Abstract The present study aimed for the molecular detection of Rickettsia spp. in ticks collected from military training areas in southeastern Brazil. Previously, a total of 9,374 free-living ticks in 66 military instruction areas of five Military Organizations (MOs) were collected. From these, a sample of 1,885 ticks was used for molecular analysis..DNA extraction was performed using the “HotSHOT” technique, and PCR was performed using the Rickettsia spp. gltA, 17kDa and ompA genes. It was found that 11 samples produced DNA sequences of sizes compatible with the Rickettsia spp. gltA and 17kDa gene and two of these, also for ompA, with a prevalence of 0.58% (11/1885). Analyses of amplified fragments of gltA identified the samples as Rickettsia bellii in seven nymphs of Amblyomma dubitatum and one nymph of Amblyomma sculptum, and identified samples as Rickettsia sp. in two nymphs of A. dubitatum and one of A. sculptum. This finding warns the possibility of the risk of exposure of military personnel to ticks infected with Rickettsia spp. during training.

ABSTRACT Background: Global publications on Q fever have increased after the 2007 epidemic in the Netherlands. However, the epidemiology of Q fever/coxiellosis in Brazil is still poorly understood. Accordingly, there have been few studies investigating the presence of Coxiella burnetii in dairy products around the world, especially in Brazil, where consumption of fresh cheese made from raw-milk is very high. Objective: This study was a random survey to assess the prevalence of C. burnetii by PCR in traditional Minas artisanal cheese from the Serro microregion, Brazil, which is manufactured from bovine raw-milk. Methods: DNA extracted from 53 cheese samples were analyzed by nested PCR with C. burnetii-specific primers and the products confirmed by DNA sequencing. Results: Out of the 53 cheese samples five (9.43%) were C. burnetii DNA-positive, each coming from one of the respective randomly selected manufacturing agroindustries.Based on our results, it is estimated that 1.62 tons/day of ready-to-eat cheese made from raw-milk from a total of 16.2 tons produced daily in the study region are contaminated with C. burnetii. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first report of highly heat-resistant zoonotic pathogen in raw-milk Brazilian artisanal cheese. This food safety hazard has been completely neglected in ready-to-eat raw-milk Brazilian artisanal cheese and could imply potential threats to consumers, since C. burnetii survives in artisanal cheese submitted to long ripening periods. Thus, this work established random and representative baseline prevalence of C. burnetii in this food product in Brazil. Further epidemiological studies, monitoring trends and setting control targets are warranted. Finally, these results point out the importance of including C. burnetii in animal and public health surveillance programs.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The Amazon tropical rainforest has the most dense and diverse ecosystem worldwide. A few studies have addressed rodent-borne diseases as potential hazards to humans in this region. METHODS: A retrospective survey was conducted using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting mammarenavirus and orthohantavirus antibodies in 206 samples collected from rural settlers of the Brazilian Western Amazonian region. RESULTS: Six (2.91%) individuals in the age group of 16 to 36 years were found to possess antibodies against mammarenavirus. CONCLUSION: Evidence of previous exposure to mammarenavirus in the rural population points to its silent circulation in this region.

Resumo Este trabalho teve como objetivo detectar evidências moleculares da presença de agentes dos gêneros Rickettsia, Borrelia, Babesia, Anaplasma e Ehrlichia transmitidos por carrapatos coletados de aves silvestres no estado do Rio de Janeiro. Aves foram capturadas e observadas cuidadosamente a procura de ectoparasitos. A detecção de DNA de hemoparasitos foi realizada por meio da reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). As sequências obtidas foram analisadas e sua homologia comparada aos isolados disponíveis na base de dados da plataforma GenBank. Foram capturadas 33 aves, de 20 espécies diferentes das quais 14 estavam parasitadas por Amblyomma longirostre (n = 22). Houve ausência de DNA de agentes dos gêneros Babesia, Anaplasma e Ehrlichia nas amostras avaliadas. A análise filogenética indicou que uma amostra apresentou 100% de identidade com Rickettsia bellii (KJ534309), as outras duas amostras apresentaram 100% de identidade com Rickettsia sp. cepa Aranha e Cepa AL (EU274654 e AY360216.). A amostra positiva para R. bellii também apresentou positividade para Borrelia sp. que apresentou similaridade de 91% com Borrelia turcica (KF422815). Esta é a primeira descrição de Borrelia sp. em carrapatos do gênero Amblyomma na América do Sul.

