Vector borne and zoonotic diseases最新文献

{"title":"Management implications of shifting <i>Culex quinquefasciatus</i> West Nile virus transmission suitability in Florida.","authors":"Sadie J Ryan, Catherine A Lippi","doi":"10.1177/15303667261426902","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/15303667261426902","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>West Nile virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne flavi<i>virus</i>, has circulated in the United States since 1999. In 2025, Florida was home to 24 million people, with projected increases in population and urbanization in a changing climate. The southern house mosquito, <i>Culex quinquefasciatus</i>, is found in every county, and is a major vector for WNV. Describing shifting WNV transmission risk is important to inform public health and vector control planning.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Using published estimates of thermal suitability of WNV transmission by <i>Cx. quinquefasciatus</i>, with climate models and population data, we calculated and mapped baseline and projected county-level transmission suitability and people at risk for 2000, 2030, and 2050. Five general circulation models and two mitigation scenarios (SSP2-4.5, SSP5-8.5) were used to explore future trajectories.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>At baseline, all 67 counties in Florida experienced 5-9 months of transmission suitability. Using the year 2000 census estimates, 2.33 million people in 2 counties experienced 9 months, and in 2030, across climate models, 8.93-12.26 million people (10-20 counties; SSP2-4.5), and 8.95-18.10 million people (11-26 counties; SSP5-8.5) are projected to experience 9 or more months of transmission suitability. In 2050, for both SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5, 17.08-20.42 million people (23-26 counties), ranging to approximately 70% of the projected population of Florida will experience 9 or more months. The 10 most populated counties in 2000 are projected to experience 1-3 months of additional climate-driven transmission suitability in the future.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The southern house mosquito was previously managed as a seasonal nuisance in Florida, but now represents an increasing public health exposure risk. Projections across climate trajectories underscore an increasing suitability and exposure risk for WNV in Florida, ranging as high as around 70% of the population exposed to suitable climate conditions for transmission for 9 or more months of the year in the 2050s. This means the types of operations and number of employees needed in vector control and public health will also increase.</p>","PeriodicalId":23683,"journal":{"name":"Vector borne and zoonotic diseases","volume":" ","pages":"15303667261426902"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Distinct Geographic Distribution of <i>Candidatus</i> Rickettsia <i>jingxinensis</i> and <i>Rickettsia heilongjiangensis</i> in <i>Haemaphysalis longicornis</i> Ticks from Northeast and East-Central China.","authors":"Ying-Wei Sun, Lei Gong, Wen Wang, Shu-Zhen Guo, Ling-Ling Mao, Rui Zhang, Dan-Dan Song, Yu-Hui Guan, Yuan-Yuan Jiang, Kun Yang, Xue-Sheng Liu, Ming Wu, Guo-Dong Yang, Tian Qin, Yan-Hua Wang","doi":"10.1177/15303667261428518","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/15303667261428518","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Asian <i>Haemaphysalis longicornis</i> is capable of transmitting a wide range of zoonotic pathogens. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of major pathogens in questing <i>H. longicornis</i> ticks collected from two geographically and ecologically distinct regions in China.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 1004 questing <i>H. longicornis</i> ticks were collected from Liaoning Province (Northeast China; <i>n</i> = 882) and Anhui Province (Central and Eastern China; <i>n</i> = 122) and pooled into 670 mixed samples. Tick species were identified by mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene sequencing. Nucleic acid samples from all pools were first screened for <i>Dabie bandavirus</i> using RT-PCR and for bacteria using universal 16S rRNA primers. Bacteria-positive samples were further tested using polygenic seminested PCR for <i>Rickettsia</i> spp. and <i>Coxiella</i>-like endosymbionts (CLEs). Phylogenetic analyses, including polygene sequence analysis, were performed to ensure the accuracy of species identification and to explore genetic relationships.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>No <i>Dabie bandavirus</i> was detected in any samples. Among the 670 tick pools, 14 were positive for spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR), with an overall minimum infection rate (MIR) of 1.4% (14/1004). Notably, the detected SFGR species showed clear geographic segregation: <i>Candidatus</i> Rickettsia <i>jingxinensis</i> was detected only in Liaoning Province (MIR of 1.4%), while <i>Rickettsia heilongjiangensis</i> was found exclusively in Anhui Province (MIR of 1.6%). Additionally, CLEs (overall MIR of 2.0%) were identified in 20 tick pools, with a significantly higher prevalence in Anhui Province (10.7%) than in Liaoning Province (0.8%; <i>p</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This surveillance revealed a distinct geographical distribution pattern of SFGR species in <i>H. longicornis</i> populations in China and confirmed the presence of <i>Ca</i>. R. <i>jingxinensis</i> in the northeast and <i>R. heilongjiangensis</i> in the central and eastern regions. These findings, supported by polygenic evidence, provide essential epidemiological data for understanding regional tick-borne disease risks and highlight the need for continued region-specific surveillance.</p>","PeriodicalId":23683,"journal":{"name":"Vector borne and zoonotic diseases","volume":" ","pages":"15303667261428518"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147692674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Susceptibility of <i>Aedes albopictus</i> (Diptera: Culicidae) from Southern Thailand Livestock Farms to Household Larvicides and Adulticides.","authors":"Tepyuda Yongsue, Sunaiyana Sathantriphop, Thipwara Tiansawang, Smonrapat Surasombatpattana, Tewee Maneerat, Krajana Tainchum","doi":"10.1177/15303667261442831","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/15303667261442831","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong><i>Aedes albopictus</i> (Skuse) is a major mosquito vector in Southeast Asia, especially in livestock farm environments. This study evaluated the susceptibility of laboratory and field-collected (Songkhla Province) <i>Ae. albopictus</i> to commercial insecticides.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Laboratory colony and field population were tested against temephos larvicides, mosquito coils, and aerosol sprays following WHO protocols. Larvicidal efficacy and persistence were assessed in semifield conditions, while adult knockdown and mortality were measured in controlled assays.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both laboratory colony and field population exhibited high initial susceptibility to temephos (97.5-100% mortality), but residual efficacy declined rapidly, reaching 0-27% by 30 days. All adulticides achieved 100% mortality. Knockdown times (KT₅₀) ranged 0.58-2.52 min for mosquito coils and 1.09-2.29 min for aerosol sprays. The coil containing 0.03% metofluthrin showed the fastest knockdown (KT₅₀ = 0.58 min laboratory, 1.37 min field).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Commercial insecticides remain effective against <i>Ae. albopictus</i> in livestock farm settings. However, rapid temephos degradation highlights the need for more frequent larvicide applications or the use of persistent formulations. Integrated approaches combining chemical and nonchemical interventions are recommended to optimize vector control and delay resistance development.</p>","PeriodicalId":23683,"journal":{"name":"Vector borne and zoonotic diseases","volume":" ","pages":"15303667261442831"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147692662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preliminary Genomic Data on Five <i>Orientia tsutsugamushi</i> Strains Isolated in Vellore, India.","authors":"Janaki Kumaraswamy, Agilandeeswari Kirubanathan, Karthik Gunasekaran, K P P Abhilash, John Antony Jude Prakash","doi":"10.1177/15303667261442502","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/15303667261442502","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong><i>Orientia tsutsugamushi</i>, the causative agent of scrub typhus, can be isolated in Vero or L929 cells and has a small genome (2-2.5 Mb). However, genome assembly is challenging due to the presence of host DNA contamination and a high proportion of repeat regions (up to 51%). Current global data includes 11 fully annotated genomes, with none from India. Here, we present the first whole-genome sequences of <i>O. tsutsugamushi</i> strains circulating within India.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Five <i>O. tsutsugamushi</i> strains were cultured in Vero cells and confirmed by 47 kDa real-time PCR. Genomic DNA was extracted after removal of host DNA and sequencing libraries were prepared. Whole-genome sequencing was performed using the PacBio Sequel II system in CCS/HiFi mode. The raw reads were assembled using Flye, and genome completeness was assessed with QUAST and BUSCO. Annotation was performed using the NCBI PGAP pipeline and comparative genome analysis by Roary. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using both the complete 56-kDa gene and whole-genome sequences to assess genetic relationships among <i>O. tsutsugamushi</i> strains.