ZAP // U.S. AFIP
Brazilian investigators identified a new strain of Bartonella In Amazonia phlebotoms, which raise doubts about their potential to cause disease, similar to what happens to seemed species circulating in the Andes, associated with the transmission of leishmaniasis.
An unprecedented species of genre of gender Bartonella was found in the Amazon National Park, in the state of Pará, in phlegotomous insects, commonly known as clown mosquitoes.
These insects, which belong to the Diptera order and are often confused with mosquitoes, are usually associated with the transmission of leishmaniasis.
According to investigators, the DNA of the new microorganism is similar to that of two other Andean species: Bartonella bacilliformis e Bartonella ancashensis. Both cause Carrión’s.also known as Peruvian wart or Oroya fever, and are transmitted by phlebotomes.
There is no evidence so far that the new strain identified in Brazil causes any disease. However, as several species of Bartonella are responsible for different infections in other countries, scientists underline the need to do further studies.
The investigation, funded by the FAPESP Scientific Research Foundation, was conducted by Marcos Rogério André e Eunice Bianchi Galatiboth researchers from the Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences at Paulista State University (FCAV-UNESP) in Jaboticabal and the School of Public Health of the University of São Paulo (FSP-USP).
The study results were presented in a recently published magazine Acta Tropica.
Appointment bartonelose refers to a set of diseases caused by gender bacteria Bartonella. These can be transmitted by different vectors; In addition to the phlebotomes, also by fleas and lice.
Symptoms include Persistent infections Both humans and animals. Bacteria can remain in the body without being detected for long periods, mainly affecting people with weaknesses of the immune system.
U.S. Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
Bartonella Bacilliformis, causing agent of Oroyo fever and Peruvian Verugan
“Bartonelosis is a neglected disease. The best known way among health professionals is the, caused by Bartonella henselae“, Explains Marcos Rogério André in da Fapesp.
“It is essential to understand the real prevalence of these infections, especially in isolated regions, with low rates of human development, where access to health services is limited,” adds the researcher.
The study analyzed presence of DNA of Bartonella spp. in 297 specimens of phlebotomous females (Diptera, Psychodidae) collected at the Amazon National Park, in Pará.This park has caves and receives many visitorsso it is important to study it, ”says the researcher.
Possible risk beyond the Andes
“The discovery of species of Bartonella in phlebotomus in Brazil may indicate that B. bacilliformis e B. ancashensisbacteria responsible for Carrión’s disease, can adapt to non-Andean species And be transmitted out of this region, ”says Eunice Bianchi Galati.
“It is not such an unlikely scenariosince the species identified in Peru as vectors, pintomyia robusta and pintomyia maranonensis, are very similar to species found in Brazil, such as pintomyia mountainous and pintomyia nevesi, ”says Galati.
In recent years, the group has been studying the diversity of this bacterial genre and associated diseases in humans and animals. Investigators notice that the sequences found in the Amazon differ from registered In Peru, but confirm data from previous studies.
“We detected a Embartage never described not Brazilvery close to two species that cause disease in the Andes. Despite the genetic similarity between the two species, We do not yet know if different clinical symptoms can originate. Hence the need to deepen the studies, ”says Marcos André.
According to the researcher, this discovery may have clinical implications. “It would be helpful for doctors and researchers to collaborate in the study of this group of bacteria in patients with fevers of unknown origin,” he says.
“They can People with recurring fever episodeswhich end up returning the house without diagnosis, be infected with this agent? ”Asks the investigator.May be patients with Leishmania being co-infected with this new species of Bartonella?
An question that will be necessary to respond to future studies, which “are extending the investigation to more populations of phlebotomes and other dipteres, looking for of these and other strains”, Conclii Galati.
