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Ossa-López PA, Ramírez-Chaves HE, Álvarez López ME, Castaño Villa GJ, Rivera-Páez FA. Bacterial community of ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and mammals from Arauca, Colombian Orinoquia. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2024; 24:100943. [PMID: 38778917 PMCID: PMC11109883 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Ticks are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites of vertebrates and are relevant worldwide due to the number of bacterial and other pathogens they can transmit. To date, the knowledge about the microorganisms that ticks harbor and transmit to their hosts is incipient. In this study, 24 samples of mammals belonging to four taxonomic orders and ticks of the genera Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus from the Orinoco region of Colombia were analyzed to described and compare the bacterial microbiome. Genetic extraction was performed, and the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified by PCR. Libraries were created, and those samples with adequate quality indices were sequenced using Illumina MiSeq technology. Bacterial taxonomic assignment analyses were conducted through Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) and Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs). The results correspond to 16 samples that passed the quality filters, with 3218 OTUs (415 families). Although a considerable number of unknown bacteria was found, Enterobacteriaceae, Beijerinckiaceae, Moraxellaceae, and Burkholderiaceae are the most prevalent families, and the presence of the genera Coxiella, Escherichia-Shigella, Enterobacter, which can harbor pathogenic species was confirmed. In individuals of Amblyomma mixtum found actively feeding on Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, bacteria of the genera Escherichia-Shigella and Enterobacter were documented. Similarly, Rhipicephalus microplus found actively feeding on Odocoileus virginianus cariacou shared Escherichia-Shigella. Ralstonia was shared among the blood samples of H. hydrochaeris, while Anaplasma and Eubacterium were shared in blood and liver samples of O. v. cariacou. Shared bacteria between A. mixtum and R. microplus included Bacillus, Coxiella, and Escherichia-Shigella. The results highlight the need of additional studies in other natural regions of Colombia and other American countries where tick-borne diseases have been detected. Likewise, the recorded data are the first at the level of bacterial communities in ticks of the family Ixodidae and provide valuable knowledge for the understanding host-tick and pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula A. Ossa-López
- Doctorado en Ciencias, Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- 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, 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 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Centro de Museos, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 58 No. 21-50, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - María Elena Álvarez López
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ciencias para la Salud, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Gabriel Jaime Castaño Villa
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Desarrollo Rural y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, 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 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
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Ossa-López PA, Ramírez-Chaves HE, Rivera-Páez FA. Pathogens associated with ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and mammals in the Orinoquia region of Colombia: An approach to understanding vector-pathogen-host interactions. Acta Trop 2024; 256:107282. [PMID: 38861832 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107282] [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: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
The hard tick clade (Ixodidae) currently comprises 762 species worldwide (266 Prostriata and 496 Metastriata). A quarter of hard ticks are found in the Neotropical region, and 42 species have been documented in Colombia. Ixodidae species are important vectors of pathogens such as bacteria, helminths, protozoa, and viruses. In tick-borne diseases, vertebrate hosts perform an important role in the transmission, maintenance, and spread of pathogens. Colombia ranks sixth among countries with the highest mammal biodiversity, with a total of 548 species, where some of these species may be involved in pathogen transmission cycles with ticks as vectors. This research evaluated the presence of two genera of bacteria (Borrelia and Rickettsia) and the protozoan (Babesia) in ticks and mammals in the Orinoquia region of Colombia, establishing interaction networks. The information comes from 734 mammals (655 wild and 79 domestic), belonging to 59 species. Tick infestation (n = 1,805) was found with 14.85 % (n = 109) of the examined mammals and corresponds to nine tick species confirmed morphologically and molecularly. To detect pathogens 272 ticks were collected while feeding on 96 mammals; samples from 93 mammals were analyzed. The presence of borreliae from the relapsing fever group (RFG) and the Lyme disease group (LDG) were detected. Rickettsia spp. was detected in ticks and mammals, while Babesia bigemina was only detected in ticks. This research is the first to address the prevalence of zoonotic pathogens in domestic and wild mammals infested with hard ticks in the Department of Arauca, Colombia. Considering that reporting cases of infections with Babesia, Borrelia, and Rickettsia in Colombia is not mandatory, their impact on public health cannot be estimated. This highlights the importance of continuously detecting, confirming, and identifying these and other important pathogens within the "One Health" framework, as they have a significant economic and medical-veterinary impact globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula A Ossa-López
- Doctorado en Ciencias, Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia; 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, 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 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia; Centro de Museos, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 58 No. 21-50, 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 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia.
