Characterization of insect-specific Culex flavivirus (Flaviviridae) nucleotide sequences in mosquitoes from urban parks in São Paulo, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Despite their worldwide occurrence, the distribution and role of insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs) remain unclear. METHODS: We evaluated the presence of ISFs in mosquitoes collected in São Paulo, Brazil, using reverse transcription and semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Some of the positive samples were subjected to nanopore sequencing. RESULTS: Twelve mosquito pools (2.8%) tested positive for flavivirus infection. Nanopore sequencing was successfully performed on six samples. Phylogenetic analysis grouped these sequences into genotype 2 of Culex flavivirus (CxFV). CONCLUSIONS: The identification of CxFV genotype 2 at new locations in São Paulo highlights the importance of understanding the role of ISFs in mosquito vector competence.

Characterization of insect-specific Culex flavivirus (Flaviviridae) nucleotide sequences in mosquitoes from urban parks in São Paulo, Brazil

ABSTRACT Background: Despite their worldwide occurrence, the distribution and role of insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs) remain unclear. Methods: We evaluated the presence of ISFs in mosquitoes collected in São Paulo, Brazil, using reverse transcription and semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Some of the positive samples were subjected to nanopore sequencing. Results: Twelve mosquito pools (2.8%) tested positive for flavivirus infection. Nanopore sequencing was successfully performed on six samples. Phylogenetic analysis grouped these sequences into genotype 2 of Culex flavivirus (CxFV). Conclusions: The identification of CxFV genotype 2 at new locations in São Paulo highlights the importance of understanding the role of ISFs in mosquito vector competence.

Influence of water's physical and chemical parameters on mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) assemblages in larval habitats in urban parks of São Paulo, Brazil.

Water's physical and chemical characteristics are important constraints in aquatic ecosystems, acting on the development, survival, and adaptation of different organisms. Immature forms of mosquitoes develop in widely diverse aquatic environments and are mainly found in permanent or temporary freshwater bodies with little or no movement. The current study aimed to investigate whether variations in larval habitats' pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and water temperature influence the composition of Culicidae assemblages and the presence and abundance of Aedes albopictus and Ae. aegypti. From August 2012 to July 2013, captures of immature forms and measurement of water's physical and chemical profiles were performed monthly in natural and artificial breeding sites in four urban parks in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Changes in species composition related to the parameters' variation were assessed by multivariate analysis. Regression trees were performed to evaluate the effect of breeding sites' physical and chemical variations on the presence and abundance of Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti. The observations suggest ranges of conditions for the measured variables in which most species tend to be found more frequently, and pH and salinity are the variables most closely associated with variations in mosquito composition. Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were present in both natural and artificial breeding sites and were observed under significantly varying conditions of pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and temperature. For Ae. albopictus, larval habitat type and pH were the best predictors of incidence and abundance. For Ae. aegypti, pH and salinity were the best predictors of abundance, while dissolved oxygen and larval habitat type were better predictors of presence. This information broadens our understanding of the ecology and interaction of the investigated species with abiotic factors in the aquatic environments, providing useful data for studies that seek to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of selection and colonization of breeding sites by these mosquitoes. This study also reinforces previous observations indicating that Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti can colonize diverse types of larval habitats with widely varying physical and chemical conditions.

Mosquitoes of the Caatinga: 2. Species from periodic sampling of bromeliads and tree holes in a dry Brazilian forest.

The Caatinga is a dry tropical forest, located in the Brazilian semiarid region and rich in phytotelmata. This study investigated the culicid fauna of phytotelmata of the caatinga by sampling for 19 consecutive months aquatic immatures from tree holes and bromeliads. A total of 127L of water was taken from the plants, containing 6764 immature culicids of 16 species, of which 11 (69%) are undescribed and respond to 90% of the total abundance of the specimens collected. Epiphytic bromeliads harbor a large number of immature Culicidae, although terrestrial bromeliads are the most abundant and widely distributed in the region. The richness of culicid species was similar between terrestrial and epiphytic bromeliads and lower in habitats represented by tree hole phytotelmata. There was no similarity in the composition of culicid species that developed in bromeliads or tree holes. Temperature and humidity were the environmental parameters most strongly associated with the proportion of positive plants. The Caatinga has a great number of endemic species that remain unknown to science and many additional culicid species may await discovery from there.

