tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
PLoS One
. 2024 Jul 15;19(7):e0306985.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306985. eCollection 2024. Amazon tropical fishes of commercial interest show human-cell contamination but no SARS-CoV-2 in a real-life scenario
Carolina Sousa de Sá Leitão[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Carlos Henrique Dos Anjos Dos Santos[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Jefferson Valente[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Bernardo Maia[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Rogério Santos Pereira[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Larissa Matos Batista[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Felipe Guedes Amorim[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Luciana Mara Fé-Gonçalves[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Marcus Lacerda[SUP] 5 6 [/SUP], Fernando Almeida-Val[SUP] 3 5 [/SUP], Adalberto Luis Val[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Background: Amazonas was one of the most impacted Brazilian states by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mortality rates were high, and the health systems collapsed. It is important to identify possible intermediate reservoirs to avoid animal-to-human contamination. Several tropical fish are of commercial interest and are sold in large open-air markets in the region, representing a large economic and dietary importance.
Objectives: This study aimed to verify if fish species of commercial importance, aerosols, and fish wastewater in local open-air markets, at a major capital city in the western Brazilian Amazon, are contaminated by SARS-CoV-2.
Methods: 488 fish, 50 aerosol, and 45 wastewater samples were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2. The samples were subjected to extraction using the BIOGENE Viral DNA/RNA Extraction kit, and the molecular diagnosis was tested for SARS-CoV-2 using the Bio-Manguinhos SARS-CoV-2 (EDx) Molecular Kit.
Results: It was not possible to detect the virus (Ct≤40, for Gene E) in these samples, however, in 181 samples of fish it was possible to detect the human RP gene (Ct≤35, for the RP Gene), indicating human contact. There was a high number of COVID-19 diagnoses in all city districts in which the samples were collected, showing that SARS-CoV-2 was circulating.
Conclusion: This study indicates that fish of local commercial importance do not carry SARS-CoV-2 viral particles, despite circulation of SARS-CoV-2, and are not an important source of animal-to-human contamination. Despite these results, the human RP gene was found detectable in fish, air, and fish wastewater, showing that such places may carry human pathogens.
. 2024 Jul 15;19(7):e0306985.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306985. eCollection 2024. Amazon tropical fishes of commercial interest show human-cell contamination but no SARS-CoV-2 in a real-life scenario
Carolina Sousa de Sá Leitão[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Carlos Henrique Dos Anjos Dos Santos[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Jefferson Valente[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Bernardo Maia[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Rogério Santos Pereira[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Larissa Matos Batista[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Felipe Guedes Amorim[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Luciana Mara Fé-Gonçalves[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Marcus Lacerda[SUP] 5 6 [/SUP], Fernando Almeida-Val[SUP] 3 5 [/SUP], Adalberto Luis Val[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 39008462
- DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306985
Background: Amazonas was one of the most impacted Brazilian states by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mortality rates were high, and the health systems collapsed. It is important to identify possible intermediate reservoirs to avoid animal-to-human contamination. Several tropical fish are of commercial interest and are sold in large open-air markets in the region, representing a large economic and dietary importance.
Objectives: This study aimed to verify if fish species of commercial importance, aerosols, and fish wastewater in local open-air markets, at a major capital city in the western Brazilian Amazon, are contaminated by SARS-CoV-2.
Methods: 488 fish, 50 aerosol, and 45 wastewater samples were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2. The samples were subjected to extraction using the BIOGENE Viral DNA/RNA Extraction kit, and the molecular diagnosis was tested for SARS-CoV-2 using the Bio-Manguinhos SARS-CoV-2 (EDx) Molecular Kit.
Results: It was not possible to detect the virus (Ct≤40, for Gene E) in these samples, however, in 181 samples of fish it was possible to detect the human RP gene (Ct≤35, for the RP Gene), indicating human contact. There was a high number of COVID-19 diagnoses in all city districts in which the samples were collected, showing that SARS-CoV-2 was circulating.
Conclusion: This study indicates that fish of local commercial importance do not carry SARS-CoV-2 viral particles, despite circulation of SARS-CoV-2, and are not an important source of animal-to-human contamination. Despite these results, the human RP gene was found detectable in fish, air, and fish wastewater, showing that such places may carry human pathogens.