Detecting Biothreat Agents: the Portuguese National Reference Laboratory Response

At present, the threat of a biological terrorist event with a dangerous pathogen and its insidious impact are among the most, yet least understood, threats to civil society today. The use of manufactured weapon, such as bomb, will produce consequences limited in time hence the most of the damage occurs immediately. By contrast, the use of a biological weapon is an extended process whose scope and timing cannot be precisely controlled. Many biological agents could be used as biological weapons. The CDC bioterrorism list includes 45 biological agents that have been targeted as most likely to be used in bioterrorism attack. Of these, six have been designated as ‘‘high priority’’ agents: Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularensis, Brucella spp., botulinum toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum and Variola major virus. Beside the pathogenic impact, the use of these agents will likely produce widespread panic, which will quickly overwhelm local law enforcement, as well as providers of health care. Since the majority of these agents require an incubation period before disease becomes noticed, the terrorists often escape without notice. The Portuguese National Institute of Health (PNIH) is prepared to recognize and respond to a biological event, including bioterrorism, having responsibilities in the determination of the etiological agent’s and its susceptibility to antibiotics. In order to ensure quick and reliable results, a laboratory algorithm was developed, taking in account the human and technical resources available. This algorithm was tested within a framework of an external quality control scheme and the results obtained demonstrated that the performance of our lab is at the same level of other European reference labs, even if the human, technical and financial resources are quite different. The PNIH also have the responsibility to inform other health and criminal authorities whenever an unusual biological agent is detected. Therefore, the role of PNIH is essential, promoting a rapid laboratory response and contributing to risk communication between the several authorities with responsibilities in the establishment of preparedness plans and measures that will contribute to control and mitigate the effects of bioterrorism attack on public health

Tularémia: uma zoonose emergente?

Descrever a frequência de F. tularensis em Portugal, em amostras humanas, artrópodes vetores e potenciais reservatórios como os lagomorfos silvestres entre 1 de janeiro de 2011 e 15 de junho de 2015.FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (projeto PTDC/SAU-ESA/104947/2008; C. Carvalho, bolseira de doutoramento SFRH/BD/79225/2011

Ebolavirus outbreak in West Africa: Portuguese laboratory response overview

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the largest and most complex outbreak since the virus was discovered in 1976. First cases were notified in March of 2014 and currently cases are still being reported in the affected countries. To respond to the epidemic of Ebola virus, Portugal created an coordination committee where the National Institute of Health, through the Emergency Response and Biopreparedness Unit (UREB), participated integrating the “Platform Response to Ebola Virus Disease”. This unit is the national reference laboratory for biological events or catastrophes and has skilled professionals, know-how, BSL-3 facilities, capacity to work 24h/7d and trained human resources to increase lab capacity in emergency situations. The laboratory diagnosis capacity includes the detection of bacteria, virus and toxins, which are considered bioterrorism agents, using Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Biology techniques. elopment of national guidelines and establish an agreement with European reference BSL-4 laboratories for additional tests.N/

Francisella-like endosymbiont in Dermacentor reticulatus collected in Portugal

In Portugal, recent studies have confirmed the presence of Francisella tularensis in Dermacentor reticulatus. Bacterial endosymbionts with significant homology to F. tularensis have been described in several species of ticks. In this work we identified Francisella-like endosymbionts in D. reticulatus ticks (39%), confirming the presence of these bacteria in Portugal. This finding should be considered in future studies using molecular approaches to detect Francisella prevalence in ticks and environmental samples

Ticks collected from humans and tick-borne agents within the National Network for Vector Surveillance (REVIVE), 2011-2015

A Rede de Vigilância de Vetores REVIVE – Ixodídeos foi desenvolvida em Portugal para vigiar e aumentar o conhecimento sobre as espécies de ixodídeos presentes e dos agentes patogénicos a estes associados. Esta rede foi estabelecida em 2011 apresentando este estudo os resultados obtidos nos primeiros cinco anos de vigilância nas carraças removidas de humanos, relativamente às espécies ixodológicas, sua abundância, sazonalidade e presença de Rickettsia e Borrelia.REVIVE - Ticks is a National Network for Vector Surveillance developed to enhance knowledge about ticks and the pathogens that they may carry. The Network was established in 2011 and this study presents the results obtained during five years of surveillance of ticks removed from humans concerning tick species, relative abundance, seasonality and the presence of Rickettsia and Borrelia.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Portuguese hosts for Ornithodoros erraticus ticks

