Lessons from a multilaboratorial task force for diagnosis of a fatal toxoplasmosis outbreak in captive primates in Brazil
Authors: Schiffler Francine Bittencourt , Moreira Silvia Bahadian , Pereira Asheley Henrique Barbosa , Arruda Igor Falco , Moreira Filipe Romero Rebello , D’arc Mirela , Claro Ingra Morales , Pissinatti Thalita de Abreu , Cavalcante Liliane Tavares de Faria , Miranda Thamiris dos Santos , Cosentino Matheus Augusto Calvano , Oliveira Renata Carvalho de , Fernandes Jorlan , Assis Matheus Ribeiro da Silva , Oliveira Jonathan Gonçalves de , Silva Thayssa Alves Coelho da , Galliez Rafael Mello , Faffe Debora Souza , Jesus Jaqueline Goes de , Silva Marise Sobreira Bezerra da , Bezerra Matheus Filgueira , Junior Orlando da Costa Ferreira , Tanuri Amilcar , Castiñeiras Terezinha Marta , Aguiar Renato Santana , Faria Nuno Rodrigues , Almeida Alzira Paiva de , Pissinatti Alcides , Sabino Ester Cerdeira , Amendoeira Maria Regina Reis , Lemos Elba Regina Sampaio de , Ubiali Daniel Guimarães , Santos André F.A. 
Published: September 2023

As exemplified by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, infectious diseases may emerge and spread rapidly, often causing serious economic losses and public health concerns. In fact, disease outbreaks have become increasingly common, especially those of zoonotic origin. The Brazilian Ministry of Health is responsible for national epizootic surveillance. However, the system’s focus primarily on diseases affecting humans has led to the neglect of other zoonotic diseases. In this report, we present an integrated investigation of an outbreak that occurred during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic among captive neotropical primates housed at a primatology center in Brazil. After presenting a range of non-specific clinical signs, including fever, prostration, inappetence, and abdominal pain, ten primates from five different species died within approximately four days. Despite the state of health emergency due to the pandemic, a network of volunteer researchers was established to investigate the outbreak. A wide range of high-resolution techniques was used for different pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2 (RTq-PCR, ELISA and IHC), Toxoplasma gondii (IHC and IFA) and Escherichia coli (IFA), as well as a portable Metagenomic Sequencing utilizing Nanopore Technology. Within a span of four days after necropsies, we successfully identified T. gondii as the causative agent of this outbreak. This case highlights some of the obstacles faced with the current Brazilian surveillance system, which is still limited. A cross-platform interdisciplinary investigation could be a possible model for future epizootic investigations in non-human animals.

Author summary

The Brazilian epizootic surveillance system, under the regulation of the Ministry of Health, has been established to address a national list of compulsory notifiable diseases. However, focusing mainly on the risks to humans causes other zoonoses to be neglected. Here we present an outbreak that occurred during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic that affected eleven neotropical primates (NP) belonging to six different species. Within four days of exhibiting a range of non-specific clinical signs, including fever, prostration, inappetence, and abdominal pain, ten NPs died. Despite testing negative for pathogens included in the national surveillance policy, a collaborative group of researchers investigated the outbreak in detail. Using integrated diagnostic techniques, we identifiedToxoplasma gondiias the causative agent four days after necropsy. Toxoplasmosis causes devastating acute death outbreaks in neotropical primates and is currently absent in the national guidelines. This unified effort proved the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary collaborative surveillance network in facilitating precise diagnoses.