Blas Armién, MD, MPH, MSc
Chief of the Department of Emergent and Zoonotic Diseases
Senior Researcher, Gorgas Memorial Institute

Zoonotic and Emergent diseases

My research program includes the study of zoonotic and emergent diseases integrating the One Health approach. Along with my team, we have been working in Central Panama for over 20 years on hantavirus surveillance since its emergence. Additionally, we have been able to work on the capacity building for diagnostics, early identification, and treatment of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome to support the Panamanian Public Health System. We also have developed an active surveillance program of non-human primates for viral emergent diseases in eastern Panama and undertake national sero-surveys of zoonotic diseases in humans and vertebrates reservoirs.

Publications:

1. Cook JA, Arai S, Armién B, Bates J, Bonilla CAC, Cortez MBS, Dunnum JL, Ferguson AW, Johnson KM, Khan FAA, Paul DL, Reeder DM, Revelez MA, Simmons NB, Thiers BM, Thompson CW, Upham NS, Vanhove MPM, Webala PW, Weksler M, Yanagihara R, Soltis PS. Integrating Biodiversity Infrastructure into Pathogen Discovery and Mitigation of Emerging Infectious Diseases. Bioscience. 2020 Jul 1;70(6):531-534. doi: 10.1093/biosci/biaa064. Epub 2020 Jun 24.PMID: 32665736
2. Harris C, Armién B. Sociocultural determinants of adoption of preventive practices for hantavirus: A knowledge, attitudes, and practices survey in Tonosí, Panama. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2020 Feb 27;14(2):e0008111. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008111. eCollection 2020 Feb.PMID: 32107494
3. Correa R, Ortega-Loubon C, Zapata-Castro LE, Armién B, Culquichicón C. Dengue with Hemorrhagic Manifestations and Acute Pancreatitis: Case Report and Review. Cureus. 2019 Jun 13;11(6):e4895. doi: 10.7759/cureus.4895.PMID: 31423374
4. Galbreath KE, Hoberg EP, Cook JA, Armién B, Bell KC, Campbell ML, Dunnum JL, Dursahinhan AT, Eckerlin RP, Gardner SL, Greiman SE, Henttonen H, Jiménez FA, Koehler AVA, Nyamsuren B, Tkach VV, Torres-Pérez F, Tsvetkova A, Hope AG. Building an integrated infrastructure for exploring biodiversity: field collections and archives of mammals and parasites. J Mammal. 2019 Apr 24;100(2):382-393. doi: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz048. Epub 2019 Apr 10.PMID: 31043762
5. Gracia F, Larreategui M, Rodríguez G, Benzadón A, Ortiz M, Morales D, Domínguez C, Carrillo RE, Valderrama C, Lizán L, Armién B. Costs of multiple sclerosis in Panama from societal, patient perspectives and health-related quality of life. PLoS One. 2018 Oct 10;13(10):e0204681. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204681. eCollection 2018.PMID: 30304006 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
6. Carrera JP, Bagamian KH, Travassos da Rosa AP, Wang E, Beltran D, Gundaker ND, Armién B, Arroyo G, Sosa N, Pascale JM, Valderrama A, Tesh RB, Vittor AY, Weaver SC. Human and Equine Infection with Alphaviruses and Flaviviruses in Panamá during 2010: A Cross-Sectional Study of Household Contacts during an Encephalitis Outbreak. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2018 Jun;98(6):1798-1804. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0679. Epub 2018 May 3.PMID: 29737271
7. Carrera JP, Díaz Y, Denis B, Barahona de Mosca I, Rodriguez D, Cedeño I, Arauz D, González P, Cerezo L, Moreno L, García L, Sáenz LE, Atencio MA, Rojas-Fermin E, Vizcaino F, Perez N, Moreno B, López-Vergès S, Valderrama A, Armién B. Unusual pattern of chikungunya virus epidemic in the Americas, the Panamanian experience. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017 Feb 21;11(2):e0005338. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005338. eCollection 2017 Feb.PMID: 28222127
8. Dunnum JL, Yanagihara R, Johnson KM, Armién B, Batsaikhan N, Morgan L, Cook JA. Biospecimen Repositories and Integrated Databases as Critical Infrastructure for Pathogen Discovery and Pathobiology Research. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017 Jan 26;11(1):e0005133. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005133. eCollection 2017 Jan.PMID: 28125619
9. Araúz D, De Urriola L, Jones J, Castillo M, Martínez A, Murillo E, Troncoso L, Chen M, Abrego L, Armién B, Pascale JM, Sosa N, López-Verges S, Moreno B. Febrile or Exanthematous Illness Associated with Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya Viruses, Panama. Emerg Infect Dis. 2016 Aug;22(8):1515-7. doi: 10.3201/eid2208.160292. Epub 2016 Aug 15.PMID: 27139219
