José Carlos Gamboa-Solano

Dr. José Carlos Gamboa-Solano

Universidad de Costa Rica

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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6 January 2022 in Viruses
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
DMDaniel Felipe Barrantes Murillo
Daniel Felipe Barrantes Murillo
MPMaría Marta Piche-Ovares
María Marta Piche-Ovares
JGJosé Carlos Gamboa-Solano
José Carlos Gamboa-Solano
LRL. Mario Romero-Vega
L. Mario Romero-Vega
CSClaudio Soto-Garita
Claudio Soto-Garita
ECEugenia Corrales-Aguilar
Eugenia Corrales-Aguilar
Arboviruses have two ecological transmission cycles: sylvatic and urban. For some, the sylvatic cycle has not been thoroughly described in America. To study the role of wildlife in a putative sylvatic cycle, we sampled free-ranging bats and birds in two arbovirus endemic locations and analyzed them using molecular, serological, and histological methods. No current infection was detected, and no significant arbovirus-associated histological changes were observed. Neutralizing antibodies were detected against selected arboviruses. In bats, positivity in 34.95% for DENV-1, 16.26% for DENV-2, 5.69% for DENV-3, 4.87% for DENV-4, 2.43% for WNV, 4.87% for SLEV, 0.81% for YFV, 7.31% for EEEV, and 0.81% for VEEV was found. Antibodies against ZIKV were not detected. In birds, PRNT results were positive against WNV in 0.80%, SLEV in 5.64%, EEEV in 8.4%, and VEEV in 5.63%. An additional retrospective PRNT analysis was performed using bat samples from three additional DENV endemic sites resulting in a 3.27% prevalence for WNV and 1.63% for SLEV. Interestingly, one sample resulted unequivocally WNV positive confirmed by serum titration. These results suggest that free-ranging bats and birds are exposed to not currently reported hyperendemic-human infecting Flavivirus and Alphavirus; however, their role as reservoirs or hosts is still undetermined.