Widespread occurrence of antibodies against circumsporozoite protein and against blood forms of Plasmodium vivax, P. falciparum and P. malariae in Brazilian wild monkeys.
BACKGROUND
A survey of malaria antibodies was carried out over 7 years and a total of 777 serum samples from wild monkeys were collected in three distinct ecological areas of Brazil where autochthonous malaria has been reported: the 'Cerrado' (similar to savanna), the Atlantic Forest and the Atlantic Semideciduous Forest.


METHODS
We carried out enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to investigate the presence of IgG antibodies against peptides of the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) repeat region of 'classic'Plasmodium vivax, P. vivax VK247, human P. vivax-like/P. simiovale, P. brasilianum/P. malariae and P. falciparum. We also carried out immunofluorescence assay with asexual forms of P. vivax, P. malariae and P. falciparum.


RESULTS
The high prevalence of antibodies against CSP in all areas indicates that the monkeys had intense contact with sporozoites from infected anophelines. The immune response against asexual forms of Plasmodium in the monkeys from the Atlantic Forest indicates the development of the infection.


CONCLUSIONS
We discuss the possibility of monkeys being malaria reservoirs in non-endemic areas.
Laboratório de Doenças Tropicais, Departamento de Epidemiologia, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. amrcd@usp.br
Ana Maria R de C
AM
Duarte
Maura A L
MA
Porto
Izilda
I
Curado
Rosely S
RS
Malafronte
Erika H E
EH
Hoffmann
Salma G
SG
de Oliveira
Adriana M J
AM
da Silva
Judith K
JK
Kloetzel
Almério de C
Ade C
Gomes
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D000882:Haplorhini; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000254:growth & development*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000097:blood; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C041595:circumsporozoite protein, Protozoan