Seroprevalence of flaviviruses antibodies in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Brazilian Amazon

Alexandre R Casseb1,5*, Andrea V Cruz1, Iroleide S Jesus1, Jannifer O Chiang2, Lívia C Martins2, Sandro P Silva3, Daniele F Henriques2, Livia MN Casseb2 and Pedro Fernando C Vasconcelos2 4

1 Institute of Health and Livestock Production, Federal Rural University of the Amazon (UFRA), Belém, Pará State, Brazil.

2 Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua, Pará State, Brazil.

3 Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, Pará State, Brazil.

4 Department of Pathology, State University of Pará (UEPA), Belém, Pará State, Brazil.

5 Instituto da Saúde e Produção Animal, Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, Av. Presidente Tancredo Neves, 2501, Belém, PA 66077-901, Brazil.

Abstract

Background

The state of Pará encompasses 26% of Brazilian Amazon where an enormous diversity of arboviruses has been found. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and distribution of hemagglutination-inhibition antibodies against antigens of six Flavivirus (yellow fever virus, Ilheus virus, Saint Louis encephalitis virus, Cacipacore virus, Bussuquara virus and Rocio virus) in water buffaloes in Pará state, Brazil. The prevalence of antibodies in these farm animals is important to determine the circulating arboviruses.

Findings: All investigated arboviruses were detected in the species studied and our results indicate that water buffaloes are susceptible to Flavivirus infection. Furthermore, there is solid evidence of active circulation of these viruses in the Brazilian Amazon.

Conclusions: Water buffaloes showed higher prevalence of heterotypic antibody reactions and we hypothesized that they can serve as sentinels to detect the movement of such arboviruses in the Brazilian Amazon.

Keywords: Flavivirus, Water buffaloes, Hemagglutination inhibition test

Competing interests

The authors declare that there are no competing interests.

Authors’ contributions

ARC conducted the sample collection, serological tests and helped write the manuscript; LMNC carried out serological tests and statistical analysis; SPS, DFH, JOC and LCM also performed serological tests for the research; ISJ and AVC took part in sample collection; PFCV wrote and reviewed the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Received: 13 September 2013 Accepted: 7 March 2014 Published: 25 March 2014

Correspondence: alexcasseb@yahoo.com.br