Molecular detection and characterization of Bartonella spp. in primates in amazon region

• Grant number: 14/25946-7
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2015
• Effective date (End): March 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal researcher: Marcos Rogério André
• Grantee: Leticia Bonato
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bartonella spp. are facultative intracellular bacteria that cause prolonged intraerythrocytic bacteremia in their hosts. The bartoneloses comprises all diseases caused by these bacteria, incluing Cat Scratch Disease, Carrion's disease, Trench Fever, Bacillary angiomatosis, and bacteremia, septicemia and endocarditis. The transmission occurs by numerous arthropod vectors (fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and lice) blood suckers. Domestic cats are the main reservoirs for Bartonella henselae, the main causative agent of Cat Scratch Disease (CSD). Primates can act as hosts for Bartonella, although the possible role of this animals in the epidemiological cycle of the disease remains unknown. This study aims to verify, using molecular techniques, the occurrence of species of Bartonella in captive and free-living primates, sampled in the state of Maranhão, on the island of São Luís. For this purpose, 112 primates whole blood samples will be submitted to DNA extraction and subsequently to PCR (Polymerase chain Reaction). Positive samples in PCR reactions will be submitted to further amplifications based on five different genes, in order to perform molecular characterization.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BONATO, LETICIA; PEREIRA FIGUEIREDO, MAYRA ARAGUAIA; GONCALVES, LUIZ RICARDO; MACHADO, ROSANGELA ZACARIAS; ANDRE, MARCOS ROGERIO. Occurrence and molecular characterization of Bartonella spp. and hemoplasmas in neotropical primates from Brazilian Amazon. COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES, v. 42, p. 15-20, OCT 2015. Web of Science Citations: 8.