diagnostic algorithms to prevent misclassification of flavivirus infections especially in endemic countries.

Background objectives: Dengue outbreaks pose a significant public health threat in Raigarh City, Central India. During the 2023-2024 rainy season, there was a marked rise in febrile cases resembling dengue across urban areas. In response, ICMR-NIMR, in collaboration with local health authorities, initiated entomological surveillance campaign. This effort aimed to identify dengue vectors and implement rapid intervention strategies to mitigate disease transmission.

Methods: An entomological survey was conducted in 16 wards of the Raigarh city. The study incorporated epidemiological data spanning nine years (2016-2024), along with a detailed month-wise analysis of dengue cases reported in 2023 and 2024. Vector density was assessed with House Index (HI), Container Index (CI), and Breteau Index (BI), to identify high-risk areas and predominant vector species.

Results: A total of 2,080 water-holding containers were identified across 622 surveyed properties, for vector breeding. Among these, 67 (35%) were routinely used household containers, while 124 (65%) were disposable items. Larval collections yielded 986 Aedes specimens, including 104 pupae, with Aedes albopictus accounting for 85% of the total, followed by Aedes aegypti (8%) and Aedes vittatus (5%). The entomological indices reflected a critical vector proliferation scenario, with an HI of 17.35%, CI of 7%, and BI of 24.49.

Interpretation conclusion: Targeted entomological surveillance, community awareness programs with interventions have contributed to a notable reduction in dengue case incidence. The findings establish Aedes albopictus as the predominant dengue vector in the region, alongside Aedes aegypti.

Background objectives: Dengue fever, including its severe forms, remains a major public health concern in endemic regions. Early diagnosis is critical for effective disease management, yet current diagnostic methods vary in sensitivity and accessibility. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of three commercially available NS1 ELISA kits against a chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) reference standard.

Methods: A total of 321 archived serum samples, previously tested using the Dengue NS1 Autobio chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA), were further analyzed using three NS1 ELISA kits. Among these, 12 samples showed discordant results between at least one ELISA kit and the CLIA and were subsequently analyzed through RT-PCR-based dengue serotyping. The diagnostic performance of the ELISA kits, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and overall agreement, was assessed using MedCalc software. Agreement between tests was further evaluated using kappa (κ) statistics, and comparisons of κ values were conducted using Fleiss's Z-test.

Results: Among the 321 archived serum samples, 105 were initially identified as NS1-reactive and 216 as NS1-negative. RT-PCR confirmed three of the CLIA-positive results as false positives, adjusting the reference count to 102 NS1-reactive and 219 NS1-negative samples. Athenese-Dx ELISA demonstrated the highest sensitivity (98.04%) and agreement with reference (99.07%, κ = 0.978), followed by SD (Sensitivity = 95.10%, Agreement = 97.82%, κ = 0.949) and PanBio (Sensitivity = 94.12%, Agreement = 97.82%, κ = 0.949). Specificity remained high across all ELISA kits (99.07%-99.54%).

Interpretation conclusion: The evaluated ELISA kits demonstrated high specificity and strong agreement with the reference standard, with Athenese-Dx ELISA showing better diagnostic accuracy. NS1-based ELISA remains a valuable tool for dengue diagnosis, particularly in resource-limited settings. Further studies with serotype-specific analysis and larger sample sizes are warranted.

Malaria remains a critical public health challenge, disproportionately affecting sub-Saharan Africa. Although sub-Saharan Africa shoulders the greatest burden of malaria, research led by African institutions continues to receive only a small fraction of global research and development funding. This article reflects on the growing importance of South-South collaboration as a catalyst for advancing malaria research and control efforts. By drawing from initiatives like ANDI, the Elimination 8 (E8) group, and the India-Africa Health Sciences Platform, we illustrate how partnerships among low- and middle-income countries can foster innovation, strengthen local research capacity, improve diagnostic tools, enhance regional surveillance systems and address shared challenges. We also discuss barriers such as limited funding and fragmented systems, and outline strategies-like regional investment and regulatory harmonization-that could help unlock the full potential of these South-South collaborations.