Mosquitoes of the Caatinga: 1. Adults stage survey and the emerge of seven news species endemic of a dry tropical forest in Brazil.

The Caatinga is the least known Brazilian biome in terms of the diversity of Culicidae. No systematic study of the diversity or ecology of the mosquitoes of this biome is available, despite the importance of vector diseases in Brazil. The present study addressed the mosquito biodiversity in the Caatinga biome by sampling adult populations. Specimens were sampled monthly from March 2013 to September 2014 in a Caatinga conservation unit located in the Brazilian semiarid zone. Mosquito collections were carried out in Shannon traps from late afternoon to early evening, and manual aspiration was used to capture diurnal species as well. A total of 4,692 mosquitoes were collected. The most dominant and constant species were all undescribed species belonging to the genera Wyeomyia and Runchomyia, which together represented 80% of the specimens. The most abundant species of epidemiological importance was Haemagogus (Con.) leucocelaenus. The abundance of mosquitoes was positively associated with the relative humidity and temperature recorded during the month preceding the collection date. In the Caatinga, the diversity of adult mosquitoes was associated with the availability (quantity and diversity) of natural larval habitats found in the different phytophysiognomies of the biome, which vary according to temperature and humidity. The number of species unknown to science reflects the levels of endemism that exist in the study area, and reinforces the need to further taxonomic investigation in the biome.

Assessment of the correlation between wing size and body weight in captive Culex quinquefasciatus.

INTRODUCTION: Mass production of mosquitoes under laboratory conditions allows implementing methods to control vector mosquitoes. Colony development depends on mosquito size and weight. Body size can be estimated from its correlation with wing size, whereas weight is more difficult to determine. Our goal was to test whether wing size can predict the weight. METHODS: We compared dry weight and wing centroid size of Culex quinquefasciatus reared at different temperatures and four diets. RESULTS: Weight and wing size were strongly correlated. The diets did not influence wing size. CONCLUSIONS: Wing centroid size is a good predictor of Cx. quinquefasciatus body weight.

Detection of Culex flavivirus and Aedes flavivirus nucleotide sequences in mosquitoes from parks in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

The dengue viruses are widespread in Brazil and are a major public health concern. Other flaviviruses also cause diseases in humans, although on a smaller scale. The city of São Paulo is in a highly urbanized area with few green spaces apart from its parks, which are used for recreation and where potential vertebrate hosts and mosquito vectors of pathogenic Flavivirus species can be found. Although this scenario can contribute to the transmission of Flavivirus to humans, little is known about the circulation of members of this genus in these areas. In light of this, the present study sought to identify Flavivirus infection in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) collected in parks in the city of São Paulo. Seven parks in different sectors of the city were selected. Monthly mosquito collections were carried out in each park from March 2011 to February 2012 using aspiration and traps (Shannon and CD C-CO2). Nucleic acids were extracted from the mosquitoes collected and used for reverse-transcriptase and real-time polymerase chain reactions with genus-specific primers targeting a 200-nucleotide region in the Flavivirus NS5 gene. Positive samples were sequenced, and phylogenetic analyses were performed. Culex and Aedes were the most frequent genera of Culicidae collected. Culex flavivirus (CxFV)-related and Aedes flavivirus (AEFV)- related nucleotide sequences were detected in 17 pools of Culex and two pools of Aedes mosquitoes, respectively, among the 818 pools of non-engorged females analyzed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of CxFV and AEFV in the city of São Paulo and Latin America, respectively. Both viruses are insect- specific flaviviruses, a group known to replicate only in mosquito cells and induce a cytopathic effect in some situations. Hence, our data suggests that CxFV and AEFV are present in Culex and Aedes mosquitoes, respectively, in parks in the city of São Paulo. Even though Flavivirus species of medical importance were not detected, surveillance is recommended in the study areas because of the presence of vertebrates and mosquitoes that could act as amplifying hosts and vectors of flaviviruses, providing the required conditions for circulation of these viruses.

Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna in parks in greater São Paulo, Brazil / Fauna de mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) em parques da cidade de São Paulo, Brasil

Municipal parks in the city of São Paulo, which are used for leisure purposes, contain remnants of the flora of the Atlantic Forest, as well as lakes and springs, and are home to mammals, birds and arthropods, some of which can be vectors of disease. The eastern side of the city has the largest population in São Paulo and twenty-four municipal parks. The aim of this study was to investigate Culicidae fauna in two parks on this side of the city and to determine which of the Culicidae species identified have the potential to act as bioindicators and vectors of human pathogens. Culicidae were collected monthly between March 2011 and February 2012 in Carmo Park and Chico Mendes Park with battery-powered aspirators, Shannon traps and CDC traps for adult mosquitoes, and larval dippers and suction samplers for immature mosquitoes. To confirm sample sufficiency, the EstimateS program was used to plot sample-based species accumulation curves and estimate total richness by the Jackknife 1 method. In all, 1,092 culicids from nine genera (Aedes, Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Culex, Limatus, Mansonia, Trichoprosopon, Toxorhynchites and Uranotaenia) and nineteen taxonomic units were collected in Carmo Park. Coquillettidia venezuelensis (Theobald 1912), Aedes scapularis (Rondani 1848) and Culex (Culex) spp. Linnaeus 1758 were the most abundant adults, and Culex (Melanoconion) spp. Theobald 1903 and Anopheles strodei Root 1926 the most abundant immature mosquitoes. In Chico Mendes Park 4,487 mosquitoes in six genera and eighteen taxonomic units were collected. Culex (Cux.) spp. and Ae. scapularis were the most abundant adults, and Ae. albopictus (Skuse 1984) the most abundant immature mosquitoes. The species accumulation curves in both parks were close to the asymptote, and the total richness estimate was close to the observed richness. Some culicid taxons are bioindicators of environmental conditions in the areas they inhabit. It is important to monitor native fauna in municipal parks in São Paulo as various species in this study were found to have vector competence and capacity to transmit pathogens, such as arboviruses.

Em São Paulo os parques municipais preservam resquícios da vegetação de Mata Atlântica, comportam lagos e nascentes, servem de abrigos para mamíferos, aves e artrópodes vetores. São frequentados pela população humana como ambientes de lazer. A zona Leste da cidade possui o maior índice populacional de habitantes e 24 parques municipais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi conhecer a fauna de Culicidae de dois parques da zona Leste da cidade e avaliar a presença de espécies potencialmente bioindicadoras e vetoras de patógenos ao homem. Foram feitas coletas mensais de culicídeos entre março de 2011 a fevereiro de 2012 no Parque do Carmo e no Parque Chico Mendes, com aspiradores elétricos, armadilhas de Shannon e CDC para mosquitos adultos e concha entomológica e bombas manuais de sucção para os imaturos. Para verificar a suficiência amostral foram construídas curvas de acúmulo de espécies por amostragem e a riqueza total foi estimada pelo método Jackknife 1, ambos gerados pelo programa EstimateS. No parque do Carmo foram coletados 1.092 culicídeos, distribuídos em nove gêneros (Aedes, Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Culex, Limatus, Mansonia, Trichoprosopon, Toxorhynchites e Uranotaenia), distribuídos em 19 unidades taxonômicas. Coquillettidia venezuelensis(Theobald 1912), Aedes scapularis (Rondani 1848)e Culex (Culex) spp. Linnaeus 1758 foram os adultos mais abundantes e Culex (Melanoconion) spp. Theobald 1903 e Anopheles strodei Root 1926 os imaturos. No Parque Chico Mendes obteve-se 4.487 mosquitos, distribuídos em seis gêneros e 18 unidades taxonômicas. Culex (Cux.) spp. e Ae. scapularis foram os mais abundantes dos adultos e Ae. albopictus (Skuse 1984) dos imaturos. As curvas de acúmulo de espécies por amostragem em ambos os parques chegaram próximas è assíntota e a estimativa de riqueza total mostrou-se próxima è riqueza observada. Alguns táxons de culicídeos são bioindicadores das condições ambientais dos locais onde vivem, portanto é necessário acompanhar a fauna nativa dos parques municipais porque várias espécies encontradas têm mostrado competência e capacidade para veicular patógenos e arbovírus.

