Serological markers for hepatitis a among captive and free-living wild mammals in the State of Pará, Brazil / Marcadores sorológicos para hepatite A entre mamíferos silvestres cativos e de vida livre do Estado do Pará, Brasil

The hepatitis A virus (HAV, Hepatovirus A) in humans has a relevant impact on public health, especially in geographic regions with poor basic sanitation, such as the Brazilian Amazon. Isolates related to hepatoviruses have been described in non human primates, chiropterans, marsupials, rodents, marmots, shrews, and terrestrial hedgehogs. However, the circulation of these viruses in the Amazonian mammal fauna remains unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies against this hepatovirus in captive and free-living wild mammals belonging to the orders Didelphimorphia, Primates, Carnivora, and Artiodactyla. Serum samples from 71 animals, from three municipalities in the State of Pará (Belém, Santarém, and Capitão Poço) were tested for total anti-HAV and anti-HAV IgM through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Total anti-HAV antibodies were detected in 29.5% (21/71) of non-human primates, 8.4% (6/71) of carnivores, and 5.6% (4/71) of didelphos. All tayassuidos 0% (0/2) were seronegative. Anti-HAV IgM antibodies were not detected in any of the samples tested. The highest total anti-HAV seropositivity in the municipalities studied was in Santarém with 54.24% (12/22), followed by Capitão Poço with 50% (15/30), and then Belém with 21.05% (4/19). Among the seropositive animals, animals kept in exposure cages showed 43.9% (18/41), quarantined animals with 60% (9/15), and free-living animals with 26.6% (4/15). The serological results indicated a profile of previous exposure to hepatovirus among these animals. Therefore, additional studies to characterize HAV-related viruses in captive and free living wild animals need to be conducted to better understand the impact of the circulation of this virus on human and animal health.(AU)

O vírus da hepatite A (HAV, Hepatovirus A) em seres humanos apresenta relevante impacto na saúde pública, principalmente em regiões geográficas com saneamento básico deficiente, como a Amazônia brasileira. Isolados relacionados a hepatovírus foram descritos em primatas não humanos, quirópteros, marsupiais, roedores, marmotas, musaranhos e ouriços terrestres, entretanto a circulação destes vírus na mastofauna Amazônia ainda permanece desconhecida. O presente estudo objetivou avaliar a prevalência de anticorpos contra esse hepatovírus, em mamíferos silvestres cativos e de vida livre, pertencentes às ordens Didelphimorphia, Primates, Carnivora e Artiodactyla. Amostras de soro de 71 animais, provenientes de três municípios do Estado do Pará (Belém, Santarém e Capitão-Poço) foram testadas para pesquisa de anti-HAV total e anti-HAV IgM por técnica imunoenzimática (ELISA). Anticorpos anti-HAV total foram detectados em 26,75% (19/71) dos primatas não-humanos, seguido dos felídeos com 11,26% (8/71) e didelphos com 4,24% (3/71), todos os tayassuídes (0/2) foram soronegativos. Anticorpos anti-HAV IgM não foram detectados em nenhuma das amostras testadas. A maior prevalência sorológica para o anti-HAV total ocorreu no município de Santarém (54,24%). E dentre animais soropositivos os mantidos apresentou 43,9% (18/41) dos espécimes, os de quarentena com 56,25% (9/16) e os de vida livre com 21,43% (3/14). Os resultados sorológicos indicaram perfil de exposição pregressa à hepatovírus entre os animais, portanto estudos adicionais para caracterização de vírus relacionados ao HAV em animais silvestres de cativeiro e vida livre precisam ser desenvolvidos para melhor compreensão do impacto da circulação do agente na saúde humana e animal.(AU)

Serological markers for hepatitis a among captive and free-living wild mammals in the State of Pará, Brazil / Marcadores sorológicos para hepatite A entre mamíferos silvestres cativos e de vida livre do Estado do Pará, Brasil

