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de França DA, da Silva JS, Rodrigues NJL, Duré AÍDL, Farinhas JH, Kmetiuk LB, Langoni H, Biondo AW. Serosurvey of Coxiella burnetii in Police Officers and Working Dogs in Brazil: Case Report and One Health Implications. Trop Med Infect Dis 2024; 9:78. [PMID: 38668539 PMCID: PMC11054645 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed9040078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the Coxiella burnetii infection has been investigated in dogs, its role in human transmission remains to be fully established, particularly in close and daily human-dog contact settings, such as in Police K-9 Units. METHODS Accordingly, this study aimed to assess anti-C. burnetii antibodies in clinically healthy police officers by an in-house indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and working dogs by a commercial IFA Kit, from the State Special Operations Battalion, Paraná, Southern Brazil. RESULTS Overall, 1/18 (5.5%) police officers and 9/30 (30.0%; CI 95% 16.66-47.88) dogs tested seropositive to anti-C. burnetii IgG antibodies. CONCLUSIONS To date, this is the highest prevalence of Q fever seropositivity among military dogs worldwide. Despite the low sampling rate, a statistically significant association was found between seropositivity and female dogs (p = 0.0492). Further studies with larger sample sizes should be conducted to establish the prevalence of Q Fever in other Brazilian K-9 Units. In summary, this study is the first to conduct a concomitant serosurvey of police officers and working dogs, and its findings should be considered a warning for cross-exposure and transmission of Coxiella burnetii among Police K-9 Units in Brazil and worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Alves de França
- Department of Animal Production and Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animals Science, São Paulo State University, Botucatu 05508-220, Brazil; (D.A.d.F.); (N.J.L.R.); (H.L.)
| | - Jéssica Santos da Silva
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná State, Curitiba 81530-000, Brazil; (J.S.d.S.); (J.H.F.)
| | - Nássarah Jabur Lot Rodrigues
- Department of Animal Production and Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animals Science, São Paulo State University, Botucatu 05508-220, Brazil; (D.A.d.F.); (N.J.L.R.); (H.L.)
| | - Ana Íris de Lima Duré
- Service of Virology and Rickettsiosis, Octavio Magalhaes Institute, Ezequiel Dias Foundation, Belo Horizonte 30510-010, Brazil;
| | - João Henrique Farinhas
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná State, Curitiba 81530-000, Brazil; (J.S.d.S.); (J.H.F.)
| | - Louise Bach Kmetiuk
- Zoonoses Surveillance Unit, Municipal Secretary of Health, Curitiba 81265-320, Brazil;
| | - Helio Langoni
- Department of Animal Production and Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animals Science, São Paulo State University, Botucatu 05508-220, Brazil; (D.A.d.F.); (N.J.L.R.); (H.L.)
| | - Alexander Welker Biondo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná State, Curitiba 81530-000, Brazil; (J.S.d.S.); (J.H.F.)
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de Mello VVC, de Oliveira LB, Coelho TFSB, Lee DAB, Franco EO, Machado RZ, André MR. Molecular survey of hemoplasmas and Coxiella burnetii in vampire bats from northern Brazil. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 106:102127. [PMID: 38277904 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2024.102127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
In addition to zoonotic viral pathogens, bats can also harbor bacterial pathogens, including hemoplasmas (hemotropic mycoplasmas) and Coxiella burnetii. The present study aimed to investigate, using molecular techniques, the presence of hemoplasmas and C. burnetii in spleen samples from vampire bats in northern Brazil. For this purpose, between 2017 and 2019, spleen samples were collected from Desmodus rotundus (n = 228) and Diaemus youngii (n = 1) captured in the states of Pará (n = 207), Amazonas (n = 1), Roraima (n = 18) and Amapá (n = 3). DNA samples extracted from the bat spleen and positive in PCR for the endogenous gapdh gene were subjected to conventional PCR assays for the 16S rRNA, 23S rRNA and RNAse P genes from hemoplasmas and to qPCR based on the IS1111 gene element for C. burnetii. All spleen samples from vampire bats were negative in the qPCR for C. burnetii. Hemoplasmas were detected in 10 % (23/229) of spleen samples using a PCR based on the 16S rRNA gene. Of these, 21.73 % (5/23) were positive for the 23S rRNA gene and none for the RNAseP gene. The seven hemoplasma 16S rRNA sequences obtained were closely related to sequences previously identified in vampire bats from Belize, Peru and Brazil. The 23S rRNA sequence obtained revealed genetic proximity to hemoplasmas from non-hematophagous bats from Brazil and Belize. The analysis revealed different circulating genotypes among Brazilian vampire bats, in addition to a trend towards genera-specific hemoplasma genotypes. The present study contributes to the knowledge of the wide diversity of hemoplasmas in vampire bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victória Valente Califre de Mello
- Postgraduate Program in Agricultural Microbiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil; Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Laryssa Borges de Oliveira
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Daniel Antonio Braga Lee
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Eliz Oliveira Franco
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
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