title: Molecular evidence of Orthopoxvirus DNA in capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) stool samples.
abstract: Vaccinia virus (VACV) is responsible for outbreaks in Brazil and has immense potential as an emerging virus. VACV can be found naturally circulating in India, Pakistan and South America, where it causes infections characterised by exanthematic lesions in buffaloes, cattle and humans. The transmission cycle of Brazilian VACV has still not been fully characterised; one of the most important gaps in knowledge being the role of wild animals. Capybaras, which are restricted to the Americas, are the world's largest rodents and have peculiar characteristics that make them possible candidates for being part of a natural VACV reservoir. Here, we developed a method for detecting orthopoxvirus DNA in capybara stool samples, and have described for the first time the detection of orthopoxvirus DNA in capybaras samples from three different regions in Brazil. These findings strongly suggest that capybaras might be involved in the natural transmission cycle of VACV and furthermore represent a public health problem, when associated with Brazilian bovine vaccinia outbreaks. This makes infected animals an important factor to be considered when predicting and managing Brazilian VACV outbreaks.
authors: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil.|Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla, Finland.
authors: Lara Ambrosio Leal
authors: LA
authors: Dutra
authors: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil.|Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla, Finland.
authors: Gabriel Magno
authors: GM
authors: de Freitas Almeida
authors: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors: Graziele Pereira
authors: GP
authors: Oliveira
authors: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors: Jônatas Santos
authors: JS
authors: Abrahão
authors: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors: Erna Geessien
authors: EG
authors: Kroon
authors: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil. giliane@icb.ufmg.br.
authors: Giliane de Souza
authors: GS
authors: Trindade
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D005076:Exanthema / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D012377:Rodentia / Q000821:virology*; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral