1
|
Barbieri ARM, Suzin A, Rezende LM, Tognolli MH, Vogliotti A, Nunes PH, Pascoli GT, Ramos VDN, Yokosawa J, Azevedo Serpa MCD, Adami SF, Labruna MB, Szabó MPJ. Rickettsia communities and their relationship with tick species within and around the national park of Iguaçu, Brazil. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2023; 91:339-358. [PMID: 37768388 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-023-00839-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
We report Rickettsia species from 2,334 ticks collected from environment (1,939 ticks) and animals (395 ticks) in the largest inland fragment of the Atlantic rainforest of southern Brazil and its fragments. Additionally, the DNA infection rates of Amblyomma ovale tick populations in the Neotropics with Rickettsia bellii and Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest were calculated using data from scientific publications, and their correlation was evaluated. From 11 tick species Rickettsia DNA was detected in seven (Amblyomma brasiliense, Amblyomma coelebs, Amblyomma incisum, Amblyomma longirostre, A. ovale, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, Ixodes fuscipes) and was not detected in four species (Amblyomma dubitatum, Ixodes loricatus, Rhipicephalus microplus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato). DNA of five Rickettsia species was detected (R. bellii, Rickettsia amblyommatis, Rickettsia rhipicephali, Rickettsia felis and Rickettsia sp. Aragaoi). To determine the prevalence of Rickettsia DNA positivity according to vector species, ticks were processed individually or in pools of 2-10 individuals (samples). The most prevalent Rickettsia species was R. bellii, found in 112 samples, followed by R. amblyommatis, R. rhipicephali, R. felis and Rickettsia sp. Aragaoi, found in 16, five, two and one sample, respectively. Rickettsia bellii DNA was found in five tick species with the highest infection rate in A. ovale and A. brasiliense. Absence of R. parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest in A. ovale ticks was an unexpected result. Furthermore, a negative correlation was identified between the infection rates (DNA) of R. bellii and/or R. parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest within A. ovale tick populations in the Neotropics. Putting together current knowledge, it can be proposed that, within natural settings, the diversity of rickettsiae and ticks creates a buffering effect on the overgrowth of rickettsiae and episodes of bacteremia in the hosts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amália Regina Mar Barbieri
- Companhia integrada de desenvolvimento agrícola de Santa Catarina, Iomerê, Santa Catarina, Brazil
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adriane Suzin
- Laboratory of Ixodology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Lais Miguel Rezende
- Laboratory of Ixodology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Matheus Henrique Tognolli
- Postgraduate Program in Environment and Society at the State University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Vogliotti
- Latin American Institute of Life and Nature Sciences, Federal University of Latin American Integration, Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Pablo Henrique Nunes
- Latin American Institute of Life and Nature Sciences, Federal University of Latin American Integration, Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | | | - Jonny Yokosawa
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences of the Federal University of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Samuel Fernando Adami
- Latin American Institute of Technology, Infrastructure and Territory, Federal University of Latin American Integration, Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Matias Pablo Juan Szabó
- Laboratory of Ixodology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chaparro-Gutiérrez JJ, Acevedo-Gutiérrez LY, Mendell NL, Robayo-Sánchez LN, Rodríguez-Durán A, Cortés-Vecino JA, Fernández D, Ramírez-Hernández A, Bouyer DH. First isolation of Rickettsia amblyommatis from Amblyomma mixtum in Colombia. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:332. [PMID: 37730727 PMCID: PMC10510177 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05950-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rickettsiae are obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that are the causative agent of rickettsioses and are spread to vertebrate hosts by arthropods. There are no previous reports of isolation of Rickettsia amblyommatis for Colombia. METHODS A convenience sampling was executed in three departments in Colombia for direct collection of adult ticks on domestic animals or over vegetation. Ticks were screened for the presence of Rickettsia spp. by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) amplifying the citrate synthase gene (gltA), and the positive sample was processed for isolation and further molecular characterization by conventional PCR. The absolute and relative frequencies were calculated for several tick species variables. All products from conventional PCR were further purified and sequenced by the Sanger technique. Representative sequences of 18 Rickettsia species were downloaded from GenBank. Consensus phylogenetic trees were constructed for the gltA, ompB, ompA, and htrA genes with 1000 replicates, calculating bootstrap values through the maximum likelihood method and the generalized time reversible substitution model in the MEGA 7.0 software program. RESULTS One female Amblyomma mixtum collected on vegetation was amplified by qPCR (gltA), indicating a frequency of 1.6% (1/61) for Rickettsia spp. INFECTION Sequence analysis of a rickettsial isolate from this tick in BLASTn showed 100% identity with gltA (340 base pairs [bp]), 99.87% for ompB (782 bp), 98.99% for htrA (497 bp), and 100% for ompA (488 bp) to R. amblyommatis. Concatenated phylogenetic analysis confirmed these findings indicating that the isolate is grouped with other sequences of Amblyomma cajennense complex from Panama and Brazil within the R. amblyommatis clade. CONCLUSIONS This paper describes the isolation and early molecular identification of a R. amblyommatis strain from A. mixtum in Colombia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Leidy Y Acevedo-Gutiérrez
