Domestic feline contribution in the transmission of Sporothrix in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil: a comparison between infected and non-infected populations

Pãmella A Macêdo-Sales,Simone R L S Souto,Carolina A Destefani,Anderson M Rodrigues,Andréa Regina S Baptista,Ricardo Luiz D Machado,Ricardo P Lucena,Marcia R Pinto,Elisabeth M S Rocha,Leila M Lopes-Bezerra

doi:10.1186/s12917-018-1340-4

Pãmella A Macêdo-Sales, Simone R L S Souto + Show 8 more

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https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-018-1340-4

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Abstract

BackgroundSporotrichosis is a neglected zoonosis caused by pathogenic fungi belonging to the Sporothrix schenckii complex. In Rio de Janeiro state, this disease reached an epidemic status with over 4700 domestic felines and around 4000 humans affected since the mid-90s. The present study evaluated clinical and epidemiological aspects and also the frequency of colonization and infection by these fungi in healthy cats and among those with suspicious cutaneous lesions, inhabiting four Rio de Janeiro state distinct areas.ResultsThree hundred and seventy-one cats were included in two groups: 175 healthy cats [CRG] and 196 cats showing lesions suggesting sporotrichosis [SSG]. Mycological diagnosis allowed SSG animals to be divided in positive [104 cats; +SG] and negative [92 cats; -SG] groups. Nails, oral mucosa and lesions swabs were submitted to culture and potential colonies were subculture for micromorphologycal analysis, dimorphism and molecular tests. In the CRG, only one cat was colonized in the oral cavity [0.57%]; in the -SG group, four animals showed colonization of the nail and/or oral cavity [4.3%]; while the highest frequency of colonization [39.4%] was observed in the +SG. All molecularly typed isolates were identified as S. brasiliensis.ConclusionThe results obtained here indicate that healthy cats have a minor role in sporotrichosis transmission within the state of Rio de Janeiro. Conversely, a higher participation of diseased feline in sporotrichosis transmission was evidenced, especially by the colonization of their oral cavity. Sporothrix brasiliensis equally affects and colonizes animals from distinct Rio de Janeiro state areas. Thus, we hypothesize that sporotrichosis is a uniform endemic throughout the state, whose transmission depends mainly on the contact with cats with sporotrichosis. Since Rio de Janeiro displays a world unique epidemic model of the disease, not fully understood, data on the infected and non-infected animals can be of major importance for future strategies of sporotrichosis prevention and control. Finally, considering the importance of the current concept of “one health”, the experience here observed can be helpful for distinct epizootias and/or zoonosis.

Highlights

Sporotrichosis is a neglected zoonosis caused by pathogenic fungi belonging to the Sporothrix schenckii complex
The feline particular behavior exposes them to possible environmental niches of the fungi in its saprophytic phase since scratching tree trunks and other surfaces, burying their feces and licking their bodies, facilitates nails and nasopharynx/oral cavity to carry particles of these fungi [4, 5]. These animals are at higher risk for Sporothrix spp. conidia colonization and subsequent infection, playing a key role in the transmission of this zoonosis because they promote the traumatic implantation of the fungi in the subcutaneous tissue of humans and of other animals and because they have an exuberant clinical presentation of sporotrichosis with intense proliferation of the parasitic form of the fungus [4,5,6]
The owners were informed of the objectives and methodology of the study and were asked to sign an informed consent form and answer questions related to epidemiological variables

Summary

Introduction

Sporotrichosis is a neglected zoonosis caused by pathogenic fungi belonging to the Sporothrix schenckii complex. The feline particular behavior exposes them to possible environmental niches of the fungi in its saprophytic phase since scratching tree trunks and other surfaces, burying their feces and licking their bodies, facilitates nails and nasopharynx/oral cavity to carry particles of these fungi [4, 5] These animals are at higher risk for Sporothrix spp. conidia colonization and subsequent infection, playing a key role in the transmission of this zoonosis because they promote the traumatic implantation of the fungi in the subcutaneous tissue of humans and of other animals and because they have an exuberant clinical presentation of sporotrichosis with intense proliferation of the parasitic form of the fungus [4,5,6]. Soil contamination by infected carcasses represents a major environmental concern because it can greatly increase the spread of fungi and hold back the control of this mycosis, closing the cat-environment-man cycle [10, 13]

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