Viktória Čabanová

• RNDr., PhD.
• PostDoc Position at Biomedical Research Center

Understanding how life is adapting to urban environments represents an important challenge in evolutionary biology. Here we investigate a widely cited example of urban adaptation, Culex pipiens form molestus, also known as the London Underground Mosquito. Population genomic analysis of ~350 contemporary and historical samples counter the popular hy...

Wetlands in lowland river floodplains in Central Europe have been significantly reduced and degraded. This process did not avoid even the floodplains of the Morava and the Danube Rivers. Remnants of wetlands with an area of more than 5,000 ha in the Slovak part of the Morava floodplain are protected as a Ramsar site and the NATURA 2000 area. Some o...

Pyrethroid as an agent of biocide resistance (BR) and environmental contamination has become a major threat for global health and biodiversity conservation. After eradication of malaria in Europe, uncontrolled mosquito elimination performed just to decrease their nuisance became a long-term practice. Pyrethroids, compounds used for chemical control...

Sensitive and rapid point-of-care assays have been crucial in the global response to SARS-CoV-2. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has emerged as an important diagnostic tool given its simplicity and minimal equipment requirements, although limitations exist regarding sensitivity and the methods used to detect reaction products. We desc...

Viral infections caused by viruses from the family Flaviviridae such as Zika (ZIKV), Dengue (DENV), yellow fever (YFV), tick-borne encephalitis (TBEV), West Nile (WNV), and Usutu (USUV) are some of the most challenging diseases for recognition in clinical diagnostics and epidemiological tracking thanks to their short viremia, non-specific symptoms,...

Background The genomes of SARS-CoV-2 are classified into variants, some of which are monitored as variants of concern (e.g. the Delta variant B.1.617.2 or Omicron variant B.1.1.529). Proportions of these variants circulating in a human population are typically estimated by large-scale sequencing of individual patient samples. Sequencing a mixture o...

Background The genomes of SARS-CoV-2 are classified into variants, some of which are monitored as variants of concern (e.g. the delta variant B.1.617.2 or omicron variant B.1.1.529). Proportions of these variants in a population are typically estimated by large-scale sequencing of individual patient samples. Sequencing a mixture of SARS-CoV-2 RNA m...

Human and animal vector-borne diseases, particularly mosquito-borne diseases, are emerging or re-emerging worldwide. Six Aedes invasive mosquito (AIM) species were introduced to Europe since the 1970s: Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Ae. japonicus, Ae. koreicus, Ae. atropalpus and Ae. triseriatus. Here, we report the results of AIMSurv2020, the firs...

Sensitive and accurate RT‐qPCR tests are the primary diagnostic tools to identify SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected patients. While many SARS‐CoV‐2 RT‐qPCR tests are available, there are significant differences in test sensitivity, workflow (e.g. hands‐on‐time), gene targets and other functionalities that users must consider. Several publicly available protocols...

Background The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), P.1 (Gamma) and B.1.617.2 (Delta) that harbor mutations in the viral S protein raised concern about activity of current vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. Independent studies have shown that mutant variants are partially or completely resistant against...

Background: Invasive mosquitoes of the genus Aedes are quickly spreading around the world. The presence of these alien species is concerning for both their impact on the native biodiversity and their high vector competence. The surveillance of Aedes invasive mosquito (AIM) species is one of the most important steps in vector-borne disease contro...

Spirurid nematode Thelazia callipaeda, transmitted by the fruit fly Phortica variegata, is a causative agent of an ocular parasitic disease called also canine thelaziosis. Dogs, cats, and wild canids are considered the primary definitive hosts for the parasite, but humans may also serve as aberrant definitive hosts. For long decades the geographic...

Surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 variants including the quickly spreading mutants by rapid and near real-time sequencing of the viral genome provides an important tool for effective health policy decision making in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Here we evaluated PCR-tiling of short (~400-bp) and long (~2 and ~2.5-kb) amplicons combined with nanopore...

The emergence of a novel SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant sparked global alarm due to increased transmissibility, mortality, and uncertainty about vaccine efficacy, thus accelerating efforts to detect and track the variant. Current approaches to detect B.1.1.7 include sequencing and RT-qPCR tests containing a target assay that fails or results in reduced...

SARS-CoV-2 mutants carrying the ∆H69/∆V70 deletion in the amino-terminal domain of the Spike protein emerged independently in at least six lineages of the virus (namely, B.1.1.7, B.1.1.298, B.1.160, B.1.177, B.1.258, B.1.375). We analyzed SARS-CoV-2 samples collected from various regions of Slovakia between November and December 2020 that were pres...

