Presence of neutralizing antibodies to Orthopoxvirus in Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in Brazil

Authors

  • André Victor Barbosa Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
  • Maria Luiza G Medaglia Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
  • Herbert S Soares Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
  • Jociane C Quixabeira-Santos Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
  • Solange M Gennari Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
  • Clarissa R Damaso Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.5216

Keywords:

Cantagalo virus, vaccinia virus, poxvirus, capybara, Orthopoxvirus, animal reservoir

Abstract

Cantagalo virus is a strain of vaccinia virus (genus Orthopoxvirus) and the etiological agent of an important vesicopustular disease that affects dairy cows and milkers in Brazil. The reservoirs involved in the maintenance of this virus in nature are unknown. In the present work, the detection of neutralizing antibodies to Orthopoxvirus in capybaras collected in São Paulo state is reported. Capybaras are the largest rodent species native to South America and have already been reported as putative reservoirs of other pathogenic microorganisms. Thirteen out of thirty-three serum samples were found positive in plaque-reduction neutralization tests, some of them showing high titers compared to positive controls. These results suggest that capybaras may play a role in the infection cycle of vaccinia virus in Brazil.

Author Biographies

André Victor Barbosa, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

BSc in Biological Sciences

Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho

Maria Luiza G Medaglia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

BSc and MSc in Biological Sciences

PhD student at Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho

Herbert S Soares, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

DVM; PhD in Veterinary Sciences

Posdoc at Dept Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal,
Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia

Jociane C Quixabeira-Santos, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

DVM; MSc in Veterinary Sciences

 

Solange M Gennari, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

DVM; PhD. Full Professor at the Dept Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia

Clarissa R Damaso, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

MSc and PhD in Biological Sciences. Associate Professor.

Head of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Virus

Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho

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Published

2014-12-15

How to Cite

1.
Barbosa AV, Medaglia MLG, Soares HS, Quixabeira-Santos JC, Gennari SM, Damaso CR (2014) Presence of neutralizing antibodies to Orthopoxvirus in Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in Brazil. J Infect Dev Ctries 8:1646–1649. doi: 10.3855/jidc.5216

Issue

Section

Letters to the Editor