Low Occurrence of Salmonella spp. in Wild Animals in Bahia, Brazil-Population Assessment and Characterization in the Caatinga and Atlantic Forest Biomes

Salmonella spp. are known to persist in the environment. Wild animals are believed to act as important reservoirs, with antimicrobial resistance frequently occurring in the environment. However, little is known about the role of the wildlife in Bahia as a reservoir for Salmonella in Brazil. This study aimed to isolate and characterize Salmonella spp. from wildlife in the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga biomes considering indicators such as the animal species, degree of anthropization, sampling area, and feeding habits. Convenience wildlife sampling and characterization were conducted, followed by microbiological and molecular identification of Salmonella isolates, serotyping, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. A total of 674 fecal samples were collected from 12 municipalities during 2015-2021, and 4 were positive for the following Salmonella species: Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Agona (n = 1), Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serogroup O:16 (n = 2), and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Muenchen (n = 1). Antimicrobial susceptibility analysis revealed that one isolate was resistant to six antibiotics, including extended-spectrum penicillins and beta-lactamase inhibitors. These results indicated a low frequency of Salmonella spp. in the sampled forest fragments. The presence of Salmonella in wild animals increases the risk to public health and biodiversity and indicates that they can act as sentinels of environmental contamination or indicators of preservation.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Cities from the Southern Region of Bahia State, Brazil: Analysis of Variables Associated in Both Individual and Community Level

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), challenged public health systems worldwide. Individuals in low-income countries/regions are still at individual and community risk concerning inequality, sanitation, and economic conditions. Besides, during the pandemic, the transmission in municipalities and communities in the countryside and less developed regions kept viral spread and required structured and strengthened clinical and laboratory surveillance. Here, we present an observational, analytic, cross-sectional study conducted using secondary data from the Laboratório de Farmacogenômica e Epidemiologia Molecular (LAFEM)-Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), to evaluate individual and community factors associated to SARS-CoV-2 infection in outpatients from different cities from Southern Region of Bahia State, in Brazil. The data were collected between June 2021 and May 2022. The SARS-CoV-2 positivity by RT-qPCR was correlated with low socio-economic indicators, including the Human development index (HDI_c) and Average worker salary (AWSc). Besides, in general, females were less likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 (OR = 0.752; CI 95% 0.663-0.853; p < 0.0001), while brown individuals had more positivity for infection (p < 0.0001). In addition, those who had clinical symptoms were more likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 (OR = 6.000; CI 95% 4.932-7.299; p < 0.0001). Although dry cough, headache, and fever were the most frequent, loss of taste (OR = 5.574; CI 95% 4.334-7.186) and loss of smell (OR = 6.327; CI 95% 4.899-8.144) presented higher odds ratio to be positive to SARS-CoV-2 by RT-qPCR. Nonetheless, the distribution of these characteristics was not homogenous among the different cities, especially for age and gender. The dynamic of SARS-CoV-2 positivity differed between cities and the total population and reinforces the hypothesis that control strategies for prevention needed to be developed based on both individual and community risk levels to mitigate harm to individuals and the health system.

Giardiasis in children and dogs, and the first report of assemblage E in dogs from northeastern Brazil

Diagnosis is crucial for controlling giardiasis. We determined the prevalence and genetically characterize isolates of Giardia duodenalis of children and dogs from rural communities in northeastern Brazil. G. duodenalis cysts were concentrated by centrifugal flotation/sedimentation. Molecular characterization was carried out using the loci ssu-rRNA, bg, tpi, and gdh. By parasitological techniques, Giardia spp. infection was detected in 72/192 children (37.5%; 95% CI: 30.6%-44.7%) and 24/139 dogs (17.3%; 95% CI: 11.4%-24.6%). By molecular analysis, infection was detected in 60/141 children (42.5%; 95% CI: 34.3%-51.2%) and 26/92 dogs (28.3%; 95% CI: 19.4%-38.6%). The total prevalence of giardiasis was 54.9% in children (106/193; 95% CI: 47.1%-61.6%) and 32.9% in dogs (47/143; 95% CI: 25.2%-41.2%). Zoonotic assemblages A and B of G. duodenalis were detected in children, and assemblage E of G. duodenalis was detected in one child and two dogs. Parallel use of parasitological and molecular techniques proved to be a more effective strategy for detecting giardiasis in children and dogs from endemic areas.

Ex-vivo mucolytic and anti-inflammatory activity of BromAc in tracheal aspirates from COVID-19

COVID-19 is a lethal disease caused by the pandemic SARS-CoV-2, which continues to be a public health threat. COVID-19 is principally a respiratory disease and is often associated with sputum retention and cytokine storm, for which there are limited therapeutic options. In this regard, we evaluated the use of BromAc®, a combination of Bromelain and Acetylcysteine (NAC). Both drugs present mucolytic effect and have been studied to treat COVID-19. Therefore, we sought to examine the mucolytic and anti-inflammatory effect of BromAc® in tracheal aspirate samples from critically ill COVID-19 patients requiring mechanical ventilation.

Method

Tracheal aspirate samples from COVID-19 patients were collected following next of kin consent and mucolysis, rheometry and cytokine analysis using Luminex kit was performed.

