Following the identification of two autochthonous cases of dengue type 1 on 3 October 2012, an outbreak of dengue fever has been reported in Madeira, Portugal. As of 25 November, 1,891 cases have been detected on the island where the vector Aedes aegypti had been established in some areas since 2005. This event represents the first epidemic of dengue fever in Europe since 1928 and concerted control measures have been initiated by local health authorities.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of propagules source and the implication of tree size class on the spatial pattern of Xylopia brasiliensis Spreng. individuals growing under the canopy of an experimental plantation of eucalyptus. To this end, all individuals of Xylopia brasiliensis with diameter at soil height (dsh) ≥ 1 cm were mapped in the understory of a 3.16 ha Eucalyptus spp. and Corymbia spp. plantation, located in the municipality of Lavras, SE Brazil. The largest nearby mature tree of X. brasiliensis was considered as the propagules source. Linear regressions were used to assess the influence of the distance of propagules source on the population parameters (density, basal area and height). The spatial pattern of trees was assessed through the Ripley K function. The overall pattern showed that the propagules source distance had strong influence over spatial distribution of trees, mainly the small ones, indicating that the closer the distance from the propagules source, the higher the tree density and the lower the mean tree height. The population showed different spatial distribution patterns according to the spatial scale and diameter class considered. While small trees tended to be aggregated up to around 80 m, the largest individuals were randomly distributed in the area. A plausible explanation for observed patterns might be limited seed rain and intra-population competition.Keywords: colonisation, forest fragments, Ripley's K function, spatial distribution pattern, Xylopia brasiliensis. Padrões espaciais de uma espécie arbórea tropical crescendo sob o dossel de um plantio de eucalipto no Sudeste brasileiro ResumoOs objetivos deste estudo foram avaliar a influência da fonte de propágulo e a implicação de diferentes classes de tamanho sobre o padrão de distribuição espacial de indivíduos de Xylopia brasiliensis Spreng. crescendo sob o dossel de um plantio experimental de eucalipto. Para isso, todos os indivíduos de X. brasiliensis com diâmetro à altura do solo (das) ≥ 1 cm foram mapeados em uma área de 3,16 ha no sub-bosque de um plantio de Eucalyptus ssp. e Corymbia spp., localizado no município de Lavras, MG. O maior e mais próximo indivíduo reprodutivo de X. brasiliensis foi considerado como fonte de propágulos. Foram utilizadas regressões lineares para avaliar a influência da fonte de propágulos sobre parâmetro populacionais (densidade, área basal e altura). O padrão de distribuição espacial das árvores foi avaliado por meio da função K de Ripley. O padrão geral demonstrou que a distância da fonte de propágulo teve forte influência sobre a distribuição espacial das árvores, principalmente as menores, indicando que quanto mais próximo à fonte de propágulos, maior a densidade e menor a altura das árvores. A população demonstrou diferentes distribuições espaciais de acordo com a escala analisada. Enquanto árvores menores tenderam a estar agregadas até uma escala de 80 m, os maiores indivíduos estavam aleatoriamente distribuídos na área. Uma explicação plausível para...

Outbreaks of dengue fever, Zika and chikungunya are realities that manifest themselves in almost the entire world. These are diseases whose main vector is Aedes aegypti. This is a synanthropic that needs three factors in order to survive: water, food, and shelter, which are available under favorable socio-environmental conditions. The goal of this work was to identify and evaluate the pertinence of environmental variables that can allow the growth of Aedes aegypti breeding spots and the eventual increase of dengue fever, Zika and chikungunya in rural areas. A systematic literature review was conducted by searching for works published in bibliometric databases, and the results were analyzed in qualitative and quantitative forms (statistical analysis). This search found 1007 works, of which 50 were considered pertinent to the subject. Each work was analyzed individually, and 16 distinct variables were found to be relevant and were afterward grouped into three categories: sanitation (SAN), climatology (CLIM) and socio-environmental factors, which are named “integrative” (INT) variables. The use of two or more categories was present in 52% of the works, highlighting the SAN + INT combination. Around 16% of the works have included rural areas, relating the arbovirus diseases in these regions to socio-economic and sanitation conditions. The paper analyses the impact of water characteristics on the growth of the mosquito, as well as on the increase of the three diseases. The monitoring of these 16 variables may allow for better arbovirus disease control and could be integrated into entomological vigilance programs for helping make decision processes concerning the prevention of diseases associated with water.