ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Waste pickers constitute a marginalized demographic engaged in the collection of refuse, facing considerable occupational hazards that heighten their susceptibility to contract infectious diseases. Moreover, waste pickers contend with societal stigmatization and encounter barriers to accessing healthcare services. To explore the viral profile of waste pickers potentially linked to their occupational environment, we conducted a metagenomic analysis on 120 plasma specimens sampled from individuals employed at the Cidade Estrutural dumpsite in Brasilia city, Brazil. In total, 60 blood donors served as a comparative control group. Specimens were pooled and subjected to Illumina NextSeq 2000 sequencing. Viral abundance among waste pickers revealed the presence of significant pathogens, including HIV, HCV, and Chikungunya, which were not detected in the control group. Additionally, elevated levels of anelloviruses and Human pegivirus-1 were noted, with a comparable incidence in the control group. These findings underscore the utility of metagenomics in identifying clinically relevant viral agents within underserved populations. The implications of this study extend to informing public health policies aimed at surveilling infectious diseases among individuals facing socioeconomic disparities and limited access to healthcare resources.
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic infection caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The infection is widely disseminated in the human population and is usually benign or asymptomatic. Systemic T. gondii infection presents risks for pregnant women and AIDS patients. Although rare, T. gondii can cause outbreaks in urban centers. The origin of these outbreaks is not completely understood but probably results from introduction of zoonotic T. gondii strains in the population. During such outbreaks other pathogens which mimic T. gondii acute febrile syndrome may also circulate; therefore, detailed investigation of the outbreak is of extreme importance. In this study we performed viral metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in patient samples obtained during T. gondii outbreak in Santa Maria city, South Brazil. Specific bioinformatics pipelines specialized in virus discovery were applied in order to identify co-circulating vial agents. Epstein Barr virus and Parvovirus B19 contigs were assembled and these viruses can cause symptoms similar to toxoplasmosis. In conclusion, our findings show the importance of Metagenomics next generation sequencing (mNGS) use to help characterize the outbreak more completely and in the management of the affected patients.