Vectors of Chagas' disease as potential transmitters of Bartonella spp. Abstract

• Grant number: 18/12565-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: December 01, 2018
• End date: November 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira Velho
• Grantee: Marina Rovani Drummond
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bartonelloses are neglected diseases caused by Gram-negative, fastidious bacteria belonging to the genus Bartonella. These bacteria have the capacity to infect mammals and their transmission is often related to vectors. Currently, this genus has 45 species and subspecies of which 16 are related to diseases in humans. Several hematophagous arthropods such as fleas, lice, mosquitoes and ticks have already been confirmed as vectors. One study showed that patients with Chagas' heart disease are 40 times more likely to be infected with Bartonella sp. in relation to the healthy control group. In view of these data, it is suggested that the hematophagous bugs of the triatomine family and vectors of Chagas disease (Triatoma sordida) may be potential vectors of Bartonella spp.. The present study intends to evaluate: the prevalence of natural infection by Bartonella sp. in triatomines collected in the field; the acquisition and multiplication of Bartonella henselae in triatomines using artificial feeding of infected blood; the vector potential of triatomines experimentally infected by B. henselae using healthy mice and the triatomine vector transmission using mice infected experimentally by B. henselae in the transmission to uninfected mice. It is expected that the tested triatomines will be competent vectors of Bartonella spp .. This result may suggest that chagasic patients are tested for this other pathogen that may also cause cardiomyopathies.

Scientific publications

(5)

(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)

DOS SANTOS, LUCIENE SILVA; DRUMMOND, MARINA ROVANI; MAGALHAES, RENATA FERREIRA; DA SILVA, MARILENE NEVES; RODRIGUES FERREIRA, PATRICIA ANDREIA; NEVES FERREIRA VELHO, PAULO EDUARDO. Prevalence of infection by Bartonella spp. in patients with psoriasis. ANAIS BRASILEIROS DE DERMATOLOGIA, v. 96, n. 1, p. 107-111, JAN-FEB 2021. (18/12565-6)

LUCIENE SILVA DOS SANTOS; MARINA ROVANI DRUMMOND; ANDREA FERNANDES ELOY DA COSTA FRANÇA; MARIA HELENA POSTAL PAVAN; RAFAEL FANTELLI STELINI; MARIA LETÍCIA CINTRA; ELEMIR MACEDO DE SOUZA; PAULO EDUARDO NEVES FERREIRA VELHO. Chronic type 2 reaction possibly triggered by an asymptomatic Bartonella henselae infection in a leprosy patient. Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, v. 64, 2022-02-21. (18/12565-6)

KARINA DE ALMEIDA LINS; CRISTIANE SANTOS CRUZ PIVETA; CARLOS EMILIO LEVY; MARINA ROVANI DRUMMOND; LUCIENE SILVA DOS SANTOS; ALESSANDRA SUSSULINI; PAULO EDUARDO NEVES FERREIRA VELHO. The influence of growth time on the identification of Bartonella henselae strains by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, v. 66, 2024-02-05. (18/12565-6)

DRUMMOND, MARINA ROVANI; DOS SANTOS, LUCIENE SILVA; FAVARO, RENATA SOALHEIRO; BELLO STUCCHI, RAQUEL SILVEIRA; SANTANA FERREIRA BOIN, ILKA DE FATIME; NEVES FERREIRA VELHO, PAULO EDUARDO. Cryptogenic hepatitis patients have a higher Bartonella sp.-DNA detection in blood and skin samples than patients with non-viral hepatitis of known cause. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, v. 16, n. 7, p. 13-pg., 2022-07-01. (18/12565-6)

LUCIENE SILVA DOS SANTOS; MARINA ROVANI DRUMMOND; ISABELA MARIA BERNARDES GOULART; ANDREA FERNANDES ELOY DA COSTA FRANÇA; ELEMIR MACEDO DE SOUZA; PAULO EDUARDO NEVES FERREIRA VELHO. Bartonella henselae as a putative trigger for chronic type 2 leprosy reactions. Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases, v. 27, n. 6, 2024-01-22. (18/12565-6)