KARIN KIRCHGATTER
Projetos de Pesquisa
Unidades Organizacionais
LIM/49 - Laboratório de Protozoologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina - Líder
17 resultados
Resultados de Busca
Agora exibindo 1 - 10 de 17
- Molecular Investigation Confirms Myotis Genus Bats as Common Hosts of Polychromophilus in Brazil(2023) MATHIAS, Bruno da Silva; MINOZZO, Guilherme Augusto; BIONDO, Alexander Welker; COSTA, Jaciara de Oliveira Jorge; SOARES, Herbert Sousa; MARCILI, Arlei; GUIMARAES, Lilian de Oliveira; ANJOS, Carolina Clares dos; SANTOS, Andrea Pires Dos; RIEDIGER, Irina Nastassja; FECCHIO, Alan; BUENO, Marina Galvao; PINHO, Joao Batista; KIRCHGATTER, KarinPlasmodium spp. and some other blood parasites belonging to the order Haemosporida are the focus of many epidemiological studies worldwide. However, haemosporidian parasites from wild animals are largely neglected in scientific research. For example, Polychromophilus parasites, which are exclusive to bats, are described in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, but little is known about their presence and genetic diversity in the New World. In this study, 224 samples of bats from remaining fragments of the Atlantic Forest and Pantanal biomes, as well as urbanized areas in southern and southeastern Brazil, were analyzed for the presence of haemosporidian parasites by PCR of the mitochondrial gene that encodes cytochrome b (cytb). The PCR fragments of the positive samples were sequenced and analyzed by the Bayesian inference method to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships between Polychromophilus parasites from bats in Brazil and other countries. Sequences from Brazilian lineages of Polychromophilus were recovered in a clade with sequences from Polychromophilus murinus and close to the one Polychromophilus sequence obtained in Panama, the only available sequence for the American continent. This clade was restricted to bats of the family Vespertilionidae and distinct from Polychromophilus melanipherus, a parasite species mainly found in bats of the family Miniopteridae. The detection of Polychromophilus and the genetic proximity to P. murinus were further confirmed with the amplification of two other genes (clpc and asl). We also found a Haemosporida parasite sequence in a sample of Noctilio albiventris collected in the Pantanal biome, which presents phylogenetic proximity with avian Haemoproteus sequences. Morphological and molecular studies are still needed to conclude and describe the Polychromophilus species in Brazilian Myotis bats in more detail and to confirm Haemoproteus parasites in bats. Nevertheless, these molecular results in Brazilian bats confirm the importance of studying these neglected genera.
- Global drivers of avian haemosporidian infections vary across zoogeographical regions(2021) FECCHIO, Alan; CLARK, Nicholas J.; BELL, Jeffrey A.; SKEEN, Heather R.; LUTZ, Holly L.; TORRE, Gabriel M. De La; VAUGHAN, Jefferson A.; TKACH, Vasyl V.; SCHUNCK, Fabio; FERREIRA, Francisco C.; BRAGA, Erika M.; LUGARINI, Camile; WAMITI, Wanyoike; DISPOTO, Janice H.; GALEN, Spencer C.; KIRCHGATTER, Karin; SAGARIO, M. Cecilia; CUETO, Victor R.; GONZALEZ-ACUNA, Daniel; INUMARU, Mizue; SATO, Yukita; SCHUMM, Yvonne R.; QUILLFELDT, Petra; PELLEGRINO, Irene; DHARMARAJAN, Guha; GUPTA, Pooja; ROBIN, V. V.; CILOGLU, Arif; YILDIRIM, Alparslan; HUANG, Xi; CHAPA-VARGAS, Leonardo; ALVAREZ-MENDIZABAL, Paulina; SANTIAGO-ALARCON, Diego; V, Serguei Drovetski; HELLGREN, Olof; VOELKER, Gary; RICKLEFS, Robert E.; HACKETT, Shannon J.; COLLINS, Michael D.; WECKSTEIN, Jason D.; WELLS, KonstansAim Macroecological analyses provide valuable insights into factors that influence how parasites are distributed across space and among hosts. Amid large uncertainties that arise when generalizing from local and regional findings, hierarchical approaches applied to global datasets are required to determine whether drivers of parasite infection patterns vary