Alejandra Rojas

Universidad Nacional de Asunción

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Yvalena Guillén

Universidad Nacional de Asunción

Fátima Cardozo

Universidad Nacional de Asunción

Jesse J. Waggoner

Emory University

Laura Aria

Universidad del Pacífico

Laura Mendoza

Universidad Nacional de Asunción

María Eugenia Acosta

Universidad Nacional de Asunción

Cynthia Bernal

Universidad Nacional de Asunción

Malvina Páez

Universidad Nacional de Asunción

Benjamin A. Pinsky

Stanford University

Teresa Meza

Universidad Nacional de Asunción

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Universidad Nacional de Asunción

Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud

Emory University

Universidade de São Paulo

Fundação Oswaldo Cruz

Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología

University of Chile

Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud

Stanford University

Guyra Paraguay

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Reporte de caso: diagnóstico retrasado de dengue en paciente con lupus eritematoso sistémico

Revista Científica Estudios e Investigaciones (2019)

Cynthia Bernal I. Acosta-Colman Fátima Cardozo César Cantero Jesse J. Waggoner

El dengue, causado por el virus del dengue (DENV), se encuentra entre las enfermedades causadas por arbovirus más importantes del mundo y en Paraguay, representa un importante problema de salud pública. Existen estudios que indican que los pacientes con enfermedades autoinmunes y una infección aguda por DENV pueden presentar un cuadro clínico complicado.

10.26885/rcei.foro.2018.120

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Revisiting the dengue epidemic of 2011 in Paraguay: molecular epidemiology of dengue virus in the Asuncion metropolitan area

BMC Infectious Diseases (2021)

Alejandra Rojas Adriana Moreira Soares Laura Mendoza María Eugenia Acosta Laura Aria

Abstract Background Dengue is one of the most important re-emerging viral diseases and the most common human arthropod-borne viral infection worldwide. Any of the four Dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1 to 4) can cause asymptomatic infections or clinical manifestations that range in severity from a mild, self-limited illness, to a severe disease characterized by a shock syndrome that can lead to death. Paraguay suffers periodic epidemic outbreaks of dengue since 1988 when the DENV-1 was introduced in the country. Epidemics caused by all four serotypes have been reported and the country. Although dengue is endemic in Paraguay, few studies have described the molecular epidemiology of DENV in the country, which is important to understand the local and global spread, as well as the evolution of this pathogen. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of a convenience sample. Suspected dengue patients of any age were recruited from the Emergency Laboratory of the Central Hospital of the Institute of Social Welfare, Asuncion, Paraguay, from February to June of 2011. A DENV antigen test was used to confirm the infection. The protein E gene sequences of isolated viruses were sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. Results Dengue was confirmed in 55.1% of the participants (n = 98/178). The most frequent clinical findings were fever, headache, and myalgia. Identity analyses of the protein E gene sequence of 56 viruses isolated showed the circulation of DENV-1 (n = 45) and DENV-2 (n = 11) in the Asuncion metropolitan area in 2011. Molecular epidemiology analyses suggest that DENV-1 was introduced into Paraguay from Argentina, while the DENV-2 from Brazil, replacing previous virus lineages. Conclusions We have analyzed the molecular epidemiology of DENV-1 and DENV-2 isolated in Paraguay in 2011. We found strong evidence that DENV-1 was introduced into Paraguay from Argentina, while the DENV-2 from Brazil, replacing previous virus lineages. Molecular epidemiology studies are of great interest to analyze the dynamic of DENV spread, which are useful for early implementation of containment measures to reduce the risk of explosive epidemics caused by this virus.

Medical microbiology

Molecular Epidemiology

10.1186/s12879-021-06487-9

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[Domicilliary Triatomidae infestation and Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Region III of Atacama, Chile].

PubMed (1982)

Juan B. Rodríguez J Bertoglia Nuria Martínez Gordillo Julio Fernández‐Mendoza John Rojas

Chagas Disease

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Peer Review #1 of "Characterization of dengue cases among patients with an acute illness, Central Department, Paraguay (v0.2)"

Alejandra Rojas Fátima Cardozo César Cantero Victoria Stittleburg Sanny López

Background.In 2018, Paraguay experienced a large dengue virus (DENV) outbreak.The primary objective of this study was to characterize dengue cases in the Central Department, where the majority of cases occur, and identify factors associated with DENV infection.Methods.Patients were enrolled from January-May 2018 if they presented with a suspected arboviral illness.Acute-phase specimens (≤8 days after symptom onset) were tested using rRT-PCR, a rapid diagnostic test for DENV nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) and anti-DENV IgM and IgG, and ELISA for IgG against NS1 from Zika virus (ZIKV).Results.231 patients were enrolled (95.2% adults) at two sites: emergency care and an outpatient clinical site.Patients included 119 (51.5%) dengue cases confirmed by rRT-PCR (n=115, 96.6%) and/or the detection of NS1 and anti-DENV IgM (n=4, 3.4%).DENV-1 was the predominant serotype (109/115, 94.8%).Epidemiologically, dengue cases and non-dengue cases were similar, though dengue cases were less likely to reside in a house/apartment or report a previous dengue case.Clinical and laboratory findings associated with dengue included red eyes, absence of sore throat, leucopenia and thrombocytopenia.At an emergency care site, 26% of dengue cases (26/100) required hospitalization.In univariate analysis, hospitalization was associated with increased viral load, anti-DENV IgG, and thrombocytopenia.Among dengue cases that tested positive for IgG against ZIKV NS1, the odds of DENV NS1 detection in the acute phase were decreased 10-fold (OR 0.1, 0.0-0.3). Conclusions.Findings from a predominantly adult population demonstrate clinical and laboratory factors associated with DENV infections and the potential severity of dengue in

Characterization

10.7287/peerj.7852v0.2/reviews/1

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Venezuelan equine encephalitis complex, Madariaga and Eastern equine encephalitis viruses genome detection in human and mosquito populations

medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (2022)

Jean‐Paul Carrera Dimelza Araúz Alejandra Rojas Fátima Cardozo Victoria Stittleburg

Abstract Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), Madariaga virus (MADV) and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus complex (VEEV) are New World mosquito-borne alphaviruses and cause severe neurological disease in human and equine hosts. However, their detection during the acute phase is complicated by non-specific clinical manifestations and lack of available diagnostic tools. To develop and clinically evaluate rRT-PCRs for VEEV complex, MADV and EEEV, primers and probes were designed from publicly available whole-genome sequences. The rRT-PCRs were validated using 15 retrospective serum samples from febrile patients collected during the 2015 and 2017 alphavirus outbreaks in Panama. In addition, the protocol was validated with 150 mosquito pools from 2015, and with 118 samples from prospective disease surveillance from 2021 and 2022. The rRT-PCRs detected VEEV complex RNA in 10 samples (66.7%) from the 2015 and 2017 outbreaks, and in one of these ten samples, both VEEV complex and MADV RNAs were detected. Additionally, VEEV complex RNA was detected in 5 suspected dengue from prospective disease surveillance. The rRT-PCR assays detected VEEV complex RNA in 3 from Culex ( Melanoconion ) vomerifer pools, 2 of which yielded VEEV isolates. Untargeted sequencing and phylogenetic analysis identified VEEV ID subtype in seven VEEV complex RNA positive sample. The VEEV complex, MADV and EEEV rRT-PCRs provide accurate detection while yielding significant benefits over currently available molecular methods. Our results suggest that 11.9% of suspected dengue cases in Panama are VEEV infections.

Togaviridae

10.1101/2022.04.04.22271864

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Identification of insect-specific flaviviruses in areas of Brazil and Paraguay experiencing endemic arbovirus transmission and the description of a novel flavivirus infecting Sabethes belisarioi

Virology (2018)

Humberto Doriguêtto Gravina Andréia Akemi Suzukawa Camila Zanluca Fátima Cardozo Marcel Kruchelski Tschá

Flavivirus

Aedes albopictus

10.1016/j.virol.2018.11.008

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Study of Yellow Fever in primates in outbreaks areas of the departments of San Pedro and Central in Paraguay

Memorias del Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (2009)

Carmen Roig Joan Miret Alejandra Rojas Yvalena Guillén Laura Aria

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A portable approach for the surveillance of dengue virus-infected mosquitoes

Journal of Virological Methods (2012)

David A. Muller Francesca D. Frentiu Alejandra Rojas Luciano Andrade Moreira Scott L. O’Neill

Mosquito control

Flavivirus

10.1016/j.jviromet.2012.03.033

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Evaluación de un prototipo de ensayo de aglutinación látex-estreptavidina-tp17 para detección de anticuerpos anti-Treponema pallidum

Memorias del Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (2023)

A. Gómez Sanabria Cecilia González Yvalena Guillén Laura Aria Alejandra Rojas

La sífilis es una infección bacteriana causada por Treponema pallidum. El diagnóstico se basa en las características clínicas y en pruebas laboratoriales serológicas indirectas. El objetivo fue evaluar un prototipo de ensayo de aglutinación de látex-estreptavidina-Tp17 para detección de anticuerpos anti-T. pallidum. Se estandarizaron las condiciones óptimas de un prototipo de ensayo de aglutinación basado en la unión estreptavidina-biotina sobre soporte de látex con la proteína recombinante Tp17. Se analizó la concordancia del ensayo con otras pruebas comerciales para determinar su utilidad como alternativa en el diagnóstico de sífilis. Se lograron obtener las condiciones óptimas de preparación del reactivo y se demostró la estabilidad del mismo hasta los 90 días conservado a 4ºC. En cuanto a la concordancia entre el prototipo y otras pruebas comerciales, se analizaron 56 muestras con la prueba de VDRL y se obtuvo un índice kappa de 0,48 IC95% (0,24-0,73) indicando una fuerza de concordancia moderada. Por otro lado, 44 muestras fueron previamente evaluadas por quimioluminiscencia (CLIA), siendo el índice kappa calculado 0,81 IC95% (0,55-1) representando una fuerza de concordancia casi perfecta entre los métodos. Adicionalmente< se determinaron la sensibilidad y la especificidad teniendo como referencia a la prueba de CLIA debido a la similitud en la utilización del antígeno Tp17 en ambos métodos, brindando un resultado de 94,87% y 100% respectivamente. Estos resultados plantean obtener una evaluación de la performance orientada a una posible aplicación en la población general.

10.18004/mem.iics/1812-9528/2023.e21122306

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Additional file 1 of Revisiting the dengue epidemic of 2011 in Paraguay: molecular epidemiology of dengue virus in the Asuncion metropolitan area

Figshare (2021)

Alejandra Rojas Adriana Moreira Soares Laura Mendoza María Eugenia Acosta Laura Aria

Additional file 1. Alignment of DENV-1. The E gene sequences of the DENV-1 (n = 15) obtained in this study were aligned with the E gene sequences of representative DENV-1 (n = 381) isolated worldwide. The alignment was performed with the CLC Main Workbench software (QIAGEN, USA).

10.6084/m9.figshare.15130951

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