Serological evidence for Saint Louis encephalitis virus in free-ranging New World monkeys and horses within the upper Paraná River basin region, Southern Brazil.
Abstract: Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) primarily occurs in the Americas and produces disease predominantly in humans. This study investigated the serological presence of SLEV in nonhuman primates and horses from southern Brazil. Methods: From June 2004 to December 2005, sera from 133 monkeys (Alouatta caraya, n=43; Sapajus nigritus, n=64; Sapajus cay, n=26) trap-captured at the Paraná River basin region and 23 blood samples from farm horses were obtained and used for the serological detection of a panel of 19 arboviruses. All samples were analyzed in a hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay; positive monkey samples were confirmed in a mouse neutralization test (MNT). Additionally, all blood samples were inoculated into C6/36 cell culture for viral isolation. Results: Positive seroreactivity was only observed for SLEV. A prevalence of SLEV antibodies in sera was detected in Alouatta caraya (11.6%; 5/43), Sapajus nigritus (12.5%; 8/64), and S. cay (30.8%; 8/26) monkeys with the HI assay. Of the monkeys, 2.3% (1/42) of A. caraya, 6.3% 94/64) of S. nigritus, and 15.4% (4/26) of S. cay were positive for SLEV in the MNT. Additionally, SLEV antibodies were detected by HI in 39.1% (9/23) of the horses evaluated in this study. Arboviruses were not isolated from any blood sample. Conclusions: These results confirmed the presence of SLEV in nonhuman primates and horses from southern Brazil. These findings most likely represent the first detection of this virus in nonhuman primates beyond the Amazon region. The detection of SLEV in animals within a geographical region distant from the Amazon basin suggests that there may be widespread and undiagnosed dissemination of this disease in Brazil.
Publication Date: 2014-07-31 PubMed ID: 25075477DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0083-2014Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research study investigates the presence of Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) in nonhuman primates and horses in Southern Brazil, uncovering evidence that points to widespread and previously undetected dissemination of this disease in the country.
Research Objective
- The primary goal of this study was to determine the serological presence of SLEV, a disease commonly found in humans, in nonhuman primate and horse populations in the upper Paraná River basin, Southern Brazil.
Methods
- Researchers collected blood samples from 133 monkeys and 23 farm horses over the period from June 2004 to December 2005. The monkey specimens were from three different species: Alouatta caraya, Sapajus nigritus, and Sapajus cay.
- The detection of SLEV was done using hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay. Positive test results from monkeys were further verified by a mouse neutralization test (MNT).
- Beyond the serological testing, all blood samples were introduced into C6/36 cell culture for viral isolation, to enhance the potential of detecting the virus if it were present.
Results
- The tests found serological reactivity only for SLEV across all samples. The pathogen was confirmed in varying prevalence rates across the three monkey species and the horses.
- The highest prevalence was observed in the Sapajus cay monkeys, with 30.8%. Alouatta caraya showed 11.6% prevalence and Sapajus nigritus showed 12.5% in the HI assay.
- In the MNT, the prevalence rates of SLEV were 2.3% for Alouatta caraya, 6.3% for Sapajus nigritus, and 15.4% for Sapajus cay.
- Moreover, SLEV antibodies were found in 39.1% of the horse samples through the HI assay.
- However, none of the blood samples led to successful viral isolation in the cell cultures.
Conclusion
- The research findings confirmed the presence of SLEV among the nonhuman primates and horses in Southern Brazil.
- Crucially, this evidence suggests the disease’s possible widespread and undiagnosed presence beyond the Amazon region, thus enlarging the scope of potential SLEV impact in Brazil.
Cite This Article
APA
Svoboda WK, Martins LC, Malanski Lde S, Shiozawa MM, Spohr KA, Hilst CL, Aguiar LM, Ludwig G, Passos Fde C, Silva LR, Headley SA, Navarro IT.
(2014).
Serological evidence for Saint Louis encephalitis virus in free-ranging New World monkeys and horses within the upper Paraná River basin region, Southern Brazil.
Rev Soc Bras Med Trop, 47(3), 280-286.
https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0083-2014 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Instituto Latino-Americano de Ciências da Vida e da Natureza (ILACVN), Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (UNILA), Foz do Iguaçu, PR, Brasil.
- Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Ananindeua, PA, Brazil.
- Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Porto Velho, RO, Brasil.
- Escola de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Norte do Paraná, Arapongas, PR, Brasil.
- Escola de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Cuiabá, Cuiabá, MT.
- Departamento de Clínica Veterinária, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Basil.
- Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana, Foz do Iguaçu, PR.
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Primatas Brasileiros, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, João Pessoa, PB.
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.
- Curitiba, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Basil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Basil.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Viral / blood
- Brazil / epidemiology
- Encephalitis Virus, St. Louis / immunology
- Encephalitis, St. Louis / diagnosis
- Encephalitis, St. Louis / epidemiology
- Encephalitis, St. Louis / veterinary
- Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Mice
- Monkey Diseases / diagnosis
- Monkey Diseases / epidemiology
- Monkey Diseases / virology
- Platyrrhini
- Prevalence
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- García-Romero C, Carrillo Bilbao GA, Navarro JC, Martin-Solano S, Saegerman C. Arboviruses in Mammals in the Neotropics: A Systematic Review to Strengthen Epidemiological Monitoring Strategies and Conservation Medicine. Viruses 2023 Feb 1;15(2).
- Carrillo-Bilbao G, Martin-Solano S, Saegerman C. Zoonotic Blood-Borne Pathogens in Non-Human Primates in the Neotropical Region: A Systematic Review. Pathogens 2021 Aug 10;10(8).
- Chaves A, Piche-Ovares M, Ibarra-Cerdeña CN, Corrales-Aguilar E, Suzán G, Moreira-Soto A, Gutiérrez-Espeleta GA. Serosurvey of Nonhuman Primates in Costa Rica at the Human-Wildlife Interface Reveals High Exposure to Flaviviruses. Insects 2021 Jun 15;12(6).
- Catenacci LS, Ferreira M, Martins LC, De Vleeschouwer KM, Cassano CR, Oliveira LC, Canale G, Deem SL, Tello JS, Parker P, Vasconcelos PFC, Travassos da Rosa ES. Surveillance of Arboviruses in Primates and Sloths in the Atlantic Forest, Bahia, Brazil. Ecohealth 2018 Dec;15(4):777-791.
- Morales MA, Fabbri CM, Zunino GE, Kowalewski MM, Luppo VC, Enría DA, Levis SC, Calderón GE. Detection of the mosquito-borne flaviviruses, West Nile, Dengue, Saint Louis Encephalitis, Ilheus, Bussuquara, and Yellow Fever in free-ranging black howlers (Alouatta caraya) of Northeastern Argentina. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017 Feb;11(2):e0005351.
- Serra OP, Cardoso BF, Ribeiro AL, Santos FA, Slhessarenko RD. Mayaro virus and dengue virus 1 and 4 natural infection in culicids from Cuiabá, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2016 Jan;111(1):20-9.
- Dye-Braumuller KC, Prisco RA, Nolan MS. (Re)Emerging Arboviruses of Public Health Significance in the Brazilian Amazon. Microorganisms 2025 Mar 12;13(3).
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