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LIVe, Laboratorio de Investigación en Vectores. Universidad de Costa Rica

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Costa Rica
Ciudad Universitaria Rodrigo Facio
LIVe, Laboratorio de Investigación en Vectores. Universidad de Costa Rica

LIVe es parte del Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET) y la Facultad de Microb

14/01/2025

Sofía es estudiante de cuarto año de Microbiología y Química Clínica. Participa como asistente en la curación de la Colección de Entomología Médica.

En su tiempo libre, ella disfruta de la natación en piscina y aguas abiertas, viajar, escuchar música, ver películas y series y compartir tiempo con su perrito Canelo.

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Sofía is a fourth year Microbiology and Clinical Biochemistry student. She participates as an assistant in the curation of the Medical Entomology Collection.

During her free time, she enjoys pool and open water swimming, travelling, listening to music, watching movies and series and sharing time with her dog Canelo.

10/01/2025

Derek es estudiante de 4to año de Microbiología y Química Clínica. Participa en proyectos relacionados con detección de haplotipos de resistencia Knockdown (Kdr) en cepas de Aedes aegypti. Su Trabajo Final de Graduación consiste en análisis de microbiomas en la leche humana. En su tiempo libre disfruta de jugar video juegos, ver YouTube y hacer levantamiento de peso.

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Derek is a fourth year Microbiology and Clinical Biochemistry student. He participates in projects related to the detection of Knockdown resistance (Kdr) haplotypes in Aedes aegypti strains. His graduation project regards the analysis of human milk microbiomes. On his free time he enjoys playing video games, watching YouTube videos and weight lifting.

07/01/2025

Jacqueline es bióloga e investigadora del Laboratorio de Investigación en Vectores del CIET. Su labor se centra en la identificación molecular de artrópodos. Actualmente, participa en proyectos de investigación relacionados con mosquitos, con el objetivo de evaluar su resistencia a insecticidas, estudiar su ecología y caracterizar las interacciones alimentarias con sus hospederos, aprovechando las tecnologías moleculares actuales.
En su tiempo libre disfruta compartir con su familia, ver televisión, leer y pasar tiempo en la naturaleza.

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Jacqueline is a biologist and a researcher at the Vector Research Laboratory, CIET. Her work focuses on the molecular identification of arthropods. She is currently participating in research projects regarding mosquitoes, in order to evaluate their insecticide resistance, study their ecology and characterize their feeding interactions with hosts, by employing the currently available molecular technology.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, watching tv, reading and connecting with nature.

31/12/2024

🪰🪰🪰

Este año, tras la reintroducción de Cochliomyia hominivorax (gusano barrenador) en Costa Rica y la aparición de casos en humanos, nuestro equipo, en colaboración con colegas de la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) publicó el primer caso clínico reportado en un paciente humano en el país, 23 años después de su eliminación. El caso corresponde a un paciente masculino de 71 años, que presentaba una miasis en úlceras interdigitales del pie, acompañada de una sobreinfección bacteriana. Se encontraron larvas de segundo estadio que fueron removidas y enviadas a nuestro laboratorio, en donde fueron identificadas morfológicamente como Cochliomyia hominivorax, con confirmación molecular. El cuadro clínico resolvió posterior a la aplicación de antibioticoterapia y remoción de las larvas. Este trabajo fue publicado en el American Journal for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (AJTMH) en formato “ahead of print” y puede encontrarse en el siguiente link bajo suscripción: https://www.ajtmh.org/view/journals/tpmd/aop/article-10.4269-ajtmh.24-0342/article-10.4269-ajtmh.24-0342.xml

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This year, after the reintroduction of Cochliomyia hominivorax (New World screwworm) to Costa Rica and the emergence of human cases, our team published the first human case report for this species in the country, 23 years after its elimination, in collaboration with colleagues at the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS). In this case, a 71-year old male patient presented with a foot myiasis in interdigital ulcers, with a concomitant bacterial infection. Second instar larvae were found, removed and sent to our lab, where they were morphologically identified as Cochliomyia hominivorax, with molecular confirmation. The patient resolved after antibiotic therapy and larval removal. This work was published in the American Journal for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (AJTMH) “ahead of print” and may be found in the following link, under subscription: https://www.ajtmh.org/view/journals/tpmd/aop/article-10.4269-ajtmh.24-0342/article-10.4269-ajtmh.24-0342.xml

