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Promising application of the SsCBF ELISA test to monitor the therapeutic response of feline sporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis from Brazilian epidemics

  • Veterinary Microbiology - Research Paper
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Abstract

Sporotrichosis zoonotic transmission by cats has obtained hyperendemic magnitude in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Atypical cases, relapses, and reinfections as well as reduced diagnostic sensitivity of conventional methods have been reported. Previously, the anti-SsCBF enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test was shown to be useful as a diagnostic tool for human sporotrichosis. Effective diagnosis and treatment are critical to interrupt the chain of transmission of this major pathogen in Brazilian Public Health. To evaluate its applicability for feline sporotrichosis diagnosis and/or therapeutic follow-up, 15 domestic cats from Rio de Janeiro were clinically and laboratory monitored by cytopathology, culture, Sporothrix genotyping, and anti-SsCBF IgG levels. Subsequently, animals were divided into satisfactory and non-satisfactory therapeutic responders. Averages of antibody serum levels obtained for diagnosis (first consultation) compared with the levels found after follow-up (last consultation) were significantly different in both groups (p = 0.0002 and p = 0.038, respectively). We conclude that the SsCBF ELISA test can predict feline sporotrichosis therapeutic responses even for animals with distinct clinical evolutions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the veterinarian collaborators and cat owners for allowing their animals to take part in this study. We also thank Dr. Anderson Messias Rodrigues from the Laboratory of Emerging Fungal Pathogens, São Paulo Federal University, for assisting our group on Sporothrix spp. genotyping. We are grateful to Dr. Norman Ratcliffe for editing and suggestions for improvements of the manuscript.

Funding

The authors would like to thank the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—CNPq) for granting fellowships (PIBIC-CNPq-UFF) and the Rio de Janeiro Research Foundation (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro—FAPERJ; E-26/103.198/2011 and E-26/010.001882/2014). Also, it was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001 and PROEX-MEC. ARSB and RLDM are research fellows of CNPq (PQ/CNPq).

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  1. Vivian S. Baptista and Gabriele Barros Mothé Both equally contributed as first authors

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Microorganisms’ Investigation, Biomedical Institute, Federal Fluminense University, Block E, Outeiro de São João Batista, s/n, Centro, Niterói, RJ, 24020 140, Brazil

    Vivian S. Baptista, Gabriele Barros Mothé, Giulia M. P. Santos, Carla Stefany I. Melivilu, Pãmella A. de Macêdo-Sales, Márcia Ribeiro Pinto, Ricardo Luiz D. Machado, Elisabeth M. S. Rocha & Andréa Regina S. Baptista

  2. Laboratory of Cellular Mycology and Proteomics, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Thayana O. Santos, Emylli D. Virginio & Leila Maria Lopes-Bezerra

  3. BIDiagnostics, Centro de Inovação, Empreendedorismo e Tecnologia, São Paulo University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Leila Maria Lopes-Bezerra

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  1. Vivian S. Baptista
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Correspondence to Andréa Regina S. Baptista.

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Baptista, V.S., Mothé, G.B., Santos, G.M.P. et al. Promising application of the SsCBF ELISA test to monitor the therapeutic response of feline sporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis from Brazilian epidemics. Braz J Microbiol 52, 145–153 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-020-00362-6

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