Mídia, saúde e poder: um jogo de representações sobre dengue / Media, health, and power: a game of representations on dengue fever

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi construir discursos que representem como a primeira epidemia de dengue em Ribeirão Preto-SP foi abordada pela mídia impressa e trazer para reflexão desdobramentos sobre mídia e poder. Foram reunidas 126 reportagens de novembro de 1990 a março de 1991 dos jornais Folha de S. Paulo, O Estado de S. Paulo e A Cidade, e das revistas Veja e Revide. Utilizou-se o método do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo, fundamentado na Teoria das Representações Sociais. A mídia polemizou com a discussão sobre quem seria o grande vilão da epidemia em vez de esclarecer sobre a epidemia em si. Comprovou-se a defasagem da informação disponibilizada. O jogo de representações e a relação mídia/poder ficaram nítidas. Temos como problema não somente a possibilidade de acesso adequado e suficiente às informações produzidas, mas, também, a dificuldade de decidir o que deve ser discutido nos jornais diários para enriquecer, de fato, o arcabouço informacional da população. Para isso, os profissionais que lidam com informação e comunicação em saúde, na mídia impressa, precisam ser capacitados para provocar a aproximação da linguagem técnica à linguagem popular. Para que haja circulação e apropriação da informação em Saúde Pública, é necessário abrir a discussão para a comunidade e capacitá-la para que consiga se expressar. É importante discutir a qual tipo de informação o cidadão tem acesso durante os processos epidêmicos: Informação política ou epidemiológica? Questões políticas não podem se sobrepor a questões prioritárias de saúde nos meios de comunicação presentes no cotidiano das famílias brasileiras...

This research aimed to construct discourses to represent how the first epidemic of dengue fever in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil, was approached by the printed media and think through outcomes concerning media and power. 126 Reports were collected from November 1990 to March 1991 from the newspapers Folha de S. Paulo, O Estado de S. Paulo, and A Cidade, and from the magazines Veja and Revide. The Collective Subject Discourse was the method chosen based on the Theory of Social Representations. The media focused on the polemical discussion about who might be the villain of the epidemic rather than clarifying the epidemic itself. The gap of information provided was found. The game of representations and the relation media/power became clear. There is a problem not only with the possibility of adequate and sufficient access to the information produced, but also the difficulty of deciding what must be discussed in daily newspapers to enrich, in fact, the population’s informational framework. For this, professionals who deal with information and communication in health, in the printed media, should be able to bring technical language closer to popular language. In order to provide circulation and appropriation of information on Public Health, there is a need to open the discussion to community and enable people to speak out. It is worth discussing which type of information the citizen accesses during the epidemic processes: Political or epidemiological information. Political issues cannot overlap priority health issues in the in the daily life media of Brazilian families...

Immature mosquitoes in bamboo internodes in municipal parks, city of são paulo, Brazil.