Results

BromAc® displayed a robust mucolytic effect in a dose dependent manner on COVID-19 sputum ex vivo. BromAc® showed anti-inflammatory activity, reducing the action of cytokine storm, chemokines including MIP-1alpha, CXCL8, MIP-1b, MCP-1 and IP-10, and regulatory cytokines IL-5, IL-10, IL-13 IL-1Ra and total reduction for IL-9 compared to NAC alone and control. BromAc® acted on IL-6, demonstrating a reduction in G-CSF and VEGF-D at concentrations of 125 and 250 µg.

Conclusion

These results indicate robust mucolytic and anti-inflammatory effect of BromAc® ex vivo in tracheal aspirates from critically ill COVID-19 patients, indicating its potential to be further assessed as pharmacological treatment for COVID-19.

Characteristics and Factors Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Individuals That Attended Referral Hospitals from Southern Region of Bahia State, Brazil: A Surveillance Network Retrospective Study

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus was detected in Wuhan, China, and rapidly spread worldwide. In Brazil, to date, there have been more than 20,000,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 550,000 deaths. The purpose of the current study was to determine the clinical and epidemiological profile of the population affected by COVID-19 that have attended referral hospitals in Southern region of Bahia State, to better understand the disease and its risk factors in order to enable more appropriate conduct for patients. An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, exploratory study was conducted using secondary data collected from the Laboratório de Farmacogenômica e Epidemiologia Molecular, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (LAFEM/UESC). Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were applied to determine the association between clinical symptoms and laboratory results, and to identify risk factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. A total of 3135 individuals with suspected severe respiratory illness were analyzed and 41.4% of them tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Male individuals and having comorbidities were risk factors significantly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR = 1.17 and OR = 1.37, respectively). Interestingly, being a healthcare professional was a significantly protective factor (OR = 0.81, p < 0.001). Our findings highlight the importance of routinely testing the population for early identification of infected individuals, and also provide important information to health authorities and police makers to improve control measures, management, and screening protocols.

Detection of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in small wild mammals in northeastern Brazil

This study investigated the occurrence of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in rodents and marsupials from the Atlantic Forest in southern Bahia, northeastern Brazil. Two hundred and four fecal samples were collected from different forest areas in the municipalities of Ilhéus, Una, Belmonte, and Mascote. Identifications were performed using PCR and nested PCR followed by sequencing of the gdh and tpi genes for G. duodenalis, and the gp60 and Hsp-70 genes for Cryptosporidium. The total frequency of positive PCR samples for both G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. was 5.4% (11/204). Giardia duodenalis occurred in 2.94% (4/136) of rodents and 2.94% (2/68) of marsupials. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in rodents and marsupials was 1.47% (2/136) and 4.41% (3/68), respectively. In the areas sampled, the frequency of parasitism was 50% (7/14), while the Mascote region alone had no parasitized animals. The G. duodenalis subgenotype AI was identified in the rodent species Hylaeamys laticeps, Oecomys catherinae, Oligoryzomys nigripes and Akodon cursor, and in the marsupials Gracilinanus agilis and Monodelphis americana. In the rodents Rhipidomys mastacalis, H. laticeps and in the marsupial Marmosa murina the protozoa Cryptosporidium fayeri, Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium ubiquitum with subtypes IIa and IVg by the gp60 gene were found. In conclusion, this study provides the genetic characterization of Giardia and Cryptosporidium species and genotypes in rodents and marsupials. And, these findings reinforce that the rodent and marsupial species mentioned above play a role as new hosts for Giardia and Cryptosporidium.

First genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 recovered from an infected cat and its owner in Latin America

An 11‐year‐old male mixed‐breed cat, with exclusively indoor life, presented 3 cough episodes after the owners tested positive by RT‐PCR for SARS‐CoV‐2. The house is inhabited by 5 people (3 adults and 2 children), and 2 of the adults have shown mild symptoms associated with throat discomfort. The cat was vaccinated, had no history of any previous disease, and tested negative for feline coronavirus (FCoV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV). Rectal sample collected from the cat was positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 by RT‐PCR. Viral genome sequences recovered from human and cat samples showed an average 99.4% sequence identity. This is the first report of genome sequences of SARS‐CoV‐2 recovered from a cat and its owner in Latin America.

Eimeria spp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) of marsupials (Mammalia: Didelphimorphia) in southern Bahia, Brazil

The occurrence of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 in mammals of the order Didelphimorphia indicates the infection-predisposition of these animals, which in turn is mainly determined for their eating habits. The objective of this work was to evaluate the parasitism of Eimeria spp. in marsupials of the Atlantic Forest of the southern region of Bahia. Fecal samples were collected from marsupials captured in the regions of Ilhéus, Una, Belmonte and Mascote, with traps of the Sherman model (23 × 8 × 9 cm), Tomahawk (50 × 17 × 17 cm) and pitfall and analyzed by Sheather's modified centrifugal-flotation method. Oocysts were identified by microscopical evaluation of their morphology and morphometry. Didelphis aurita Wied-Neuwied, 1826, Gracilinanus agilis Burmeister, 1854, Monodelphis americana Müller, 1776, Marmosa demerarae O. Thomas, 1905 and Marmosa murina Linnaeus, 1758 were parasitized by Eimeria philanderi Lainson & Shaw, 1989 and Eimeria gambai Carini, 1938. Mixed parasitism for these two coccidia was observed in two of the 56 marsupials sampled. In conclusion, this work registers new hosts for E. philanderi and E. gambai, as well as the state of Bahia as a new distribution site for these coccidia.