RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: The genus Bartonella includes species and subspecies of fastidious, facultative intracellular Gram-negative bacilli that infect a wide variety of mammalian reservoirs including cats and humans. In 2022, the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health reported an outbreak of cat scratch disease caused by B. henselae in the city of Guayaquil. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the presence of Bartonella spp. in domestic and stray cats from the area of Guayaquil where the outbreak happened in 2022. METHODS: Whole blood samples of 100 domestic and stray cats were collected. Riboflavin synthase (ribC) and 16S rRNA genes detection was performed by PCR using Bartonella spp. specific primers, followed by Sanger sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: 14 cats were positive for Bartonella spp. carriage. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the presence of 12 cats infected with B. henselae and 2 cats with B. clarridgeiae. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of Bartonella spp. carriage in cats in the city of Guayaquil within the area where a recent cat scratch disease outbreak happened. Considering the high presence of cats and other domestic and stray animals in the city of Guayaquil, a One Health approach for surveillance and prevention of zoonotic diseases like cat scratch disease is needed.
Assuntos
Infecções por Bartonella , Bartonella henselae , Bartonella , Doenças do Gato , Doença da Arranhadura de Gato , Surtos de Doenças , Filogenia , RNA Ribossômico 16S , Animais , Gatos , Equador/epidemiologia , Surtos de Doenças/veterinária , Bartonella/genética , Bartonella/isolamento & purificação , Bartonella/classificação , Doença da Arranhadura de Gato/epidemiologia , Doença da Arranhadura de Gato/microbiologia , Doenças do Gato/microbiologia , Doenças do Gato/epidemiologia , Bartonella henselae/genética , Bartonella henselae/isolamento & purificação , RNA Ribossômico 16S/genética , Infecções por Bartonella/epidemiologia , Infecções por Bartonella/veterinária , Infecções por Bartonella/microbiologia , Portador Sadio/microbiologia , Portador Sadio/epidemiologia , Portador Sadio/veterinária , Masculino , Feminino , PrevalênciaRESUMO
In recent years, there has been an increasing risk of hematophagous bat attacks in Latin America, where livestock production is a basic source of food for local populations. In Ecuador, livestock represented an important part of agricultural output. Some cases of cattle bitten by bats in the province of Santa Elena have been reported; however, no previous studies have been conducted to determine the magnitude of the attacks and the associated risk factors. In this research, a cross-sectional descriptive study was performed recording attacks of hematophagous bats (Desmodus rotundus) through visual inspection of livestock and the capture of specimens by mist nets. Generally, the prevalence of D. rotundus attacks on farms was 69%, whereas attacks on bovine had 24% of prevalence. From the captured specimens, 93% were identified as D. rotundus and within the 30% of the captured D. rotundus, no infections for rabies virus were diagnosed. The univariable analysis used for estimating the risk factors associated with bat attacks showed that corrals away from populated centers present the highest risk (odds ratio [OR] = 19.864; p = 0.0004), followed by tree density >30 per hectare (OR = 16.313; p < 0.0001) and predatory birds of bats (OR = 15.375; p < 0.0001); a binary logistic regression model showed "corrals away from populated centers" (OR = 23.47; p = 0.006) as the main risk factor. Linear regression analysis showed good correlation between the number of bovines attacked and the number of bites (R2 = 0.977; p < 0.0001) suggesting some feeding patterns of D. rotundus. This study could be used as a starting point for understanding the feeding habits of D. rotundus and factors governing their attacks in coastal regions of Ecuador, and potential occurrences of rabies infections. With this knowledge, surveillance and control programs can be supported to improve rabies transmission monitoring.