ABSTRACT:
Arboviruses are viruses that maintain their life cycle in the wild and are transmitted to vertebrate hosts by hematophagous diptera. They are zoonotic and can establish an enzootic cycle in the urban areas; in humans, the infection can manifest from being encephalitogenic to hemorrhagic. This study aimed to report the occurrence of arboviruses in mammals of the order Didelphimorphia and Rodentia, captured from the Amazon. Serum samples were subjected to hemagglutination inhibition test using a viral panel of 19 species of arboviruses that are known to occur in the Amazon. Altogether, 14 wild mammals, 12 of Philander opossum, 1 of Didelphis marsupialis, and 1 of Nectomys rattus were captured. Eight of these were reported to be seropositive for arboviruses (57.14%) with monotypic seroprevalence for the Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (n=1), the Ilheus Virus (n=2), and the Catu virus (n=4); 4 heterotypic responses were observed for Flavivirus and Orthobunyavirus. In conclusion, several arbovirus species are in active circulation and maintenance, exhibiting enzootic characteristics in the wild mammals of the Amazon region; these animals prove to be potential hosts in the transmission of diseases to humans.
Key words:
arboviruses; wild mammals; Amazônia