We conducted an inventory of the mosquito fauna of the internodes of bamboo plants grown in municipal parks in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. During October 2010 to July 2013, a total of 8,541 immature stages belonging to 21 mosquito species were collected from bamboos over 61 municipal parks. Of these, Aedes albopictus was the most abundant species followed by Ae. aegypti found in broken bamboos in most parks. The former species was 7.2 times more abundant than the latter when both species shared the same habitat. Other species collected from bamboos included Culex quinquefasciatus and Haemagogus leucocelaenus. In bamboos with perforated internodes, species of the genus Wyeomyia were the most prevalent. Differences were also observed in species composition and abundance of mosquitoes collected in transversely broken bamboos and those collected from perforated bamboo internodes. Constant surveillance of these breeding sites is crucial due to the epidemiological importance of the species found. Furthermore, these breeding sites may help maintain some native wild mosquito populations along with a variety of other invertebrates found in these urban green areas.

Comparative study of distribution of anopheline vectors (Diptera: Culicidae) in areas with and without malaria transmission in the highlands of an extra-Amazonian region in Brazil.

This study compares the distribution of anopheline mosquitoes in a malaria-endemic municipality (MAL) and a malaria-free municipality (FREE) in an area of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Simultaneous quarterly nightly captures were made in three locations in each municipality. One Shannon light trap (Shannon light traps were home made according to specifications published in Am. J. Trop. Med. 1939; 19: 131-140) (SLT) and five CDC light traps (a kind of automatic trap fed by batteries of 12 V and 7 amp/h, with dry ice as a source of CO2; John W. Hock Company, Gainesville, FL) (CLT) (two in the canopy and three at ground level) were operated from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. More specimens were captured in MAL (362 in SLTs and 126 in CLTs) than in FREE (66 in SLTs and 59 in CLTs). For the SLTs, Simpson's dominance index was similar in MAL and FREE (D = 0.15 versus D = 0.203, P > 0.7), but Shannon's diversity index was higher for MAL = 1.969 versus H = 1.641, P < 0.01). For the CLTs, Simpson's dominance index was higher in MAL (D = 0.416 versus 0.2688, P < 0.001), and the Shannon diversity index was higher in FREE (H = 1.5222 versus H = 1.115, P < 0.01). In SLTs, Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii s.l. frequencies were higher in MAL (chi2 = 23.39; P = 0.000001). In CLTs, An. cruzii s.l. was present in all strata in MAL but only in the canopy inside the forest in FREE (17 specimens). An. cruzii s.l. represented a higher proportion of anophelines in MAL (chi2 = 31; P < 0.000001). The factors that differed in these two areas were anopheline species density and An. cruzii s.l. abundance and distribution.

Natural infection in anopheline species and its implications for autochthonous malaria in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: A descriptive study was carried out in an area of the Atlantic Forest with autochthonous malaria in the Parelheiros subdistrict on the periphery of the municipality of São Paulo to identify anopheline fauna and anophelines naturally infected with Plasmodium as well as to discuss their role in this peculiar epidemiological context. METHODS: Entomological captures were made from May 2009 to April 2011 using Shannon traps and automatic CDC traps in four areas chosen for their different patterns of human presence and incidences of malaria (anthropic zone 1, anthropic zone 2, transition zone and sylvatic zone). Natural Plasmodium infection was detected by nested PCR based on amplification of the 18S rRNA gene. RESULTS: In total, 6,073 anophelines were collected from May 2009 to April 2011, and six species were identified in the four zones. Anopheles cruzii was the predominant species in the three environments but was more abundant in the sylvatic zone. Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii specimens from the anthropic and sylvatic zones were positive for P. vivax and P. malariae. An. (Ker.) bellator, An. (Nys.) triannulatus, An. (Nys.) strodei, An. (Nys.) lutzi and An. (Ano) maculipes were found in small numbers. Of these, An. (Nys.) triannulatus and An. (Nys.) lutzi, which were collected in the anthropic zone, were naturally infected with P. vivax while An. (Nys.) triannulatus from the anthropic zones and An. (Nys.) strodei from the transition zone were positive for P. malariae. CONCLUSION: These results confirm that Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii plays an important role as a major Plasmodium vector. However, the finding of other naturally infected species may indicate that secondary vectors are also involved in the transmission of malaria in the study areas. These findings can be expected to help in the implementation of new measures to control autochthonous malaria in areas of the Atlantic Forest.