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We report five complete (circular) genomes of <i>O. tsutsugamushi</i>. Genome sizes range from 2.1 to 2.4 Mb. The total number of predicted genes falls between 2,379 and 2,715, with an average of 1,824 coding genes and 613 pseudogenes. Repeat regions ranged from 55% to 59%, corresponding to total lengths of approximately 1.2-1.44 Mb. All five genomes have been submitted to NCBI GenBank (Accession Numbers: CP166954-58). Phylogenetic analysis based on the full-length 56 kDa gene revealed that two strains belong to the Karp genogroup, two to Kato, and one to TA763.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study presents the first whole-genome sequencing data of <i>O. tsutsugamushi</i> from India. Comprehensive phylogenomic studies, particularly to elucidate evolutionary dynamics and potential recombination events, will provide further information.</p>","PeriodicalId":23683,"journal":{"name":"Vector borne and zoonotic diseases","volume":" ","pages":"15303667261442502"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147692720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seroprevalence of Japanese Encephalitis in Pigs in Central Province, Papua New Guinea.","authors":"Elaine Hevoho, Antonio Di Rubbo, Andy K Yombo, David T Williams, Bruce Gummow, Victoria J Brookes","doi":"10.1177/15303667261442507","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/15303667261442507","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Background:</i> Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic flavivirus of significant public health and veterinary concern in Asia and the Western Pacific. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), the epidemiology of JEV remains poorly understood, with limited data on its circulation in pig populations. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of JEV in commercial and semicommercial pig farms in Central Province, PNG, a region experiencing rapid urban and agricultural expansion.<i>Methods:</i> Serum samples (n = 136) were collected from grower (5-7 months old) and breeder pigs (8-36 months old) on three farms and tested using competitive ELISA for JEV antibodies, with follow-up testing to resolve cross-reactivity with antigenically related orthoflaviviruses.<i>Results:</i> Overall, 45% of pigs tested positive for JEV-specific antibodies. By age, a significantly greater proportion of grower pigs were seronegative to JEV, and although seropositivity was similar in grower and breeder pigs, breeder pigs showed higher proportions of cross-reactive results, suggesting multiple exposure to JEV or other orthoflaviviruses. No significant association was found between JEV serostatus and reproductive outcomes in breeding sows.<i>Conclusion:</i> These findings provide evidence of JEV circulation in a densely populated region of PNG and support the need for integrated One Health surveillance to inform risk-based control strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23683,"journal":{"name":"Vector borne and zoonotic diseases","volume":" ","pages":"15303667261442507"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147677166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of the Spatial Distribution Characteristics of the Peak Density of Rodents and Mosquitoes in the Main Urban Area of Hefei in 2024.","authors":"Hongping Xu, Lei Zhang, Wenjun Wang, Tingting Cheng, Qian Wang, Wenjing Wang","doi":"10.1177/15303667261440861","DOIUrl":"10.1177/15303667261440861","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To explore the spatial distribution characteristics of the peak density of rodents and mosquitoes in the main urban area of Hefei, and analyze the spatial clustering.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The survey data of the peak density of rodents and mosquitoes in the main urban area of Hefei in 2024 (May-June) was collected, and a thematic map of point pattern was drawn to analyze the spatial distribution characteristics using Ordinary Kriging interpolation and spatial autocorrelation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The average density of rodents and mosquitoes in the main urban area during the peak density was 0.91% and 3.50 per/(light·night), respectively. The interpolation ranges of rodent and mosquito densities were 0.03-3.22% and 0.04-13.80 per/(light·night), respectively, which made the fluctuation range smaller and the density range narrower compared with the actual density range, but the distribution of the two were basically the same. The Moran's <i>I</i> values of rodent and mosquito densities were 0.508 and 0.347, respectively (all <i>Z</i> > 0, all <i>P</i> < 0.010).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The density of rodents and mosquitoes in the main urban area was generally at a low level, with obvious differences in spatial distribution characteristics, but presented a spatial pattern of high in the east and low in the west, high in the north and low in the south, with positive correlation clustering. More attention should be paid to the risk of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, and other related infectious diseases in key areas and streets. Vector control measures with key points, key linkages and differentiation should be adopted.