31/12/2024

Como parte de su rol como Presidente en el Comité Americano de Entomología Médica (American Committee of Medical Entomology, ACME), este año la Dra. Adriana Troyo participó en la preparación de actividades para el Congreso Anual de la Sociedad Americana de Medicina Tropical e Higiene - American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) ¡Un congreso de más de 4,000 personas! Así, la Dra. Troyo concluye su periodo de cuatro años en el Consejo Ejecutivo, incluyendo uno como Presidente-Electa y uno como Presidente (Chair). Continuará colaborando con ACME un año más como Presidente-Pasada, pero seguirá apoyando a ACME y la ASTMH. En el laboratorio nos sentimos orgullosos de su trabajo y ejemplo como científica, docente, mentora y compañera ¡Gracias Dra. Troyo! 👏🏼💪🏼✨🦟🪰

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As part of her role as Chair in the American Committee of Medical Entomology (ACME), this year, Dr. Adriana Troyo participated in the preparation of activities for the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene’s (ASTMH) Annual Meeting , which reunited over 4,000 people! With this, Dr. Troyo concludes her 4 year term on the Executive Council, including one year as Chair-elect and one year as Chair. She will continue collaborating with ACME for one more year as Past-Chair, but she will continue supporting ACME and the ASTMH. At the lab, we’re proud of her work and example as a scientist, professor, mentor and teammate. Thank you Dr. Troyo! 👏🏼💪🏼✨🦟🪰

19/12/2024

A parasite case of the week blog, specializing in human parasites.

18/12/2024

El programa preliminar y la información para inscribirse están en el link: https://ucr.cr/r/eYS5M . 🦟 🦠 🧬 🔬

Escuela de Medicina Universidad de Costa Rica
Asociación de Estudiantes de Biología - UCR
Colegio de Microbiólogos y Químicos Clínicos de Costa Rica
Facultad de Microbiología UCR
ASOCIACIÓN COSTARRICENSE DE MICROBIOLOGÍA Y PARASITOLOGÍA
Universidad Nacional Costa Rica, UNA
Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria-UNAinaria
Victor Manuel Montenegro Hidalgo

04/12/2024

What is the importance of ticks

There is a great diversity of ticks, and because they feed on blood, they can be found in a wide array of hosts.
- They can be associated with domestic and production animals, thus having veterinary relevance.
- Other ticks can feed on humans, being relevant to Public Health.

Ticks play an important role in Public Health and are multifaceted:
- Their bite and saliva can cause allergic reactions on the skin. These can take quite some time to resolve, and could even lead to severe reactions such as anaphylaxis.
- The saliva of some species may contain toxins such as holocyclotoxin, which can cause paralysis.
- They are excellent pathogen vectors, being able to carry viruses, bacteria and parasites.

Ticks come in all designs and colors:
- In the Neotropical region, the most relevant species of the Ixodidae family belong to the genera: Amblyomma, Rhipicephalus, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis and Ixodes.
- They can be found in various habitats and hosts.
- For example: Ixodes can be found in high, cold, mountainous and forested areas, on birds, deers and rodents.
- On the other hand, Amblyomma can be found in lower areas, in dogs, horses, humans, and other hosts.

Which are the most relevant species in Costa Rica?
- Rhipicephalus microplus: a parasite of cattle.
- Rhiphicephalus linnaei (= Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato): an important dog parasite that may feed on humans during large infestations.
- Amblyomma mixtum: a parasite of various domestic and wild animals, but it may also feed on humans, and it is the species most frequently associated with humans.
- ⁠Ixodes cf. boliviensis: a parasite of dogs and other animals in high areas of the country.
- Dermacentor nitens: a parasite of horses.

Fun fact!
- There is an allergy called Alpha-gal syndrome:
- Due to the bite of the north-american species Amblyomma americanum, people may become allergic to red meat.
- These ticks contain the alpha-gal molecule in their saliva, which sensitizes the immune system during the bite. This molecule is also found in red meat; therefore, when consuming it, the immune system gets confused and an allergic reaction is produced.

23/11/2024

Let’s talk about ticks!

Ticks are ectoparasitic mites belonging to the order Ixodida, which feed on the blood of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles.
There are currently 5 known families, and 2 of them are considered relevant to Public Health: Ixodidae and Argasidae.

Focusing on the Ixodidae family…

•How do they look?
Their body is divided into:
- Gnathosoma: also known as capitulum. It bears the tick’s mouthparts (chelicerae and hypostome), and a pair of palps.
- Idiosoma: It bears the legs, ge***al pore, a**s, respiratory spiracles and the scutum.

•What’s the tick life cycle?
The majority of species use three hosts, although a few use one or two.
1. The adult female drops off the host to lay as many as thousands of eggs, and then dies.
2. Larvae emerge from said eggs and look for a first host to feed on.
3. Once fed, they leave the host and molt into nymphs, which then start looking for a second host.
4. After feeding, nymphs leave their host and molt into adults, which are now in the search for the third host.
5. Adults feed on the third host, and depending the species, they can mate on or off the host.

Eggs:
* Ovoid-shaped.
* They usually form an egg mass.

Larvae:
* Small, freckle-sized.
* They have six legs, unlike the other stages.

Nymphs:
* Bigger than the larvae.
* They have eight legs.
* They resemble females - they have a short scutum, but lack a distinct ge***al pore as well as porous areas (area porosa).

Adults: Males:
* Bigger than nymphs but smaller than females.
* They have eight legs.
* They have a scutum that covers the whole surface of the idiosoma, and a distinct ge***al pore.

Adults: Females:
* Bigger than nymphs.
* They have eight legs.
* They have a short scutum a distinct ge***al pore, and porous areas (area porosa) at the basis capituli.

Why do you think ticks are relevant to Public Health?

15/11/2024

Jose Francisco es un estudiante de quinto año de la carrera de Microbiología y Química Clínica. Su trabajo final de graduación consiste en identificar las fuentes de alimentación de los mosquitos en la Estación Biológica La Selva, por medio de técnicas de biología molecular. 🦟🧬
A Francisco le gusta pasar tiempo con sus amigos, leer y jugar videojuegos.

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Jose Francisco is a fifth year Microbiology and Clinical Biochemistry student. His graduation project focuses on the identification of mosquito food sources at La Selva Research Station, through molecular biology techniques. 🦟🧬
Francisco enjoys spending time with his friends, reading and playing video games.

12/11/2024

Mosquito-Borne Disease Transmission in Costa Rica🦟🦟

In Costa Rica, several mosquito species are involved in pathogen transmission.🦠

Viruses: In Costa Rica, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are vectors of Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika.

Malaria: The primary malaria vector in Costa Rica is Anopheles albima**s.
Malaria is caused by parasites of the Plasmodium genus:
P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. knowlesi, and P. ovale.

How do these mosquitoes behave?

Aedes:

Aedes aegypti:🏡
Common in urban areas.
Prefers biting humans.
Has adapted to lay eggs in artificial containers (tires, buckets, etc.).
Active during the day and twilight (early morning or late evening).
Aedes albopictus:🏡
Similar to Ae. aegypti - may share habitats or use more natural breeding sites like coconut shells or tree holes.
Bites at similar hours as Ae. aegypti.
Can bite humans or other animals.

Anopheles albima**s:🏞️
Active at dusk and nighttime.
Prefers biting humans.
Lays eggs in natural water sources, associated with vegetation and muddy bottoms (e.g., lakes, rice fields, irrigation canals, etc.).

How can you differentiate them?🔍

Anopheles (Anophelinae):
Wings have alternating dark and light patches.
When resting on a surface, they hold their body at a 30-45 degree angle.
Aedes (Culicinae):
When resting, their body is parallel to the surface.
Wings are solid-colored, with no patterns.

Ae. aegypti vs. Ae. albopictus:
The easiest way to tell them apart is by looking at their thorax:
Ae. aegypti has two white central lines and two curved lines on the sides that end in a straight line.
Ae. albopictus has a single white line down the center and two short straight lines at the rear of the thorax.
Both have brown/black legs with white spots.

19/10/2024

Steven ( ) es estudiante de 4to año de Microbiología y Química Clínica. Su trabajo final de graduación consiste en evaluar la Repelencia de Aedes aegypti contra un textil impregnado con encapsulados de aceites esenciales de Citronella.🦟
En su tiempo libre se dedica a practicar fútbol, tenis, basketball, caminar, correr y ver pelis.

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Steven( ) is a fourth year Microbiology and Clinical Biochemistry student. His graduation project consists of the evaluation of the repellency of Aedes aegypti against a textile impregnated with encapsulated essential oils from Citronella.🦟
In his free time he likes to play soccer, tennis, bastekball, go jogging and watching movies.

17/10/2024

Joban ( )es estudiante de quinto año de Microbiología y Química Clínica. Anteriormente colaboraba con el proyecto de acción social sobre Diagnóstico de Artrópodos ectoparásitos y de Grupos de Importancia en Salud Pública🦟. Actualmente desarrolla su trabajo final de graduación que consiste en la identificación molecular de garrapatas de animales de vida silvestre, y en la detección de Flavivirus asociados a estas🧬.
En su tiempo libre, Joban disfruta leer, hacer senderismo, pasar tiempo con su perrito Cooper y compartiendo funfacts científicos con su famlia.

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Joban ( )is a fifth year Microbiology and Clinical Biochemistry student. He previously worked on our social action project regarding the Diagnosis of Ectoparasitic Arthropods and Relevant Groups in Public Health🦟. He is currently working on his graduation project, which consists of the molecular identification of ticks parasitizing wildlife, and the detection of Flaviviruses associated with them🧬.
In his free time, Joban enjoys reading, hiking, spending time with his dog Cooper, and sharing scientific fun facts with his family.

14/10/2024

MARTES 15 Octubre!!!
El Dr. Dantas Torres ( ) es un reconocidísimo parasitólogo brasileño del Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Fiocruz, con más de 350 artículos y 29 capítulos de libro publicados (https://www.filipedantastorres.com ). No se lo pierdan!
15 de octubre; 8:30 am.
Facultad de Microbiología, UCR, Auditorio 122.

12/10/2024

Diversity of Mosquitoes and Their Importance in Public Health

There is a wide variety of mosquitoes with different roles in their respective ecosystems, and not all of them directly affect humans.

Some mosquitoes are indeed relevant to Public Health, as they are involved in the transmission of various diseases.
These mosquitoes act as vectors, meaning they actively transport pathogenic organisms from one host to another.
Only female mosquitoes are involved in disease transmission, due to their need to consume blood for the development of their eggs.
Among the pathogens that can be transmitted by mosquitoes, there are viruses or parasites (such as protozoa or helminths).
However, it is important to note that not every mosquito species is capable of transmitting any pathogen; there is an evolutionary association at the life cycle level between the mosquito and the pathogen it transmits.

Fun fact: other mosquito species can be used for biological control.
Larvae of the genus Toxorhynchites are predators of other species in their same habitat.
In addition, female mosquitoes from this genus do not need blood to develop their eggs.

09/10/2024

Ivan Coronado es técnico y asistente de laboratorio de la Sección de Entomología Médica. Iván participa de forma directa en labores de curación de la Colección de Entomología Médica, y apoya los laboratorios de los cursos de Entomología Médica y Control de Vectores. Además, Iván asiste en diversos proyectos de investigación y acción social en tareas como procesamiento de muestras, preparación de material de colecta y giras de campo. 🦟🧬
Iván tiene un gran talento para el dibujo y el canto, y se caracteriza por ser la mano derecha de todos en el laboratorio.