The hematophagous soft tick Ornithodoros erraticus feeds nocturnally on multiple warm-blooded vertebrate hosts. This tick is often found living buried in the soil of traditional pigpens. O. erraticus is an important infectious disease vector both for humans and animals. In the Iberian Peninsula, this tick serves as the vector of human tick-borne relapsing fever caused by the spirochete Borrelia hispanica. The natural ecosystems maintaining this spirochete are not well understood, with details of competent vertebrate reservoirs and tick–host interactions poorly understood. Investigation of arthropod blood meal composition provides evidence linking the vector to specific hosts, providing insights into possible disease reservoirs. Ticks collected from two pigpens located in southern Portugal were subjected to blood meal analysis. PCR amplification of vertebrate cytochrome b was used to disclose the original host from which 349 ticks had derived their previous blood meal. Host origins for blood meal analysis from 79 of 349 ticks revealed that 46.8% had previously fed from pigs, 35.4% human, 13.9% bovine, 5.1% sheep, 1.3% rodent, and 1.3% from birds. Three samples revealed mixed blood meals, namely, human–pig (1.3%), sheep–pig (1.3%), and bovine–pig (1.3%). The major role of pigs as hosts is consistent with fieldwork observations and underlines the importance of pigs for maintaining O. erraticus tick populations. Humans serve as accidental hosts, frequently confirmed by reports from both producers and veterinarians. Other livestock species and wildlife prevalent in the region appear only to have a minor role in maintaining this tick. The results demonstrate the importance of blood meal analysis to determine tick hosts providing a tool for investigation of sylvatic cycle for Borrelia hispanica

First Case of Tularemia Reported in Portugal: Probably of Imported Origin

The authors report the case of a 47-year-old man who walked in the countryside on the island of Bornholm, during the summer period. Three days later, fever, myalgias and adynamia began. The serological tests, Real-time PCR and isolation of the bacteria from the culture of lymph biopsy confirmed the presence of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica

Burkholderia pseudomallei: primeiro caso de melioidose em Portugal

Objetivo: Este estudo apresenta o primeiro caso de melioidose em Portugal, revelando o importante papel da metodologia de Sequenciação Total do Genoma para a correta identificação e caracterização da estirpe isolada

Portuguese Hosts for Ornithodoros erraticus Ticks

The hematophagous soft tick Ornithodoros erraticus feeds nocturnally on multiple warm-blooded vertebrate hosts. This tick is often found living buried in the soil of traditional pigpens. O. erraticus is an important infectious disease vector both for humans and animals. In the Iberian Peninsula, this tick serves as the vector of human tick-borne relapsing fever caused by the spirochete Borrelia hispanica. The natural ecosystems maintaining this spirochete are not well understood, with details of competent vertebrate reservoirs and tick–host interactions poorly understood. Investigation of arthropod blood meal composition provides evidence linking the vector to specific hosts, providing insights into possible disease reservoirs. Ticks collected from two pigpens located in southern Portugal were subjected to blood meal analysis. PCR amplification of vertebrate cytochrome b was used to disclose the original host from which 349 ticks had derived their previous blood meal. Host origins for blood meal analysis from 79 of 349 ticks revealed that 46.8% had previously fed from pigs, 35.4% human, 13.9% bovine, 5.1% sheep, 1.3% rodent, and 1.3% from birds. Three samples revealed mixed blood meals, namely, human–pig (1.3%), sheep–pig (1.3%), and bovine–pig (1.3%). The major role of pigs as hosts is consistent with fieldwork observations and underlines the importance of pigs for maintaining O. erraticus tick populations. Humans serve as accidental hosts, frequently confirmed by reports from both producers and veterinarians. Other livestock species and wildlife prevalent in the region appear only to have a minor role in maintaining this tick. The results demonstrate the importance of blood meal analysis to determine tick hosts providing a tool for investigation of sylvatic cycle for Borrelia hispanica