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Mejia P, Urbieta GL, Xavier BDS, Castro IJD, DE Toledo JJ, Graciolli G, Viana Dias LA, Carvalho WD. Seasonal variation and host sex affect bat-bat fly interaction networks in the Amazonian savannahs. Integr Zool 2024; 19:400-416. [PMID: 37553290 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Bats are the second-most diverse group of mammals in the world, and bat flies are their main parasites. However, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding these antagonistic interactions, especially since diverse factors such as seasonality and host sex can affect their network structures. Here, we explore the influence of such factors by comparing species richness and composition of bat flies on host bats, as well as specialization and modularity of bat-bat fly interaction networks between seasons and adult host sexes. We captured bats and collected their ectoparasitic flies at 10 sampling sites in the savannahs of Amapá State, northeastern region of the Brazilian Amazon. Despite female bats being more parasitized and recording greater bat fly species richness in the wet season, neither relationship was statistically significant. The pooled network could be divided into 15 compartments with 54 links, and all subnetworks comprised >12 compartments. The total number of links ranged from 27 to 48 (for the dry and wet seasons, respectively), and female and male subnetworks had 44 and 41 links, respectively. Connectance values were very low for the pooled network and for all subnetworks. Our results revealed higher bat fly species richness and abundance in the wet season, whereas specialization and modularity were higher in the dry season. Moreover, the subnetwork for female bats displayed higher specialization and modularity than the male subnetwork. Therefore, both seasonality and host sex contribute in different ways to bat-bat fly network structure. Future studies should consider these factors when evaluating bat-bat fly interaction networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Mejia
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá (UNIFAP), Macapá AP, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Lima Urbieta
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá (UNIFAP), Macapá AP, Brazil
| | - Bruna da Silva Xavier
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Isaí Jorge de Castro
- Laboratório de Mamíferos, Instituto de Pesquisas Científicas e Tecnológicas do Estado do Amapá (IEPA), Macapá AP, Brazil
| | - José Júlio DE Toledo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá (UNIFAP), Macapá AP, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Graciolli
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Laboratório de Sistemática, Ecologia e Evolução (LSEE), Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Campo Grande, MT, Brazil
| | - Lucio André Viana Dias
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá (UNIFAP), Macapá AP, Brazil
| | - William Douglas Carvalho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá (UNIFAP), Macapá AP, Brazil
- Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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de Oliveira GMB, Muñoz-Leal S, Nava S, Horta MC, Bernardi L, Venzal JM, Labruna MB. New records of soft ticks (Acari: Argasidae) from caves in Brazil, with a morphological study of Ornithodoros fonsecai and an analysis of the taxonomic status of Antricola inexpectata. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102331. [PMID: 38461653 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
In this study, we report soft ticks from bat-inhabiting caves in different areas of Brazil. From 2010 to 2019, we collected 807 tick specimens from nine caves located in four Brazilian states among two biomes. Ticks were morphologically identified as Antricola guglielmonei (282 specimens), Ornithodoros cavernicolous (260 specimens), and Ornithodoros fonsecai (265 specimens). Whereas A. guglielmonei was collected on bat guano in hot caves, O. cavernicolous and O. fonsecai were collected in cracks and crevices on the walls of cold caves, sometimes in the same chamber. Morphological identifications were corroborated by molecular and phylogenetic analyses inferred from tick mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene partial sequences. The sequences of A. guglielmonei, O. cavernicolous and O. fonsecai collected in this study clustered with conspecific GenBank sequences from different localities of Brazil. Remarkably, a clade containing 12 sequences of O. fonsecai was clearly bifurcated, denoting a degree of genetic divergence (up to 5 %) of specimens from Cerrado/Atlantic Forest biomes with the specimens from the Caatinga biome. To further evaluate this divergence, we performed morphometric analysis of the larval stage of different O. fonsencai populations by principal component analysis, which indicated that the larvae from Caatinga populations were generally smaller than the larvae from other biomes. Some of the present A. guglielmonei specimens were collected from the type locality of Antricola inexpectata. Comparisons of these specimens with the type specimens of A. inexpectata and A. guglielmonei indicated that they could not be separated by their external morphology. Hence, we are relegating A. inexpectata to a synonym of A. guglielmonei. This proposal is corroborated by our phylogenetic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glauber M B de Oliveira
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Ñuble, Chile
| | - Santiago Nava
- Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL, INTA-CONICET), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela (INTA E.E.A. Rafaela), Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Maurício C Horta
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco, Petrolina, PE, Brazil
| | - Leopoldo Bernardi
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil
| | - José Manuel Venzal
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte - Salto, Universidad de la República, Salto, Uruguay
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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3
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Lourenço EC, Famadas KM, Gomes LAC, Bergallo HG. Ticks (Ixodida) associated with bats (Chiroptera): an updated list with new records for Brazil. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2335-2352. [PMID: 37597061 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07935-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Bats harbor diverse groups of ectoparasites, such as insects and mites like ticks (Ixodida). Some species of ticks with records for bats and humans have already been reported with the occurrence of pathogens. This research article aims to document new geographical and host records of ticks infesting bats in Rio de Janeiro state, Southeastern Brazil, and provides a list of tick species associated with bats in Brazil. We counted 12 argasid ticks and five ixodid ticks associated with six individuals of bats. Larvae of Amblyomma sp., Ixodes sp., Ornithodoros sp., and Ornithodoros hasei and one nymph of Amblyomma sculptum parasitizing Artibeus obscurus, Phyllostomus hastatus, Micronycteris sp., Molossus fluminensis, and Carollia perspicillata in different localities of Rio de Janeiro state were studied. We carried out a systematic review with the descriptors: tick bat Brazil. We considered data from 42 articles in the systematic review. We compiled eleven records of Ixodidae, and 160 records of Argasidae. Ornithodoros cavernicolous were the most recorded tick species. Overall, we registered 171 tick-bat or roost-bat associations with 85 records of these infesting bats. The review also shows the occurrence of tick species associated with bats, and we present new records on ticks parasitizing bats in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabete Captivo Lourenço
- Mammal Ecology Laboratory, Ecology Department, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.
| | - Kátia Maria Famadas
- Hemoparasites and Vectors Laboratory, Parasitology Animal Department, Rio de Janeiro Rural Federal University, Rio de Janeiro state, Seropédica, Brazil
| | - Luiz Antonio Costa Gomes
- Institutional Platform Biodiversity and Wildlife Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil
| | - Helena Godoy Bergallo
- Mammal Ecology Laboratory, Ecology Department, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil
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Ossa-López PA, Mancilla-Agrono LY, Micolta LFB, Ramírez-Chaves HE, Agudelo JDC, Muñoz-Leal S, Labruna MB, Lloyd V, Rivera-Páez FA. Morphological and molecular confirmation of Ornithodoros hasei (Schulze, 1935) (Acari: Argasidae) in Colombia. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102142. [PMID: 36791538 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
A large number of tick species are proven vectors for the transmission of bacteria, protozoa, and viruses. Soft ticks (Acari: Argasidae) in South America have been found to be the most frequent carriers of borreliae of the relapsing fever group (RFG); however, there are several information gaps specially on the taxonomy and distribution of some tick species. Here, we used light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and PCR amplification of a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene to evaluate 174 larvae of Ornithodoros (Argasidae) collected from three bat species (Eptesicus orinocensis, Molossus rufus and Noctilio albiventris) in the Orinoquia Region of Colombia. The morphological and molecular results confirmed that all the analyzed larvae corresponded to Ornithodoros hasei. Comparisons of mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences showed low genetic divergence (0% - 0.3%) between larvae of the Department of Arauca in the Orinoquia Region and higher genetic divergence (3.4 - 4.7%) in sequences from other American countries. Our work represents the most recent collection of this species in Colombia and provides a molecular evaluation for the first time. Moreover, a new association of O. hasei with bats such as E. orinocensis is documented. Considering the wide distribution of O. hasei in the American Continent, and its putative role as vector for Borrelia, integrative studies that involve morphological, morphometric, molecular data and experimental crosses are needed to determine if the higher genetic distances are associated with cryptic speciation, as detected in other tick complexes, or represent genetic divergences among geographically different populations of O. hasei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula A Ossa-López
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Manizales, Caldas 170004, Colombia; Doctorado en Ciencias, Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Manizales, Caldas 170004, Colombia
| | - Lorys Y Mancilla-Agrono
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Manizales, Caldas 170004, Colombia
| | - Lizeth Fernanda Banguero Micolta
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Manizales, Caldas 170004, Colombia
| | - Héctor E Ramírez-Chaves
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Manizales, Caldas 170004, Colombia; Centro de Museos, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No 26-10, Manizales, Caldas 170004, Colombia
| | - Juan David Carvajal Agudelo
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Manizales, Caldas 170004, Colombia
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Casilla 537, Chillán, Ñuble, Chile
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo-USP, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Vett Lloyd
- Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, 35B York St. Sackville, New Brunswick E4L 1G7, Canada
| | - Fredy A Rivera-Páez
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Manizales, Caldas 170004, Colombia.
