Elena Falcuta - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Elena Falcuta
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2008
A revised checklist of the mosquito fauna of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve is reported. The ... more A revised checklist of the mosquito fauna of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve is reported. The latest nomenclatorial and taxonomic changes are reflected in the checklist. Thirty-one species belonging to 10 genera including five new records are listed.
Background: Aedes (Stegomya) albopictus (Skuse 1895) is known globally as a highly invasive speci... more Background: Aedes (Stegomya) albopictus (Skuse 1895) is known globally as a highly invasive species and an effective vector of dengue and Chikungunya viruses. Ae. albopictus, in stable populations, has been able to initiate local transmission of dengue and Chikungunya viruses in France and Croatia, and even to sustain a significant Chikungunya outbreak in Italy. Findings: Forty five Ae. albopictus adult individuals (38 females and 7 males) have been captured using mosquito traps during a routine entomological monitoring for West Nile virus vectors, carried out between August 26 and October 5, 2012, in the city of Bucharest. Ae. albopictus individuals were captured in seven collection stations from a small area in the South of the city. Mitochondrial markers COI and ND5 were amplified and partial sequence was obtained. The phylogenetic analysis of the concatenated COI and ND5 sequences showed that the Ae. albopictus individuals collected in Bucharest were one hundred per cent similar...
Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, 2015
During an entomological investigation carried out in Bucharest and surroundings in fall of 2012, ... more During an entomological investigation carried out in Bucharest and surroundings in fall of 2012, 45 adult mosquitoes (38 females and 7 males) of Aedes albopictus were collected in a neighborhood from the southern area of the city. The morphological identification of the species was further confirmed by sequencing 2 mitochondrial DNA markers: the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 genes. Aedes albopictus was collected again in 2013 in the same area from July until October. During late summer the species was found also in another location in the city, downtown Bucharest. Larvae were found in water barrels and other types of household containers, as well as in rain catch basins. In 2014, following a nuisance complaint of a Bucharest inhabitant, the entomological investigation found aggressive Ae. albopictus adults on his property that harbored many mosquito larvae in container-type breeding habitats. These findings are the 1st records of this invasive species and of its breeding population in Romania, and show maintenance of the species over 2 winter seasons. Surveillance of the species outside the area of the capital city was not performed, therefore it is not known whether Ae. albopictus has been introduced in other regions of the country. The presence of Ae. albopictus has been reported every year (2012-14) to competent public health authorities, stressing on the importance of surveillance and of implementation of control measures.
A mosquito-borne flavivirus • Endemic in southeastern Romania: human neuroinvasive WNF are record... more A mosquito-borne flavivirus • Endemic in southeastern Romania: human neuroinvasive WNF are recorded every year. • Detection and characterization of WNV genotypes circulating in humans and mosquitoes from southeastern Romania in 2011-2013. • Adult mosquitoes were: -collected during mosquito seasonal activity in 2011, 2012 and 2013 -pooled by species (up to 30 mosquitoes/pool), and screened for WNV genome using a comercial RT Real Time PCR assay -analyzed for determination of WNV infection rate in mosquito pools (Minimum infection rate -MIR/1000). • 17 sera from patients with laboratory confirmed WN neuroinvasive infection were tested for WNV RNA by a comercial RT Real Time PCR assay. • Detection of WNV lineage from positive mosquito pools and human sera: -nested RT-PCR assay: to amplify partial NS5 gene of WNV -sequencing of a 845 nt fragment spanning the NS5 viral polymerase gene -pylogenetic analysis of a 466 nt fragment spanning NS5 viral genomic region with Mega5 software and nei...
Malaria journal, 2011
There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen tran... more There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen transmission by insect species that are vectors of human diseases. One of these species is the former European malaria vector, Anopheles atroparvus. Levels of population differentiation of An. atroparvus from southern Europe were characterized as a first attempt to elucidate patterns of population structure of this former malaria vector. Results are discussed in light of a hypothetical situation of re-establishment of malaria transmission. Genetic and phenotypic variation was analysed in nine mosquito samples collected from five European countries, using eight microsatellite loci and geometric morphometrics on 21 wing landmarks. Levels of genetic diversity were comparable to those reported for tropical malaria vectors. Low levels of genetic (0.004 <FST <0.086) and phenotypic differentiation were detected among An. atroparvus populations spanning over 3,000 km distance. Genetic differen...
Malaria journal, 2011
There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen tran... more There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen transmission by insect species that are vectors of human diseases. One of these species is the former European malaria vector, Anopheles atroparvus. Levels of population differentiation of An. atroparvus from southern Europe were characterized as a first attempt to elucidate patterns of population structure of this former malaria vector. Results are discussed in light of a hypothetical situation of re-establishment of malaria transmission. Genetic and phenotypic variation was analysed in nine mosquito samples collected from five European countries, using eight microsatellite loci and geometric morphometrics on 21 wing landmarks. Levels of genetic diversity were comparable to those reported for tropical malaria vectors. Low levels of genetic (0.004 <FST <0.086) and phenotypic differentiation were detected among An. atroparvus populations spanning over 3,000 km distance. Genetic differen...
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2008
Background: There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for p... more Background: There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen transmission by insect species that are vectors of human diseases. One of these species is the former European malaria vector, Anopheles atroparvus. Levels of population differentiation of An. atroparvus from southern Europe were characterized as a first attempt to elucidate patterns of population structure of this former malaria vector. Results are discussed in light of a hypothetical situation of re-establishment of malaria transmission. Methods: Genetic and phenotypic variation was analysed in nine mosquito samples collected from five European countries, using eight microsatellite loci and geometric morphometrics on 21 wing landmarks.