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Nava S, Beati L, Venzal JM, Durden LA, Bermudez SE, Tarragona EL, Mangold AJ, Gleason D, Mastropaolo M, Guglielmone AA. Description of two new species in the Ixodes ricinus complex from the New World (Acari: Ixodidae), and redescription of Ixodes affinis Neumann, 1899. Zootaxa 2023; 5361:53-73. [PMID: 38220777 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5361.1.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Ixodes chacoensis n. sp. is described based on males, females, nymphs and larvae collected from vegetation, ungulates and passerine birds in northeastern Argentina. Ixodes affinis Neumann, 1899 is redescribed based on the original type specimens (females) from Leopardus pardalis, and from recently collected specimens from Costa Rica. Ixodes keiransi n. sp., previously treated as North American populations of Ixodes affinis, is described based on males and females from carnivores and ungulates from the southeastern United States. Concatenated total evidence phylogenetics based on combined DNA sequence analyses from mitochondrial genes (12SrDNA, 16SrDNA and COI) and a nuclear gene (ITS2) corroborate the recognition of these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Nava
- Instituto de Investigacin de la Cdena Lctea (IDICAL; INTA-CONICET); Instituto Nacional de Tecnologa Agropecuaria; Estacin Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela (INTA E.E.A. Rafaela); Ruta 34 Km 227; Rafaela; Santa Fe; Argentina.
| | - Lorenza Beati
- United States National Tick Collection; Institute for Coastal Plain; Science; Georgia Southern University; Statesboro; GA 30460; USA.
| | - Jose M Venzal
- Laboratorio de Vectores y Enfermedades Transmitidas; Departamento de Ciencias Biolgicas; CENUR Litoral Norte; Universidad de la Repblica; Rivera 1350; 50000 Salto; CP; Uruguay.
| | - Lance A Durden
- Department of Biology; Georgia Southern University; Statesboro; GA 30460; USA.
| | | | - Evelina L Tarragona
- Instituto de Investigacin de la Cdena Lctea (IDICAL; INTA-CONICET); Instituto Nacional de Tecnologa Agropecuaria; Estacin Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela (INTA E.E.A. Rafaela); Ruta 34 Km 227; Rafaela; Santa Fe; Argentina.
| | - Atilio J Mangold
- Instituto de Investigacin de la Cdena Lctea (IDICAL; INTA-CONICET); Instituto Nacional de Tecnologa Agropecuaria; Estacin Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela (INTA E.E.A. Rafaela); Ruta 34 Km 227; Rafaela; Santa Fe; Argentina.
| | - Debbie Gleason
- Georgia Southern Museum; Georgia Southern University; Statesboro; GA 30460; USA.
| | | | - Alberto A Guglielmone
- Instituto de Investigacin de la Cdena Lctea (IDICAL; INTA-CONICET); Instituto Nacional de Tecnologa Agropecuaria; Estacin Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela (INTA E.E.A. Rafaela); Ruta 34 Km 227; Rafaela; Santa Fe; Argentina.
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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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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.
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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.
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Copa GN, Flores FS, Tarragona EL, Lamattina D, Sebastian PS, Gil JF, Mangold AJ, Venzal JM, Nava S. Analysis of the tick communities associated to domestic mammals in rural areas of the Yungas montane forest from Argentina. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2023; 39:100850. [PMID: 36878633 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100850] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this work was to describe the tick community associated to domestic mammals in rural areas from the Yungas lower montane forest of Argentina. The circulation of tick-borne pathogens was also analyzed. Samples of ticks parasitizing cattle, horses, sheep and dogs were carried out in different seasons, and questing ticks were collected from vegetation and analyzed to detect the presence of Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, Borrelia and Babesia by a battery of different PCRs. The structure of the tick communities was analyzed through the Chao1 species richness estimator, the Shannon-Wiener index and the Horn index of community similarity. Eight tick species were collected in the study area: Amblyomma sculptum, Rhipicephalus microplus, Amblyomma hadanii, Dermacentor nitens, Amblyomma ovale, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, Ixodes pararicinus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu stricto. However, A. sculptum was by far the dominant species in the tick assemblages analyzed, and this was reflected in the low diversity values obtained. Dermacentor nitens, A. sculptum and R. microplus were the three species associated to horses. The predominance of A. sculptum was also observed in the tick samples obtained from dogs, even on two tick species, namely A. ovale and R. sanguineus s.s., which have dogs as the principal domestic host. Rhipicephalus microplus and A. sculptum were the most abundant ticks on cattle, while few specimens of I. pararicinus, A. hadanii and D. nitens were found on bovines. Dermacentor nitens ticks were found to be infected with B. caballi, which indicate the circulation of this pathogen of horses in the Yungas area. The detection of a strain of Borrelia sp. belonging to the B. burgdorferi s.l. complex in I. pararicinus is consistent with previous findings made in Argentina, but the public health relevance of this vector-microorganism association is far from being similar to that occurs in the northern hemisphere because there are practically no records of these tick species parasitizing humans in South America. The tick community of rural areas of the Yungas lower montane forest is composed by species which are potential vectors of pathogenic microorganism with veterinary and public health importance, circulating in a human-wildlife-livestock interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Griselda N Copa