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de Souza VL, Costa FB, Martins TF, de Oliveira PR, Lima J, Guimarães DP, Dos Santos EA, de Moura-Martiniano NO, Sato TP, Borsoi ABP, Bitencourth K, Souza JRLD, Gazeta GS, Guilherme E, Santos FGDA. Detection of Rickettsia tamurae-like and other spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) associated with wild birds in the Western Amazon, Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102182. [PMID: 37100028 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are vectors for several pathogens, including bacteria belonging to the Rickettsia genus, such as Rickettsia rickettsii and Rickettsia parkeri, the causative agents of spotted fever. The aim of the present study was to investigate the tick species richness and rickettsial agents associated with wild birds captured in the Humaita Forest Reserve, Acre, in the Western Amazon region. Wild birds were captured with ornithological nets for visual inspection with the purpose of collecting ticks, which were identified through morphological analyses and molecular tests for several genes (12S rDNA, 16S rDNA, gltA, ompA, and sca4). A total of 607 wild birds were captured, 12% of which were parasitized by 268 ticks of the Amblyomma genus, with new host-parasite associations reported for Amblyomma calcaratum, Amblyomma geayi, Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma naponense, Amblyomma nodosum, and Amblyomma varium. Of the total ticks collected, 113 were tested for the presence of rickettsial DNA fragments, with 19 testing positive for R. parkeri in A. geayi, Rickettsia tamurae-like in Amblyomma sp., and Rickettsia amblyommatis in A. geayi, A. longirostre, and Amblyomma sp. We detected R. tamurae-like in Amblyomma larvae for the first time in the Western Brazilian Amazon biome, and registered spotted fever group rickettsiae, although the relevance of the detected species in a public health context should be further explored in South America, as well as new host-parasite interactions in this underexplored region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Lima de Souza
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Sanidade e Produção Animal Sustentável na Amazônia Ocidental, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, AC, Brazil; Laboratório de Ornitologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, AC, Brazil.