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2008
A revised checklist of the mosquito fauna of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve is reported. The ... more A revised checklist of the mosquito fauna of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve is reported. The latest nomenclatorial and taxonomic changes are reflected in the checklist. Thirty-one species belonging to 10 genera including five new records are listed.
Background: Aedes (Stegomya) albopictus (Skuse 1895) is known globally as a highly invasive speci... more Background: Aedes (Stegomya) albopictus (Skuse 1895) is known globally as a highly invasive species and an effective vector of dengue and Chikungunya viruses. Ae. albopictus, in stable populations, has been able to initiate local transmission of dengue and Chikungunya viruses in France and Croatia, and even to sustain a significant Chikungunya outbreak in Italy. Findings: Forty five Ae. albopictus adult individuals (38 females and 7 males) have been captured using mosquito traps during a routine entomological monitoring for West Nile virus vectors, carried out between August 26 and October 5, 2012, in the city of Bucharest. Ae. albopictus individuals were captured in seven collection stations from a small area in the South of the city. Mitochondrial markers COI and ND5 were amplified and partial sequence was obtained. The phylogenetic analysis of the concatenated COI and ND5 sequences showed that the Ae. albopictus individuals collected in Bucharest were one hundred per cent similar...
Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, 2015
During an entomological investigation carried out in Bucharest and surroundings in fall of 2012, ... more During an entomological investigation carried out in Bucharest and surroundings in fall of 2012, 45 adult mosquitoes (38 females and 7 males) of Aedes albopictus were collected in a neighborhood from the southern area of the city. The morphological identification of the species was further confirmed by sequencing 2 mitochondrial DNA markers: the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 genes. Aedes albopictus was collected again in 2013 in the same area from July until October. During late summer the species was found also in another location in the city, downtown Bucharest. Larvae were found in water barrels and other types of household containers, as well as in rain catch basins. In 2014, following a nuisance complaint of a Bucharest inhabitant, the entomological investigation found aggressive Ae. albopictus adults on his property that harbored many mosquito larvae in container-type breeding habitats. These findings are the 1st records of this invasive species and of its breeding population in Romania, and show maintenance of the species over 2 winter seasons. Surveillance of the species outside the area of the capital city was not performed, therefore it is not known whether Ae. albopictus has been introduced in other regions of the country. The presence of Ae. albopictus has been reported every year (2012-14) to competent public health authorities, stressing on the importance of surveillance and of implementation of control measures.
A mosquito-borne flavivirus • Endemic in southeastern Romania: human neuroinvasive WNF are record... more A mosquito-borne flavivirus • Endemic in southeastern Romania: human neuroinvasive WNF are recorded every year. • Detection and characterization of WNV genotypes circulating in humans and mosquitoes from southeastern Romania in 2011-2013. • Adult mosquitoes were: -collected during mosquito seasonal activity in 2011, 2012 and 2013 -pooled by species (up to 30 mosquitoes/pool), and screened for WNV genome using a comercial RT Real Time PCR assay -analyzed for determination of WNV infection rate in mosquito pools (Minimum infection rate -MIR/1000). • 17 sera from patients with laboratory confirmed WN neuroinvasive infection were tested for WNV RNA by a comercial RT Real Time PCR assay. • Detection of WNV lineage from positive mosquito pools and human sera: -nested RT-PCR assay: to amplify partial NS5 gene of WNV -sequencing of a 845 nt fragment spanning the NS5 viral polymerase gene -pylogenetic analysis of a 466 nt fragment spanning NS5 viral genomic region with Mega5 software and nei...
Malaria journal, 2011
There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen tran... more There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen transmission by insect species that are vectors of human diseases. One of these species is the former European malaria vector, Anopheles atroparvus. Levels of population differentiation of An. atroparvus from southern Europe were characterized as a first attempt to elucidate patterns of population structure of this former malaria vector. Results are discussed in light of a hypothetical situation of re-establishment of malaria transmission. Genetic and phenotypic variation was analysed in nine mosquito samples collected from five European countries, using eight microsatellite loci and geometric morphometrics on 21 wing landmarks. Levels of genetic diversity were comparable to those reported for tropical malaria vectors. Low levels of genetic (0.004 <FST <0.086) and phenotypic differentiation were detected among An. atroparvus populations spanning over 3,000 km distance. Genetic differen...
Malaria journal, 2011
There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen tran... more There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen transmission by insect species that are vectors of human diseases. One of these species is the former European malaria vector, Anopheles atroparvus. Levels of population differentiation of An. atroparvus from southern Europe were characterized as a first attempt to elucidate patterns of population structure of this former malaria vector. Results are discussed in light of a hypothetical situation of re-establishment of malaria transmission. Genetic and phenotypic variation was analysed in nine mosquito samples collected from five European countries, using eight microsatellite loci and geometric morphometrics on 21 wing landmarks. Levels of genetic diversity were comparable to those reported for tropical malaria vectors. Low levels of genetic (0.004 <FST <0.086) and phenotypic differentiation were detected among An. atroparvus populations spanning over 3,000 km distance. Genetic differen...
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2008
Background: There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for p... more Background: There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen transmission by insect species that are vectors of human diseases. One of these species is the former European malaria vector, Anopheles atroparvus. Levels of population differentiation of An. atroparvus from southern Europe were characterized as a first attempt to elucidate patterns of population structure of this former malaria vector. Results are discussed in light of a hypothetical situation of re-establishment of malaria transmission. Methods: Genetic and phenotypic variation was analysed in nine mosquito samples collected from five European countries, using eight microsatellite loci and geometric morphometrics on 21 wing landmarks.