We present an unofficial SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance report from Slovakia based on approximately 3500 samples sequenced between March 2020 and May 2021. Early samples show multiple independent imports of SARS-CoV-2 from other countries. In Fall 2020, three virus variants (B.1.160, B.1.1.170, B.1.258) dominated as the number of cases increased....

Recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 variants show resistance to some antibodies that were authorized for emergency use. We employed hybridoma technology combined with authentic virus assays to develop second generation antibodies, which were specifically selected for their ability to neutralize new variants of SARS-CoV-2. AX290 and AX677, two monoclonal an...

Background Despite the known circulation of West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) in Slovakia, no formal entomological surveillance programme has been established there thus far. Aim To conduct contemporaneous surveillance of WNV and USUV in different areas of Slovakia and to assess the geographical spread of these viruses through mosquito...

Surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 variants including the quickly spreading mutants by rapid and near real-time sequencing of the viral genome provides an important tool for effective health policy decision making in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Here we evaluated PCR-tiling of short (~400-bp) and long (~2 and ~2.5-kb) amplicons combined with nanopore...

This study reports on a fatal case of a captive great grey owl infected with the West Nile virus (WNV) in the zoological garden Košice, eastern Slovakia (Central Europe). The tissue samples of the dead owl were used for virus isolation and genetic characterization. The novel isolate is genetically closer to Hungarian, Greek, and Bulgarian strains f...

Background The emergence of a novel SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern called B.1.1.7 lineage sparked global alarm due to evidence of increased transmissibility, mortality, and uncertainty about vaccine efficacy, thus accelerating efforts to detect and track the variant. Current approaches to detect lineage B.1.1.7 include sequencing and RT-qPCR tests c...

SARS-CoV-2 mutants carrying the $\Delta$H69/$\Delta$V70 deletion in the amino terminal domain of the Spike protein emerged independently in at least six lineages of the virus (namely, B.1.1.7, B.1.1.298, B.1.160, B.1.177, B.1.258, B.1.375). Routine RT-qPCR tests including TaqPath or similar assays based on a drop-out of the Spike gene target are in...

Dirofilaria immitis, the agent of canine dirofilariosis, is a common parasite of domestic and wild carnivores with zoonotic potential and worldwide distribution, being endemic in many countries. Bulgaria is among European countries recognized as endemic for this heartworm parasite. In the present study, D. immitis adults recovered from pulmonary ar...

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus (the genus Flavivirus) representing a medical and veterinary public health concern. Birds are the most important reservoirs. Culicine mosquitoes transmit WNV to vertebrate hosts (including horses and humans) and migratory birds play role in its long-distance transport. Slovakia is geographically...

Here, we provide the first mass molecular screening of medically important mosquitoes for Bartonella species using multiple genetic markers. We examined a total of 72,115 mosquito specimens, morphologically attributed to Aedes vexans (61,050 individuals), Culex pipiens (10,484 individuals) and species of the Anopheles maculipennis complex (581 indi...

Climate changes in the recent years led to a sharp rise in the tick population and an increase in the number of animals and people with tick-borne infections. The domestic and wild carnivores, especially the dogs, have a huge role for the distribution of ticks in certain areas. It is necessary to carry out a complex fight against the ticks and dise...

The presented clinical observation shows an atypical case of Angiostrongylus vasorum intraocular infection in an 18-month-old male beagle from northeastern Slovakia. The dog presented with a mo-tile worm in the anterior chamber of the right eye. No ocular signs or symptoms of a systemic disease were observed. The faecal examination using Baermann´s...

The presented clinical observation shows an atypical case of Angiostrongylus vasorum intraocular infection in an 18-month-old male beagle from north-eastern Slovakia. The dog presented with a motile worm in the anterior chamber of the right eye. No ocular signs or symptoms of a systemic disease were observed. The faecal examination using Baermann´s...

Monitoring West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) activity now has the highest priority among mosquito-borne pathogenic viruses circulating in the European Union. This study documents a first time detection and the co-circulation of WNV lineage-2 (with the minimal prevalence of 0.46%) and USUV clade Europe 2 (with the minimal prevalence of 0....

Abstract from oral presentation at the 128th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, Clarksville, Tennessee, USA

This is the PowerPoint presentation of our paper that we presented on 17 November 2018 to the annual meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science. It is the first installment of our long-term project on disease vectors in central Tennessee, USA.

A new biomonitoring program for disease vectors surveyed mosquitoes between September 2017 and September 2018 at diverse sites in Monteagle, Tennessee using CDC and BG-Sentinel traps and hand-held vials. Twenty-four species were identified (% of total for those over 5%): Aedes albopictus (9.2%)

Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis are parasites in the respiratory tract of domestic and wild carnivores. Recently, an increasing number of lungworm infections in dogs has been recognized in Europe. In this report, the results of the first copro-epidemiological study of A. vasorum and C. vulpis in dogs from Slovakia are presented. The Ba...

