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Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease

Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease (TropicalMed) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal of tropical medicine and infectious disease, and is published monthly online.
The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine (ACTM) and its joint Faculties of Travel Medicine and Expedition and Wilderness Medicine are affiliated with the journal, serving as their official journal. College members receive discounts on the article processing charges.
Indexed in PubMed | Quartile Ranking JCR - Q1 (Tropical Medicine)

All Articles (2,437)

  • Brief Report
  • Open Access

The Effect of Increased Temperature on Dengue Virus in the Vector Aedes aegypti from New Caledonia

  • Méryl Delrieu,
  • Olivia O’Connor and
  • Francesca D. Frentiu
  • + 8 authors

Dengue virus (DENV) is a major public health concern in tropical and subtropical regions, including the Pacific. Temperature is recognised as a major driver of transmission under climate change. Understanding how higher temperatures may alter DENV transmission is essential to anticipate future dengue risk. Therefore, we assessed the effect of temperature on DENV-1 in Aedes aegypti from New Caledonia. Mosquitoes were orally infected and maintained for 14 days at 26.6 °C (average temperatures during recent outbreaks) or 31.1 °C (SSP5-8.5 scenario projected temperatures). Mosquito bodies, heads, and saliva were analysed separately to determine infection, dissemination, and transmission rates as well as transmission efficiencies. Infectious virus was detected by using a fluorescent focus assay, and viral titres were quantified via TCID50 assays. No significant differences were observed in infection, dissemination, and transmission rates or transmission efficiencies between the two temperatures. However, DENV titres in mosquito bodies and heads were significantly higher at 31.1 °C than 26.6 °C. Our results indicate that elevated temperature increases viral loads within the insect but not the proportion of infectious mosquitoes, highlighting the importance of considering temperature as a key parameter in assessing dengue risk under climate change. Further studies are needed to investigate the effects of temperature on virus–mosquito interactions.

14 February 2026

DENV-1 titres in mosquito tissues under different temperature conditions (26.6 °C and 31.1 °C) at 14 days post infection, as determined via TCID50 assay. (A) Viral titres in mosquito bodies. (B) Viral titres in mosquito heads. Significance levels: ns = not significant. ** p < 0.01.

With population aging, the burden of tuberculosis (TB) among the elderly is rising. Older adults are at high risk of TB but susceptible to poor TB care. In this study, we enrolled TB patients aged over 60 years registered in Shanghai during 2019–2021. A seven-step care cascade from estimated TB burden in the community to treatment outcomes was constructed to quantify retention and attrition at each step of TB health service. Patient pathway analysis was carried out in two districts of Shanghai to describe patients’ care-seeking behaviors, service coverage, and diagnosis delays. Across the care cascade, the largest gaps occurred from symptom onset to care seeking (11.3%) and from treatment initiation to completion (10.7%). Male sex, older age, and mycobacterium tuberculosis positivity were associated with treatment discontinuation and unfavorable outcomes. The patient pathway analysis revealed that first contact at lower-level or non-TB-designated hospitals was associated with more complex pathways and may contribute to diagnostic delays. These findings highlight the need to promote proactive care seeking upon symptoms, strengthen targeted adherence support for older people, and improve diagnostic capacity and referral efficiency at lower-level health facilities.

12 February 2026

Immunoendocrine Profiles in Neurocysticercosis Patients: A Case-Control Study in Honduras

  • Nicholas Zugno-Gadea,
  • Lázaro Molina and
  • Ana Sanchez
  • + 4 authors

Emerging evidence suggests that certain cestodes, including Taenia solium, may actively modulate the host’s hormonal and immune environment to facilitate their survival. This study aimed to determine whether patients diagnosed with neurocysticercosis (NCC) exhibit immunoendocrine alterations associated with infection. A clinical study was conducted in Honduras, enrolling 11 adult NCC patients (9 female, 2 male) and 11 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Serum concentrations of seven hormones and two cytokines were evaluated. Compared to controls, NCC patients showed significantly elevated levels of 17β-Estradiol (E2), Progesterone (P4), Androstenedione (A4), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and Interleukin-10 (IL-10). Conversely, Free testosterone (FT) and Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels were significantly reduced. These findings support the hypothesis that T. solium may manipulate host immunoendocrine pathways to promote its establishment and persistence within the central nervous system.

12 February 2026

Factors Associated with the Prevalence of Dengue–Leptospirosis Coinfection in Patients Hospitalized for Febrile Syndrome

  • Dina I. Bance-Anicama,
  • María M. Diaz-Orihuela and
  • Wilter C. Morales-García
  • + 1 author

Background: In tropical regions, dengue and leptospirosis coexist and share a nonspecific clinical onset that hinders timely diagnosis. Coinfection may worsen the clinical course and increase mortality. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of dengue, leptospirosis, and coinfection among patients with febrile syndrome in Madre de Dios (Peru) and to identify associated clinical factors. Methods: Observational, analytical, cross-sectional, retrospective study conducted at a primary-level health facility. Clinical and laboratory records of patients with febrile syndrome seen in 2024 were analyzed. Categorical variables were summarized as frequencies (%) and numeric variables as mean ± SD or median [IQR]. Comparisons used chi-square or Fisher’s exact test, Student’s t test, or the Mann–Whitney U test, as appropriate. Associations were estimated using Poisson regression models with robust variance, adjusted for sex, reporting prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% CIs. Analyses were performed in R 4.0.2. Results: A total of 226 patients were included. Positivity was 19.0% for dengue (43/226), 66.8% for leptospirosis (151/226), and 5.8% for coinfection (13/226). In the bivariate analysis, dengue was associated with higher temperature (p < 0.001), lower mean arterial pressure (p = 0.007), mucosal bleeding/ecchymosis (p = 0.049), and lower fluid intake (p = 0.021); temperature was also higher in coinfection (p = 0.021). In Poisson models, dengue was associated with tachycardia (PR = 5.69; 95% CI: 1.95–13.07; p < 0.001), temperature (PR = 1.61 per °C; 1.23–2.12; p = 0.001), bilateral polyarthralgia (PR = 2.55; 1.14–5.04; p = 0.012), and mucosal bleeding/ecchymosis (PR = 3.31; 0.94–8.37; p = 0.027). Leptospirosis was associated with male sex (PR = 0.78 vs. female; 0.65–0.94; p = 0.010) and fever (PR = 2.38; 1.17–6.03; p = 0.035). Leptospira–dengue coinfection was related to higher temperature (PR = 1.75 per °C; 1.05–3.01; p = 0.036). Conclusions: Simple clinical signs such as fever/elevated temperature, tachycardia, bilateral polyarthralgia, and mucosal bleeding can help prioritize suspicion of dengue, leptospirosis, or coinfection; guide requests for dual testing (dengue–Leptospira), early hydration in dengue, and timely initiation of antibiotic therapy in leptospirosis. These findings support the development of integrated triage algorithms and strengthening access to molecular diagnostics in high-burden febrile syndrome settings.

12 February 2026

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Tackling Neglected Tropical Viral Diseases
Editors: Jelena Prpić
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Editors: Nicola Bulled, Merrill Singer

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Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. - ISSN 2414-6366