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Fernando S Flores
- Centro de Investigaciones Entomológicas de Córdoba (CIEC) - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Evelina L Tarragona
- Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL, INTA-CONICET), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, CC 22, CP 2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Daniela Lamattina
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT), Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud "Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán", Ministerio de Salud de la Nación, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
| | - Patrick S Sebastian
- Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL, INTA-CONICET), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, CC 22, CP 2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Josè F Gil
- Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales, Sede Regional Orán, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Orán, Argentina
| | - Atilio J Mangold
- Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL, INTA-CONICET), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, CC 22, CP 2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - José M Venzal
- Laboratorio de Vectores y Enfermedades Transmitidas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Rivera 1350, CP 50000, Salto, Uruguay
| | - Santiago Nava
- Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL, INTA-CONICET), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, CC 22, CP 2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina.
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Nogueira BCF, Campos AK, Muñoz-Leal S, Pinter A, Martins TF. Soft and hard ticks (Parasitiformes: Ixodida) on humans: A review of Brazilian biomes and the impact of environmental change. Acta Trop 2022; 234:106598. [PMID: 35841953 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Records of accidental parasitism by ticks in humans from Brazil are scarce, with most being reported by researchers who are parasitized during their research and by professionals who work with animals. In order to compile these records, an extensive literature review was carried out. Our revision includes studies published between 1909 and 2022, including nine species of the Argasidae family and 32 species of the Ixodidae family that were reported biting humans in the six biomes of the Brazilian territory. The species with the highest number of records of human parasitism was Amblyomma sculptum, followed by Amblyomma coelebs, Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto, and Amblyomma brasiliense. The Atlantic Forest was the most frequent biome where human parasitism occurred, probably due to the greater number of inhabitants, universities, and researchers in the region; however, this does not mean that this biome is more conducive to the development of ticks and their parasitism in humans. In addition to Amblyomma ovale, a vector of Rickettsia parkeri in the country, two of the main species that act as vectors of Rickettsia rickettsii, A. sculptum, and Amblyomma aureolatum, have been reported, which is quite worrying considering that the wide distribution of the species and life stages most frequently mentioned in parasitism (i.e., nymphs and adults) are the ones that favour pathogen transmission. This research provides a significant contribution to the knowledge of tick species associated with human parasitism in Brazil; however, due to environmental change potentiated by deforestation and fires, it is expected that there will be a geographic expansion of some tick species and the pathogens that use them as a vector and an increase in human parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Artur Kanadani Campos
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - Adriano Pinter
- Departamento de Laboratórios Especializados, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Thiago Fernandes Martins
- Departamento de Laboratórios Especializados, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
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8
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Weck BC, Serpa MCA, Labruna MB, Muñoz-Leal S. A Novel Genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Associated with Cricetid Rodents in Brazil. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10020204. [PMID: 35208659 PMCID: PMC8878456 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) spirochetes thrive in sylvatic transmission cycles infecting vertebrates and their ticks. Rodents and ticks of the genus Ixodes are important hosts of these spirochetes globally. Although evidence suggests that Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto does not exist in South America, genospecies of the group (Bbsl) can be found in this region but have been poorly characterized from a genetic viewpoint, and data on their ecoepidemiology are still incipient. Aiming to detect the natural foci of Borrelia in Brazil, we targeted small mammals inhabiting seven forests fragments during a period of three years (2015–2018). Organs (lung) from two Oligoryzomys rodents over a total of 382 sampled mammals were positive, and we performed a molecular characterization of 10 borrelial genes to achieve a robust analysis. Phylogenetic trees inferred from 16S rRNA, flaB, ospC, and seven MLST loci (clpA, nifS, pepX, pyrG, recG, rlpB, and uvrA) support the characterization of a novel genospecies of Bbsl that we herein name “Candidatus Borrelia paulista” Rp42. Remarkably, “Ca. B. paulista” is phylogenetically related to Borrelia carolinensis, a genospecies that infects Ixodes ticks and cricetid rodents in North America. A previous study performed in the same area identified Ixodes schulzei feeding on Oligoryzomys rodents. Although this tick species could be considered a probable host for this novel Borrelia sp., further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara C. Weck
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (B.C.W.); (M.C.A.S.); (M.B.L.)
| | - Maria Carolina A. Serpa
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (B.C.W.); (M.C.A.S.); (M.B.L.)
| | - Marcelo B. Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (B.C.W.); (M.C.A.S.); (M.B.L.)
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Casilla 537, Chillán 3780000, Chile
- Correspondence:
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Dantas-Torres F, Braz ARDS, Sales KGDS, Sousa-Paula LCD, Diniz GTN, Correia JMS. Tick infestation on birds in an urban Atlantic Forest fragment in north-eastern Brazil. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 85:305-318. [PMID: 34668142 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00660-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Birds are important hosts for various tick species, playing a significant role in their biological life cycle and dispersion. In this study, we investigated tick infestations on birds trapped in an urban remnant of Atlantic Forest in Pernambuco state, Brazil. From February 2015 to March 2017, 541 birds belonging to 52 species were trapped with mist nets and examined for ectoparasites. Birds trapped in the late successional forest were significantly more infested than birds trapped in the early successional forest. In the same way, ectoparasite infestation varied significantly according to bird weight and collection plot. Overall, 198 birds (36.6%) belonging to 27 species were parasitized by ectoparasites (i.e., ticks, lice and/or mites). Ectoparasites were effectively collected from 111 birds, of which 99 belonging to 20 species were infested by ticks (n = 261), namely, Amblyomma longirostre (13 nymphs), Amblyomma nodosum (21 nymphs), Amblyomma varium (one nymph), and Amblyomma spp. (five nymphs and 221 larvae). Most of the ticks (> 90%) were collected from Passeriformes. This study provides the second record of A. varium in Pernambuco state and confirms that birds, especially Passeriformes, are important hosts for larvae and nymphs of Amblyomma spp. in the Atlantic Forest biome of Pernambuco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Anderson Rafael Dos Santos Braz
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Anfíbios e Répteis, Department of Biology, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Kamila Gaudêncio da Silva Sales
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Lucas Christian de Sousa-Paula
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - George Tadeu Nunes Diniz
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Jozelia Maria Sousa Correia
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Anfíbios e Répteis, Department of Biology, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
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Trevisan G, Cinco M, Trevisini S, di Meo N, Chersi K, Ruscio M, Forgione P, Bonin S. Borreliae Part 1: Borrelia Lyme Group and Echidna-Reptile Group. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10101036. [PMID: 34681134 PMCID: PMC8533607 DOI: 10.3390/biology10101036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Borreliae are spirochaetes, which represent a heterogeneous phylum within bacteria. Spirochaetes are indeed distinguished from other bacteria for their spiral shape, which also characterizes Borreliae. This review describes briefly the organization of the phylum Spirocheteales with a digression about its pathogenicity and historical information about bacteria isolation and characterization. Among spirochaetes, Borrelia genus is here divided into three groups, namely the Lyme group (LG), the Echidna-Reptile group (REPG) and the Relapsing Fever group (RFG). Borreliae Part 1 deals with Lyme group and Echidna-Reptile group Borreliae, while the subject of Borreliae Part 2 is Relapsing Fever group and unclassified Borreliae. Lyme group Borreliae is organized here in sections describing ecology, namely tick vectors and animal hosts, epidemiology, microbiology, and Borrelia genome organization and antigen characterization. Furthermore, the main clinical manifestations in Lyme borreliosis are also described. Although included in the Lyme group due to their particular clinical features, Borrelia causing Baggio Yoshinari syndrome and Borrelia mayonii are described in dedicated paragraphs. The Borrelia Echidna-Reptile group has been recently characterized including spirochaetes that apparently are not pathogenic to humans, but infect reptiles and amphibians. The paragraph dedicated to this group of Borreliae describes their vectors, hosts, geographical distribution and their characteristics. Abstract Borreliae are divided into three groups, namely the Lyme group (LG), the Echidna-Reptile group (REPG) and the Relapsing Fever group (RFG). Currently, only Borrelia of the Lyme and RF groups (not all) cause infection in humans. Borreliae of the Echidna-Reptile group represent a new monophyletic group of spirochaetes, which infect amphibians and reptiles. In addition to a general description of the phylum Spirochaetales, including a brief historical digression on spirochaetosis, in the present review Borreliae of Lyme and Echidna-Reptile groups are described, discussing the ecology with vectors and hosts as well as microbiological features and molecular characterization. Furthermore, differences between LG and RFG are discussed with respect to the clinical manifestations. In humans, LG Borreliae are organotropic and cause erythema migrans in the early phase of the disease, while RFG Borreliae give high spirochaetemia with fever, without the development of erythema migrans. With respect of LG Borreliae, recently Borrelia mayonii, with intermediate characteristics between LG and RFG, has been identified. As part of the LG, it gives erythema migrans but also high spirochaetemia with fever. Hard ticks are vectors for both LG and REPG groups, but in LG they are mostly Ixodes sp. ticks, while in REPG vectors do not belong to that genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giusto Trevisan
- DSM—Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (G.T.); (N.d.M.)
| | - Marina Cinco
- DSV—Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Sara Trevisini
- ASUGI—Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina, 34129 Trieste, Italy; (S.T.); (K.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Nicola di Meo
- DSM—Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (G.T.); (N.d.M.)
- ASUGI—Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina, 34129 Trieste, Italy; (S.T.); (K.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Karin Chersi
- ASUGI—Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina, 34129 Trieste, Italy; (S.T.); (K.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Maurizio Ruscio
- ASUGI—Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina, 34129 Trieste, Italy; (S.T.); (K.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Patrizia Forgione
- UOSD Dermatologia, Centro Rif. Regionale Malattia di Hansen e Lyme, P.O. dei Pellegrini, ASL Napoli 1 Centro, 80145 Naples, Italy;
| | - Serena Bonin
- DSM—Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (G.T.); (N.d.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-040-3993266
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Garcia MV, Zimmermann NP, Rodrigues VDS, Aguirre ADAR, Higa LDOS, Matias J, Barbosa CDS, Piña FTB, Andreotti R. Tick fauna in non-anthropogenic areas in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, with the presence of the Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest in Amblyomma ovale. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 13:101831. [PMID: 34598098 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate tick fauna and identify the possible presence of Rickettsia spp. in ticks of the genus Amblyomma from two environmental preservation areas in different regions of Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. CO2 traps, visual observation and cloth dragging were used to capture ticks. Three hundred ticks were submitted to the hemolymph test, and samples that showed organisms morphologically compatible with Rickettsia were used for rickettsial DNA detection by PCR. DNA was extracted using guanidine-phenol isothiocyanate, and the primers CS78 and CS323 were used for PCR, which amplified a 401-base pair fragment of the citrate synthase (gltA) gene. If positive, the DNA sample was tested by primers Rr190.70p and Rr190.602n that produce a 530 bp amplicon of the ompA gene that is present only in rickettsiae of the spotted fever group. A total of 1,745 adult ticks were collected, including 1,673 specimens of Amblyomma sculptum, 63 of Amblyomma coelebs, five of Amblyomma naponense and four of Amblyomma ovale. Thirteen ticks of the species A. ovale, A. coelebs and A. sculptum showed structures compatible with Rickettsia inside the hemocytes; after DNA extraction, the presence of Rickettsia spp. in a sample of A. ovale was confirmed by PCR in both analyzed fragments. In the sequencing analysis, 100% identity for the Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest was obtained according to GenBank. The two environmental preservation areas showed A. sculptum as the predominant species, as well as the presence of marked seasonality for this species. This paper is the first report of the R. parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest in A. ovale ticks in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Valerio Garcia
- Bolsista Fundapam/Laboratório de Biologia do Carrapato, Embrapa Gado de Corte, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Namor Pinheiro Zimmermann
- Bolsista Fundapam/Laboratório de Biologia do Carrapato, Embrapa Gado de Corte, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Vinicius da Silva Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Ixodologia/Doutorando no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Imunologia e Parasitologia Aplicadas da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. Av. Amazonas s/n, Campus Umuarama-Bloco 6T, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-302, Brazil
| | - Andre de Abreu Rangel Aguirre
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Rondônia, Rua da Beira, No. 7671, Bairro Lagoa, CEP 76812-245 Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | | | - Jaqueline Matias
- Post Doctorate/Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Renato Andreotti
- Embrapa Gado de Corte, Avenida Radio Maia, 830, Campo Grande, MS CEP 79106-550, Brazil.
