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Brazilian Spotted Fever Prevention through a Nonlethal Capybara Population Control Strategy
Derek Andrew Rosenfield1, Gina Polo2, Cristiane Schilbach Pizzutto1
1Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Reprodução Animal, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Introduction:
Brazilian spotted fever (BSF), a lethal tick-borne Rickettsioses (2000 - 2018 >600 human deaths) involving synanthropic capybara as host.
Methods:
We introduced an alternative to mitigate human-capybara conflicts and epidemiologic concerns of BSF. Complex aspects like transmission dynamics, risk areas, host mobility, and birth rate control, were considered to develop a prevention strategy using an anti-GnRH vaccine.
Results:
The propositioned immunocontraceptive potentially remove and prevent the spread of BSF from endemic areas.
Conclusions:
We propose the anti-GnRH vaccine as a BSF prevention strategy based on these favorable results.
