title: Seroepidemiological survey of paracoccidioidomycosis infection among urban and rural dogs from Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
abstract: There is some evidence that dogs can be naturally infected by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in endemic areas of paracoccidioidomycosis. In order to evaluate canine infection with this fungus, a survey with 149 urban and 126 rural dogs was carried out using ELISA and intradermal tests with the gp43 antigen of P. brasiliensis in Uberaba, Minas Gerais state of Brazil. Forty-one out of 149 urban dogs were euthanatized and had their lungs, liver and spleen removed. One slice from each viscera was processed for histopathological examination and the remaining was homogenized and then cultivated on mycobiotic agar at room temperature and Fava-Netto medium at 35 degrees C and observed for 12 weeks. Of urban dogs, 75 (50.3%) were small adult females, 56 (36%) were strays, while 93 (64%) had been donated to the municipal zoonosis control center. Nine (6.2%) had a positive intradermal test without statistical differences regarding gender, race, nutritional status or origin. No colonies with microscopic or morphology appearances resembling P. brasiliensis were isolated, nor granulomatous process or fungal structures were observed from histopathological examination. Eighty (53.6%) of the urban dogs presented seroreactivity, without statistical differences regarding gender, race, nutritional state, origin, or positive intradermal test. Of 126 rural dogs, 102 (80.5%) presented antibodies against gp43 antigen, and this was statistically significant in relation to the reactivity detected in urban dogs (P = 0.0001). Thus, dogs are commonly infected with P. brasiliensis, but they probably present natural resistance to develop paracoccidioidomycosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Federal University of the Triângulo Mineiro, Caixa Postal 118, Uberaba, MG, 38001-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabricio Fernandes
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Celso Tadeu Barbosa
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Flavia Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Esteves
authors.forename: Ademir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Geisa Ferreira
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Cristiane Candida
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: do Amaral
authors.forename: Marcos Abel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Domingues
authors.forename: Zoilo Pires
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: De Camargo
authors.forename: Mario León
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Silva-Vergara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood*; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D010228:Paracoccidioides / Q000276:immunology*; D010229:Paracoccidioidomycosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012882:Skin Tests; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal