• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2015

Wuchereria bancrofti, Dirofilaria immitis, and Dirofilaria repens are filarial nematodes transmitted by mosquitoes belonging to Culex, Aedes, and Anopheles genera. Screening by vector dissection is a tiresome technique. We aimed to screen filarial parasites in their vectors by single and multiplex PCR and evaluate the usefulness of multiplex PCR as a rapid xenomonitoring and simultaneous differentiation tool, in area where 3 filarial parasites are coexisting. Female mosquitoes were collected from 7 localities in Assiut Governorate, were microscopically identified and divided into pools according to their species and collection site. Detection of W. bancrofti, D. immitis, and D. repens using single PCR was reached followed by multiplex PCR. Usefulness of multiplex PCR was evaluated by testing mosquito pools to know which genera and species are used by filarial parasites as a vector. An overall estimated rate of infection (ERI) in mosquitoes was 0.6%; the highest was Culex spp. (0.47%). W. bancrofti, D. immitis, and D. repens could be simultaneously and differentially detected in infected vectors by using multiplex PCR. Out of 100 mosquito pools, 8 were positive for W. bancrofti (ERI of 0.33%) and 3 pools each were positive for D. immitis and D. repens (ERI 0.12%). The technique showed 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity. El-Nikhila, El-Matiaa villages, and Sahel Seleem district in Assiut Governorate, Egypt are still endemic foci for filarial parasites. Multiplex PCR offers a reliable procedure for molecular xenomonitoring of filariasis within their respective vectors in endemic areas. Therefore, it is recommended for evaluation of mosquito infection after lymphatic filariasis eradication programs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.402-407
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• 2001

Based on the currently proposed toxicity model for the different Bacillus thuringiensis Cry $\delta$-endotoxins, their pore-forming activity involves the insertion of the ${\alpha}4-{\alpha}5$ helical hairpin into the membrane of the target midgut epithelial cell. In this study, a number of polar or charged residues in helix 4 within domain I of the 65-kDa dipteranactive Cry11A toxin, Lys-123, Tyr-125, Asn-128, Ser-130, Gln-135, Arg-136, Gln-139 and Glu-141, were initially substituted with alanine by using PCR-based directed mutagenesis. All mutant toxins were expressed as cytoplasmic inclusions in Escherichia coli upon induction with IPTG. Similar to the wild-type protoxin inclusion, the solubility of each mutant inclusion in the carbonate buffer, pH 9.0, was relatively low When E. coli cells, expressing each of the mutant proteins, were tested for toxicity against Aedes aegypti mosquito-larvae, toxicity was completely abolished for the alanine substitution of arginine at position 136. However, mutations at the other positions still retained a high level of larvicidal activity Interestingly, further analysis of this critical arginine residue by specific mutagenesis showed that conversions of arginine-136 to aspartate, glutamine, or even to the most conserved residue lysine, also abolished the wild-type activity The results of this study revealed an important determinant in toxin function for the positively charged side chain of arginine-136 in helix 4 of the Cry11A toxin.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.121-126
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• 2001

A cDNA encoding a cathepsin D homologue was cloned from a cDNA library of the mulberry longicorn beetle, Apriona germari. Sequence analysis of the cDNA encoding the cathepsin D homologue of A. germari revealed that the 1,158 bp cDNA has an open reading frame of 386 amino acid residues. The deduced protein sequence of the A. germari cathepsin D homologue shows high homology with cathepsin D in insects, Aedes aegypti (68.2% amino acid similarity) and Drosophila melanogaster (67.2% amino acid similarity). Two aspartic residues and six cystein residues in the A. germari cathepsin D homologue are present at identical locations in all of the other catepsins D. Unlike cathepsins D in two insect species, A. gemari cathepsin D homologue appears to have two putative glycosylation sites, rather than one. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the A. germari cathepsin D homologue is more closely related to insect cathepsins D than to the other animal cathepsins D. Northern blot analysis suggests that A. germari cathepsin D homologue gene is expressed in most if not all, body tissues.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.207-211
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• 2011

Dengue is an acute febrile viral disease which is found in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world. Dengue fever has steadily increased in both incidence and distribution over the past 50 years. Even though Korea is not an endemic country for dengue fever, with the increasing numbers of overseas travelers in Korea, the numbers of imported dengue cases are steadily increasing. Here, we report a case of imported dengue hemorrhagic fever in a Korean child presenting with fever and epistaxis. Dengue fever should be considered if a patient who has a recent travel history to endemic areas showed classical symptoms.

• Entomological Research
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.439-447
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• 2018

Adult mosquito surveillance was conducted from 2013 through 2014 at four cattle sheds, a wild bird refuge, and two residential areas located in Gyeongnam Province in the Republic of Korea. Adult mosquitoes were collected in black light traps from April 1, through November 30. Mosquito surveillance was conducted to figure out population densities of vector mosquitoes, possibly invaded mosquitoes and identify various virus infections at the selected sites. A total of 107,466 females comprising 14 species and 7 genera were collected from 2013 to 2014. The most common species collected were Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles (63.8%), Anopheles sinensis s.l. (18.9%), Aedes vexans nipponii (Theobald) (7.7%), and Culex pipiens Coquillett (5.1%). Trap indices (TIs) varied widely for species over their range, due to geographical distribution and degree of association with rural and urban communities. The most collected An. sinensiss.l. and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus appeared at a cow shed in Hapcheon (TI 347.5) and a pigsty in Daejeo-1-dong, Busan (TI 1,040.8), respectively, due in part to their situation near breeding sites such as rice paddies. The bi-weekly population densities for mosquito species were variable for each of the years, apparently as a result of variable annual weather conditions. None of the mosquito species collected tested for the flavivirus including Japanese Encephalitis Virus, West Nile Virus, Dengue Virus, and Zika Virus infections by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay were positive.

• Entomological Research
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.522-532
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• 2018

As the vector-borne diseases rapidly increased due to climate change, we investigated the incidence of flavivirus occurrence among female mosquito species in urban and rural study sites in Daegu and Gunwi, South Korea using Realtime PCR. We collected more individuals and more species of mosquito in 2016 than in 2015. In 2015, we recorded a total of 22,033 mosquitoes (Trap Index, 224.8) representing 10 species from 5 genera, whereas in 2016, a total of 27,137 mosquitoes (Trap Index, 278.7) representing 13 species from 6 genera were collected. The number of mosquitoes in 2016 was higher in all study sites, except in the migratory bird habitats where the number decreased. Of the 14 species collected over the two years, Aedes vexans nipponii and Anopheles spp. were dominant in the cowsheds in rural farmland; Culex pipiens complex, in urban residential areas; and, Anopheles spp. and Cu. pipiens complex in migratory bird habitats caught in a black light trap. Cu. pipiens complex and Ae. albopictus in urban parks and Ae. albopictus and Armigeres subalbatus in migratory bird habitats were the dominant species caught in BG-sentinel traps. We found that the number of mosquitoes was highest during July-September. We analyzed 1,725 pools to detect flavivirus, where Chaoyang virus was detected among Ae. vexans niponii collected from cowsheds in rural farmland in 2016. The increased number of mosquitoes recorded in 2016 was mainly due to increased temperatures in the study areas, and reflected the change in study sites.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1801-1809
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• 2020

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was first identified in 1952 as a causative agent of outbreaks. CHIKV is transmitted by two mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and A. albopictus. Symptoms after CHIKV infection in human are typically fever and joint pain, but can also include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, polyarthralgia, and rash. CHIKV is an enveloped single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus with a diameter of approximately 70 nm. The pathogenesis of CHIKV infection and the mechanism by which the virus evades the innate immune system remain poorly understood. Moreover, little is known about the roles of CHIKV-encoded genes in the viral evasion of host immune responses, especially type I interferon (IFN) responses. Therefore, in the present study, we screened CHIKV-encoded genes for their regulatory effect on the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), a critical transcription factor for the optimal activation of IFN-β. Among others, non-structural protein 2 (nsP2) strongly inhibited melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5)-mediated induction of the NF-κB pathway in a dose-dependent manner. Elucidation of the detailed mechanisms of nsP2-mediated inhibition of the MDA5/RIG-I signaling pathway is anticipated to contribute to the development of virus-specific therapeutics against CHIKV infection.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.165-169
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• 1999

A study was performed on the susceptibility of Abate@ and Abate-S@ against 3rd instar larvae of 5 species of mosquitoes including Anopheles sinensis, Aedes dorsalis, Culex inatomii, Cx. pipiens pallens, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus and mosquito larvivorous fishes such as Chinese muddy loaches (Misgurnus muzolepis) and crucian carps (Carassius carassi~4s) in September, 1998. Cx. pipiens larvae showed that the LC5os of both Abatea and Abate-Sa were 0.006 ppm. The LC95 values of this mosquito species appeared 0.070 pprn of Abate@ and 0.035 pprn of Abate-S@ which were more susceptible than the dosage (1.0 ppm) recommended from WHO. An. sinensis larvae appeared 0.009 pprn of LC50 and 0.025 pprn of LCgs. The larvae of Cx. inatomii and Ae. dorsalis showed the most highly susceptible to Abate-S@ among the 5 mosquito species with LC50 values of 1.9 x pprn and 1.1 x pprn respectively, and the LC95 values were 5.2 x 10-hppm and 1.4 x ppm, respectively. On the other hand, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus appeared least affected by Abate-Sa. and was brought 0.048 pprn of LC50 and 0.808 pprn of LCg5. These two insecticides were much less toxic to the fishes than mosquito larvae showing the LC, value of Chinese muddy loaches at 24.145 pprn of Abate and 10.750ppm of Abate-S@. This fish species showed that the LCsos of Abate@ and Abate-S@ were 27.567 pprn and 14.775 ppm, respectively. In case of crucian carps, their LC, values were 7.914 pprn of Abate@ and 6.480 pprn of Abate-S@. Therefore, the maximum safe dosages of the insecticides to the fishes were 8 times as high as the values of LCg5 of the mosquito larvae. This study suggests that Abate@ and Abate-S@ demonstrated highly potential insecticides for further larger scale operational integrated control in some proper aquatic places if other aquatic invertebrates are also safe to the insecticides.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.102-108
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• 1984

This paper is the result of adult female mosquito and larval collection in U.S. Army Installations in Korea from 1979 to 1983. New Jersey light traps were operated for adult collection from May to October. The primary concern of this surveillance is to determine when to recommend insecticide spraying for mosquito control in the Army areas. The 5th Preventive Medicine Unit have developed an "index" level of female mosquitoes in a light trap similar to other U.S. Army Agencies in other parts of the world. When 10 female mosquitoes are reached on two consecutive trap-night, or 5 known vector females are collected, fogging is recommended in the trap areas. 1. Mosquito collections were conducted in 12 U.S. Army areas by operating 39 New Jersey light traps. Mosquitoes collected from the areas were identified to be 17 species comprising 3 genera. Anopheles sinensis (40%), Culex tritaeniorhynchus (31%), Aedes vexans nipponii (19 %) and Culex pipiens pallens (10%) appeared to be the most common species in the areas. 2. The species, population density and monthly appearance of adult mosquitoes were found to be almost the same in the all provinces involved. And Japanese Encephalitis vector mosquitoes, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, showed their seasonal fluctuation from July to September with a peak in August each year. 3. Larval habitats confirmed in the Army areas were categorized into 16 types as shown in Table 3. The mosquito larvae collected in those habitats were identified to be 15 species representing 4 genera. Most breeding sites in the Army areas were those which are activated during the wet season. 4. More mosquitoes were collected from the Kyungki Province than from the other Provinces. The reason for more collection of mosquitoes from military installations in the Kyungki Province appears to be the geographic characteristics surrounded by rice fields, marshes and other stagnant water areas.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.117-125
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• 1984

Mosquitoes were collected with light trap at a pig shed in the vicinity of Daegu city from mid-April to the end of November in 1981 and 1982. A total of 12,942 and 118,061 individuals were collected in 1981 and 1982 respectively. The collection comprised 77% females and 23% males in 1981, and 96% females and 4% males in 1982. The catches were classified into following 7 species: Culex (Culex) pipiens pallens, C. (C.) tritaeniorhynchus summorosus, Anopheles (Anopheles) sinensis, C. (C.) vagans, C. (C.) oritntelis, C. (C.) bitaeniorhynchus, Aedes (Aedimorphus) vexans nipponii. The former three species showed distinct seasonal prevalence. Arranged in the descending order in size of the catches, in 1981, Culex (Culex) pipiens pallens was 44.9% of the total collection (at sex ratio of 0.85), Anopheles (Anopheles) sinensis 42.9% (0.05), Culex (Culex) tritaeniorhynchus summorosus 12.1% (0.00). On the contrary, Culex (Culex) tritaeniorhynchus summorosus 70.4% (0.00), Anopheles (Anopheles) sinensis 25.2% (0.05), Culex (Culex) pipiens pallens 4.4% (2.19) in 1982. The monthly percentages of collected mosquitoes to the total collection were 0.1% (in 1981) and 0.0% (in 1982) in May; 3.5%, 1.3% in June; 50.0%, 33.9% in July; 37.1%, in August; 8.8%, 11.9% in September; 0.5%, 0.8% in October and 0.0% in November. As for seasonal prevalence, mosquitoes appeared in May in both years and began to increase in number from the first week of June in 1981, but from the second week of May, ahead of three weeks in 1982. The highest peak time in 1982 was the second week of August, two weeks later than the fifth week of July in 1981. Culex (Culex) pipiens pallens showed the maximum activity for the fifth week of July in 1981, but for the third week of July, ahead of two weeks in 1982. Culex (Culex) tritaeniorhynchus reached the highest peak for the second week of August in both years. Anopheles (Anopheles) sinensis showed the maximum activity for the fifth week of July in 1981, but for the third week of July, two weeks earlier in 1982. The highest peak times of three main species were compared respectively as folows. Culex (Culex) pipiens pallens had the highest peak time in common with Anopheles (Anopheles) sinensis, Culex (Culex) tritaeniorhynchus summorosus showed the maximum activity for the second week of August in 1982.