STRENGTHENING INFECTIOUS-DISEASE RESEARCH CAPACITY FOR PUBLIC-HEALTH ACTION IN

描述(申请人提供)：该项目的总体目标是更好地了解西尼罗河病毒和热带生态系统中其他可能相关的虫媒病毒(包括登革热病毒和委内瑞拉马脑炎病毒)的生态学和生物学。所获得的知识将有助于制定适合当地情况的虫媒病毒病监测和控制方法。此外，这一努力还提供了检测具有公共卫生意义的新型虫媒病毒的机会。它还将加强UVG-CHS内部的能力，以在危地马拉和中美洲邻国对疑似虫媒病毒病原体进行暴发调查，以协助该地区的卫生部。1.确认西尼罗河病毒在危地马拉巴里奥斯港的时间和空间传播模式及其与环境变量的可能关系。2.确定库蚊是西尼罗河病毒和其他虫媒病毒如VEEV和C组Bunya病毒的重要载体。3.验证已公布的危地马拉库蚊分类检索表，并开发包括分子分析在内的简化鉴定方法，以改进危地马拉库蚊的鉴定。4.验证文昌鱼作为禽类西尼罗河病毒主要扩增宿主的地位，并确定有利于媒介-宿主接触的微生境因素。5.鉴定从蚊子和其他脊椎动物分离的虫媒病毒，并表征它们的系统发育关系和表型。6.在危地马拉IEIP(国际新兴感染计划)临床研究发现人类虫媒病毒疾病的社区，评估可疑媒介蚊子的感染率、家畜和可疑水库宿主的虫媒病毒血清阳性率。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The general objective of the project is to gain a better understanding of the ecology and biology of WNV and other potentially relevant arbovirus in a tropical ecosystem (including dengue viruses and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus). The knowledge gained will contribute to the development of locally appropriate arboviral-disease surveillance and control methods. Additionally, this effort offers the opportunity to detect novel arboviruses of public health significance. It will also strengthen the capacity within the UVG-CHS to conduct outbreak investigations of suspected arboviral etiology in Guatemala and neighboring countries of Central America, in assistance to the Ministries of Health in the region. 1. Confirm patterns of WNV temporal and spatial transmission in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, and their possible relationships with environmental variables. 2. Confirmation of Culex species as important vectors of WNV and other arboviruses such as VEEV and Group C Bunya viruses. 3. Validate published taxonomic keys for culicines in Guatemala and develop simplified identification methods including molecular assays to improve the identification of Culex mosquitoes from Guatemala. 4. Verify the status of Quiscalus mexicanus as the principal avian WNV amplifying host and identify microhabitat factors that favor vector-host contact. 5. Identify arboviruses isolated from mosquitoes and other vertebrates and characterize their phylogenetic relationships and phenotype. 6. Asses infection rates in suspect vector mosquitoes, arboviral seroprevalence in domestic animals and suspect reservoir hosts, in communities where arboviral human disease is detected by IEIP (International Emerging Infections Program) clinical studies in Guatemala.