We conducted a study in a dengue-endemic area of Colombia to evaluate the dynamics of transmission of dengue viruses during and after epidemics. Information was simultaneously gathered about occurrence of infection in humans and mosquitoes every three months in four cities with endemic transmission. Viral isolation was confirmed in 6.7% of the persons and most were asymptomatic. Adult mosquito and larvae house indexes were not found associated with increased burden of disease. The only entomologic indicator related to dengue infection in humans was the pooled infection rate of mosquitoes. Aedes aegypti infection rates showed significant differences between the epidemic (10.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.04-15.62) and after epidemic periods of the study (6.15, 95% CI = 3.46-10.19). In addition, Ae. albopictus were also infected with dengue viruses. Increases in mosquito infection rates were associated with increases in human infection rates in the following trimester.

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The 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) of the bovine natural resistance-associated macrophage gene (NRAMP1 or SLC11A1) was genotyped in Colombian Creole Blanco Orejinegro (BON) (Bos taurus) (n = 140) and Zebu Brahman (Bos indicus) (Z) (n = 20) cattle and their crosses (BON x Zebu Brahman [B x Z] [n = 10]; Zebu Brahman x BON [Z x B] [n = 10]), and in animals from a Holstein x BON (H x B) (n = 10) cross. Direct sequencing and single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis (SSCP) helped in detecting the polymorphic behaviour. The association between resistance to brucellosis infection and SSCP genotype was evaluated using a macrophage in vitro killing assay employing a virulent Brucella abortus strain. The 3' UTR (GT) repeated polymorphism was gentoyped and its association with resistance to brucellosis was evaluated. When all breeds were grouped, a high frequency in the homozygote GT(12) (AA genotype) (0.823) and a very low frequency in the homozygote GT(10) (BB genotype) (0.047) were detected. The BON (0.963), Z x B (0.60) and H x B (1.00) cattle showed high GT(12) allele frequencies, unlike that seen for the B x Z and Zebu cattle (0.3002 and 0.218, respectively). The GT(10) allele was only found in the Zebu cattle (0.391). A significant association (p < 0.001) was found between the B. abortus macrophage in vitro killing assay phenotypes and the bovine SLC11A1 3' UTR genotypes, which suggests that the A allele may be associated with resistance. Because only nine animals had the BB genotype, the results require some confirmation in more extensive populations.

A preliminary checklist of feather mites from Colombia is presented. The list was compiled from a survey of publishedliterature, and from new records obtained by removing mites from live wild birds and dried museum skins. A total of 107taxa of feather mites identified to the species level were recorded, 86 species from the literature and another 21 speciesreported here for the first time from Colombian birds. At the generic level, 52 taxa were identified, including 39 new re-cords for the country. These feather mites are from 22 families, among which 13 are from the Analgoidea and 9 from thePterolichoidea. The families with the most feather mite species known from Colombia are the Proctophyllodidae and Pter-olichidae with 22 and 23 species, respectively. Associations of feather mites with 192 bird species of 43 families in 20orders were found. These birds represent only 10.2% of all bird species recorded in Colombia. The White-collared Swift,Streptoprocne zonaris (Shaw) was the bird with the most species of feather mites recorded (5 spp.). The number of Co-lombian birds with identified taxa of feather mites is very low given the rich avifauna of this country. Special attention should be given to the 73 endemic Colombian bird species of which only four have feather mite records.

Neotropical Entomology 37(3): 296-300 (2008) Ginandromorfos en Mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) del Valle del Cauca, Colombia RESUMEN -Se describen ginandromorfos de Culex nigripalpus Theobald (2), Cx. pedroi Sirivanakarn and Belkin (1) y Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (2). Los dos ejemplares de la última especie fueron criados en el laboratorio, mientras que los otros tres fueron capturados con distintas trampas en áreas rurales del departamento del Valle del Cauca, al suroeste de Colombia. Todos los ejemplares se montaron en láminas con bálsamo de Canadá. Se describen e ilustran las principales características morfológicas de cada mosquito. Por la escasez de informes sobre el tema, se discuten estos hallazgos y otros casos relevantes. (2), Cx. pedroi Sirivanakarn and Belkin (1) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (2) are described. Two individuals of the latter species were reared in the laboratory, while the remaining three specimens were wild-caught with different traps in rural areas in Valle del Cauca department, southwestern Colombia. All of the individuals were mounted on microscopic slides with Canada balsam. From each mosquito, main morphological characteristics are described and illustrated. Due to the paucity of information about this subject, these fi ndings as well as other relevant cases are discussed. PALABRAS CLAVES: Culex nigripalpus, Culex pedroi, Aedes albopictus ABSTRACT -Gynandromorphs of Culex nigripalpus Theobald

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A new Lutzomyia species in the subgenus Trichophoromyia, L. pabloi, is described and illustrated. A description of the previously unknown female of L. howardi Young is also presented. These specimens were captured in the Amazon region of Colombia.