Case report: Urbanized non-human primates as sentinels for human zoonotic diseases: a case of acute fatal toxoplasmosis in a free-ranging marmoset in coinfection with yellow fever virus

Free-ranging non-human primates (NHP) can live in anthropized areas or urban environments in close contact with human populations. This condition can enable the emergence and transmission of high-impact zoonotic pathogens. For the first time, we detected a coinfection of the yellow fever (YF) virus with Toxoplasma gondii in a free-ranging NHP in a highly urbanized area of a metropolis in Brazil. Specifically, we observed this coinfection in a black-tufted marmoset found dead and taken for a necropsy by the local health surveillance service. After conducting an epidemiological investigation, characterizing the pathological features, and performing molecular assays, we confirmed that the marmoset developed an acute fatal infection caused by T. gondii in coinfection with a new YF virus South American-1 sub-lineage. As a result, we have raised concerns about the public health implications of these findings and discussed the importance of diagnosis and surveillance of zoonotic agents in urbanized NHPs. As competent hosts of zoonotic diseases such as YF and environmental sentinels for toxoplasmosis, NHPs play a crucial role in the One Health framework to predict and prevent the emergence of dangerous human pathogens

Aptamers in the diagnosis of Rickettsiosis sensu lato

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-06T17:18:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 daniela_godoyetal_IOC_2014.pdf: 92284 bytes, checksum: 4fa12f8fcfa66d60fbcab5a9a584529a (MD5) license.txt: 1914 bytes, checksum: 7d48279ffeed55da8dfe2f8e81f3b81f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickttesiose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickttesiose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickttesiose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickttesiose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickttesiose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickttesiose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Aptamers are short synthetic oligonucleotides that specifi cally bind to various molecular targets with high affi nity and selectivity. Aptamers have found two main applications in bacteriology, diagnosis in various sensing applications and riboswitches. Rickettsiosis are diseases caused by rickettsias ‘sensu lato’ including spotted fever, typhus, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, bartonellosis and Q fever. Traditional methodologies for the diagnosis of diseases associated with rickettsias ‘sensu lato’ are based on serological testing, bacterial cultures and molecular assays. However, an increasing number of novel technologies, including aptamer-based diagnostic sensors, are now on the horizon, opening up possibilities for earlier diagnosis and more sensitive assays. Th is perspective looks at the contribution of aptamers to rickettsias ‘sensu lato’ diagnosis, providing information on the ‘state of the art’ in this emerging fiel

Molecular Identification of Q Fever in Patients with a Suspected Diagnosis of Dengue in Brazil in 2013-2014

Published online feb. 2016. Ssubject to Restrictions below, author can archive publisher's version/PDF Restrictions: - 12 months embargoSubmitted by Sandra Infurna ([email protected]) on 2017-06-23T18:59:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 elbaregina2_lemos_etal_IOC_2016.pdf: 686130 bytes, checksum: c574717046ce1ab30920168f612c53f6 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Sandra Infurna ([email protected]) on 2017-06-23T19:16:23Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 elbaregina2_lemos_etal_IOC_2016.pdf: 686130 bytes, checksum: c574717046ce1ab30920168f612c53f6 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-23T19:16:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 elbaregina2_lemos_etal_IOC_2016.pdf: 686130 bytes, checksum: c574717046ce1ab30920168f612c53f6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Hospital Municipal Desembargador Leal Junior. Laboratório de Análises Clínicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Hospital Municipal Desembargador Leal Junior. Laboratório de Análises Clínicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Hospital Municipal Desembargador Leal Junior. Laboratório de Análises Clínicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Comunicação e Informação Científica e Tecnológica em Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Q fever is an important cause of undifferentiated fever that is rarely recognized or reported in Brazil. The objective of this study was to look for the presence of Coxiella burnetii during a dengue fever outbreak in the municipality of Itaboraí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where this bacterium had previously infected humans and domesticated animals. Blood samples from clinically suspected dengue fever patients were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for C. burnetii; the DNA was detected in nine (3.3%) of 272 patients. One was coinfected with dengue virus, which was also detected in another 166 (61.3%) patients. The nucleotide sequence of PCR amplification and DNA sequencing of the IS1111 transposase elements in the genome of C. burnetii exhibited 99% identity with the sequence in GenBank. The detection of C. burnetii in patients suspected of dengue fever indicates that awareness and knowledge of Q fever should be strengthened and that this bacterium is present in Brazil. Finally, because a negative molecular result does not completely rule out the diagnosis of Q fever and the serological assay based on seroconversion was not available, the actual number of this zoonosis is likely to be much higher than that reported in this study

Serological Evidence of Exposure to Saint Louis Encephalitis and West Nile Viruses in Horses of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Infections with arboviruses are reported worldwide. Saint Louis encephalitis (SLEV) and West Nile viruses (WNV) are closely related flaviviruses affecting humans and animals. SLEV has been sporadically detected in humans, and corresponding antibodies have been frequently detected in horses throughout Brazil. WNV was first reported in western Brazil over a decade ago, has been associated with neurological disorders in humans and equines and its prevalence is increasing nationwide. Herein, we investigated by molecular and serological methods the presence or evidence of SLEV and WNV in equines from Rio de Janeiro. A total of 435 serum samples were collected from healthy horses and tested for specific neutralizing antibodies by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT90). Additionally, serum and central nervous system samples from 72 horses, including horses with neurological disorders resulting in a fatal outcome or horses which had contact with them, were tested by real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for both viruses. Adopting the criterion of four-fold antibody titer difference, 89 (20.4%) horses presented neutralizing antibodies for SLEV and five (1.1%) for WNV. No evidence of SLEV and WNV infection was detected by RT-qPCR and, thus, such infection could not be confirmed in the additional samples. Our findings indicate that horses from Rio de Janeiro were exposed to both SLEV and WNV, contributing to the current knowledge on the distribution of these viruses flaviviruses in Brazil

Effectiveness of Household Disinfection Techniques to Remove SARS-CoV-2 from Cloth Masks

To assess the efficacy of washing cloth masks, we simulated SARS-CoV-2 contamination in tricoline fabric and tested decontaminants to reduce viral particles. Viral suspensions using two variants (B.1.1.28 and P.1) were inoculated in these fabrics, and the inactivation kinetics were evaluated after washing with various household disinfection products (Soap powder, Lysoform®, Hypochlorite sodium and 70% Alcohol), rinse numbers, and exposure times. Afterward, the fabrics were washed in sterile water, and viral RNA was extracted and amplified using RT-qPCR. Finally, viral replication in cell cultures was examined. Our findings show that all biocidal treatments successfully disinfected the tissue tested. Some products showed less reduction in viral loads, such as soap powder (1.60 × 104, 1.04 × 103), soap powder and Lysoform® (1.60 × 104, 1.04 × 103), and alcohol 70% (1.02 × 103, 5.91 × 101), respectively. However, when sodium hypochlorite was used, this reduction was significantly increased (viral inactivation in 100% of the washes). After the first wash, the reduction in the number of viral particles was greater for the P.1 variant than for the B.1.1.28 variant (W = 51,759, p < 0.05). In conclusion, the role of sodium hypochlorite in cloth mask disinfection may also have implications for future health emergencies as well as recommendation by WHO

Chikungunya Virus Shedding in Semen: A Case Series

Background: Chikungunya is a viral disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes. It is characterized by an acute onset of fever and severe arthralgia. Methods: We describe six cases of acute and post-acute chikungunya in which viral RNA was detected in semen. Conclusions: The most prolonged detection period was 56 days after illness onset. We attempted to cultivate positive semen samples, but virus isolation was unsuccessful in all cases

Rickettsia bellii

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-04T17:07:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1914 bytes, checksum: 7d48279ffeed55da8dfe2f8e81f3b81f (MD5) livia_lopesetal_IOC_2014.pdf: 945880 bytes, checksum: b8249c8aef2028ffc6f14918fdd70120 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Nacional de Saúde (FUNASA-DSEI). Mato Grosso, Brasil.Fundação Nacional de Saúde (FUNASA-DSEI). Mato Grosso, Brasil.Fundação Nacional de Saúde (FUNASA-DSEI). Mato Grosso, Brasil.Fundação Nacional de Saúde (FUNASA-DSEI). Mato Grosso, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres de Reservatórios. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.FFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres de Reservatórios. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Instituto Nacional de Câncer. Departamento de Genética. Programa de Genética. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO). Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrasilInstituto Nacional de Câncer. Departamento de Genética. Programa de Genética. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO). Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the presence of rickettsia and hantavirus in wild rodents and arthropods in response to an outbreak of acute unidentified febrile illness among Indians in the Halataikwa Indian Reserve, northwest of the Mato Grosso state, in the Brazilian Amazon. Where previously surveillance data showed serologic evidence of rickettsia and hantavirus human infection. Methods: The arthropods were collected from the healthy Indian population and by flagging vegetation in grassland or woodland along the peridomestic environment of the Indian reserve. Wild rodents were live-trapped in an area bordering the reserve limits, due the impossibility of capturing wild animals in the Indian reserve. The wild rodents were identified based on external and cranial morphology and karyotype. DNA was extracted from spleen or liver samples of rodents and from invertebrate (tick and louse) pools, and the molecular characterization of the rickettsia was through PCR and DNA sequencing of fragments of two rickettsial genes (gltA and ompA). In relation to hantavirus, rodent serum samples were serologically screened by IgG ELISA using the Araraquara-N antigen and total RNA was extracted from lung samples of IgG-positive rodents. The amplification of the complete S segment was performed. Results: A total of 153 wild rodents, 121 louse, and 36 tick specimens were collected in 2010. Laguna Negra hantavirus was identified in Calomys callidus rodents and Rickettsia bellii, Rickettsia amblyommii were identified in Amblyomma cajennense ticks. Conclusions: Zoonotic diseases such as HCPS and spotted fever rickettsiosis are a public health threat and should be considered in outbreaks and acute febrile illnesses among Indian populations. The presence of the genome of rickettsias and hantavirus in animals in this Indian reserve reinforces the need to include these infectious agents in outbreak investigations of febrile cases in Indian populations