| | - Francisco Borges Costa
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciência Animal, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Thiago Fernandes Martins
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Departamento de Laboratórios Especializados, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Patricia Rosa de Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Biociências, Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista, BA, Brazil
| | - Jonatas Lima
- Laboratório de Ornitologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, AC, Brazil
| | - David Pedroza Guimarães
- Laboratório de Ornitologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, AC, Brazil
| | - Ednaira Alencar Dos Santos
- Laboratório de Ornitologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, AC, Brazil
| | - Nicole Oliveira de Moura-Martiniano
- Laboratório de Carrapatos e outros Artrópodes Ápteros - Referência Nacional em Vetores das Rickettsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Tayra Pereira Sato
- Laboratório de Carrapatos e outros Artrópodes Ápteros - Referência Nacional em Vetores das Rickettsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ana Beatriz Pais Borsoi
- Laboratório de Carrapatos e outros Artrópodes Ápteros - Referência Nacional em Vetores das Rickettsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Karla Bitencourth
- Laboratório de Carrapatos e outros Artrópodes Ápteros - Referência Nacional em Vetores das Rickettsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Gilberto Salles Gazeta
- Laboratório de Carrapatos e outros Artrópodes Ápteros - Referência Nacional em Vetores das Rickettsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Edson Guilherme
- Laboratório de Ornitologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, AC, Brazil; Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, AC, Brazil
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Szentivanyi T, McKee C, Jones G, Foster JT. Trends in Bacterial Pathogens of Bats: Global Distribution and Knowledge Gaps. Transbound Emerg Dis 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/9285855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Bats have received considerable recent attention for infectious disease research because of their potential to host and transmit viruses, including Ebola, Hendra, Nipah, and multiple coronaviruses. These pathogens are occasionally transmitted from bats to wildlife, livestock, and to humans, directly or through other bridging (intermediate) hosts. Due to their public health relevance, zoonotic viruses are a primary focus of research attention. In contrast, other emerging pathogens of bats, such as bacteria, are vastly understudied despite their ubiquity and diversity. Here, we describe the currently known host ranges and geographic distributional patterns of potentially zoonotic bacterial genera in bats, using published presence-absence data of pathogen occurrence. We identify apparent gaps in our understanding of the distribution of these pathogens on a global scale. The most frequently detected bacterial genera in bats are Bartonella, Leptospira, and Mycoplasma. However, a wide variety of other potentially zoonotic bacterial genera are also occasionally found in bats, such as Anaplasma, Brucella, Borrelia, Coxiella, Ehrlichia, Francisella, Neorickettsia, and Rickettsia. The bat families Phyllostomidae, Vespertilionidae, and Pteropodidae are most frequently reported as hosts of bacterial pathogens; however, the presence of at least one bacterial genus was confirmed in all 15 bat families tested. On a spatial scale, molecular diagnostics of samples from 58 countries and four overseas departments and island states (French Guiana, Mayotte, New Caledonia, and Réunion Island) reported testing for at least one bacterial pathogen in bats. We also identified geographical areas that have been mostly neglected during bacterial pathogen research in bats, such as the Afrotropical region and Southern Asia. Current knowledge on the distribution of potentially zoonotic bacterial genera in bats is strongly biased by research effort towards certain taxonomic groups and geographic regions. Identifying these biases can guide future surveillance efforts, contributing to a better understanding of the ecoepidemiology of zoonotic pathogens in bats.
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7
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Carvajal-Agudelo JD, Ramírez-Chaves HE, Ossa-López PA, Rivera-Páez FA. Bacteria related to tick-borne pathogen assemblages in Ornithodoros cf. hasei (Acari: Argasidae) and blood of the wild mammal hosts in the Orinoquia region, Colombia. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2022; 87:253-271. [PMID: 35829939 PMCID: PMC9424158 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-022-00724-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Interest in research on soft ticks has increased in recent decades, leading to valuable insight into their role as disease vectors. The use of metagenomics-based analyses have helped to elucidate ecological factors involved in pathogen, vector, and host dynamics. To understand the main bacterial assemblages present in Ornithodoros cf. hasei and its mammalian hosts, 84 ticks and 13 blood samples from bat hosts (Chiroptera) were selected, and the 16S rRNA gene V4 region was sequenced in five pools (each one related to each host-tick pairing). Bacterial taxonomic assignment analyses were performed by comparing operational taxonomic units (OTUs) shared between ticks and their host blood. This analysis showed the presence of Proteobacteria (38.8%), Enterobacteriaceae (25%), Firmicutes (12.3%), and Actinobacteria (10.9%) within blood samples, and Rickettsiaceae (39%), Firmicutes (25%), Actinobacteria (13.1%), and Proteobacteria (9%) within ticks. Species related to potentially pathogenic genera were detected in ticks, such as Borrelia sp., Bartonella tamiae, Ehrlichia sp. and Rickettsia-like endosymbiont, and the presence of these organisms was found in all analyzed bat species (Cynomops planirostris, Molossus pretiosus, Noctilio albiventris), and O. cf. hasei. About 41-48.6% of bacterial OTUs (genera and species) were shared between ticks and the blood of bat hosts. Targeted metagenomic screening techniques allowed the detection of tick-associated pathogens for O. cf. hasei and small mammals for the first time, enabling future research on many of these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan D Carvajal-Agudelo
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 N° 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Héctor E Ramírez-Chaves
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 N° 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Centro de Museos, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 N° 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Paula A Ossa-López
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 N° 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Doctorado en Ciencias, Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Fredy A Rivera-Páez
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 N° 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia.
