A molecular surveillance-guided vector control response to concurrent dengue and West Nile virus outbreaks in a COVID-19 hotspot of Florida (preprint)

Simultaneous dengue virus (DENV) and West Nile virus (WNV) outbreaks in Florida, USA, in 2020 resulted in 71 dengue virus serotype 1 and 86 WNV human cases. Our outbreak response leveraged a molecular diagnostic screen of mosquito populations for DENV and WNV in Miami-Dade County to quickly employ targeted mosquito abatement efforts. We detected DENV serotypes 2 and 4 in mosquito pools, highlighting the silent circulation of diverse dengue serotypes in mosquitoes. Additionally, we found WNV-positive mosquito pools in areas with no historical reports of WNV transmission. These findings demonstrate the importance of proactive, strategic arbovirus surveillance in mosquito populations to prevent and control outbreaks, particularly when other illnesses (e.g., COVID-19), which present with similar symptoms are circulating concurrently. Growing evidence for substantial infection prevalence of dengue in competent mosquito vectors in the absence of local index cases suggests a higher level of dengue endemicity in Florida than previously thought. Article Summary LineEvidence of increasing dengue endemicity in Florida: Vector surveillance during dengue and West Nile virus outbreaks revealed widespread presence of other dengue virus serotypes in the absence of local index cases.

Mental health, coping, and social support among people living with HIV in the Americas: A comparative study between Argentina and the USA during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (preprint)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic pose significant risk to mental health and may disproportionately affect people living with HIV (PLWH). This study examined the interaction of social support and resilient coping in predicting depressive symptoms among PLWH.Methods: PLWH residing in Buenos Aires, Argentina and in Miami, Florida (US) were asked to complete an anonymous survey on the impact of COVID-19. Statistical analysis included ordinary least squares regression.Results: A total of 1,554 participants were included. Mean age was 47.30 years; 63.7 % were men. A test of three-way interaction of social support resilient coping study site indicated differences by site (b = -0.63.862, p = .043010, 95% CI [-1.24, -0.02.205, 1.52]). In Argentina, at higher social support and resilient coping, depressive symptoms were lowest. At lower social support and resilient coping, depressive symptoms were highest.Discussion: The impact of COVID-19 on mental health illustrates the need to develop innovative strategies to support resilience and to enhance coping with stress and adversity among PLWH.