The hepatitis A virus (HAV, Hepatovirus A) in humans has a relevant impact on public health, especially in geographic regions with poor basic sanitation, such as the Brazilian Amazon. Isolates related to hepatoviruses have been described in non human primates, chiropterans, marsupials, rodents, marmots, shrews, and terrestrial hedgehogs. However, the circulation of these viruses in the Amazonian mammal fauna remains unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies against this hepatovirus in captive and free-living wild mammals belonging to the orders Didelphimorphia, Primates, Carnivora, and Artiodactyla. Serum samples from 71 animals, from three municipalities in the State of Pará (Belém, Santarém, and Capitão Poço) were tested for total anti-HAV and anti-HAV IgM through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Total anti-HAV antibodies were detected in 29.5% (21/71) of non-human primates, 8.4% (6/71) of carnivores, and 5.6% (4/71) of didelphos. All tayassuidos 0% (0/2) were seronegative. Anti-HAV IgM antibodies were not detected in any of the samples tested. The highest total anti-HAV seropositivity in the municipalities studied was in Santarém with 54.24% (12/22), followed by Capitão Poço with 50% (15/30), and then Belém with 21.05% (4/19). Among the seropositive animals, animals kept in exposure cages showed 43.9% (18/41), quarantined animals with 60% (9/15), and free-living animals with 26.6% (4/15). The serological results indicated a profile of previous exposure to hepatovirus among these animals. Therefore, additional studies to characterize HAV-related viruses in captive and free living wild animals need to be conducted to better understand the impact of the circulation of this virus on human and animal health.

O vírus da hepatite A (HAV, Hepatovirus A) em seres humanos apresenta relevante impacto na saúde pública, principalmente em regiões geográficas com saneamento básico deficiente, como a Amazônia brasileira. Isolados relacionados a hepatovírus foram descritos em primatas não humanos, quirópteros, marsupiais, roedores, marmotas, musaranhos e ouriços terrestres, entretanto a circulação destes vírus na mastofauna Amazônia ainda permanece desconhecida. O presente estudo objetivou avaliar a prevalência de anticorpos contra esse hepatovírus, em mamíferos silvestres cativos e de vida livre, pertencentes às ordens Didelphimorphia, Primates, Carnivora e Artiodactyla. Amostras de soro de 71 animais, provenientes de três municípios do Estado do Pará (Belém, Santarém e Capitão-Poço) foram testadas para pesquisa de anti-HAV total e anti-HAV IgM por técnica imunoenzimática (ELISA). Anticorpos anti-HAV total foram detectados em 26,75% (19/71) dos primatas não-humanos, seguido dos felídeos com 11,26% (8/71) e didelphos com 4,24% (3/71), todos os tayassuídes (0/2) foram soronegativos. Anticorpos anti-HAV IgM não foram detectados em nenhuma das amostras testadas. A maior prevalência sorológica para o anti-HAV total ocorreu no município de Santarém (54,24%). E dentre animais soropositivos os mantidos apresentou 43,9% (18/41) dos espécimes, os de quarentena com 56,25% (9/16) e os de vida livre com 21,43% (3/14). Os resultados sorológicos indicaram perfil de exposição pregressa à hepatovírus entre os animais, portanto estudos adicionais para caracterização de vírus relacionados ao HAV em animais silvestres de cativeiro e vida livre precisam ser desenvolvidos para melhor compreensão do impacto da circulação do agente na saúde humana e animal.

Detection of hantavirus in bats from remaining rain forest in São Paulo, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The significant biodiversity found in Brazil is a potential for the emergence of new zoonoses. Study in some places of the world suggest of the presence to hantavirus in tissues of bats. Researches of hantavirus in wildlife, out rodents, are very scarce in Brazil. Therefore we decided to investigate in tissues of different species of wild animals captured in the same region where rodents were detected positive for this virus. The present work analyzed ninety-one animals (64 rodents, 19 opossums, and 8 bats) from a region of the Atlantic forest in Biritiba Mirin City, São Paulo State, Brazil. Lungs and kidneys were used for RNA extraction. FINDINGS: The samples were screened for evidence of hantavirus infection by SYBR-Green-based real-time RT-PCR. Sixteen samples positive were encountered among the wild rodents, bats, and opossums. The detection of hantavirus in the lungs and kidneys of three marsupial species (Micoureus paraguayanus, Monodelphis ihering, and Didelphis aurita) as well in two species of bats (Diphylla ecaudata and Anoura caudifer) is of significance because these new hosts could represent an important virus reservoirs. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of nucleotide sequences of the partial S segment revealed that these genes were more related to the Araraquara virus strains. This work reinforces the importance of studying hantavirus in different animal species and performing a continued surveillance before this virus spreads in new hosts and generated serious problems in public health.