</p>","PeriodicalId":23683,"journal":{"name":"Vector borne and zoonotic diseases","volume":" ","pages":"15303667261440861"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147655202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detections of <i>Babesia odocoilei</i> in <i>Ixodes pacificus</i> and <i>Babesia microti</i> in <i>Ixodes angustus</i> Ticks in British Columbia, Canada.","authors":"Stefan Iwasawa, Quinn Stewart, Heather Coatsworth, Stephanie Cooper, Hannah Caird, Muhammad Morshed, Erin Fraser","doi":"10.1177/15303667261438613","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/15303667261438613","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Surveillance of tick-borne pathogens is important to inform risks to human and animal health. Through active surveillance, we have detected the continued presence of both <i>Babesia odocoilei</i> since its first detection in 2019 and <i>Babesia microti</i> in British Columbia (BC).</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Tick drag sampling was conducted across four regions of the province using a protocol developed by the Canadian Lyme Sentinel Network. Captured ticks were identified morphologically, and pathogens were tested for <i>Borrelia</i> species, <i>Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia</i> species, and Powassan virus.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong><i>B. odocoilei</i> was detected in four <i>Ixodes pacificus</i> nymphs, and <i>B. microti</i> was detected in two <i>Ixodes angustus</i> ticks (1 nymph and 1 female).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong><i>B. odocoilei</i> and <i>B. microti</i> continue to be detected in BC ticks. Ongoing surveillance and monitoring of tick populations in BC is essential to characterize the emergence and spread of tick-borne pathogens in the province.</p>","PeriodicalId":23683,"journal":{"name":"Vector borne and zoonotic diseases","volume":" ","pages":"15303667261438613"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147623896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of Inflammatory Cytokine Responses in DENV-1 Monoinfection Versus Coinfection with DENV-4.","authors":"Monalisa Mohanty, Archana Tripathy, Prabhudutta Mamidi, Sailendra Panda, Amrita Ray, Sanjeev Kumar Bhoi, Anupam Dey, Gaurav Chhabra, Diksha Mohapatra, Madhab Charan Mandal, Debashis Santra, Bhagirathi Dwibedi, Kavita Gupta, Sunil K Raghav, Soma Chattopadhyay, Baijayantimala Mishra","doi":"10.1177/15303667251413443","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/15303667251413443","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Dengue is a systemic vector-borne viral disease caused by infection of any one (monoinfection) or more than one serotype (coinfection) of the Dengue virus (DENV). Till date, there have been few studies, which have focused on assessing the cytokine and hematological parameters during DENV mono and coinfection giving emphasis to specific serotype combinations. This is important because all four DENV serotypes do not induce the same disease severity. Taking this into account, the current study was conducted to analyze the hematological parameters, inflammatory cytokine responses, and symptomatic variations in dengue patients of similar age who were admitted and were infected with either DENV-1 serotype or coinfected with DENV-1 and DENV-4 serotypes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this cross-sectional study, samples of dengue-suspected patients were subjected to serological tests. Serologically positive or acute samples of suspected dengue were further subjected to RT-PCR serotyping, hematological, and cytokine profiling studies. The sample size for cytokine hematological and cytokine profiling studies has been estimated using G* Power 3.1.9.7 software.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 1068 samples tested for dengue, 194 serologically positive or acute samples were further serotyped, of these, 87 samples (44.84%) tested positive in RT-PCR; 78.2% (68/87) had monoinfection, and 19 (21.8%) had coinfections. White blood cells, platelets, and neutrophil counts were significantly elevated in patients with monoinfections, and lymphocyte count was high in coinfection. Interleukin 8 (IL-8) and IL-6 were high in monoinfections, and IL-10 and interferon γ were higher in coinfections.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Findings of the present study indicate that there was a better antiviral immune response during coinfections in comparison to monoinfection cases. However, further research with a larger number of coinfections is needed to make a reliable comparison between each combination of mixed serotypes, which will help understand the disease kinetics in DENV coinfections.