Biodiversidade de mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) nos parques da cidade de São Paulo I / Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) survey in parks of São Paulo City I

Diante da escassez de informações sobre mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) na cidade de São Paulo, foi proposto um projeto para estudar esse grupo de insetos nas áreas verdes representadas pelos parques municipais da cidade. Foram investigados 35 desses parques distribuídos nas regiões sul, norte e centro-oeste da cidade, entre outubro de 2010 e fevereiro de 2011 em período diurno. Os imaturos foram coletados dos criadouros por meio de conchas entomológicas e bomba de sucção e os adultos foram capturados em seus abrigos por aspirador elétrico (bateria de 12V). A identificação e catalogação de espécimes foram feitas no Laboratório de Entomologia da Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo. Nesta primeira fase do projeto, coletou-se um total de 5.129 espécimes distribuídos em 11 gêneros e 41 categorias taxonômicas. Culex (Cux.) quinquefasciatus foi a espécie mais abundante. O gênero Aedes foi representado principalmente por Ae. (Och.) fluviatilis e Ae. (Ste.) albopictus. Ae. (Ste.) aegypti e Ae. (Och.)scapularis também foram frequentes em alguns parques. Os demais gêneros apresentaram-se pouco abundantes. Dos parques, 25,7% apresentaram mais de dez grupos, com destaque para o Anhanguera com 26; em contrapartida, 57,1% apresentaram cinco ou menos grupos. Apesar da pressão antrópica sobre esses ambientes, diversas espécies de culicídeos se utilizam destes habitats para a manutenção e refúgio de suas populações. É recomendado que estes ambientes estejam sob constante vigilância epidemiológica, visto que algumas das espécies coletadas possuem importância em saúde pública como vetoras de patógenos à população humana.

Given the scarcity of information on mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the city of São Paulo, led the authors to propose a project to investigate this group of insects in some of the green areas, represented by municipal parks. The captures were undertaken in 35 municipal parks in the south, north and central-west of the city, between October 2010 and February 2011, during daylight. Immature forms were collected from breeding places with entomological ladles and suction pumps and adults from resting places with electric aspirators (12V battery). The identification of the specimens was undertaken in the Culicid laboratory of the Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo. In this first phase of the project, a total of 5,129 specimens distributed in 11 genera and 41 taxonomic categories were captured. Culex (Cux) quinquefasciatus was the most abundant species. The genus Aedes was represented mainly by Ae. (Och) fluviatilis and Ae. (Ste) albopictus. Ae. (Ste) aegypti and Ae. (Och) scapularis were frequent in some parks. Other genera were less abundant. Of the parks investigated, 25.7% presented more than ten groups of species, notably the Anhanguera with 26; on the other hand, 57.1% had five or fewer groups. Despite the anthropic pressure on these environments, several culicid species make use of these habitats as refuges. It is recommended that these environments be kept under constant epidemiological surveillance as some of the species collected constitute public health threats as pathogen vectors to the human population.

Malaria outside the Amazon region: natural Plasmodium infection in anophelines collected near an indigenous village in the Vale do Rio Branco, Itanhaém, SP, Brazil.

A few cases of Plasmodium vivax malaria in which anophelines of subgenus Kerteszia were incriminated as vectors have been reported outside the Amazon region, in the Atlantic Forest. This study was carried out near an indigenous Guarani village in the Curucutu reserve, an environmental protection area in the municipality of Itanhaém in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, on November 30, 2009, February 18, 2010, April 29, 2010 and May 26, 2010. Mosquitoes were collected along the route to the Guarani village where the edge of the Branco river floodplain meets the forests on the mountain slopes. Adult forms were collected with CO(2)-baited CDC traps and Shannon traps from twilight to 10:00 P.M. Anopheles cruzii predominated in both traps. The other species collected in the CDC traps were An. pseudomaculipes/maculipes, An. fluminensis and An. mediopunctatus/forattinii/costai. In addition to the latter three species, An. apicimacula/intermedius and An. strodei were also found in the Shannon traps. All but An. cruzii and An. strodei belong to subgenus Anopheles. A total of 506 mosquitoes were assayed by PCR to detect natural infection by Plasmodium species. In the CDC traps, An. fluminensis and An. pseudomaculipes/maculipes were positive for Plasmodium malariae, while in the Shannon traps An. pseudomaculipes/maculipes was positive for Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium malariae and An. cruzii was positive for P. malariae, resulting in a minimum infection rate of 0.24%. Our findings suggest that An. cruzii may be incriminated in the transmission of malaria between monkeys and humans, as this species was found to be infected by P. malariae. They also highlight the need for an understanding of the role of anophelines from outside subgenus Kerteszia in the transmission of malaria in the Atlantic Forest, as these were also found to be naturally infected by P. vivax and P. malariae.

Brazilian mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna: I. Anopheles species from Porto Velho, Rondônia state, western Amazon, Brazil / Fauna brasileira de mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae): I. Espécies de Anopheles de Porto Velho, estado de Rondônia, oeste da Amazônia, Brasil

This study contributes to knowledge of Anopheles species, including vectors of Plasmodium from the western Brazilian Amazon in Porto Velho, Rondônia State. The sampling area has undergone substantial environmental changes as a consequence of agricultural and hydroelectric projects, which have caused intensive deforestation and favored habitats for some mosquito species. The purpose of this study was to diagnose the occurrence of anopheline species from collections in three locations along an electric-power transmission line. Each locality was sampled three times from 2010 to 2011. The principal adult mosquitoes captured in Shannon trap were Anopheles darlingi, An. triannulatus, An. nuneztovari l.s., An.gilesi and An. costai. In addition, larvae were collected in ground breeding sites for Anopheles braziliensis, An. triannulatus, An. darlingi, An. deaneorum, An. marajoara, An. peryassui, An. nuneztovari l.s. and An. oswaldoi-konderi. Anopheles darlingi was the most common mosquito in the region. We discuss Culicidae systematics, fauna distribution, and aspects of malaria in altered habitats of the western Amazon.

Este estudo contribui para o conhecimento de espécies de Anopheles, incluindo vetores de Plasmodium do oeste da Amazônia brasileira, em Porto Velho, no estado de Rondônia. Esta região vem passando por mudanças ambientais, como consequência de agricultura extensiva e projetos hidroelétricos que causam desmatamento, favorecendo o desenvolvimento de algumas espécies de mosquitos. Assim, a proposta deste estudo é registrar a presença de espécies de anofelinos na área, sendo conduzidas coletas de mosquitos em três locais, ao longo de uma linha de transmissão de energia elétrica. Cada uma das localidades foi amostrada três vezes, no período de 2010 a 2011. Os principais mosquitos adultos capturados em armadilhas de Shannon foram Anopheles darlingi, An. triannulatus, An. nuneztovari l.s., An.gilesi e An. costai. Assim como as formas larvárias Anopheles braziliensis, An. triannulatus, An. darlingi, An. deaneorum, An. marajoara, An. peryassui, An. nuneztovari l.s. e An. oswaldoi-konderi, coletadas em criadouros. Anopheles darlingi foi a espécie mais coletada na região. Em adição, discutiu-se sistemática de Culicidae, distribuição de fauna e aspectos da malária em ambientes modificados do oeste da Amazônia brasileira.

Mosquitoes in degraded and preserved areas of the Atlantic Forest and potential for vector-borne disease risk in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil.

In order to assess the epidemiological potential of the Culicidae species in remaining areas of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, specimens of this family were collected in wild and anthropic environments. A total of 9,403 adult mosquitoes was collected from May, 2009 to June, 2010. The most prevalent among species collected in the wild environment were Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii, the Melanoconion section of Culex (Melanoconion), and Aedes serratus, while the most common in the anthropic site were Coquillettidia chrysonotum/albifera, Culex (Culex) Coronator group, and An. (Ker.) cruzii. Mosquito richness was similar between environments, although the abundance of individuals from different species varied. When comparing diversity patterns between environments, anthropic sites exhibited higher richness and evenness, suggesting that environmental stress increased the number of favorable niches for culicids, promoting diversity. Increased abundance of opportunistic species in the anthropic environment enhances contact with culicids that transmit vector-borne diseases.