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Iván Coronado is a lab tech and assistant at the Medical Entomology Section. Iván takes part in duties regarding the maintenance of the Medical Entomology Collection, as well as providing assistance in the lab sessions of the Medical Entomology and Vector Control courses. Additionally, Iván participates in various research and social action projects, on duties such as sample processing and preparing material for collecting and field work. 🦟🧬
Ivan has a great talent for drawing and singing, and he’s characterized by being everyone’s right hand at the lab.

05/10/2024

Andrés ( )es estudiante de 5to año de Microbiología y Química Clínica. Él participa en nuestro proyecto de acción social identificando molecularmente artrópodos de importancia médica. Su trabajo final de graduación se enfoca en la detección molecular de Flavivirus en mosquitos colectados en nuestro país.
En su tiempo libre le gusta ir al cine, ver tennis y salir a correr.

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Andrés ( )is a fifth year Microbiology and Clinical Biochemistry student. He’s currently working on our social action project by carrying out the molecular identification of medically important arthropods🧬. His graduation project consists of the molecular detection of Flaviviruses in mosquitoes collected throughout the country🦟.
During his free time he enjoys going to the movies, watching tennis games and running.

02/10/2024

Guissella es estudiante de último año de Microbiología y Química Clínica. Participa en un proyecto realizado en colaboración con la Universidad de Florida relacionado a la ecología, diversidad e interacciones de los mosquitos de la Estación Biológica La Selva. Su trabajo final de graduación consiste en el análisis de riqueza y diversidad de mosquitos adultos.
En su tiempo libre le gusta compartir con su familia y amigos, además disfruta leer, viajar por el país y la fotografía.

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Guissella is a final year Microbiology and Clinical Biochemistry student. She works on a project in collaboration with the University of Florida, that studies the ecology, diversity and interactions of mosquitoes from “La Selva” Biological Station. Her graduation project consists of the analysis of mosquito diversity🦟🧬.
She likes spending her free time with her family and friends, as well as reading, traveling around the country and photography🌳📷.

Dirección

Ciudad Universitaria Rodrigo Facio

Horario de Apertura

Lunes	08:00 - 16:00
Martes	09:00 - 16:00
Miércoles	08:00 - 16:00
Jueves	08:00 - 16:00
Viernes	08:00 - 16:00

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+50625115430

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Videos

🪰Gusano barrenador: ¿y cómo se ve la mosca?🪰 ¡No la confundás con otras moscas caseras comunes! ¡Acá te contamos! 🪰 Cochliomyia hominivorax es la especie de mosca cuyas larvas son conocidas como gusano barrenador. Esta mosca presenta un color verdeazulado metálico, con ojos naranjas o rojizos y tres bandas negras sobre el tórax. 🪰Esta puede ser más grande o más pequeña que las moscas caseras, pues existen diferentes especies de moscas caseras. 🪰Es importante considerar que, si bien puede ocurrir, la presencia de C. hominivorax en los hogares es relativamente improbable. 🪰 En el escenario actual que vive el país, lo más importante es aprender sobre el tema, contribuyendo a extremar las medidas de prevención y no eliminar otras especies indiscriminadamente, pues son parte de nuestra biodiversidad.

@live_ucr @microbiologiaucr @universidaddecostarica Presente! @museonacionalcr

“Días de garrapatas” del proyecto C3463, junto con estudiantes de la Universidad de Rochester, quienes probaron su dispositivo para recolectar garrapatas.

🪰 Cochliomyia hominivorax, gusano barrenador: ¿qué debemos saber? 🪰 Les compartimos este video informativo realizado por Luis Chacón (@l_d_chacon), estudiante de Microbiología y Química Clínica (UCR) y asistente de nuestro Laboratorio 🪰👨🏻‍🔬 #cochliomyia #hominivorax #myasis #gusanobarrenador #ectoparasite