</p>","PeriodicalId":23683,"journal":{"name":"Vector borne and zoonotic diseases","volume":"26 4","pages":"211-219"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147504765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<b>Illumina-Based Metagenomic Insights into the Gut Microbiome of <i>Amblyomma helvolum</i> (Koch, 1844) Parasitizing <i>Xenochrophis trianguligerus</i> from Great Nicobar Island, India</b>.","authors":"Mukesh Thakur, Stanzin Dolker, Lenrik Konchok Wangmo, Lalit Kumar Sharma, Shelley Acharya, Pratyush Mohapatra","doi":"10.1177/15303667261423035","DOIUrl":"10.1177/15303667261423035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During a faunal survey in Great Nicobar Island, we collected four <i>Amblyomma helvolum</i> ticks infesting the snake <i>Xenochrophis trianguligerus</i> and processed for gut-metagenomic analysis using Illumina paired-end sequencing. A total of 8.7 million high-quality reads were generated, revealing that the gut microbiome was dominated by <i>Bacteria</i> (∼99.9%), primarily represented by <i>Proteobacteria</i> (∼95.7%), followed by minor fractions of <i>Firmicutes</i>, <i>Actinobacteria</i>, and <i>Bacteroidetes</i>. The predominant bacterial families were <i>Alcaligenaceae</i>, <i>Bradyrhizobiaceae</i>, <i>Boseaceae</i>, and <i>Rickettsiaceae</i>, with <i>Achromobacter xylosoxidans</i> emerging as the most abundant species (∼30% of total reads). Species-level analyses revealed a complex microbial community dominated by <i>Achromobacter</i>, <i>Brevibacillus</i>, <i>Stutzerimonas</i>, and <i>Aeromicrobium</i>. Several putative opportunistic pathogens were detected, including <i>Myroides sp.</i>, <i>Sphingobacterium sp.</i>, <i>Stutzerimonas stutzeri</i>, <i>Cutibacterium acnes</i>, <i>Mycobacterium abscessus</i>, <i>Staphylococcus hominis</i>, <i>Achromobacter xylosoxidans</i>, and <i>Pseudomonas otitidis</i>. This study represents the first metagenomic characterization of <i>A. helvolum</i> from India and provides baseline data on reptile-tick-associated microbial diversity from Great Nicobar Island. The findings underscore the importance of molecular surveillance in remote ecosystems and highlight the potential of reptile ticks as reservoirs of opportunistic and zoonotic bacteria.</p>","PeriodicalId":23683,"journal":{"name":"Vector borne and zoonotic diseases","volume":" ","pages":"233-240"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147285348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal Changes in Sonographic Findings as Predictors of Disease Severity in Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever.","authors":"Nurdan Fidan, Gurbet Yanarateş, Derya Yapar, Özlem Akdoğan, Pınar Tunçel Öztürk","doi":"10.1177/15303667261416346","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/15303667261416346","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a life-threatening viral infection with multiorgan involvement. While laboratory markers are well-established, the prognostic value of ultrasonography (US) remains underexplored. This prospective study aimed to characterize abdominal US findings in patients with suspected CCHF and to assess their correlation with clinical parameters and disease severity.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A total of 122 patients hospitalized with suspected CCHF were included and classified as RT-PCR positive (<i>n</i> = 70) and RT-PCR negative control (<i>n</i> = 52) groups. Serial abdominal US was performed on days 1, 3, and 5 of hospitalization. Sonographic findings, clinical data, and Severity Scoring Index (SSI) values were recorded and analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The most frequent sonographic findings in RT-PCR-positive patients were hepatomegaly (30%), gallbladder wall thickening (26%), periportal echogenicity (19%) and intra-abdominal free fluid (19%). Notably, gallbladder wall thickening was significantly more common in the patient group compared with controls (<i>p</i> = 0.034), while splenomegaly was significantly more frequent in the RT-PCR-negative group (<i>p</i> = 0.003). US findings showed significant regression by day 5, paralleling SSI improvement (<i>p</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Abdominal US serves as a complementary, non-invasive modality in the clinical evaluation and follow-up of patients with suspected CCHF. The correlation between US findings and SSI scores, together with the temporal evolution of sonographic changes, highlights its potential to be incorporated into future disease severity scoring systems as a non-invasive prognostic indicator. Routine use of abdominal US, particularly in endemic regions, may provide meaningful support in the early detection of complications, dynamic assessment of disease severity, and objective monitoring of treatment response, thereby enhancing clinical decision-making.</p>","PeriodicalId":23683,"journal":{"name":"Vector borne and zoonotic diseases","volume":"26 4","pages":"226-232"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147504762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}