Seropositivity for Coxiella burnetii in suspected patients with dengue in São Paulo state, Brazil

Abstract

Q fever and brucellosis are zoonoses that cause fever and other systemic clinical signs in humans; their occurrences are neglected and the differential diagnosis for some diseases is disregarded. This study aimed to investigate the seropositivity for Coxiella burnetii and Brucella spp. antibodies in patients suspected of dengue from 38 municipalities in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The samples (n = 604) were obtained by convenience from the Adolfo Lutz Institute serum bank. Sera were subjected to an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using in-house and commercial diagnostic protocols to evaluate C. burnetii positivity. For Brucella spp., sera were subjected to rapid plate serum agglutination with buffered acidified antigen (AAT), slow tube serum agglutination (SAL), and 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) techniques. Associations and statistical inferences of the results were performed by logistic regression according to the clinical and demographic variables collected from the patients. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) and associations were considered when p value was <0.05. In all, 129 patients showed positive results for Q fever, indicating a seropositivity of 21.4% (95% CI 18.15–24.85). Patients with 14–20 days of symptoms had 2.12 (95% CI 1.34–3.35) times more chances of being seropositive for Q fever than patients with 7–13 days, and patients with 21–27 days of fever had 2.62 (95% CI 1.27–5.41) times more chances of being seropositive for Q fever than patients with 7–13 days. For the other variables analyzed, there were no significant associations between the groups. No positivity for brucellosis was observed. This is the most comprehensive study of people seropositive for Q fever in São Paulo state and provides additional data for the medical community in Brazil. It is suggested that Q fever may be an important differential diagnosis of febrile illnesses in the region, demanding the government’s attention and investment in health.

Serosurvey of Coxiella burnetii in Descendants of Former Black Slaves (Quilombola Communities) of Southern Brazil

“…The human seropositivity of 44/200 (22.0%) individuals herein has been the second highest reported to date in Brazil, surpassed only by a series of reported Q fever cases with 10/16 (62.5%) in Minas Gerais state, Brazil [ 14 ]. All previous Brazilian serosurveys have reported lower seropositivity, including 1/61 (1.6%) patients with infective endocarditis in Sao Paulo state [ 15 ], 4/125 (3.2%) HIV-positive patients in Rio de Janeiro state [ 16 ], 17/437 (3.9%) in healthy individuals from Minas Gerais state, southeastern [ 17 ], 25/437 (5.72%) Dengue suspected patients in Minas Gerais state [ 18 ], 4/51 (7.8%) patients with culture-negative endocarditis in São Paulo state [ 19 ], 26/272 (10.0%) Dengue suspected patients in Rio de Janeiro state [ 20 ], and 129/604 (21.4%) Dengue suspected patients in São Paulo state [ 21 ]. If considering the Tronco community itself, with 17/39 (43.6%) seropositive individuals, the study herein had the highest reported frequency in healthy populations in Brazil.…”

“…Q fever has been indicated as an underestimated disease and an emerging health concern in Brazil [ 10 ]. Molecular and serological surveys have found, respectively, 44/360 (12.2%) positive bovines [ 36 ] and 129/604 (21.4%) positive humans [ 21 ] in São Paulo state, southeastern Brazil. The occurrence of Q fever has been evidenced since 2016 in Rio de Janeiro state [ 20 , 37 ].…”

Detection of Salmonella spp. in eggs for human consumption from poultry farms in municipalities of Alagoas State, Brazil

“…health of the population. Being aware of the risk to public health, it is necessary to make decisions that support the small producer so that it is possible to achieve food safety for all (França et al, 2022).…”

Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence in sheep herd from Paraguay: First evidence of bacterial circulation in the country

“…In French Guiana, Q fever was reported in 32/131 (24.4%) patients with pneumonia and 25/275 (9.1%) febrile patients [ 12 , 13 ]. In Brazil, 129/604 (21.5%) febrile patients and 4/51 (7.8%) patients with endocarditis were reported [ 14 , 15 ].…”