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

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目的总体目标是更好地了解热带生态系统中西尼罗河病毒和其他潜在相关虫媒病毒（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的虫媒病毒病监测和控制方法。此外，这项工作提供了机会，以检测新的虫媒病毒的公共卫生意义。它还将加强该小组内部的能力，以便在危地马拉和中美洲邻国对可疑的虫媒病毒病因进行暴发调查，协助该区域的卫生部。1.确认模式的西尼罗河病毒的时间和空间传输在巴里奥斯港，危地马拉，和他们可能与环境变量的关系。2.确认库蚊是西尼罗河病毒和其他虫媒病毒如VEEV和C组布尼亚病毒的重要载体。3.出版了危地马拉库蚊的分类检索表，并开发了包括分子测定在内的简化鉴定方法，以改进对危地马拉库蚊的鉴定。4.验证的状态Quiscalus墨西哥作为主要的鸟类西尼罗河病毒扩增主机，并确定微生境因素，有利于媒介-主机接触。5.鉴定从蚊子和其他脊椎动物分离的虫媒病毒，并描述它们的系统发生关系和表型。6.评估在危地马拉IEIP（国际新发感染项目）临床研究检测到虫媒病毒人类疾病的社区中，疑似病媒蚊子的感染率、家畜和疑似储存宿主中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.