About

Tereza Magalhaes, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Texas A&M University Department of Entomology. Her research focuses on factors influencing mosquito-borne disease transmission dynamics, with an emphasis on host-vector-virus interactions and arbovirus epidemiology. She conducts transdisciplinary research that integrates laboratory-based experiments and epidemiological studies in endemic areas to advance understanding of arbovirus transmission and contribute to improved prevention and control strategies. Magalhaes works closely with human populations affected by mosquito-borne diseases and has contributed to high-impact publications and secured significant financial resources for her research. She currently teaches undergraduate course Public Health Entomology and graduate course Vector-Borne Disease Management and Response.

Research topics

• Virology
• Political Science
• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Immunology
• Biology
• Environmental health
• Demography
• Geography
• Pathology

Selected publications

• Systematic review of Aedes aegypti control trials suggests publication bias related to author disclosure of conflicts of interest

  PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026-01-14 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Aedes aegypti mosquitoes transmit multiple arboviruses, including dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever, resulting in a large global disease burden. Vector control remains the key strategy to prevent transmission due to the absence of widely available vaccines or treatments. Many studies evaluate control approaches, yet only a subset are published in peer-reviewed journals. One potential contributor to selective reporting, or publication bias, could be a conflict of interest (COI), defined as employment by a for-profit company conducting the trial, or a financial interest tied to the tool's intellectual property. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We conducted a systematic literature review of Ae. aegypti control trials from 2010 to 2022 to test the hypothesis that published trials with author-declared COI report a higher average level of Ae. aegypti suppression than publications whose authors declare no COI. Inclusion criteria required entomological outcomes (adult abundance or immature indices) with baseline and post-intervention data for both treated and untreated areas. Studies limited to laboratory, semi-field, or virus-only outcomes were excluded. We identified 51 publications that met the inclusion criteria. The studies with declared COI reported a 56.7% reduction in Ae. aegypti population, significantly higher than the 34.5% reduction in studies declaring no COI. The 51 studies were published in 26 different journals and eight (30.7%) did not have standard publishing policies that include the reporting of authors' COI statements in the published articles. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings suggest that author-reported COI is associated with higher mosquito population suppression. This association may reflect the use of more effective interventions in COI-affiliated studies or publication bias. We also observed inconsistencies in COI policies and the display of COI statements across journals, underscoring the need for standardized and transparent reporting.

  PublisherDOI

• Small RNA genomics of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes discovers infectious viruses that trigger an RNA interference response

  Nature Communications · 2026-04-23

  articleOpen access

  We report a global survey of viral small RNAs (vsmRNAs) from >200 Aedes aegypti samples to identify many mosquito viruses that actively infect this prominent arboviral vector. Ae. aegypti viruses in the Americas are abundant, with some displaying geographical boundaries. Viruses infecting Asian Ae. aegypti are similar to those in the Americas and reveal the first wild example of dengue vsmRNAs. African Ae. aegypti display vsmRNAs from viruses unique to these African strains. Academic lab colonies generally lack viruses, yet two commercial strains are deeply infected by a tombus-like virus that is related to plant viruses. Comparing matched viral long RNAs to vsmRNAs reveal viral transcripts evading the mosquito RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. By infecting mosquito cells with Ae. aegypti homogenates, we generate stably infected cell lines which produce vsmRNAs that were comparable to native mosquito vsmRNA patterns. Lastly, we demonstrate that these stably infected mosquito cells producing vsmRNAs can exert gene silencing of reporters bearing viral sequence segments, providing a potential explanation for how Ae. aegypti can resist viral infections. This vsmRNA genomics approach in Ae. aegypti can add to existing vector surveillance approaches by discovering new viruses that persist in mosquito populations.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Forgotten in the tropics: research on Culex mosquitoes is overshadowed in malaria and dengue-endemic regions

  Parasites & Vectors · 2026-04-17

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: In many countries where mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue are endemic, the research community focuses on studying the mosquito vectors of these diseases in the Anopheles and Aedes genera, respectively. In these settings, other mosquito taxa, including Culex spp. and associated pathogens, appear less frequently in published studies. Although the field widely recognizes that several mosquito taxa and pathogen systems are understudied in several regions, few studies have quantified these patterns. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review of mosquito-related studies published in 2010 and 2020 to test the hypothesis that the proportion of mosquito publications on Culex spp. would be higher in countries that are non-endemic for malaria and dengue. Studies were identified through PubMed and Web of Science using "Country + mosquito" keyword searches, screened by inclusion/exclusion criteria, and categorized by endemicity (malaria-endemic, dengue-endemic, both, and non-endemic). We summarized mosquito genera per study and compared their reporting frequencies using generalized linear mixed models (beta-binomial likelihood) adjusted for year and GDP per capita. RESULTS: After screening 10,834 unique publications, 1,389 met inclusion criteria. The average number of mosquito genera reported per study was significantly higher for non-endemic countries compared with countries endemic for malaria and dengue. Publications including data on Culex spp. mosquitoes were significantly higher for non-endemic countries (64.5%) compared with malaria endemic (30.2%) and dengue endemic (34.2%) countries. Between 2010 and 2020, reporting of Aedes spp. increased, whereas reporting of Anopheles decreased, consistent with changing global research emphasis over the decade, including the 2015-2017 Zika emergence and continued dengue expansion. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the presence of human-amplified mosquito-borne pathogens (e.g., human malaria and dengue) is associated with lower reporting of Culex in the published field-collection literature and with comparatively less published attention to Culex-associated zoonotic pathogens. A step to help resolve this neglect is for researchers to include additional mosquito community data when publishing malaria and dengue vector studies. These findings can help the research and public health community to allocate attention on multiple vector-borne disease threats, proportional to the respective human health burden.

  PublisherDOI

• Transmission potential of <i>Culex</i> and <i>Aedes</i> species for Madariaga virus, a member of the eastern equine encephalitis virus complex

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-09-04

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Abstract Madariaga virus (MADV), widely distributed in Latin America, can cause severe disease in humans and equids, yet, key aspects of its transmission cycle remain unclear. To identify mosquitoes that could act as MADV vectors, we assessed the vector competence of Aedes aegypti , Ae. albopictus , Ae. taeniorhynchus , Culex tarsalis , Cx. coronator , and Cx. quinquefasciatus , following oral exposure to MADV isolated in Panama (all species) or Brazil ( Ae. taeniorhynchus only). MADV RNA and infectious virus were quantified from mosquito bodies, legs, and saliva. At 14 days post-exposure, five species had virus in all biological sample types. Culex quinquefasciatus was susceptible to infection and dissemination but had no positive saliva samples. Aedes taeniorhynchus showed higher infection probabilities with MADV-BR. Time-course analysis revealed distinct dynamics in Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus . Our findings indicate MADV may be compatible with mosquito species present in endemic regions and areas at risk of virus introduction.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Cost effectiveness of <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> screening in women in Brazil

  International Journal of STD & AIDS · 2025-11-13

  article1st author

  Background: Chlamydia trachomatis is the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide, often asymptomatic in women and associated with severe reproductive complications. In Brazil, population-based screening is not routinely implemented. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Chlamydia trachomatis screening among asymptomatic women in different age groups. Methods: A hypothetical cohort of 10,000 women was simulated in a Markov model over 10 years, stratified into three age groups: 14–25, 26–30, and 31–35 years. We compared three screening strategies: annual screening, screening every three to 4 years, and no screening. Clinical outcomes included pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. Costs were presented in Brazilian Reals (BRL) and U.S. Dollars (USD), and the main outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per significant case averted. Results: Annual screening in women aged 14–25 was the most cost-effective strategy, preventing 7,274 significant health outcomes at a total cost of R$ 7.39 million (USD 1.48 million), resulting in an ICER of R$ 1,015 (USD 203) per case averted. For women aged 26–30, screening every 3 years was more cost-effective, while for those aged 31–35, screening every 4 years yielded the best value for money. Conclusions: targeted chlamydia screening strategies by age group are cost-effective in Brazil. Annual screening of women aged ≤25 years, in particular, offers substantial health benefits at acceptable costs and should be prioritized in STI control programs.

