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Publications

Journal Article Epublish

PubMed: 40333111 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens14040356

One Health Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in Non-Human Primates and Small Mammals in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Pathogens 14(4)

Authors: Pedro Augusto Almeida-Souza, Thamires Gabriele Macedo Silva, Gabriele Barbosa Penha, Thaynara de Jesus Teixeira, Ramon Oliveira-Silva, Iago Alves Celestino, Maria Eduarda Gonçalves-Dos-Santos, Cirilo Henrique de Oliveira, Alice Dos Santos Nunes Ferreira, Emerson Márcio Gusmão, Vinícius de Oliveira Ottone, Danilo Simonini-Teixeira, Fabrício Souza Campos, Paulo Michel Roehe, Leonardo Camilo de Oliveira, Mauro Martins Teixeira, Filipe Vieira Santos de Abreu, Danilo Bretas de Oliveira

Affiliations

  • Laboratório de Comportamento de Insetos, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais, Salinas 39560-000, MG, Brazil. Laboratório de Inovação Tecnológica e Empreendedorismo em Controle de Vetores, Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil.
  • Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Universidade Federal do Vale do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina 21040-900, MG, Brazil.
  • Laboratório de Comportamento de Insetos, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais, Salinas 39560-000, MG, Brazil.
  • Núcleo de Atendimento e Pesquisa de Animais Silvestres, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, BA, Brazil.
  • Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, RS, Brazil.
  • Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil.
  • Laboratório de Comportamento de Insetos, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais, Salinas 39560-000, MG, Brazil. Laboratório de Insetos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil.

Abstract

Although the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic primarily affected the human population, the virus has also been detected in various animal species worldwide, raising concerns about its potential to establish new animal reservoirs. This study aimed to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in non-human primates (NHPs) and synanthropic small mammals (SSMs) in the Jequitinhonha Valley and Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. Between October 2021 and October 2023, 119 animals were sampled, 82 NHPs and 37 SSMs, across 22 municipalities. A total of 342 biological samples-including oral and nasal swabs, lungs, livers, spleens, blood, and feces-were collected and analyzed using RT-qPCR, while 37 serum samples were submitted to neutralization tests. Despite the diversity of sampled species, habitats, and biological materials, no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection or specific antibodies was detected in any of the individuals tested. The results suggest that NHPs and SSMs in these regions did not act as reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2 during the study period. This finding is particularly relevant given the high synanthropy of species such as (black-tufted marmoset) and (black rat), which frequently interact with human populations. Our study underscores the importance of integrating animal, human, and environmental health perspectives under a One Health framework to monitor emerging zoonotic threats. By providing baseline data on SARS-CoV-2 dynamics in wildlife, we emphasize the need for ongoing ecological and epidemiological surveillance to assess potential spillover events and their implications for biodiversity and public health in Brazil.

MeSH

Sars-Cov-2, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Related Coronavirus