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lasallian University Corporation (Unilasallista), GIVET Research Group, Caldas, Antioquia, Colombia
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77550, USA
| | - Nicole L Mendell
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77550, USA
| | - Laura N Robayo-Sánchez
- Research Group Veterinary Parasitology, Laboratorio de Parasitología Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, UNAL, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Arlex Rodríguez-Durán
- Research Group Veterinary Parasitology, Laboratorio de Parasitología Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, UNAL, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jesús A Cortés-Vecino
- Research Group Veterinary Parasitology, Laboratorio de Parasitología Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, UNAL, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Diana Fernández
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77550, USA
| | - Alejandro Ramírez-Hernández
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77550, USA
- Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Donald H Bouyer
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77550, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Richardson EA, Roe RM, Apperson CS, Ponnusamy L. Rickettsia amblyommatis in Ticks: A Review of Distribution, Pathogenicity, and Diversity. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020493. [PMID: 36838458 PMCID: PMC9960904 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia amblyommatis is a potentially pathogenic species of Rickettsia within the spotted fever group vectored by ticks. While many studies have been published on this species, there is debate over its pathogenicity and the inhibitory role it plays in diagnosing illnesses caused by other spotted fever group Rickettsia species. Many publications have recorded the high infection prevalence of R. amblyommatis in tick populations at a global scale. While this species is rather ubiquitous, questions remain over the epidemiological importance of this possible human pathogen. With tick-borne diseases on the rise, understanding the exact role that R. amblyommatis plays as a pathogen and inhibitor of infection relative to other tick-borne pathogens will help public health efforts. The goal of this review was to compile the known literature on R. amblyommatis, review what we know about its geographic distribution, tick vectors, and pathogenicity, assess relatedness between various international strains from ticks by phylogenetic analysis and draw conclusions regarding future research needed.
Collapse
|
4
|
Estrada-Peña A, Binder LC, Nava S, Szabó MPJ, Labruna MB. Exploring the ecological and evolutionary relationships between Rickettsia and hard ticks in the Neotropical region. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101754. [PMID: 34126403 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This study addresses a meta-analysis of the distribution of Rickettsia spp. in the Neotropical region, as well as their associations with ticks and vertebrates. A total of 219 published reports on Rickettsia in ticks in the target region were compiled, providing 599 records of 31 species of Rickettsia recorded in 50 species of Ixodidae. The aim is to capture the phylogenetic relationships between rickettsiae and the ticks carrying them in the target region, with a focus on the co-speciation ticks-rickettsiae. We compared the phylogeny of ticks, the records of rickettsiae, the environmental gradients colonized by ticks and the effect of the phylogenetic composition of vertebrates feeding ticks on the detection of Rickettsia in ticks. Results show that differences in rickettsial composition in ticks do not depend on the vertebrate's blood-source. This is the first time this result is demonstrated. This study pinpoints that some Neotropical rickettsial organisms are associated with well-defined phylogenetical clusters of ticks. Secondarily, and probably only in a few cases, rickettsiae share species of phylogenetically distant ticks distributed along a gradient of environmental traits in which the ticks overlap (i.e., the different strains of Rickettsia parkeri sensu lato). We outline the importance of some ticks that share hosts and habitat: these ticks may act as "bridges" for the circulation of rickettsial species. There are also many species of Rickettsia that have been detected so far in only one tick species, pointing to a tight relationship or to the lack of data preventing conclusions about the detection of these bacteria in other ticks. Two species, namely Rickettsia amblyommatis and Rickettsia bellii have been recorded in the majority of ticks in the region (mainly Amblyomma spp.) and seem to be not associated with definite tick species because they may be an essential symbiont of the ticks. We conclude that an adequate analysis of rickettsiae-ticks-habitat is necessary to address the human health issues derived from the infections by rickettsiae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Estrada-Peña
- Department of Animal Health. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Miguel Servet, 177. 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; Group of Research on Emerging Zoonoses, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), 50013 Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - Lina C Binder
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária. São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Santiago Nava
- IDICAL (INTA-CONICET), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), E.E.A. Rafaela, Ruta 34 km 227, CP 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Matias P J Szabó
- Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Mato Grosso, 3289 - Bloco 2S - Umuarama, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-314, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária. São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|