Overview of Q fever in Brazil: an underestimated zoonosis

This review aims to provide current information about Q fever, elucidating the etiological, epidemiological, pathogenic, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and prophylactic aspects of the disease for the medical community. We discuss the main forms of presentation of the agent, its ability to persist in the body, the infinite possibilities of susceptible hosts, the main known forms of transmission, its importance in populations at occupational risk, and the role of arthropods in the natural history of the disease. Focusing on Brazil, we present the cases already described and studies developed since its first report, and how there is still much to unravel. We are aware of the possibilities of the persistence of the agent and the development of severe clinical pictures and the specific treatments currently instituted. We also wish to raise awareness about the future, the new genotypes that are emerging, the need to study the effects of vaccines, and the impact of Q fever on the population. Q fever is a poorly understood disease in Latin America, and recent studies, especially in Brazil, have revealed the importance of developing new studies

Serosurvey of <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> in Police Officers and Working Dogs in Brazil: Case Report and One Health Implications

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

Comparative growth of spotted fever group Rickettsia spp. strains in Vero cells

Submitted by Sandra Infurna ([email protected]) on 2016-08-17T14:09:39Z No. of bitstreams: 1 diego_lopez_etal_IOC_2016.pdf: 2701337 bytes, checksum: 305d815c1ea7388764ecabb822e50305 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Sandra Infurna ([email protected]) on 2016-08-17T14:26:44Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 diego_lopez_etal_IOC_2016.pdf: 2701337 bytes, checksum: 305d815c1ea7388764ecabb822e50305 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-17T14:26:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 diego_lopez_etal_IOC_2016.pdf: 2701337 bytes, checksum: 305d815c1ea7388764ecabb822e50305 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Ezequiel Dias. Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Instituto de Biologia. Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Eucariontes e Simbiontes. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Ezequiel Dias. Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil .Universidade Estadual do Maranhão. Curso de Medicina Veterinária. Laboratório de Parasitologia. São Luís, MA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Instituto de Biologia. Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Eucariontes e Simbiontes. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Instituto de Biologia. Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Eucariontes e Simbiontes. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.In Brazil, the spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia rickettsii and Rickettsia parkeri related species are the etiological agents of spotted fever rickettsiosis. However, the SFG, Rickettsia rhipicephali, that infects humans, has never been reported. The study of growth dynamics can be useful for understanding the infective and invasive capacity of these pathogens. Here, the growth rates of the Brazilian isolates R. rickettsii str. Taiaçu, R. parkeri str. At#24, and R. rhipicephali HJ#5, were evaluated in Vero cells by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. R. rhipicephali showed different kinetic growth compared to R. rickettsii and R. parkeri

Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence in sheep herd from Paraguay: First evidence of bacterial circulation in the country

Coxiella burnetii is the agent of Q fever, a disease that poses risks to public health and damages livestock. We discovered the circulation of C. burnetii for the first time in Paraguay, based on the seropositivity of a flock of >300 sheep. The animals were tested by IFA for anti-C. burnetii antibodies and by SAM for anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies, an important differential diagnosis for reproductive disorders in sheep in Paraguay. C. burnetii seropositivity was determined in 45%, in contrast to Leptospira spp. which had no reactive samples. Cases of miscarriage and fetal resorption were associated with high seropositivity titers. This study suggests the circulation of a unique genotype in the country and an imminent risk to public health, since in addition to being highly transmissible and infectious to humans, Q fever is still not a cause for concern on the part of government and health agencies in the country

Seroprevalence estimate and risk factors for Coxiella burnetii infections among humans in a highly urbanized Brazilian state

Federal University of Juiz de Fora. Faculty of Pharmacy. Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.Embrapa Dairy Cattle. Juiz de Fora, MG, BrazilEzequiel Dias Foundation. Central Public Health Laboratory of the State of Minas Gerais. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.Ezequiel Dias Foundation. Central Public Health Laboratory of the State of Minas Gerais. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.Ezequiel Dias Foundation. Central Public Health Laboratory of the State of Minas Gerais. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.Ezequiel Dias Foundation. Central Public Health Laboratory of the State of Minas Gerais. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.Suprema. Faculty of Medical Sciences and Health of Juiz de Fora. Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Laboratório de Geoprocessamento. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Laboratory of Hantaviruses and Rickettsiosis. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Laboratory of Hantaviruses and Rickettsiosis. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.Federal University of Juiz de Fora. Faculty of Pharmacy. Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.Background: Q fever is among the top 13 global priority zoonoses, however, it is still neglected and under-reported in most of the world, including Brazil. Thus, we evaluated the seroprevalence of and the risk factors for Coxiella burnetii infections in humans from Minas Gerais, a highly urbanised Brazilian state. Methods: Coxiella burnetii was searched for patient samples (n=437), which were suspected of then later confirmed as negative for dengue fever, by the indirect immunofluorescence technique and real-time PCR. Risk factors for infections and spatial clusters for both C. burnetii-seropositive individuals and livestock concentration were evaluated. Results: We found that 21 samples (4.8%; 95% CI 3.0 to 7.2%) were reactive for at least one class of anti-C. burnetii antibodies (titer of ≥64), with rural residence (p=0.036) being a risk factor. Also, two spatial clusters of seropositivity were found within a significant area by Scan, and a probable relationship between the Scan result and the livestock concentration by area was found. Conclusions: Seropositive individuals were associated with rural residence, with a likely relationship with the livestock concentration. Thus, this study establishes baseline figures for C. burnetii seroprevalence in humans in a state of Brazil, allowing the monitoring of trends and setting of control targets, as well as more representative longitudinal and risk analysis studies