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8
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Faccini-Martínez ÁA, Silva-Ramos CR, Santodomingo AM, Ramírez-Hernández A, Costa FB, Labruna MB, Muñoz-Leal S. Historical overview and update on relapsing fever group Borrelia in Latin America. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:196. [PMID: 35676728 PMCID: PMC9175325 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05289-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Relapsing fever group Borrelia (RFGB) are motile spirochetes transmitted to mammalian or avian hosts through the bite of hematophagous arthropods, such as soft ticks (Argasidae), hard ticks (Ixodidae) and the human clothing lice. RFGB can infect pets such as dogs and cats, as well as birds, cattle and humans. Borrelia recurrentis, B. anserina and B. theileri are considered to have worldwide distribution, affecting humans, domestic birds and ruminants, respectively. Borrelia spp. associated with soft ticks are transmitted mainly by Ornithodoros ticks and thrive in endemic foci in tropical and subtropical latitudes. Nowadays, human cases of soft tick-borne relapsing fever remain neglected diseases in several countries, and the impact these spirochetes have on the health of wild and domestic animals is largely understudied. Human infection with RFGB is difficult to diagnose, given the lack of distinguishing clinical features (undifferentiated febrile illness). Clinically, soft tick or louse-borne relapsing fever is often confused with other etiologies, such as malaria, typhoid or dengue. In Latin America, during the first half of the twentieth century historical documents elaborated by enlightened physicians were seminal, and resulted in the identification of RFGB and their associated vectors in countries such as Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Argentina. Almost 80 years later, research on relapsing fever spirochetes is emerging once again in Latin America, with molecular characterizations and isolations of novel RFGB members in Panama, Bolivia, Brazil and Chile. In this review we summarize historical aspects of RFGB in Latin America and provide an update on the current scenario regarding these pathogens in the region. To accomplish this, we conducted an exhaustive search of all the published literature for the region, including old medical theses deposited in libraries of medical academies. RFGB were once common pathogens in Latin America, and although unnoticed for many years, they are currently the focus of interest among the scientific community. A One Health perspective should be adopted to tackle the diseases caused by RFGB, since these spirochetes have never disappeared and the maladies they cause may be confused with etiologies with similar symptoms that prevail in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro A Faccini-Martínez
- Research Institute, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud - FUCS, Bogotá, Colombia.,Servicios y Asesorías en Infectología - SAI, Bogotá, Colombia.,Latin American Group for the Study of Ornithodoros-borne Borrelioses (Grupo Latinoamericano Para el Estudio de Borreliosis Transmitidas Por Ornithodoros [GLEBTO]), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carlos Ramiro Silva-Ramos
- Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana M Santodomingo
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Concepción, Chillán, Ñuble, Chile
| | - Alejandro Ramírez-Hernández
- Latin American Group for the Study of Ornithodoros-borne Borrelioses (Grupo Latinoamericano Para el Estudio de Borreliosis Transmitidas Por Ornithodoros [GLEBTO]), Bogotá, Colombia.,Grupo Parasitología Veterinaria, Departamento de Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Francisco B Costa
- Latin American Group for the Study of Ornithodoros-borne Borrelioses (Grupo Latinoamericano Para el Estudio de Borreliosis Transmitidas Por Ornithodoros [GLEBTO]), Bogotá, Colombia.,Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Latin American Group for the Study of Ornithodoros-borne Borrelioses (Grupo Latinoamericano Para el Estudio de Borreliosis Transmitidas Por Ornithodoros [GLEBTO]), Bogotá, Colombia.,Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Latin American Group for the Study of Ornithodoros-borne Borrelioses (Grupo Latinoamericano Para el Estudio de Borreliosis Transmitidas Por Ornithodoros [GLEBTO]), Bogotá, Colombia. .,Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Concepción, Chillán, Ñuble, Chile.
