Search

Sarcophaga tuberosa has certain sanitary and epidemiological significance and takes proteins from decaying matter. In this study, we first sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of S. tuberosa . The length of mitogenome was 15,173 bp, consisting of A (39.5%), G (9.4%), T (37.0%), and C (14.1%), and the order and orientation of genes were identical with that from the mittogenomes of flesh flies previously reported. Phylogenetic analyses showed that S. tuberosa was clustered separately, but which was closed to the species of Sarcophaga portschinskyi . This study provided better support for further understanding of phylogenetic relationships and enriched the mitogenome database of flesh flies., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Sarcophaga brevicornis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) was of utmost forensic importance due to their wide distribution, ubiquitous, and synanthropic nature. The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of S. brevicornis was first sequenced and assembled in this study. The length of circular mitogenome was 15,152 bp, which showed in a typical arthropod genome, including 13 protein-coding genes (13 PCGs), two ribosomal RNA (two rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (22 tRNA) genes, and an AT-rich region. Its nucleotide composition was A 39.0%, C 12.7%, G 10.6%, and T 37.7%. Furthermore, phylogenetic relationships of S. brevicornis and the published sarcophagid species were evaluated based on 13 PCGs. The results indicated that S. brevicornis was clearly separated from the other sarcophagid species, but it was closed to the species of Sarcophaga similis . This study provided a significant database reference for genetic structure and phylogenetic analysis of Sarcophagidae., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Background: This study was conducted to identify epidemiological characteristics of the first documented CHIK fever outbreak in China and evaluate the effect of the preventive measures taken., Methodology/principal Findings: From September 1 to October 29, 2010, China's first documented outbreak of CHIK fever occurred in the Xincun community of Wanjiang District of Dongguan city, Guangdong province; 253 case-patients were recorded, of which 129 were laboratory confirmed, with an attack rate of 1%. Before September 18(th) the number of CHIK fever cases remained relatively low in the Xincun community; from September 19(th) onwards, the number of cases increased drastically, with an outbreak peak on October 4(th). Cases were distributed across nine small village groups in the Xincun community, with an attack rate of 0-12% at the village level. The household attack rates ranged between 20% and 100%. No significant difference was found in the attack rate between males and females. There was a significant difference in the attack rate in different age groups (chi-square=18.35, p=0.005); highest in patients aged 60 years or older and the lowest in patients aged under 10. The major clinical characteristics of patients are fever (100%), joint pain (79%) and rash (54%). Phylogenetic analysis of the E1 gene on the five earliest confirmed cases showed that the strains of CHIKV isolated from their sera were highly homologous (up to 99%) with isogeneic strains isolated in Thailand in 2009. After control measures were taken, including killing adult mosquitoes and cleaning breeding habitats of Aedes mosquitoes, the Breteau index and Mosq-ovitrap index decreased rapidly, and the outbreak ended on October 29., Conclusion/significance: The infection source of the outbreak was imported. Cases showed obvious temporal, spatial, and population aggregation during the outbreak. Comprehensive control measures based on reducing the density of Aedes mosquitoes were effective in controlling the epidemic.

Purpose: To evaluate the performances for detection of IgM and IgG antibodies to Orientia. tsutsugamushi (Ot) using a gold conjugate-based rapid diagnostic test (RDT)., Materials and Methods: The RDT employing mixture recombinant 56-kDa proteins of O. tsutsugamushi and the mIFA assay was performed on 33 patients from Fujian and Yunnan province respectively and 94 positive sera (36 from Hainan province and 58 from Jiangsu province) from convalescent stages of the patients with scrub typhus respectively and 82 negative sera from healthy farmers from Anhui province and Beijing City respectively in 2009. A comparison of the RDT and mIFA assay was performed by using the χ(2) test and the P level of ≤ 0.05 was considered to be significant., Results: Among these 94 positive sera from convalescent stages of the illness and 82 sera from control farmers, the specificity of RDT was 100% for both IgM and IgG tests. In 33 cases with scrub typhus, 5 cases were positively detected earlier by RDT than by mIFA for the IgM test, and 2 cases were positive for the IgG test. The sensitivities of RDT were 93.9% and 90.9% for IgM and IgG, respectively. Considering IgM and IgG together, the sensitivity was 100%. The geometric mean titre (GMT) of IFA and the RDT assay in diluted sera from confirmed cases were 1:37 versus 1:113 respectively (P<0.001) for IgM test and 1:99 versus 1:279 respectively (P<0.016) for IgG., Conclusions: The RDT was more sensitive than the traditional IFA for the early diagnosis of scrub typhus and was particularly suitable for use in rural areas.

Background: The mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) is increasingly implicated in the control of apoptosis. We have studied the effects the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) tRNAIle mutation on VDAC expression, localization, and apoptosis., Methods: Lymphoblastoid cell lines were derived from 3 symptomatic and 1 asymptomatic members of a family with hypertension associated with the A4263G tRNAIle mutation as well as from control subjects. Mitochondrial potential (DeltaPsim) and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry; co-localization of VDAC and Bax was evaluated by confocal microscopy., Results: Expression of VDAC and Bax in mtDNA cell lines was found to be increased compared to controls, while expression of the small conductance calcium-dependant potassium channel (sKCa) was unchanged. Confocal imaging revealed co-localization of VDAC/Bax on the outer mitochondrial membrane of A4263G cell lines but not from controls. Flow cytometry indicated that the mitochondrial potential was decreased by 32% in mutated cells versus controls while rates of apoptosis were increased (P < 0.05). The difference was attenuated by Cyclosporin A (CsA, 2 muM), a blocker of VDAC., Conclusion: We conclude that increased expression of mitochondrial VDAC and subcellular co-localization of VDAC/Bax increases mitochondrial permeability and apoptosis in cell lines carrying the mtDNA tRNAIle A4263G mutation.