Abstract The aim of this study is to detect the presence of tick-borne agents of genera Rickettsia, Borrelia, Babesia, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma in ticks collected from native wild birds in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Birds were captured and observed carefully to find the ectoparasites. DNA detection of hemoparasites was performed by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The sequences obtained were analyzed and their homologies were compared to the available isolates in the GenBank platform database. A total of 33 birds were captured from 20 different species, of which 14 were parasitized by Amblyomma longirostre (n = 22). There was absence of DNA from agents of the genera Babesia, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia in the evaluated samples. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that one sample had 100% identity with Rickettsia bellii (KJ534309), the other two samples showed 100% identity with Rickettsia sp. Aranha strain and strain AL (EU274654 and AY360216). The positive sample for R. bellii was also demonstrated to be positive for Borrelia sp., which presented a similarity of 91% with Borrelia turcica (KF422815). This is the first description of Borrelia sp. in ticks of the genus Amblyomma in South America.

ABSTRACT During the Brazilian slavery period, many African migrants were brought to the American continent. Historically, some of these migrants escaped from the Brazilian gold mines and farms to which they had been brought and settled in remote valleys and this was the main mode of resistance to the slavery system. These runaway-slave descendant communities are called quilombos, a group with distinct ethnic identity, specific behavioral habits, including geographic isolation and conservative practices. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of rodent-borne viruses in two Afro-descendent communities from Mato Grosso do Sul State, Midwestern Brazil. A total of 319 individuals from rural and urban quilombola communities were enrolled. Twelve (3.76%) had anti-rodent-borne virus IgG antibodies. Seven (2.19%) were anti-mammarenavirus reactive and nine (2.82%) had anti-orthohantavirus antibodies. The literature includes limited data on the health status of quilombola communities, but all the studies emphasize the disparity of attention of local healthcare personnel to these communities compared to the general population. The findings of this study highlight the vulnerability and the precarious health conditions of quilombola groups, especially those living in rural areas and thus, point to the need of preventive measures to improve access to healthcare for this ethnic group.

ABSTRACT Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS) is an important emergent zoonosis associated with wild rodents in Brazil, where this viral infection in children is generally rare. We present HCPS in a child from the Pantanal Biome and a review of all reported pediatric cases in Mato Grosso State, an endemic area for HCPS in Brazil. The investigation used the Information System for Notifiable Diseases database (SINAN). A 12-year-old boy was hospitalized with fever and respiratory failure and hantavirus IgM and IgG antibodies were detected by ELISA in serum samples. During the period of 1999 to 2016, 32 HCPS pediatric cases confirmed by serology were reported to SINAN with a mortality rate of 34.4%. The possibility of hantavirus infection in children with acute febrile illness associated with respiratory failure should be considered mainly in recognized endemic areas as Mato Grosso State, contradicting a hypothesis that children are more protected from lung involvement.

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of the Aporé virus (Bunyavirales: Arenaviridae), obtained from a wild rodent Oligoryzomys mattogrossae captured in Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. The genome of this virus showed strong similarity to highly pathogenic mammarenavirus from South America.

Resumo O estudo teve como objetivo realizar a caracterização morfológica, molecular e filogenética de Borrelia theileri obtida de Rhipicephalus microplus naturalmente infectado em bovino no estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Um total de 50 fêmeas de R. microplus ingurgitadas foram analisadas para espiroquetas por meio de esfregaço de hemolinfa. Ovos macerados e carrapatos, assim como sangue de bovinos infectados por esses carrapatos, foram analisados os genes glpQ, flaB e hpt por PCR. Os produtos de PCR foram purificados e sequenciados para análise e construção de uma árvore filogenética. Apenas 2% (1/50) dos carrapatos geraram um resultado positivo tanto pelo esfregaço como pela PCR. As formas espirais (n = 50) apresentaram (média ± DP) comprimento médio de 19,17 ± 4,12, diâmetro de 0,2935 ± 0,0469 e número de voltas de 8,44 ± 2,59. Os alinhamentos das sequências dos três genes avaliados exibiram 98% de similaridade aos isolados de B. theileri, ocorrendo em um clado altamente relacionado à linhagem de B. theileri KAT. As amostras de maceração de ovos foram positivas para os três genes avaliados, enquanto o sangue bovino foi negativo pela PCR. Esta é a mais completa caracterização de B. theileri nas Américas, apresentando dados morfológicos, moleculares e filogenéticos, incluindo a transmissão transovarial da espiroqueta no carrapato hospedeiro.