Brazilian mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna: I. Anopheles species from Porto Velho, Rondônia state, western Amazon, Brazil.

This study contributes to knowledge of Anopheles species, including vectors of Plasmodium from the western Brazilian Amazon in Porto Velho, Rondônia State. The sampling area has undergone substantial environmental changes as a consequence of agricultural and hydroelectric projects, which have caused intensive deforestation and favored habitats for some mosquito species. The purpose of this study was to diagnose the occurrence of anopheline species from collections in three locations along an electric-power transmission line. Each locality was sampled three times from 2010 to 2011. The principal adult mosquitoes captured in Shannon trap were Anopheles darlingi, An. triannulatus, An. nuneztovari l.s., An.gilesi and An. costai. In addition, larvae were collected in ground breeding sites for Anopheles braziliensis, An. triannulatus, An. darlingi, An. deaneorum, An. marajoara, An. peryassui, An. nuneztovari l.s. and An. oswaldoi-konderi. Anopheles darlingi was the most common mosquito in the region. We discuss Culicidae systematics, fauna distribution, and aspects of malaria in altered habitats of the western Amazon.

Effects of Artificial Flooding for Hydroelectric Development on the Population of Mansonia humeralis (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Paraná River, São Paulo, Brazil.

The closure of two phases of the dam at the Porto Primavera Hydroelectric Plant on the Paraná River flooded a flawed system located in the Municipality of Presidente Epitácio, São Paulo state, favoring the proliferation of aquatic weeds. This study aimed to observe the population of Mansonia humeralis in the area, monitoring the richness, diversity, and dominance of this species both before and during different phases of reservoir flooding as well as evaluate its possible consequences concerning human and animal contact. Adult mosquitoes were collected monthly in the following periods: at the original level, after the first flood, and after the maximum level had been reached between 1997 and 2002. Collection methods used were an aspirator, a Shannon trap, and the Human Attractive Technique. A total of 30,723 mosquitoes were collected, Ma. humeralis accounting for 3.1% in the preflood phase, 59.6% in the intermediate, and 53.8% at maximum level. This species is relevant to public health, since the prospect of continued contact between Ma. humeralis and the human population enhances the dam's importance in the production of nuisance mosquitoes, possibly facilitating the transmission of arboviruses. Local authorities should continue to monitor culicid activity through sustainable entomological surveillance.

Effects of flooding of the River Paraná on the temporal activity of Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) darlingi Root (Diptera: Culicidae), at the border state of Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo, Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Study of the temporal activity of malaria vectors during the implantation of a hydroelectric power station on the River Paraná, intended to generate electrical energy. The river separates the States of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul, in Brazil. The objective was to verify whether alterations occurred in the wealth and diversity indices of Anopheles, following two successive floods, extended to the temporal activity and nycthemeral rhythm followed over a five year period. METHODS: Mosquito capture was performed monthly using the Human Attraction Technique and Shannon Traps. The first, executed for 24h, provided the nycthemeral rhythm and the second, lasting 15 h, permitted the tracking of Anopheles during the two floods. RESULTS: The bimodal pattern of Anopheles darlingi defined before these floods was modified throughout the environment interventions. The same effect had repercussions on the populations of An albitarsis s.l., An triannulatus and An galvaoi. Activity prior to twilight was less affected by the environment alterations. CONCLUSIONS: The dam construction provoked changes in Anopheles temporal activity patterns, permitting classification of the area as an ecologically steady and unstable situation. Differences observed in Anopheles behavior due to the capture methods revealed the influence of solo and multiple attractiveness inside the populations studied.