Serological Survey of Paracoccidioidomycosis in Sheep

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in sheep from Guarapuava, Paraná State, Brazil. The seroepidemiological study was carried out in 262 sheep. The samples were analyzed by ELISA and immunodiffusion test using P. brasiliensis gp43 and exoantigen as antigens, respectively. Initially, two sheep were immunized with P. brasiliensis to evaluate whether contact with the fungal cells could induce a humoral immune response against gp43 and exoantigen from P. brasiliensis. Both animals produced antibodies against gp43 and exoantigen, the main antigens used for diagnosis and seroepidemiology of paracoccidioidomycosis. A reactivity of 37% was observed to the P. brasiliensis gp43 antigen by ELISA although no reactivity had been observed by the immunodiffusion test. Sheep under extensive grazing system showed higher frequency of positivity to P. brasiliensis (P ≤ 0.05) than those under intensive and semi-intensive systems. These data suggest that sheep may be a useful epidemiological marker of P. brasiliensis presence in the environment and reinforce that contact with soil is an important risk factor for infection.

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Infection in Small Wild Mammals

“…Epidemiological studies of PCM in domestic and wild animals have been based mainly on immunological reactions using crude paracoccidioidin and purified gp43 as antigens [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]32]. Previously, our research group showed high rates of gp43 ELISA positivity in dogs [6], horses [9], sheep [12], goats [13], pigs [29], rabbits [30] and wild monkeys [15] from Paraná State, Brazil.…”

“…Previously, our research group showed high rates of gp43 ELISA positivity in dogs [6], horses [9], sheep [12], goats [13], pigs [29], rabbits [30] and wild monkeys [15] from Paraná State, Brazil. The present study reinforces that ELISA is a useful method for detection of P. brasiliensis infection in animals.…”

“…presence in endemic areas. Infection by P. brasiliensis has been reported in domestic and wild animals such as dogs [5][6][7], horses in Uruguay and in Brazil [8,9], cows in Colombia and Brazil [10,11], sheep, goats and chickens in Brazil [12][13][14], and monkeys [15] and armadillos in Brazil [16]. P. brasiliensis isolates were obtained from soil samples in Argentina [17], Venezuela [18] and Brazil [19].…”

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

“…The rabbits experimentally infected with P. brasiliensis produced antibodies against gp43, suggesting that this antigen can be useful for epidemiological studies of PCM in this species. Other domestic animals such as dogs, cows, sheep, chickens and goats also showed humoral immune response against gp43 antigen after immunisation with P. brasiliensis cells.…”

“…The infection of domestic and wild animals by P. brasiliensis occurs frequently as reported in several epidemiological studies with dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, chickens, goats coati‐mundi, felines, monkeys and armadillos, although natural disease was reported only in two dogs, a cat and a southern two‐toed sloth …”