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9
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Dall'Agnol B, McCulloch JA, Mayer FQ, Souza U, Webster A, Antunes P, Doyle RL, Reck J, Ferreira CAS. Molecular characterization of bacterial communities of two neotropical tick species (Amblyomma aureolatum and Ornithodoros brasiliensis) using rDNA 16S sequencing. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101746. [PMID: 34091278 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are one of the main vectors of pathogens for humans and animals worldwide. However, they harbor non-pathogenic microorganisms that are important for their survival, facilitating both their nutrition and immunity. We investigated the bacterial communities associated with two neotropical tick species of human and veterinary potential health importance from Brazil: Amblyomma aureolatum and Ornithodoros brasiliensis. In A. aureolatum (adult ticks collected from wild canids from Southern Brazil), the predominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria (98.68%), Tenericutes (0.70%), Bacteroidetes (0.14%), Actinobacteria (0.13%), and Acidobacteria (0.05%). The predominant genera were Francisella (97.01%), Spiroplasma (0.70%), Wolbachia (0.51%), Candidatus Midichloria (0.25%), and Alkanindiges (0.13%). The predominant phyla in O. brasiliensis (adults, fed and unfed nymphs collected at the environment from Southern Brazil) were Proteobacteria (90.27%), Actinobacteria (7.38%), Firmicutes (0.77%), Bacteroidetes (0.44%), and Planctomycetes (0.22%). The predominant bacterial genera were Coxiella (87.71%), Nocardioides (1.73%), Saccharopolyspora (0.54%), Marmoricola (0.42%), and Staphylococcus (0.40%). Considering the genera with potential importance for human and animal health which can be transmitted by ticks, Coxiella sp. was found in all stages of O. brasiliensis, Francisella sp. in all stages of A. aureolatum and in unfed nymphs of O. brasiliensis, and Rickettsia sp. in females of A. aureolatum from Banhado dos Pachecos (BP) in Viamão municipality, Brazil, and in females and unfed nymphs of O. brasiliensis. These results deepen our understanding of the tick-microbiota relationship in Ixodidae and Argasidae, driving new studies with the focus on the manipulation of tick microbiota to prevent outbreaks of tick-borne diseases in South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Dall'Agnol
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil; Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | | | - Fabiana Quoos Mayer
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Ugo Souza
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Anelise Webster
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Paola Antunes
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Rovaina Laureano Doyle
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - José Reck
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil.
