RESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an alphavirus that causes encephalitis with a high impact on public health in Latin America. However, only in Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mexico have found antibodies in VEEV in bats, using immunohistochemistry, the sensitivity and specificity are improved; thus, it is better for demonstrating natural infection in bats as potential hosts. This study aimed to determine the presence of VEEV in tissues of frugivorous bats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective descriptive cross-sectional study with a non-probabilistic sampling was carried out in 12 localities of Córdoba and Sucre area of the Colombian Caribbean. Two hundred and eighty-six bats were captured using fog nets, and the specimens according to taxonomic keys were classified. According to the Ethics Committee of the University of Córdoba, the bats were treated with analgesics and anesthetics. Blood samples were taken and then euthanized to obtain tissues and organs which were preserved in liquid N2 at -196°C. A portion of each organ was fixed in 10% buffered formalin for the detection of antigens by immunohistochemistry. Several pathological anatomy analyses were performed to determine the histological characteristics of tissue lesions of frugivorous bats naturally infected with the VEEV. RESULTS: Of the 286 bats captured, 23 species were identified. In samples of the brain, spleen, and lung of two frugivorous bats (2/286=0.70%) Artibeus planirostris and Sturnira lilium, the presence of VEEV was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSION: A fragment of the nsP4 non-structural protein gene corresponding to the alphavirus was amplified. Two samples were positive (2/286=0.70%) in frugivorous bats; A. planirostris (code GenBank: MG820274) and S. lilium (code GenBank: MG820275). The present study showed the first molecular evidence and cellular evidence (histopathology and immunohistochemistry) of natural VEEV infection in frugivorous bats in Colombia; these bats could be a host of this zoonosis.
RESUMEN
Objetivo. Determinar la presencia de anticuerpos contra N. caninum en vacas con desordenes reproductivos. Materiales y métodos. Se utilizaron muestras de suerode 196 vacas procedentes de 27 fincas del municipio de Montería, Colombia. La prueba utilizada para la determinación de anticuerpos fue ELISA. Los criterios deinclusión para las vacas fueron: antecedentes de aborto, momificaciones, reabsorciones embrionarias y repetición de servicios. Resultados. El estudio determinó una seropositividad contra N. caninum del 10,2 por ciento. De los animales muestreados, el 10,76 por ciento presentaron abortos, 9,75 por ciento fueron vacas repetidoras de celo, 20.0 por ciento presentaron momificación fetal y 0.0 por ciento con reabsorciones embrionarias. Conclusiones. Con base en los resultados se puede afirmar que existe evidencia de circulación antigénica de N. caninum en hembras bovinas del municipio de Montería, Colombia
Objective. To determine the presence of antibodies anti N. caninum in cows with reproductive disorders. Materials and methods. Sera of 196 cows from 27 farms of Montería city, Colombia, were included. The test used was ELISA. The criteria of inclusion for the cows were: antecedents of abortion, fetal mummification, reabsorption and repetition of services. Results. The study determined seropositive to N. caninum in 10,2% of the animals, of which 10,76% presented abortions, 9,75% were repeating heat, 20.0% presented fetal mummification and 0,0% embryonic reabsorption. Conclusions. There is an antigenic circulation of Neospora caninum in bovine females of Monteria.
