Canine paracoccidioidomycosis: a seroepidemiologic study

Abstract

Sera from 305 dogs were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine presence of the antibody anti-gp43, which reacts to a specific antigen of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. The dogs were divided into three groups according to their origin: urban dogs (animals with little or no contact with rural areas); suburban dogs (from the urban outskirts); and rural dogs. There was a significant difference between groups (P < 0.05). Rural dogs reacted positively in 89.5% of cases, followed by suburban (48.8%) and urban dogs (14.8%). There were no differences between male and female dogs. In an attempt to verify the feasibility of skin testing with gp43 to determine sensitization against P. brasiliensis in dogs, suburban (n = 61) and rural (n = 21) dogs were tested, showing positivity of 13.1 and 38.1%, respectively. Six dogs that had higher ELISA titers and also showed strong reactions in skin testing were killed in an attempt to isolate P. brasiliensis. The fungus was not detected by culture or histopathological analysis in these dogs, suggesting that dogs have a natural resistance or that they encounter an inoculum level that is insufficient to cause disease. These results indicate that ELISA and skin testing can be useful in the epidemiological study of paracoccidioidomycosis in dogs and that encounter with the fungus in nature is a frequent event.

Activation of the alternative complement pathway in canine normal serum by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

“…The high frequency of infection by P. brasiliensis observed in dogs living in paracoccidioidomycosis endemic areas, the low incidence of natural disease reported in this species and experimental data with adult animals suggest that adult dogs are resistant to the development of paracoccidioidomycosis (18,24). …”

“…Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that infection by P. brasiliensis occurs in domestic and in wild animals (6,7,8,11,15,18,22,24,25). A high frequency of infection was observed in dogs from areas endemic for paracoccidioidomycosis in Brazil (18,24), although to date, only two cases of natural disease have been reported (4,12).…”

“…A high frequency of infection was observed in dogs from areas endemic for paracoccidioidomycosis in Brazil (18,24), although to date, only two cases of natural disease have been reported (4,12). …”

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

“…The rabbits experimentally infected with P. brasiliensis produced antibodies against gp43, suggesting that this antigen can be useful for epidemiological studies of PCM in this species. Other domestic animals such as dogs, cows, sheep, chickens and goats also showed humoral immune response against gp43 antigen after immunisation with P. brasiliensis cells.…”

“…The infection of domestic and wild animals by P. brasiliensis occurs frequently as reported in several epidemiological studies with dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, chickens, goats coati‐mundi, felines, monkeys and armadillos, although natural disease was reported only in two dogs, a cat and a southern two‐toed sloth …”