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Kim HC, Jiang J, Hang J, Kim SY, Yun SM, Park CU, Kim M, Chong ST, Farris CM, Richards AL, Klein TA. Detection of Rickettsia lusitaniae Among Ornithodoros sawaii Soft Ticks Collected From Japanese Murrelet Seabird Nest Material From Gugul Island, Republic of Korea. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:1376-1383. [PMID: 33615347 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In a follow-up to the investigations of soft ticks identified from seabird nest soil and litter collected from coastal islands of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Ornithodoros sawaii and Ornithodoros capensis were assessed for the presence and identification of rickettsiae. Ticks collected from samples of 50-100 g of nest litter and soil from seabird nests were identified individually by morphological techniques, and species confirmed by sequencing of the mt-rrs gene. Subsequently, tick DNA preparations were screened for the presence of rickettsiae using a genus-specific nested PCR (nPCR) assay targeting the 17 kDa antigen gene. The amplicons from the 17 kDa assay and two additional nPCR assays targeting the gltA and ompB gene fragments were sequenced and used to identify the rickettsiae. A total of 134 soft ticks belonging to two species, O. sawaii Kitaoka & Suzuki 1973 (n = 125) and O. capensis Neumann 1901 (n = 9), were collected. Rickettsia lusitaniae DNA was detected and identified among O. sawaii ticks (n = 11, 8.8%) collected from nest litter and soil of the Japanese murrelet (Synthliboramphus wumizusume Temminck 1836) at Gugul Island along the western coastal area of the ROK. This study confirmed for the first time the presence of R. lusitaniae associated with O. sawaii collected from migratory seabird nests in the ROK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heung-Chul Kim
- Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine, US Army Medical Activity-Korea, Unit #15281, APO AP, USA
| | - Ju Jiang
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jun Hang
- Viral Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Su Yeon Kim
- Pathogen Resource Management TF, National Research Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk Province, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Min Yun
- Division of Arboviruses, National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk Province, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Uk Park
- Migratory Birds Research Center, Korea National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service, Shinan-gun, Jeonnam Province, Republic of Korea
| | - Miran Kim
- Migratory Birds Research Center, Korea National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service, Shinan-gun, Jeonnam Province, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Tae Chong
- Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine, US Army Medical Activity-Korea, Unit #15281, APO AP, USA
| | - Christina M Farris
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Terry A Klein
- Force Health Protection & Preventive Medicine, US Army Medical Activity-Korea, Unit #15281, APO AP, USA
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11
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Matei IA, Corduneanu A, Sándor AD, Ionică AM, Panait L, Kalmár Z, Ivan T, Papuc I, Bouari C, Fit N, Mihalca AD. Rickettsia spp. in bats of Romania: high prevalence of Rickettsia monacensis in two insectivorous bat species. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:107. [PMID: 33568213 PMCID: PMC7873661 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04592-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Spotted fever group rickettsiae represent one of the most diverse groups of vector-borne bacteria, with several human pathogenic species showing an emerging trend worldwide. Most species are vectored by ticks (Ixodidae), with many zoonotic reservoir species among most terrestrial vertebrate groups. While the reservoir competence of many different vertebrate species is well known (e.g. birds, rodents and dogs), studies on insectivorous bats have been rarely performed despite their high species diversity, ubiquitous urban presence and importance in harboring zoonotic disease agents. Romania has a high diversity and ubiquity of bats. Moreover, seven out of eight SFG rickettsiae species with zoonotic potential were previously reported in Romania. Based on this, the aim of this study was to detect Rickettsia species in tissue samples in bats. Methods Here we report a large-scale study (322 bats belonging to 20 species) on the presence of Rickettsia spp. in Romanian bat species. Tissue samples from insectivorous bats were tested for the presence of Rickettsia DNA using PCR detection amplifying a 381 bp fragment of the gltA gene. Positive results were sequenced to confirm the results. The obtained results were statistically analyzed by chi-squared independence test. Results Positive results were obtained in 14.6% of bat samples. Sequence analysis confirmed the presence of R. monacensis in two bat species (Nyctalus noctula and Pipistrellus pipistrellus) in two locations. Conclusion This study provides the first evidence of a possible involvement of these bat species in the epidemiology of Rickettsia spp., highlighting the importance of bats in natural cycles of these vector-borne pathogens.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioana A Matei
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Epidemiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Alexandra Corduneanu
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Attila D Sándor
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.,Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Angela Monica Ionică
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.,Regele Mihai I al României" Life Science Institute, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Luciana Panait
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Zsuzsa Kalmár
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Talida Ivan
- Department of Semiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ionel Papuc
- Department of Semiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cosmina Bouari
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Epidemiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Nicodim Fit
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Epidemiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Andrei Daniel Mihalca
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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12
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Detection of Rickettsia sp. strain Itinguçú in Ornithodoros faccinii (Acari: Argasidae) parasitizing the toad Rhinella ornata (Anura: Bufonidae) in Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101680. [PMID: 33545505 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The pivotal role of amphibians in food webs and their value as indicators of disequilibrium in ecosystem health have long been recognized by wildlife biologists. However, massive pathogen-induced declines in global amphibian populations reported during the last 30 years served to alert the scientific community that knowledge of amphibian disease ecology, including parasitic and vector-borne conditions, was and remains incipient. Herein, we report the detection of a Rickettsia bacterium infecting larvae of the argasid tick Ornithodoros faccinii, collected from the toad Rhinella ornata, in Southeastern Brazil. Fragments of the genes 16S rDNA, gltA, htrA, sca1, sca4, and ompB were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), but the sequence encoding the ompA antigen was not detected. Nucleotide sequencing and multi-locus (gltA, htrA, sca1, and sca4) phylogenetic analyses characterized the bacterium, designated Rickettsia sp. strain Itinguçú, as a novel member of the spotted fever group (SFG) of the Rickettsia, closely related to the Rickettsia massiliae and to a lesser extent the Rickettsia helvetica subgroups. The apparent absence of the ompA protein together with limited levels of nucleotide (90.5 %) and amino acid (82-83 %) sequence identity, relative to the ompB gene of other species in the R. massiliae subgroup, were unusual features that may reflect adaptation to selective pressures exerted by the tick and/or amphibian immune systems. The ompB sequence was exploited to develop a low-cost method for differential identification of Rickettsia sp. strain Itinguçú, based on restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of amplicons (PCR-RFLP). The characterization of this novel bacterium provided an unprecedented record of infection by an SFG Rickettsia in a member of the family Argasidae infesting a cold-blooded animal and raised the number of tick-associated Rickettsia reported in Brazil to sixteen. Moreover, it highlighted the value of and the requirement for continued and extended surveillance of wildlife as potential sources of emerging tick-borne pathogens.
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13
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Faccini JLH, Luz HR, McIntosh D, Labruna MB. Tick-borne rickettsioses in Brazil: what lessons can be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 29:e012220. [PMID: 32667504 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612020056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In this commentary, the authors highlight the importance of basic research in the field of public health regarding the recent pandemic Covid-19, using tick-borne rickettsioses as an example. In addition, they alert politicians, government officials and managers of research funding agencies to increase the allocated financial resources to enhance basic research on public health in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Luiz Horacio Faccini
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil
| | - Hermes Ribeiro Luz
- Departamento de Patologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil
| | - Douglas McIntosh
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil
| | - Marcelo Bahia Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
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Retrospective and new records of ticks (Acari: Argasidae, Ixodidae) from the state of Maranhão, an Amazon-Cerrado transition area of Brazil. VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY- REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS 2020; 21:100413. [PMID: 32862893 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2020.100413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The Brazilian state of Maranhão is located in a transition area of the Amazon and Cerrado biomes, where there is a rich fauna of vertebrates. This study aimed to update the list of the ticks occurring in Maranhão, through a compilation of literature records and examination of three tick collections, plus the addition of unpublished collections of ticks from road-killed animals during recent years. Our results indicate that the tick fauna of Maranhão includes 26 species: seven in the family Argasidae (Antricola guglielmonei, Argas miniatus, Ornithodoros cavernicolous, Ornithodoros hasei, Ornithodoros mimon, Ornithodoros rietcorreai and Ornithodoros rudis); and 19 in the family Ixodidae (Amblyomma auricularium-provisional, Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto, Amblyomma calcaratum, Amblyomma dissimile, Amblyomma geayi, Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma naponense, Amblyomma nodosum, Amblyomma oblongoguttatum, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma parvum, Amblyomma rotundatum, Amblyomma sculptum, Amblyomma triste, Dermacentor nitens, Ixodes luciae, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, Rhipicephalus microplus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato). Eleven of the above species are reported for the first time in Maranhão. We consider previous reports of Ornithodoros talaje and Amblyomma pseudoconcolor in Maranhão as misidentification with O. hasei and A. auricularium, respectively. Until 1958, only 11 tick species were reported in Maranhão, with no additional reports until 2009. During 2010-2019, 15 additional species were reported. We also highlight the importance of ticks for public and veterinary health in Maranhão.
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