10. Mendoza Y, Castillo Mewa J, Martínez AA, Zaldívar Y, Sosa N, Arteaga G, Armién B, Bautista CT, García-Morales C, Tapia-Trejo D, Ávila-Ríos S, Reyes-Terán G, Bello G, Pascale JM. HIV-1 Antiretroviral Drug Resistance Mutations in Treatment Naïve and Experienced Panamanian Subjects: Impact on National Use of EFV-Based Schemes. PLoS One. 2016 Apr 27;11(4):e0154317. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154317. eCollection 2016.PMID: 27119150
11. Anderson I, Robson B, Connolly M, Al-Yaman F, Bjertness E, King A, Tynan M, Madden R, Bang A, Coimbra CE Jr, Pesantes MA, Amigo H, Andronov S, Armién B, Obando DA, Axelsson P, Bhatti ZS, Bhutta ZA, Bjerregaard P, Bjertness MB, Briceno-Leon R, Broderstad AR, Bustos P, Chongsuvivatwong V, Chu J, Deji, Gouda J, Harikumar R, Htay TT, Htet AS, Izugbara C, Kamaka M, King M, Kodavanti MR, Lara M, Laxmaiah A, Lema C, Taborda AM, Liabsuetrakul T, Lobanov A, Melhus M, Meshram I, Miranda JJ, Mu TT, Nagalla B, Nimmathota A, Popov AI, Poveda AM, Ram F, Reich H, Santos RV, Sein AA, Shekhar C, Sherpa LY, Skold P, Tano S, Tanywe A, Ugwu C, Ugwu F, Vapattanawong P, Wan X, Welch JR, Yang G, Yang Z, Yap L. Indigenous and tribal peoples' health (The Lancet-Lowitja Institute Global Collaboration): a population study. Lancet. 2016 Jul 9;388(10040):131-57. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00345-7. Epub 2016 Apr 20.PMID: 27108232
12. Vittor AY, Armién B, Gonzalez P, Carrera JP, Dominguez C, Valderrama A, Glass GE, Beltran D, Cisneros J, Wang E, Castillo A, Moreno B, Weaver SC. Epidemiology of Emergent Madariaga Encephalitis in a Region with Endemic Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis: Initial Host Studies and Human Cross-Sectional Study in Darien, Panama. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016 Apr 21;10(4):e0004554. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004554. eCollection 2016 Apr.PMID: 27101567
13. Armién B, Ortiz PL, Gonzalez P, Cumbrera A, Rivero A, Avila M, Armién AG, Koster F, Glass G. Spatial-Temporal Distribution of Hantavirus Rodent-Borne Infection by Oligoryzomys fulvescens in the Agua Buena Region--Panama. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016 Feb 19;10(2):e0004460. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004460. eCollection 2016 Feb.PMID:
14. Constenla D, Armién B, Arredondo J, Carabali M, Carrasquilla G, Castro R, Durand L, Durán-Arenas L, García ME, Gallegos RV, Gontes ML, López JG, McFarlane C, Montoya R, Sartori AM, Siqueira JB, Martelli CT. Costing Dengue Fever Cases and Outbreaks: Recommendations from a Costing Dengue Working Group in the Americas. Value Health Reg Issues. 2015 Dec;8:80-91. doi: 10.1016/j.vhri.2015.06.001. Epub 2015 Jul 28.PMID: 29698176
15. Díaz Y, Carrera JP, Cerezo L, Arauz D, Guerra I, Cisneros J, Armién B, Botello AM, Araúz AB, Gonzalez V, López Y, Moreno L, López-Vergès S, Moreno BA. Chikungunya virus infection: first detection of imported and autochthonous cases in Panama. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2015 Mar;92(3):482-5. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.14-0404. Epub 2015 Jan 19.PMID: 25601996
16. Mendoza Y, Martínez AA, Castillo Mewa J, González C, García-Morales C, Avila-Ríos S, Reyes-Terán G, Armién B, Pascale JM, Bello G. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype B epidemic in Panama is mainly driven by dissemination of country-specific clades. PLoS One. 2014 Apr 18;9(4):e95360. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095360. eCollection 2014.PMID: 24748274
17. Armién B, Pascale JM, Muñoz C, Mariñas J, Núñez H, Herrera M, Trujillo J, Sánchez D, Mendoza Y, Hjelle B, Koster F. Hantavirus fever without pulmonary syndrome in Panama. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2013 Sep;89(3):489-94. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.12-0334. Epub 2013 Jul 8.PMID: 23836565
18. Armién B, Pascale JM, Munoz C, Lee SJ, Choi KL, Avila M, Broce C, Armien AG, Gracia F, Hjelle B, Koster F.Incidence rate for hantavirus infections without pulmonary syndrome, Panama. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011 Oct;17(10):1936-9. doi: 10.3201/eid1710.101717.PMID: 22000376
19. Nelson R, Cañate R, Pascale JM, Dragoo JW, Armién B, Armien AG, Koster F. Confirmation of Choclo virus as the cause of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome and high serum antibody prevalence in Panama. J Med Virol. 2010 Sep;82(9):1586-93. doi: 10.1002/jmv.21864.PMID: 20648614
20. Gracia F, Armién B, Simpson SQ, Munoz C, Broce C, Pascale JM, Koster F. Convalescent pulmonary dysfunction following hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Panama and the United States. Lung. 2010 Oct;188(5):387-91. doi: 10.1007/s00408-010-9245-4. Epub 2010 Jun 4.PMID: 20524006
21. Tulloch F, Correa R, Guerrero G, Samaniego R, Garcia M, Pascale JM, Martinez A, Mendoza Y, Victoria G, de Lee MN, Marchena L, de Mosca IB, Armién B; Influenza Research Group. Profile of the first cases hospitalized due to influenza A (H1N1) in Panama City, Panama. May-June 2009. J Infect Dev Ctries. 2009 Nov 21;3(11):811-6. doi: 10.3855/jidc.435.PMID: 20061677
22. Armién AG, Armién B, Koster F, Pascale JM, Avila M, Gonzalez P, de la Cruz M, Zaldivar Y, Mendoza Y, Gracia F, Hjelle B, Lee SJ, Yates TL, Salazar-Bravo J. Hantavirus infection and habitat associations among rodent populations in agroecosystems of Panama: implications for human disease risk. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2009 Jul;81(1):59-66.PMID: 19556568
23. Suzán G, Marcé E, Giermakowski JT, Mills JN, Ceballos G, Ostfeld RS, Armién B, Pascale JM, Yates TL. Experimental evidence for reduced rodent diversity causing increased hantavirus prevalence. PLoS One. 2009;4(5):e5461. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005461. Epub 2009 May 6.PMID: 19421313
24. Suaya JA, Shepard DS, Siqueira JB, Martelli CT, Lum LC, Tan LH, Kongsin S, Jiamton S, Garrido F, Montoya R, Armién B, Huy R, Castillo L, Caram M, Sah BK, Sughayyar R, Tyo KR, Halstead SB. Cost of dengue cases in eight countries in the Americas and Asia: a prospective study. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2009 May;80(5):846-55.PMID: 19407136
25. Suzán G, Marcé E, Giermakowski JT, Armién B, Pascale J, Mills J, Ceballos G, Gómez A, Aguirre AA, Salazar-Bravo J, Armién A, Parmenter R, Yates T. The effect of habitat fragmentation and species diversity loss on hantavirus prevalence in Panama. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008 Dec;1149:80-3. doi: 10.1196/annals.1428.063.PMID: 19120179
26. Armién B, Suaya JA, Quiroz E, Sah BK, Bayard V, Marchena L, Campos C, Shepard DS. Clinical characteristics and national economic cost of the 2005 dengue epidemic in Panama. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2008 Sep;79(3):364-71.PMID: 18784227
27. Suzán G, Giermakowski JT, Marcé E, Suzán-Azpiri H, Armién B, Yates TL. Modeling hantavirus reservoir species dominance in high seroprevalence areas on the Azuero Peninsula of Panama. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2006 Jun;74(6):1103-10.PMID: 16760528
28. Bayard V, Kitsutani PT, Barria EO, Ruedas LA, Tinnin DS, Muñoz C, de Mosca IB, Guerrero G, Kant R, Garcia A, Caceres L, Gracio FG, Quiroz E, de Castillo Z, Armién B, Libel M, Mills JN, Khan AS, Nichol ST, Rollin PE, Ksiazek TG, Peters CJ. Outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Los Santos, Panama, 1999-2000. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004 Sep;10(9):1635-42. doi: 10.3201/eid1009.040143.PMID: 15498167
29. Ruedas LA, Salazar-Bravo J, Tinnin DS, Armién B, Cáceres L, García A, Díaz MA, Gracia F, Suzán G, Peters CJ, Yates TL, Mills JN. Community ecology of small mammal populations in Panamá following an outbreak of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. J Vector Ecol. 2004 Jun;29(1):177-91.PMID: 15266755
30. Armién B, Pascale JM, Bayard V, Munoz C, Mosca I, Guerrero G, Armien A, Quiroz E, Castillo Z, Zaldivar Y, Gracia F, Hjelle B, Koster F. High seroprevalence of hantavirus infection on the Azuero peninsula of Panama. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2004 Jun;70(6):682-7.PMID: 15211014
31. Salazar-Bravo J, Armién B, Suzán G, Armién A, Ruedas LA, Avila M, Zaldívar Y, Pascale JM, Gracia F, Yates TL. Serosurvey of wild rodents for hantaviruses in Panama, 2000-2002. J Wildl Dis. 2004 Jan;40(1):103-9. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-40.1.103.PMID: 15137495

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