Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026
07:23
Detection of Infectious Virus from Field-collected Mosquitoes by Vero Cell Culture Assay
Published on: June 9, 2011
[West Nile virus: a reality in Mexico]
Ildefonso Téllez1, Oscar Calderón, Carlos Franco-Paredes
1Departamento de Medicina Interna, Hospital Angeles Lomas, México D.F., México. itellez@emory.edu.mx
Gaceta Medica De Mexico
|January 5, 2007
Summary
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne illness affecting birds, horses, and humans. Prevention is crucial as there
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Context:
- West Nile virus (WNV) is a neuropathogenic Flavivirus transmitted by Culex mosquitoes.
- Birds serve as natural hosts, while humans are accidental hosts.
- WNV poses a significant threat to avian, equine, and human health.
Purpose:
- To document WNV surveillance data in Mexico.
- To outline WNV transmission cycles and clinical manifestations.
- To emphasize the importance of preventative measures against WNV.
Summary:
- Surveillance in Mexico identified 90 positive WNV cases in birds out of 1,223 samples by September 2005.
- Human infection, with a 3-14 day incubation, presents with fever, malaise, and neurological symptoms in <1% of cases.
- Diagnosis involves detecting specific IgM and IgG antibodies; no antiviral treatment exists, highlighting prevention's importance.
Impact:
- Provides critical epidemiological data on WNV prevalence in Mexican bird populations.
- Informs public health strategies for WNV prevention and control.
- Contributes to understanding WNV's impact on human and animal health, guiding future research and interventions.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Arboviral Encephalitis
Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
01:26Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
00:53Migration
Migration is long-range, seasonal movement from one region or habitat to another. This common strategy, carried out by many different organisms around the world, is an adaptive response that typically corresponds to changes in an organism’s environment, like resource availability or climate. Migrations can involve huge groups of thousands of animals as well as single individuals traveling alone and can range from thousands of kilometers to just a few hundred meters.
01:18Yellow Fever
Yellow fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the yellow fever virus (YFV), a member of the Flaviviridae family. It is transmitted primarily by Aedes and Haemagogus mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and South America. After transmission through a mosquito bite, the virus initially replicates in skin-resident immune cells such as dendritic cells and macrophages. These cells then migrate to the lymph nodes, where viral replication increases, eventually leading to...
01:28Rabies
Rabies is a lethal zoonotic disease caused by a single-stranded, negative-sense RNA virus of the Lyssavirus genus, within the family Rhabdoviridae. Its primary mode of transmission to humans is through bites or saliva-contaminated scratches from infected mammals such as dogs, bats, raccoons, or foxes. Transmission can also occur if infectious saliva contacts abraded skin or intact mucous membranes, including the conjunctiva.Viral Entry and Early ReplicationOnce introduced at the bite or scratch...
01:22American Trypanosomiasis
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...