  PublisherDOI

• Safety and efficacy of repeat ivermectin mass drug administrations for malaria control (RIMDAMAL II): a phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cluster-randomised, parallel-group trial

  The Lancet Infectious Diseases · 2025-02-04 · 21 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Work ability during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in a low-income urban setting in Brazil

  PLoS ONE · 2025-07-10

  articleOpen access

  Work ability is a subjective concept that reflects the balance between an individual's perception of the physical, mental, and social demands of work and their competence and resources to meet those demands. The COVID-19 crisis significantly impacted health, work, and socioeconomic conditions worldwide. However, few studies have examined work ability in disadvantaged urban communities during this period. To analyze factors associated with work ability within the context of social vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted a cross-sectional study in a low-income neighborhood in Salvador, Brazil, between February and June 2022. Sociodemographic, health, and labor data were collected, and work ability was assessed using the Work Ability Index (WAI), a widely used tool for evaluating work ability. Multivariable analyses based on a hierarchical model were run to investigate factors associated with low WAI scores. The study included 292 workers aged ≥16 years (59.6% women; median age 41 years). Most workers (84.6%) were classified as having adequate work ability based on their WAI scores. Multivariable analyses found that inadequate work ability was more frequent among women (prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-3.48), individuals who self-rated their health as moderate/good (PR: 5.91; 95% CI: 1.45-24.05) or poor/very poor (PR: 21.62; 95% CI: 5.14-90.91) compared to those with excellent/very good health, and those reporting diabetes (PR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.13-3.9). Working >40 hours per week (PR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.28-0.96) was negatively associated with inadequate work ability, suggesting that individuals with adequate work ability may be selected for longer working hours. A history of COVID-19 was not associated with inadequate work ability. These findings suggest that targeted interventions to improve work ability in low-income communities should prioritize women and workers with chronic health conditions, such as diabetes.

  PublisherDOI

• Correction: Pooled Cohort Profile: ReCoDID Consortium’s Harmonized Acute Febrile Illness Arbovirus Meta-Cohort

  JMIR Public Health and Surveillance · 2024-07-30

  erratumOpen access

  [This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/54281.].

  PublisherDOI

• Tailoring a One Health course for an established non-One Health graduate program in Brazil

  Frontiers in Tropical Diseases · 2024-01-05 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  We present a study of the tailoring of a One Health (OH) course for its integration into an established non-OH graduate program at a large public university in Brazil. The graduate program focuses on topics such as environmental resource management, impacts on ecosystems, precariousness of the work environment and relationships, workers’ health, social determinants of health, and public policies. Tailoring the OH syllabus involved addressing broader OH concepts, condensing or adapting aspects of infectious diseases, covering non-infectious disease OH topics, and linking OH aspects to ongoing projects in the program. Despite the small class size, students brought diverse backgrounds, significantly enriching discussions. The course was offered in a longer (51 contact hours) and a shorter format (34 contact hours), both of which worked well within a lecture- and discussion-based structure. The extended format allowed more time for student activities and in-depth discussions. The multisectoral and transdisciplinary nature of lectures played a critical role in the course’s success. This information may prove valuable for those designing OH courses for implementation in diverse settings, with the ultimate goal of disseminating OH concepts, fostering discussions, and facilitating the development and implementation of OH approaches in groups not typically exposed to this concept.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Repeat Ivermectin Mass Drug Administrations for Malaria Control II (RIMDAMAL II): Primary Outcome from the Cluster-Randomized Control Trial

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2024-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Thomas Jaenisch

  Heidelberg University

  50 shared

• Ernesto T. A. Marques

  41 shared

• Brian D. Foy

  21 shared

• Adriana Tami

  University of Groningen

  18 shared

• Luis Villar

  15 shared

• Guilherme S. Ribeiro

  15 shared

• Marli Tenório Cordeiro

  Fundação Oswaldo Cruz

  14 shared

• Priscila M. S. Castanha

  University of Pittsburgh

  13 shared

Education

• B.S., Biology

  Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (Brazil)

• Ph.D., Interdisciplinary Studies

  Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami