Serological and Molecular Survey of Rickettsial Agents in Wild Boars (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) from Midwestern Brazil
Nicolas Jalowitzki de Lima,
Gracielle Teles Pádua,
Ennya Rafaella Neves Cardoso,
Raphaela Bueno Mendes Bittencourt,
Mariana Avelar Tavares,
Warley Vieira de Freitas Paula,
Lucianne Cardoso Neves,
Carlos Damian Segovia,
Gabriel Cândido dos Santos,
Maria Carolina de Azevedo Serpa,
Denise Caroline Toledo,
Lívia Mendonça Pascoal,
Marcelo Bahia Labruna,
Alexander Welker Biondo,
Felipe da Silva Krawczak
Affiliations
Nicolas Jalowitzki de Lima
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Gracielle Teles Pádua
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Ennya Rafaella Neves Cardoso
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Raphaela Bueno Mendes Bittencourt
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Mariana Avelar Tavares
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Warley Vieira de Freitas Paula
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Lucianne Cardoso Neves
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Carlos Damian Segovia
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Gabriel Cândido dos Santos
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Maria Carolina de Azevedo Serpa
Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo—USP, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil
Denise Caroline Toledo
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Lívia Mendonça Pascoal
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Marcelo Bahia Labruna
Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo—USP, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil
Alexander Welker Biondo
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná—UFPR, Curitiba 81531-970, Brazil
Felipe da Silva Krawczak
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
Wild boars (Sus scrofa L.) are considered among the most harmful invasive species worldwide, causing irreversible ecosystem damage, acting as zoonotic spreaders and reservoirs, threatening human and animal health, and having an important economic impact. Accordingly, the present study has assessed the rickettsial exposure, tick infestation of wild boars, and rickettsial DNA presence in ticks from infested animals from the Cerrado biome in midwestern Brazil. Anti-Rickettsia spp. antibodies were detected in serum samples of wild boars by immunofluorescence assay. Overall, 106/285 (37.2%) wild boar serum samples from 13 to 18 (72.2%) municipalities showed seroreactivity to at least one of the four Rickettsia spp. antigens tested, the largest number of wild boars serologically tested to Rickettsia spp. in this type of study. Among the 106 seroreactive animals, 34 showed possible homologous reactions between R. parkeri, R. amblyommatis, and R. bellii, with endpoint titers between 128 and 512. A sample of 45 ticks collected from four culled wild boars was identified as Amblyomma sculptum, and all tested negative for rickettsial DNA presence. In conclusion, this study has provided a reliable sampling seroprevalence and indicated high exposure of wild boars to rickettsial agents, with a potential interaction with Rickettsia spp. from the spotted fever group within the Cerrado biome from midwestern Brazil.
