Dados do Trabalho

Título

Questing of influenza A and coronavirus in seabirds Fregata magnificens Mathews, 1914 (Suliformes: Fregatidae) and Sula leucogaster (Boddaert, 1783) (Suliformes: Sulidae) from Cagarras islands archipelago, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Introdução

Wild birds play a relevant role in dissemination of viruses between continents, threatening health, economy and food security. The Cagarras islands are an uninhabited archipelago, a major beach of the southern coast of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is an important breeding and nesting site for seabirds Fregata magnificens Mathews, 1914 (Suliformes: Fregatidae) and Sula leucogaster (Boddaert, 1783) (Suliformes: Sulidae). Information about influenza virus and coronavirus in these species on Cagarras are non-existent.

Objetivo (s)

This research aimed to investigate the occurrence of influenza and coronavirus in F. magnificens and S. leucogaster in Cagarras islands, Rio de Janeiro.

Material e Métodos

A total of 53 birds were sampled between April 2022 and January 2023. Paired samples of cloaca and tracheal swabs were collected from 23 F. magnificens and 30 S. leucogaster. The swabs were stored in viral transport medium at -80ºC until RNA extraction with QIAamp Viral kit. The conventional PCR was performed to amplify the fragment of RdRp gene for coronavirus detection and molecular Kit INFA/INFB/SC2 Bio-Manguinhos was used for questing of influenza in real-time PCR targeting fragment of matrix gene (M). Positive samples for coronavirus were purified and sequenced according to the Sanger method.

Resultados e Conclusão

No sample amplified for influenza virus. A total of four (13,0%), three males and one juvenile, F. magnificens tested positive for coronavirus. One adult was positive on tracheal and cloacal swabs, the others tested positive on tracheal and cloacal swabs. A total of nine (34,6%), three females, one male and five juveniles S. leucogaster tested positive for coronavirus as well. One female of S. leucogaster tested positive on tracheal and cloacal swabs, the from others we only obtained positive samples from cloacal swabs. Through sequencing it was possible to identify the coronavirus as Gammacoronavirus, with a coverage greater than 90% and homology greater than 97% with sequences of Gammacoronavirus deposited in the GenBank. From the data obtained in this research, we detect a new Gammacoronavirus, with unknown pathogenicity, for the first time in seabirds in Brazil. The absence of positive samples for influenza does not allow us to state that these viruses do not circulate in these animals, requiring constant surveillance of influenza in these and other Brazilian avifauna.

Palavras-chave

epidemiology; Gammacoronavirus; molecular biology; one health; virus.

Agradecimentos

FAPERGS, REDE SAÚDE-RS, Inova FIOCRUZ.