Abstract This study aimed to perform a morphological, molecular and phylogenetic characterization of Borrelia theileri obtained from infected Rhipicephalus microplus in Brazil. Fifty engorged R. microplus females from cattle in the municipality of Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, were analyzed for spirochetes by hemolymph smear. Macerated eggs and positive ticks, as well as blood from the bovine infested by these ticks, were analyzed the glpQ, flaB and hpt genes by PCR. The PCR products were purified and sequenced for analysis and construction of a phylogenetic tree. Only 2% (1/50) of the ticks generated a positive result by both smear and PCR. The spiral forms (n = 50) had (media ± SD) a mean length of 19.17 ± 4.12 µm, diameter of 0.2935 ± 0.0469 and number of turns 8.44 ± 2.59. Sequence alignments of the three evaluated genes exhibited 98% similarity to B. theileri isolates, occurring in a clade highly related to B. theileri strain KAT. Egg maceration samples were positive for the three evaluated genes, whereas bovine blood was negative by PCR. This is the most detailed characterization of B. theileri in the Americas to-date, presenting morphological, molecular and phylogenetic data, including the transovarial transmission of the spirochete in the host tick.

ABSTRACT Q fever is a worldwide zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii—a small obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium found in a variety of animals. It is transmitted to humans by inhalation of contaminated aerosols from urine, feces, milk, amniotic fluid, placenta, abortion products, wool, and rarely by ingestion of raw milk from infected animals. Nested PCR can improve the sensitivity and specificity of testing while offering a suitable amplicon size for sequencing. Serial dilutions were performed tenfold to test the limit of detection, and the result was 10× detection of C. burnetti DNA with internal nested PCR primers relative to trans-PCR. Different biological samples were tested and identified only in nested PCR. This demonstrates the efficiency and effectiveness of the primers. Of the 19 samples, which amplify the partial sequence of C. burnetii, 12 were positive by conventional PCR and nested PCR. Seven samples—five spleen tissue samples from rodents and two tick samples—were only positive in nested PCR. With these new internal primers for trans-PCR, we demonstrate that our nested PCR assay for C. burnetii can achieve better results than conventional PCR.

BACKGROUND Human herpesvirus 2 (HHV-2) have DNA genome with a limited genetic variability and have been classified into two clades. OBJECTIVES To identify and characterise six HHV-2 isolates derived from Brazilian women. METHODS HHV-2 isolates were performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of 2250 pb of the glycoprotein B (gB) coding regions. FINDINGS Four HHV-2 isolates were classified into clade B, while the remaining two, derived from HIV-1 co-infected women, showed a notable genetic divergence (> 1%). MAIN CONCLUSION The results reveal novel HHV-2 variants. The impact of these novel variants on HHV-2 pathogenesis and HIV/HHV-2 coinfection need to be investigated.

Introduction Over the last recent years, the number of Q fever cases have has increased throughout the world. An epidemiological investigation was performed in the area in which the first molecular documentation of Q fever in Brazil was previously reported. Methods Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and PCR of Coxiella burnetii targeting the htpAB gene were performed in samples from 14 dogs (blood); 1 cat (blood); 10 goats (blood, milk, vaginal swab and anal swab); 3 sheep (blood); and 2 horses (blood). Results Two dogs, two sheep and five goats were seroreactive. DNA was amplified from 6 milk and 2 blood samples from goats and from dogs, respectively. The sequence of the amplicons exhibited 99% sequence similarity with the homologous sequence of the htpAB gene of C. burnetii RSA 331 (GenBank - CP000890). Conclusions The results confirm C. burnetii infection in animals in Rio de Janeiro and reinforce the need for the surveillance of Q fever in Brazil.

We characterised hantaviruses circulating in different Akodon rodent species collected in midwestern Santa Catarina (SC), southern Brazil, where the Jabora hantavirus (JABV) strain was first identified in Akodon montensis. Genetic and phylogenetic analyses based on a partial S segment indicated that, in SC, Akodon paranaensis and A. montensis carried the same type of hantavirus. Additionally, we conducted the first genomic characterisation of the complete S segment from the Brazilian JABV strain. This is the first report of A. paranaensis infected with the JABV.

A lethal case of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is presented. Clinical features were initially of gastrointestinal involvement and evolved with progression to septic shock, meningoencephalitis and death on the 6th day of illness. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for spotted fever group rickettsia (SFGR) was non-reactive. Diagnosis was confirmed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the nucleotide sequencing of a fragment of the ompA gene showed 100% homology to Rickettsia rickettsii. BSF has not been reported in the city of Rio de Janeiro in the last three decades, and the present description should alert the clinicians to its presence in urban Rio de Janeiro, and to the differential diagnosis with dengue fever, gastroenteritis, leptospirosis and bacterial septic shock, among others.