Document Type
Article
Abstract
Background: COVID-19 continues to pose a major global health challenge. Despite its geographic distance from Brazil’s major urban centers, Acre state has experienced notable outbreaks. This study assessed the detection and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in the rural settlement of Santa Luzia, located in the remote municipality of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre state, Brazil. Methods: In July 2022, a cross-sectional survey was conducted at 40 sites from an ongoing environmental study, selected by deforestation patterns and proximity to health posts. Saliva samples were collected from residents aged 5–90 years, followed by nucleic acid extraction and multiplex RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Results: Among the 183 individuals from 40 participating families, an 8% positivity rate was observed, with variation by age and sex. In 30% of families, at least one member tested positive, indicating continued viral presence within the community. Spatial analysis using Global and Local Moran’s I statistics showed a random distribution of positive samples, consistent with multiple introductions from nearby urban centers and intermittent local persistence. Conclusion: These findings highlight the ongoing detection and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in a remote Amazonian community, underscoring the need for continued surveillance in geographically isolated populations.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Publication Info
Published in Journal of Tropical Medicine, 2025.
Rights
© 2025 Glauco M. Silva et al. Journal of Tropical Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
APA Citation
Silva, G. M., & Prist, P. R. (2025). SARS‐CoV‐2 Detection and Persistence in a Remote Amazonian Settlement. Journal of Tropical Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1155/jotm/4872494