title: Serological evidence of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection in chickens from Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul States, Brazil.
abstract: The objective of this study was to detect antibodies against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in free-range and caged chickens Gallus domesticus. Initially, the humoral immune response of two chickens immunized with P. brasiliensis was evaluated. Both animals showed the production of antibodies to gp43, the major P. brasiliensis antigen. The seroepidemiological survey was conducted in chickens from the Pantanal region in Mato Grosso do Sul State (free-range n = 40) and from northern region of Paraná State (free-range n = 100, caged n = 43). The serum samples were analyzed by indirect ELISA using gp43 as antigen. The positivity observed in free-range chickens from Mato Grosso do Sul (55%) was significantly higher (P = 0.0001) than in free-range chickens from Paraná State (16%). In contrast to the free-range chickens, no positivity was observed in the caged chickens (P = 0.003). This is the first report showing serological evidence of P. brasiliensis infection in chickens. The results suggest that free-range chickens are more frequently infected by P. brasiliensis, probably due to the constant contact with soil than caged chickens and could be useful as epidemiological markers of paracoccidioidomycosis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Campus Universitário, Londrina, Paraná 86051-980, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Luciane H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Eiko N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Itano
authors.forename: Rodrigo M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Roberta L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: Maria A E
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Zoilo P
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Mario A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ono
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood*; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000276:immunology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007114:Immunization / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D010228:Paracoccidioides / Q000276:immunology*; D010229:Paracoccidioidomycosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: C103180:43 kDa protein, Paracoccidioides; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins