Epidemiologic survey for arbovirus in Galician capuchin monkeys (Cebus flavius) free living in Paraiba and captive capuchin monkey (Cebus libidinosus) from Northeast Brazil

This paper describes the first investigation of arbovirus antibodies on New World non-human primates from Northeast Brazil, From March 2008 to September 2010 blood serum samples were collected from 31 wild blond capuchin monkeys (Cebus flavius) from Paraiba and 100 captive capuchin monkeys from Alagoas, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Piaui and Rio Grande do Norte. The haemagglutination-inhibition test (HI) was employed for 19 arbovirus of the Flavivirus, Alphavirus and Bunyavirus genus. Serum samples were tested from 1:20 to 1:1280 dilutions. Among the primates tested all C.flavius were negative and 46% C. libidinosus presented antibodies to arbovirus. Antibodies were detected for nine arbovirus (9/19). Seventeen heterotypic reactions were observed for at least two Or Flavirus and 15 for Alphavirus, at titers varying between 1:20 to 1:1280. Fifteen samples presented monotypic reaction for ILHV (n=4), MAYV (n=6), SLEV (n=1), ROCV (n=2), OROV (n=1) and MUCV (n=1). These results suggest that there was an intense arbovirus circulation in the studied population of captive capuchin monkeys.