across scales. We assessed global patterns of haemosporidian infections across a broad diversity of avian host clades and zoogeographical realms to depict hotspots of prevalence and to identify possible underlying drivers. Location Global. Time period 1994-2019. Major taxa studied Avian haemosporidian parasites (genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon and Parahaemoproteus). Methods We amalgamated infection data from 53,669 individual birds representing 2,445 species world-wide. Spatio-phylogenetic hierarchical Bayesian models were built to disentangle potential landscape, climatic and biotic drivers of infection probability while accounting for spatial context and avian host phylogenetic relationships. Results Idiosyncratic responses of the three most common haemosporidian genera to climate, habitat, host relatedness and host ecological traits indicated marked variation in host infection rates from local to global scales. Notably, host ecological drivers, such as migration distance for Plasmodium and Parahaemoproteus, exhibited predominantly varying or even opposite effects on infection rates across regions, whereas climatic effects on infection rates were more consistent across realms. Moreover, infections in some low-prevalence realms were disproportionately concentrated in a few local hotspots, suggesting that regional-scale variation in habitat and microclimate might influence transmission, in addition to global drivers. Main conclusions Our hierarchical global analysis supports regional-scale findings showing the synergistic effects of landscape, climate and host ecological traits on parasite transmission for a cosmopolitan and diverse group of avian parasites. Our results underscore the need to account for such interactions, in addition to possible variation in drivers across regions, to produce the robust inference required to predict changes in infection risk under future scenarios.
- First Molecular Detection of Polychromophilus Parasites in Brazilian Bat Species(2021) MINOZZO, Guilherme Augusto; MATHIAS, Bruno da Silva; RIEDIGER, Irina Nastassja; GUIMARAES, Lilian de Oliveira; ANJOS, Carolina Clares dos; MONTEIRO, Eliana Ferreira; SANTOS, Andrea Pires dos; BIONDO, Alexander Welker; KIRCHGATTER, KarinBlood parasites of the Haemosporida order, such as the Plasmodium spp. responsible for malaria, have become the focus of many studies in evolutionary biology. However, there is a lack of molecular investigation of haemosporidian parasites of wildlife, such as the genus Polychromophilus. Species of this neglected genus exclusively have been described in bats, mainly in Europe, Asia, and Africa, but little is known about its presence and genetic diversity on the American continent. Here, we investigated 406 bats from sites inserted in remnant fragments of the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes and urbanized areas from southern Brazil for the presence of Polychromophilus species by PCR of the mitochondrial cytochrome b encoding gene. A total of 1.2% of bats was positive for Polychromophilus, providing the first molecular information of these parasites in Myotis riparius and Eptesicus diminutus, common vespertilionid bats widely distributed in different Brazilian biomes, and Myotis ruber, an endangered species. A Bayesian analysis was conducted to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships between Polychromophilus recovered from Brazilian bats and those identified elsewhere. Sequences of Brazilian Polychromophilus lineages were placed with P. murinus and in a clade distinct from P. melanipherus, mainly restricted to bats in the family Vespertilionidae. However, the sequences were split into two minor clades, according to the genus of hosts, indicating that P. murinus and a distinct species may be circulating in Brazil. Morphological observations combined with additional molecular studies are needed to conclude and describe these Polychromophilus species.
- Infectious Diseases in Free-Ranging Blonde Capuchins, Sapajus flavius, in Brazil(2017) BUENO, Marina Galvao; CATO-DIAS, Jose Luiz; LAROQUE, Plautino de Oliveira; VASCONCELLOS, Silvio Arruda; FERREIRA NETO, Jose Soares; GENNARI, Solange Maria; FERREIRA, Fernando; LAURENTI, Marcia Dalastra; UMEZAWA, Eufrosina Setsu; KESPER, Norival; KIRCHGATTER, Karin; GUIMARES, Lilian Oliveira; PAVANATO, Heloise Juliao; VALENCA-MONTENEGRO, Monica MafraThe main threats to primates worldwide are the degradation, fragmentation, and loss of their habitats; hunting (especially for bushmeat); and illegal trade. For many species, the most important threat is forest fragmentation, resulting in small populations that are restricted to isolated forest patches. In this situation, primates are particularly vulnerable to disease. The Endangered blonde capuchin (Sapajus flavius) is now restricted to a few forest patches in Northeast Brazil. We investigated the occurrence of parasites and bacterial diseases in one of three free-ranging groups of S. flavius in a small forest patch in Paraiba state, Northeast Brazil. We tested for antibodies against Leishmania spp., Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii, Leptospira spp. (24 strains), and Brucella spp.. We used molecular analysis to detect Plasmodium spp., and evaluated blood smears for the presence of hemoparasites. All individuals tested negative for Leptospira spp. and B. abortus, but 8 of 48 (16%) presented antibodies for both Leishmania spp. and T. cruzi. We identified antibodies to T. gondii in 12% of the individuals tested. Plasmodium brasilianum infection was present in 4% of the individuals tested, and blood smears showed microfilariae parasites in 46% of the individuals tested. The occurrence of these infectious diseases in S. flavius may pose a significant threat in terms of reduced recruitment and poor survival rates, and an understanding of the influence of pathogens is crucial for the management of small populations of primates.
- Avian Malaria and Related Parasites from Resident and Migratory Birds in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, with Description of a New Haemoproteus Species(2021) ANJOS, Carolina C.; CHAGAS, Carolina R. F.; FECCHIO, Alan; SCHUNCK, Fabio; COSTA-NASCIMENTO, Maria J.; MONTEIRO, Eliana F.; MATHIAS, Bruno S.; BELL, Jeffrey A.; GUIMARAES, Lilian O.; COMICHE, Kiba J. M.; VALKIUNAS, Gediminas; KIRCHGATTER, KarinDetermining the prevalence and local transmission dynamics of parasitic organisms are necessary to understand the ability of parasites to persist in host populations and disperse across regions, yet local transmission dynamics, diversity, and distribution of haemosporidian parasites remain poorly understood. We studied the prevalence, diversity, and distributions of avian haemosporidian parasites of the genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon among resident and migratory birds in Serra do Mar, Brazil. Using 399 blood samples from 66 Atlantic Forest bird species, we determined the prevalence and molecular diversity of these pathogens across avian host species and described a new species of Haemoproteus. Our molecular and morphological study also revealed that migratory species were infected more than residents. However, vector infective stages (gametocytes) of Leucocytozoon spp., the most prevalent parasites found in the most abundant migrating host species in Serra do Mar (Elaenia albiceps), were not seen in blood films of local birds suggesting that this long-distance Austral migrant can disperse Leucocytozoon parasite lineages from Patagonia to the Atlantic Forest, but lineage sharing among resident species and local transmission cannot occur in this part of Brazil. Our study demonstrates that migratory species may harbor a higher diversity and prevalence of parasites than resident species, but transportation of some parasites by migratory hosts may not always affect local transmission.
- Haemoproteus jenniae (Haemoproteidae, Haemosporida) infects gulls (Larus spp.) in South Africa, with redescription of Haemoproteus skuae(2023) VANSTREELS, Ralph E. T.; CHAGAS, Carolina R. F.; VALKIUNAS, Gediminas; ANJOS, Carolina C. dos; PARSONS, Nola J.; ROBERTS, David G.; SNYMAN, Albert; HURTADO, Renata; KIRCHGATTER, Karin; LUDYNIA, Katrin; PISTORIUS, Pierre A.Haemoproteus spp. are dipteran-borne protozoa that infect erythrocytes and reticulo-endothelial cells of birds. These parasites are not usually transmitted between birds belonging to different orders. The suborder Lari (order Charadriiformes) comprises similar to 170 avian species, the majority of which are aquatic, including gulls, terns, auklets, murres and skuas, among others. In spite of the diversity of this avian group, there is limited known diversity of haemosporidian parasites, with only 4 recorded Haemoproteus morphospecies thus far. We examined the blood smears of 21 kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus) captured at a breeding colony in South Africa, as well as Haemoproteus-positive archival blood smears of 15 kelp gulls and 1 Hartlaub's gull (Larus hartlaubii) sampled while under care at seabird rehabilitation facilities in South Africa. Haemoproteus sp. infection was detected in 19% of wild-caught kelp gulls. All parasites from the gulls were morphologically identified as Haemoproteus jenniae, a species previously recorded in Lari birds at the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), Rocas Atoll (Brazil) and Poland. Gene sequencing uncovered a new cytochrome b lineage, LARDOM01, which was closely related to the previously reported H. jenniae lineage CREFUR01. Additionally, we evaluated a hapantotype blood smear of Haemoproteus skuae, which had been described infecting a brown skua (Catharacta antarctica) in South Africa. We provide a redescription of H. skuae and discuss the morphological characters distinguishing it from H. jenniae. Further research is necessary to improve our knowledge about the host and geographic distribution, health effects and phylogeny of H. jenniae and H. skuae.
- Naturally Acquired Humoral Immunity against Malaria Parasites in Non-Human Primates from the Brazilian Amazon, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest(2020) MONTEIRO, Eliana Ferreira; FERNANDEZ-BECERRA, Carmen; ARAUJO, Maisa da Silva; MESSIAS, Mariluce Rezende; OZAKI, Luiz Shozo; DUARTE, Ana Maria Ribeiro de Castro; BUENO, Marina Galvao; CATAO-DIAS, Jose Luiz; CHAGAS, Carolina Romeiro Fernandes; MATHIAS, Bruno da Silva; SANTOS, Mayra Gomes dos; SANTOS, Stefanie Vanessa; HOLCMAN, Marcia Moreira; JR, Julio Cesar de Souza; KIRCHGATTER, KarinNon-human primates (NHPs) have been shown to be infected by parasites of the genusPlasmodium, the etiological agent of malaria in humans, creating potential risks of zoonotic transmission.Plasmodium brasilianum, a parasite species similar toP. malariaeof humans, have been described in NHPs from Central and South America, including Brazil. The merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1), besides being a malaria vaccine candidate, is highly immunogenic. Due to such properties, we tested this protein for the diagnosis of parasite infection. We used recombinant proteins ofP. malariaeMSP1, as well as ofP. falciparumandP. vivax, for the detection of antibodies anti-MSP1 of these parasite species, in the sera of NHPs collected in different regions of Brazil. About 40% of the NHP sera were confirmed as reactive to the proteins of one or more parasite species. A relatively higher number of reactive sera was found in animals from the Atlantic Forest than those from the Amazon region, possibly reflecting the former more intense parasite circulation among NHPs due to their proximity to humans at a higher populational density. The presence ofPlasmodiumpositive NHPs in the surveyed areas, being therefore potential parasite reservoirs, needs to be considered in any malaria surveillance program.
- Antibody Profile Comparison against MSP1 Antigens of Multiple Plasmodium Species in Human Serum Samples from Two Different Brazilian Populations Using a Multiplex Serological Assay(2021) MONTEIRO, Eliana Ferreira; FERNANDEZ-BECERRA, Carmen; CURADO, Izilda; WUNDERLICH, Gerhard; HIYANE, Meire Ioshie; KIRCHGATTER, KarinPlasmodium malariae has a wide geographic distribution, but mainly at very low parasitemias and in co-infections, leading to an underestimated prevalence of this species. Studies for the detection of antibodies against Plasmodium recombinant proteins are increasingly used to map geographical distributions, seroprevalence and transmission intensities of malaria infection. However, no seroepidemiological survey using recombinant P. malariae proteins has been conducted in Brazil. This work evaluated the antibody response in serum samples of individuals from endemic regions of Brazil (the Amazon region and Atlantic Forest) against five recombinant proteins of P. malariae merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1), and the MSP1 C-terminal portions of P. vivax and P. falciparum, in a multiplex assay. The positivity was 69.5% of samples recognizing at least one MSP1 recombinant protein. The mean of the Reactivity Index for the C-terminal portion of the P. falciparum was significantly higher compared to the other recombinant proteins, followed by the C-terminal of P. vivax and the N-terminal of P. malariae. Among the recombinant P. malariae proteins, the N-terminal of P. malariae showed the highest Reactivity Index alone. This study validates the use of the multiplex assay to measure naturally acquired IgG antibodies against Plasmodium MSP1 proteins and demonstrate that these proteins are important tools for seroepidemiological surveys and could be used in malaria surveillance.
- Phylogeny of Anopheles (Kerteszia) (Diptera: Culicidae) Using Mitochondrial Genes(2020) KIRCHGATTER, Karin; GUIMARAES, Lilian de Oliveira; TRUJILLANO, Henrry Hugo Yanez; ARIAS, Fernando Rafael; CACERES, Abraham German; DUARTE, Ana Maria Ribeiro de Castro; MALAFRONTE, Rosely dos Santos; TUBAKI, Rosa Maria; SALLUM, Maria Anice MurebIdentification of mosquito species is necessary for determining the entomological components of malaria transmission, but it can be difficult in morphologically similar species. DNA sequences are largely used as an additional tool for species recognition, including those that belong to species complexes. Kerteszia mosquitoes are vectors of human and simian malaria in the Neotropical Region, but there are few DNA sequences of Kerteszia species in public databases. In order to provide relevant information about diversity and improve knowledge in taxonomy of Kerteszia species in Peru, we sequenced part of the mitochondrial genome, including the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) barcode region. Phylogenetic analyses structured all species of mosquitoes collected in Peru into a single clade, separate from the Brazilian species. The Peruvian clade was composed of two lineages, encompassing sequences from Anopheles (Kerteszia) boliviensis and Anopheles (Kerteszia) pholidotus. An. pholidotus sequences were recorded for the first time in Peru, whereas An. boliviensis sequences were for the first time published in the GenBank database. Sequences generated from specimens morphologically identified as Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii clustered into three separate clades according to the collection localities of Serra do Mar, Serra da Mantiqueira, and Serra da Cantareira, confirming An. cruzii as a species complex, composed of at least three putative species.
- A New Recombinant Multiepitope Chimeric Protein of Leptospira interrogans Is a Promising Marker for the Serodiagnosis of Leptospirosis(2022) V, Luis G. Fernandes; AVELAR, Katia E. S.; ROMERO, Eliete C.; HEINEMANN, Marcos B.; KIRCHGATTER, Karin; NASCIMENTO, Ana L. T. O.The zoonotic disease leptospirosis is caused by pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira and was recently included in the list of Neglected Diseases by the World Health Organization. Leptospirosis burden is estimated to have over a million human cases and cause 60 thousand deaths annually, in addition to its economic impact and veterinary concern. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT), recommended by the World Health Organization, exhibits reduced sensitivity at the beginning of the disease, in addition to being technically difficult. New recombinant antigens are being pursued for rapid and specific serodiagnostic tests, especially in the initial phase of the disease, and chimeric multiepitope proteins are a strategy with a great potential to be implemented in serology. Based on previous subproteomic results, we designed a synthetic construct comprising 10 conserved leptospiral surface antigens, and the recombinant protein was purified and evaluated regarding its diagnostic potential. The protein termed rChi2 was recognized by antibodies in serum from patients both at the onset (MAT-) and in the convalescent (MAT+) phase in 75 and 82% of responders, respectively. In addition, rChi2 immunization in hamsters elicited a strong humoral response, and anti-rChi2 antibodies recognized several immobilized intact Leptospira species, validating its potential as an early, broad, and cross-reactive diagnostic test.