Chikungunya fever is a mosquito-borne disease of key public health importance in tropical and subtropical countries. Although severe joint pain is the most distinguishing feature of chikungunya fever, diagnosis remains difficult because the symptoms of chikungunya fever are shared by many pathogens, including dengue fever. The present study aimed to develop a new immunochromatographic diagnosis test for the detection of chikungunya virus antigen in serum. Mice were immunized with isolates from patients with Thai chikungunya fever, East/Central/South African genotype, to produce mouse monoclonal antibodies against chikungunya virus. Using these monoclonal antibodies, a new diagnostic test was developed and evaluated for the detection of chikungunya virus. The newly developed diagnostic test reacted with not only the East/Central/South African genotype but also with the Asian and West African genotypes of chikungunya virus. Testing of sera from patients suspected to have chikungunya fever in Thailand (n ‫؍‬ 50), Laos (n ‫؍‬ 54), Indonesia (n ‫؍‬ 2), and Senegal (n ‫؍‬ 6) revealed sensitivity, specificity, and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) agreement values of 89.4%, 94.4%, and 91.1%, respectively. In our study using serial samples, a new diagnostic test showed high agreement with the RT-PCR within the first 5 days after onset. A rapid diagnostic test was developed using mouse monoclonal antibodies that react with chikungunya virus envelope proteins. The diagnostic accuracy of our test is clinically acceptable for chikungunya fever in the acute phase.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) genotypes in Thailand were studied in pigs and mosquitoes collected near houses of confi rmed human JEV cases in [2003][2004][2005]. Twelve JEV strains isolated belonged to genotype I, which shows a switch from genotype III incidence that started during the 1980s.

BackgroundChikungunya virus (CHIKV) outbreak recurrences in Thailand are unpredictable and separated by unexplained and often long silent epidemiological periods that can last for several years. These silent periods could be explained in part by the fact that infection with one CHIKV strain confers lasting natural immunity, even against other CHIKV strains. In this study we evaluated the persistence of CHIKV-specific neutralizing antibodies in the population of Chumpae District, Khon Kaen Province, nineteen years after a CHIKV outbreak occurred in the same area in 1991.FindingsOverall 39% (44/111) of 111 former patients had neutralizing antibodies reacting against CHIKV ECSA strain. Consistently high titers of neutralizing antibodies were found in 75% (33/44) of all positively-reacting sera, 70% of which (23/33) were collected from individuals amongst the >60 years old age group. Although the prevalence found in Pong Haeng village (70%) was significantly higher than the prevalence detected in the Nong Thum village (14%), control study villages without known previous Chikungunya epidemics had a high Chikungunya neutralizing antibody prevalence (65%).ConclusionsMore than one-third of the pre-exposed population had persisting natural immunity that was more likely boosted by recent and repetitive exposure to the emerging ECSA CHIKV in Thailand. Also, Chikungunya virus appears to largely circulate in the country with a great variability appears between villages or area probably associated with the vector abundance and efficiency. Altogether these results show a potential for a lifelong immunity against CHIKV. Given the rapid spread of the highly pathogenic ECSA strain in Southern Thailand, the development of CHIK vaccine is strongly recommended.

In the countries where the disease is endemic, control of dengue is mainly based on the elimination or treatment of the water-filled containers where the main vector, Aedes aegypti, breeds, in interventions usually reliant on community participation. Although such control activities must be continuous, since vector eradication appears impossible, it should be possible to reduce the incidence of dengue significantly, in a cost-effective manner, by targeting only those types of containers in which large numbers of Ae. aegypti are produced. This strategy is now recommended by the World Health Organization, although it depends on the most productive types of container being carefully identified, in each endemic region. In Thailand, exhaustive surveys of 3125 wet containers in 240 houses in either an urban area (100-120 houses) or a rural area (120 houses) were conducted during a rainy and a dry season in 2004-2005. Indices based on the numbers of Ae. aegypti pupae observed were found to correlate with the 'classical' entomological indices that are based on all of the immature stages of the vector. Overall, 2.3 and 0.8 Ae. aegypti pupae were observed per person in the rural and urban areas, respectively. Although adult female Ae. aegypti laid eggs in all 10 types of wet container that were identified, large water-storage containers produced the majority of the pupae, especially at the end of the dry season (when such containers accounted for 90% of the pupae detected in the rural area and 60% of those in the urban area). Since these containers are large, easy to reach and account for, <50% of all wet containers, it should be relatively easy and quick to treat them with larvicide or to cover them. If even such targeted treatment is to be sustainable, however, it will have to be integrated, as one of several activities in which the at-risk communities are encouraged to participate.

The potential of macaque Macaca nemestrina leonina in Thailand to be infected by endemic arboviruses was assessed. The prevalence of antibodies of three arboviruses actively circulating in Thailand was determined by Plaque Reduction Neutralization assay procedures using samples from captive colonies in Northern Thailand. Out of 38 macaques, 9 (24%) presented reacting antibodies against dengue virus, 5 (13%) against Japanese encephalitis virus, and 4 (10%) against Chikungunya virus. Our results indicate that the northern pig-tailed macaque in Thailand can be infected by these arboviruses, inferring therefore that their virus specific vectors have bitten them. Given that, northern pig-tailed macaque represents an abundant population, living in close range to human or in peridomestic setting, they could play a role as potential reservoir host for arboviruses circulating in Thailand.