The present survey aimed to investigate flea and tick fauna parasitizing Slovak red fox populations with special emphasis on canine pathogens they transmit. A total of 407 fleas and 105 ticks were collected from 90 red foxes from two geographically distant regions. Seven flea species (Chaetopsylla globiceps, Pulex irritans, Archaeopsylla erinacei,...

Until recently Dirofilaria immitis, the causative agent of serious canine heartworm disease, has been detected relatively infrequently in Central Europe in comparison with the predominant D. repens species. In the present study, the elevated number of heartworm cases among dogs from a breeding establishment in south-western Slovakia is described. O...

Taxonomy of Anopheles maculipennis and Culex pipiens complexes constitutes demanding challenge in mosquito research. Recently, new tools have emerged to distinguish members of these cryptic groups. In this paper, the preliminary results of the first PCR xenomonitoring of dirofilariosis in mosquitoes from cryptic groups in Slovakia (central Europe)...

Background: Despite long-term research on dirofilariosis in Slovakia, little attention has thus far been paid to Dirofilaria vectors. The particular aim of the present study was molecular screening for filarioid parasites in two different habitats of Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. In addition, the effect of urbanisation on mosquito spec...

Canine thalaziosis caused by the spirurid nematode Thelazia callipaeda has started to spread across Western and Central Eu-rope during the last decade. In Slovakia, the first autochthonous cases of this infection were recorded in 2016 in four dogs from the southeastern part of the country. In August 2017 other autochthonous case, again from the sam...

Over a period of intervening years, the distribution of two canine cardiopulmonary metastrongylid nematodes, Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis, has been recognised in Central Europe. Here, we report the first epidemiological research conducted in red foxes from Slovakia and the potential influence of selected environmental variables on t...

Although the grey wolf was on the brink of extinction in Central Europe in the last century, it never became extinct in Slovakia and nowadays its population is considered stable. The wolf population in Slovakia is estimated to be around 400 individuals with seasonal variations, and due to these small numbers, studies on the parasite fauna of wolf a...

We report the distribution of mosquitoes of the maculipennis complex in two distinct areas of the Czech Republic (Bohemia and South Moravia) and in one locality of neighbouring Slovakia with emphasis on the detection of the newly described cryptic species Anopheles daciae (Linton, Nicolescu & Harbach, 2004). A total of 691 mosquitoes were analysed...

Trichinellosis is constantly present in the sylvatic cycle in Slovakia, with several sporadic human outbreaks registered since the 1960s. The largest outbreak of trichinellosis occurred in 1998 and was related to the consumption of dog meat that had been added to smoked pork sausages. The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of Tric...

Background The spirurid nematode Thelazia callipaeda, also called the “Oriental eyeworm”, is the causative agent of canine and human ocular thelaziosis. In the past few years it has started to spread across central Europe and new endemic areas have been established. The present study reports on the first four autochthonous cases of canine ocular th...

Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis are important lungworms infecting dogs and wild canids, and their incidence is increasing worldwide. In Europe, red fox (Vuples vulpes) is considered as major reservoir host of these species. With regard to successful antirabies vaccination programmes and their urbanisation, red foxes represent significa...

Mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae) are the main vectors of dangerous parasites and other pathogens worldwide. In Slovakia, high attention was paid to mosquito monitoring in the past, but any records from the last decade are very rare and do not reflect rising epidemiological importance. Moreover, valuable data regarding mosquito fauna from cities and...

The study presents the comprehensive results of a detailed epidemiological study on canine dirofilariosis in Slovakia, Central Europe. More than 4000 dogs were investigated, and several epidemiological factors were considered. The mean prevalence in individual regions ranged from 2.0 % in northern Slovakia to more than 25.0 % in the south-western p...

Over the last decade a significant spread of Canine Vector Borne Diseases has been recorded in Central Europe. The aim of the study described here, was to collect current data on the occurrence and distribution of three major canine vector-borne pathogens in the veterinary clinical practice by a newly-developed commercial ELISA test for the detecti...

In recent years Angiostrongylus vasorum has become another important heart parasite of dogs besides Dirofi laria immitis, with intense spread into new areas of Europe. The fi rst two cases of canine angiostrongylosis in Slovakia were observed in 2013, demonstrating that this life-threatening parasitic disease of dogs has expanded into this territor...

Heartworm Development Units – HDU became a standard method for identification of the infection risk by larvae of Dirofilaria spp. Calculated as the access value of environmental temperature, enable to analyse the date, when biting mosquitoes can transfer parasites into mammals. By analysis of available meteorological data, we found out potentially...