Yellow fever virus re-emergence and spread in Southeast Brazil, 2016-2019
by Giovanetti et al.This study provides an understanding of how YFV initiates transmission in new Brazilian regions and illustrates that genomics in the field can augment traditional approaches to infectious disease surveillance and control.
Past and future spread of the arbovirus vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus
by Kraemer et al.This study offers an opportunity to strategically target surveillance and control programmes and thereby augment efforts to reduce arbovirus burden in human populations globally.
A yellow fever–Zika chimeric virus vaccine candidate protects against Zika infection and congenital malformations in mice
by Kum et al.The authors of this study report the engineering of a chimeric virus vaccine candidate (YF-ZIKprM/E) by replacing the antigenic surface glycoproteins and the capsid anchor of YFV-17D with those of a prototypic Asian lineage ZIKV isolate.
Potential of Aedes albopictus as a bridge vector for enzootic pathogens at the urban-forest interface in Brazil
by dos Santos et al.Results from this study show that Ae. albopictus frequency declines as it penetrates into the forest and highlight its potential role as a bridge vector of zoonotic diseases at the edge of the Brazilian forests studied.
These results establish a framework for monitoring YFV transmission in real time that will contribute to a global strategy to eliminate future YFV epidemics.
Evidence for multiple sylvatic transmission cycles during the 2016–2017 yellow fever virus outbreak, Brazil
by Moreira-Soto et al.Since December 2016, Brazil has experienced an unusually large outbreak of yellow fever (YF). Whether urb a n transmission may contribute to the extent of the outbreak is unclear. The objective of this study was to characterize YF virus (YFV) genomes and to identify spatial patterns to determine thedistribution and origin of YF cases in Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro, the most affected Brazilian states during the current YFV outbreak.
Lineage-Specific Real-Time RT-PCR for Yellow Fever Virus Outbreak Surveillance, Brazil
by Fischer et al.The authors of this study developed novel multiplex real-time reverse transcription PCRs. The new PCRs enable yellow fever (YFV) detection with diagnostic sensitivity. Although the dual-target assay is superior to the single-target assay in sensitivity and robustness to target competition, the single-target assay – as stated by the researchers – may be advantageous in resource-limited settings and may be more convenient for multiplex usage in combination with assays targeting co-circulating arboviruses, such as chikungunya, Zika, and dengue viruses.