BACKGROUNDSerological evidence of West Nile virus (WNV) infection has been reported in different regions of Brazil from equine and human hosts but the virus had never been isolated in the country.OBJECTIVES We sought to identify the viral etiology of equine encephalitis in Espírito Santo state.METHODS We performed viral culture in C6/36 cells, molecular detection of WNV genome, histopathology and immunohistochemistry from horse cerebral tissue. We also carried out sequencing, phylogenetic analysis and molecular clock.FINDINGS Histopathologic analysis from horse cerebral tissue showed injury related to encephalitis and WNV infection was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The virus was detected by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) from brain tissue and subsequently isolated in C6/36 cells. WNV full-length genome was sequenced showing the isolated strain belongs to lineage 1a. The molecular clock indicated that Brazilian WNV strain share the same common ancestor that were circulating in US during 2002-2005.MAIN CONCLUSIONS Here we report the first isolation of WNV in Brazil from a horse with neurologic disease, which was clustered into lineage 1a with others US WNV strains isolated in beginning of 2000’s decade.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is affecting almost the entire world, causing more than four hundred thousand deaths and undermining the health care systems, as much as the economy, of the afflicted countries. The strategies for prevention depend on largely lacking information, as infection prevalence and virus pathogenicity. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, the pathogenicity, and the speed of infection spreading in a large population in Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a serial cross-sectional study designed on a population basis and structured over houses as the sampling units. The sampling consisted of four visits at 15 days intervals in randomly selected census-designated sectors of the State major municipalities (reference municipalities) and two visits at 30 days intervals in smaller municipalities of the same regions of those of reference. At each visit, the investigators sampled houses and sampled one individual in each house for data collection. After the informed consent, the investigators performed a rapid antibody detection test (Celer Technology, Inc) and applied a questionnaire containing clinical and demographic questions. RESULTS: From May 13th to 15th, the investigators performed 6,393 rapid tests in 4,612 individuals of the reference municipalities, 1,163 individuals of the smaller municipalities, and 166 contacts of the positive individuals. Ninety-seven dwellers were positive in the reference municipalities, giving a prevalence of 2.1% (CI 95%: 1.67-2.52%). In the smaller municipalities, the figure was 0.26% (CI 95%: 0.05%-0.75%) (three positives). There was an association of the positive result with female sex (p = 0.013) and houses with five dwellers or more (p = 0.003). Seventy-eight positive individuals reported symptoms in the previous 15 days (80.4%), being anosmia (45.4%), cough (40.2%), and myalgia (38.1%) the more frequent. About one-third of them reported fever (28.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The results reveal a still small prevalence of infection in the study area, despite the significant number of sick people overloading the health system. The figures indicate an important underreporting in the area and a frequency that still can grow, making necessary public health actions for the containment of the transmission.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the phylogenetic relationship of the Juquitiba virus (JUQV) carried by Oligoryzomys nigripes in endemic and non-endemic areas of Brazil. Wild rodents infected with the Juquitiba virus (JUQV) were sampled from a non-Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome endemic area in Brazil. Three strains from O. nigripes were identified by the sequencing of the complete S segment and compared to previous studies of JUQV available in GenBank. The phylogenetic analysis of the complete S segment revealed two distinct clades; the first clade was composed of the JUQV from two non-endemic areas in Brazil and the second clade contained JUQV strains from Argentina, Paraguay and other Brazilian endemic areas.

Objective. To describe the epidemiological aspects of an outbreak of yellow fever (YF) that occurred in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, from 1 January 2017 – 31 July 2017. Methods. A descriptive, quantitative, retrospective approach analyzed secondary data obtained from the national notification systems, Information System of Diseases Notifications (SINAN), Laboratory Environment Manager (GAL), and the Espírito Santo Health Secretariat (SESA). Results. From 1 January 2017 – 8 July 2017, a total of 824 cases were reported in Espírito Santo, 307 (37%) of which were confirmed as YF. Of these, 95 (30.9%) died from the disease. Men were those most affected, corresponding to 244 (79.5%) cases, and women to 63 (20.5%) cases. The greatest incidence rate registered was in the city of Santa Leopoldina (380.2 cases/100 000 inhabitants). The outbreak evolved rapidly and a response was possible due to a multidisciplinary group created specifically to tackle the YF outbreak. Conclusions. The data were received and analyzed quickly and the response, consisting of immediate treatment of the cases and a blocking vaccination strategy, was developed to halt the progression of this fatal disease. In spite of these efforts, the case fatality rate of yellow fever remained high.