Antifungal resistance profile in Sporothrix brasiliensis and investigation of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs, cats and humans in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, Pernambuco.
Epidemiology; antifungal resistance; emerging zoonoses; Sporotrichosis; Toxoplasmosis
The integrated approach aims to unite the different elements that value prevention and health promotion, as well as the treatment of diseases. The prevention of neglected diseases such as sporotrichosis and toxoplasmosis has been a topic of discussion in the health systems of several countries. These diseases, although different in their etiology and symptoms, present characteristics of complexity for Public Health, since they have a great impact on people's quality of life and on the health system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the resistance to antifungals in isolates of Sporothrix brasiliensis from samples of dogs and cats, as well as to investigate the occurrence of IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in dogs and cats in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, Pernambuco, and to evaluate the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in humans, especially in pregnant women and newborns. Sixty-three isolates of Sporothrix brasiliensis were analyzed, each isolate was evaluated in its filamentous and yeast forms, with the aim of evaluating the sensitivity of the fungus to antifungals in both growth phases, using broth microdilution (MIC) methods based on the reference protocols M38-A2 and M27-A3 recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Terbinafine-sensitive isolates with geometric mean (GM) of 0.04 μg/ml for the mycelium form and 0.05 μg/ml for the yeast form were identified. Amphotericin was the antifungal agent with the highest MG of the MIC for the filamentous phase (2.0671 μg/ml) and for the yeast phase, itraconazole presented the highest MG (2.6918 μg/ml). A total of 625 blood samples were collected (364 from felines and 261 from canines) and analyzed by Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA). The results indicated seropositivity in 26.64% of cats and 18.39% of dogs, with a higher prevalence in the cities of Recife and Jaboatão dos Guararapes. The cohabitation of dogs with cats, which are the main definitive hosts of the parasite, suggests that dogs may act as epidemiological sentinels, reflecting environmental contamination and the potential risk to humans. The study also identified a significant prevalence of toxoplasmosis cases in pregnant women, which highlights the importance of monitoring and controlling the disease in vulnerable human populations. The knowledge obtained in this study may contribute to generating important epidemiological information and may help to direct specific control and prevention measures for these regions.