Molecular and cellular evidence of natural Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection in frugivorous bats in Colombia
Background and Aim: Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an alphavirus that causes encephalitis with a high impact on public health in Latin America. However, only in Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mexico have found antibodies in VEEV in bats, using immunohistochemistry, the sensitivi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Veterinary World
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Veterinary World |
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| Online Access: | http://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.13/March-2020/15.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819132555748704256 |
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| author | Camilo Guzmán Alfonso Calderón Teresa Oviedo Salim Mattar José Castañeda Virginia Rodriguez Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo |
| author_facet | Camilo Guzmán Alfonso Calderón Teresa Oviedo Salim Mattar José Castañeda Virginia Rodriguez Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo |
| author_sort | Camilo Guzmán |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background and Aim: Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an alphavirus that causes encephalitis with a high impact on public health in Latin America. However, only in Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mexico have found antibodies in VEEV in bats, using immunohistochemistry, the sensitivity and specificity are improved; thus, it is better for demonstrating natural infection in bats as potential hosts. This study aimed to determine the presence of VEEV in tissues of frugivorous bats.
Materials and Methods: A prospective descriptive cross-sectional study with a non-probabilistic sampling was carried out in 12 localities of Córdoba and Sucre area of the Colombian Caribbean. Two hundred and eighty-six bats were captured using fog nets, and the specimens according to taxonomic keys were classified. According to the Ethics Committee of the University of Córdoba, the bats were treated with analgesics and anesthetics. Blood samples were taken and then euthanized to obtain tissues and organs which were preserved in liquid N2 at –196°C. A portion of each organ was fixed in 10% buffered formalin for the detection of antigens by immunohistochemistry. Several pathological anatomy analyses were performed to determine the histological characteristics of tissue lesions of frugivorous bats naturally infected with the VEEV.
Results: Of the 286 bats captured, 23 species were identified. In samples of the brain, spleen, and lung of two frugivorous bats (2/286=0.70%) Artibeus planirostris and Sturnira lilium, the presence of VEEV was confirmed by immunohistochemistry.
Conclusion: A fragment of the nsP4 non-structural protein gene corresponding to the alphavirus was amplified. Two samples were positive (2/286=0.70%) in frugivorous bats; A. planirostris (code GenBank: MG820274) and S. lilium (code GenBank: MG820275). The present study showed the first molecular evidence and cellular evidence (histopathology and immunohistochemistry) of natural VEEV infection in frugivorous bats in Colombia; these bats could be a host of this zoonosis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T09:33:16Z |
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| id | doaj.art-dad96c6486b14cbabb918d51b5aed247 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0972-8988 2231-0916 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T09:33:16Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-dad96c6486b14cbabb918d51b5aed2472022-12-21T18:30:54ZengVeterinary WorldVeterinary World0972-89882231-09162020-03-0113349550110.14202/vetworld.2020.495-501Molecular and cellular evidence of natural Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection in frugivorous bats in ColombiaCamilo Guzmán0Alfonso Calderón1Teresa Oviedo2Salim Mattar3José Castañeda4Virginia Rodriguez5Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo6Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Biological Research of the Tropics, University of Córdoba, Colombia.Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal, Institute for Biological Research in the Tropics, University of Córdoba, Colombia.University of Córdoba, Colombia.Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal, Institute of Biological Research of the Tropics, University of Córdoba, Colombia.ICA Diagnostic Center - Córdoba, Colombia.Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Córdoba, Colombia.Center for Virological Research, University of Sao Paulo, Riberao Preto, Brazil.Background and Aim: Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an alphavirus that causes encephalitis with a high impact on public health in Latin America. However, only in Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mexico have found antibodies in VEEV in bats, using immunohistochemistry, the sensitivity and specificity are improved; thus, it is better for demonstrating natural infection in bats as potential hosts. This study aimed to determine the presence of VEEV in tissues of frugivorous bats. Materials and Methods: A prospective descriptive cross-sectional study with a non-probabilistic sampling was carried out in 12 localities of Córdoba and Sucre area of the Colombian Caribbean. Two hundred and eighty-six bats were captured using fog nets, and the specimens according to taxonomic keys were classified. According to the Ethics Committee of the University of Córdoba, the bats were treated with analgesics and anesthetics. Blood samples were taken and then euthanized to obtain tissues and organs which were preserved in liquid N2 at –196°C. A portion of each organ was fixed in 10% buffered formalin for the detection of antigens by immunohistochemistry. Several pathological anatomy analyses were performed to determine the histological characteristics of tissue lesions of frugivorous bats naturally infected with the VEEV. Results: Of the 286 bats captured, 23 species were identified. In samples of the brain, spleen, and lung of two frugivorous bats (2/286=0.70%) Artibeus planirostris and Sturnira lilium, the presence of VEEV was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Conclusion: A fragment of the nsP4 non-structural protein gene corresponding to the alphavirus was amplified. Two samples were positive (2/286=0.70%) in frugivorous bats; A. planirostris (code GenBank: MG820274) and S. lilium (code GenBank: MG820275). The present study showed the first molecular evidence and cellular evidence (histopathology and immunohistochemistry) of natural VEEV infection in frugivorous bats in Colombia; these bats could be a host of this zoonosis.http://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.13/March-2020/15.pdfalphavirus infectionschiropterapathology |
| spellingShingle | Camilo Guzmán Alfonso Calderón Teresa Oviedo Salim Mattar José Castañeda Virginia Rodriguez Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo Molecular and cellular evidence of natural Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection in frugivorous bats in Colombia Veterinary World alphavirus infections chiroptera pathology |
| title | Molecular and cellular evidence of natural Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection in frugivorous bats in Colombia |
| title_full | Molecular and cellular evidence of natural Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection in frugivorous bats in Colombia |
| title_fullStr | Molecular and cellular evidence of natural Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection in frugivorous bats in Colombia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Molecular and cellular evidence of natural Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection in frugivorous bats in Colombia |
| title_short | Molecular and cellular evidence of natural Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection in frugivorous bats in Colombia |
| title_sort | molecular and cellular evidence of natural venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection in frugivorous bats in colombia |
| topic | alphavirus infections chiroptera pathology |
| url | http://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.13/March-2020/15.pdf |
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