Investigation of arbovirus in Chiroptera

• Grant number: 15/09704-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2015
• End date: December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Cintia Bittar Oliva
• Grantee: Rafael Rahal Guaragna Machado
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The arboviruses are distributed worldwide, especially in subtropical and tropical countries like Brazil presenting a great impact in public health. These regions have favorable conditions for arthropod vectors facilitating their persistence and spread. The arbovirus, important human pathogens, are mainly found in three genera Alphavirus, Flavivirus, Orthobunyavirus, some responsible for major epidemics such as Dengue virus and Yellow Fever virus. It is currently believed that a number of zoonotic diseases are bat borne. They present a broad geographical distribution, being able to fly long distances, perform echolocation and often come into direct or indirect contact with the human population. Lately, such vertebrates, have received increasing attention as an important source for the emergence of zoonosis and possibly as viral reservoirs. The region of São Jose do Rio Preto has the potential for the emergence and reemergence of arboviruses, because of the wide distribution of Aedes and Culex mosquitoes. In addition, it presents important Dengue virus outbreak and records of other Flaviviruses such as virus Saint Louis encephalitis virus. The region also harbors various genus of bats that have been reported in literature to be infected by arbovirus. Therefore, this project proposes to investigate arbovirus infection in bats from Sao Jose do Rio Preto region, based on the importance of the analysis of potential sources of zoonosis and viral reservoirs for the control of emerging viruses.

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)

BITTAR, CINTIA; MACHADO, RAFAEL R. G.; COMELIS, MANUELA T.; BUENO, LARISSA M.; MORIELLE-VERSUTE, ELIANA; BEGUELINI, MATHEUS R.; DE SOUZA, RENATO P.; NOGUEIRA, MAURICIO L.; RAHAL, PAULA. Lack of serological and molecular evidence of arbovirus infections in bats from Brazil. PLoS One, v. 13, n. 11, NOV 7 2018. (15/09704-6)

BITTAR, CINTIA; GUARAGNA MACHADO, RAFAEL RAHAL; COMELIS, MANUELA TOSI; BUENO, LARISSA MAYUMI; BEGUELINI, MATEUS RODRIGUES; MORIELLE-VERSUTE, ELIANA; NOGUEIRA, MAURICIO LACERDA; RAHAL, PAULA. Alphacoronavirus Detection in Lungs, Liver, and Intestines of Bats from Brazil. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY, v. 79, n. 1, p. 203-212, JAN 2020. (15/09704-6)