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Sousa-Paula LCD, Pessoa FAC, Otranto D, Dantas-Torres F. Beyond taxonomy: species complexes in New World phlebotomine sand flies. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 35:267-283. [PMID: 33480064 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A species complex (= species group, species series) is an assemblage of species, which are related morphologically and phylogenetically. Recent research has revealed several arthropod vector species that were believed to be a single nominal species actually representing a group of closely related species, which are sometimes morphologically indistinguishable at one or more developmental stages. In some instances, differences in terms of vector competence, capacity, or both have been recorded. It highlights the importance of detecting and studying species complexes to improve our understanding of pathogen transmission patterns, which may be vectored more or less efficiently by different species within the complex. Considering more than 540 species, about one-third of the phlebotomine sand flies in the New World present males and/or females morphologically indistinguishable to one or more species. Remarkably, several of these species may act in transmission of pathogenic agents. In this article, we review recent research on species complexes in phlebotomine sand flies from the Americas. Possible practical implications of recently acquired knowledge and future research needs are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- L C de Sousa-Paula
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - F A C Pessoa
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Doenças Transmissíveis na Amazônia, Leônidas e Maria Deane Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - D Otranto
- Parasitology Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - F Dantas-Torres
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
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Ixodes tropicalis (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting a human and molecular detection of Rickettsia bellii, Colombia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 41:347-352. [PMID: 34214274 PMCID: PMC8384465 DOI: 10.7705/biomedica.5464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ixodes tropicalis is a little-known tick species reported parasitizing wild rodents only in Colombia and Perú. OBJECTIVE To report a case of I. tropicalis infesting a human in the south of the metropolitan area of the Valle de Aburrá, Antioquia, Colombia, and to report the molecular detection of Rickettsia bellii in this species. MATERIALS AND METHODS The tick was identified using a morphological key and sequencing of tick mitochondrial 16S rRNA. Additionally, bacterial and protozoa pathogens were evaluated using PCR for the detection of Rickettsia spp., family Anaplasmataceae, Borrelia spp., and piroplasmid. RESULTS We identified the tick as an I. tropicalis female according to Kohls, 1956, description and to partial 16S rRNA sequences showing a minimum of 5% divergencies compared to Ixodes sequences. We also detected the gltA gene of R. bellii in the tick with 99.87% of identity. CONCLUSION This is the first report in Colombia of a species of the Ixodes genus parasitizing a human and the first report of the detection of R. bellii in this tick species.
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Oshiro LM, da Silva Rodrigues V, Garcia MV, de Oliveira Souza Higa L, Suzin A, Barros JC, Andreotti R. Effect of low temperature and relative humidity on reproduction and survival of the tick Rhipicephalus microplus. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 83:95-106. [PMID: 33206313 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-020-00576-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the survival of Rhipicephalus microplus females under low temperature, to determine the influence of temperature and relative humidity (RH) on the biological parameters of this tick. In total 300 viable engorged female ticks collected from cattle were used. On the day of collection (D0), 30 female ticks were divided into three groups: G1, kept at 28 °C and 80% RH; G2, kept at 20 °C and 80% RH; and G3, kept at 20 °C and 30% RH. The remaining females were stored in a refrigerator at 4 °C. Over the next 9 days (D+1 to D+9), 30 female ticks were removed daily from the refrigerator and distributed among the three treatments. Egg mass, feed conversion rate, egg incubation period, larval hatch rate, number of dead females per group, weight of female tick removed from the refrigerator, and female tick weight loss were recorded. At 20 °C and 80% RH hatching was delayed. Among the female ticks kept in the refrigerator and then allocated to groups G1, G2, and G3, there was a reduction in reproductive efficiency and a rise in mortality as time in the refrigerator increased. The female ticks expressed their best reproductive capacity when subjected to the refrigeration temperature for a maximum of 3 days and then kept at 28 °C and 80% RH. Thus, although female ticks can be stored in the refrigerator before being sent to research centers for use in bioassays, the storage time should be as short as possible, not exceeding 3 days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandra Marla Oshiro
- Fundação de Apoio a Pesquisa Agropecuária e Ambiental (Fundapam)/ Laboratório de Biologia do Carrapato/ Embrapa Gado de Corte, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Vinicius da Silva Rodrigues
- Doutorando no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Imunologia e Parasitologia Aplicadas da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlandia, MG, Brazil
| | - Marcos Valerio Garcia
- Fundação de Apoio a Pesquisa Agropecuária e Ambiental (Fundapam)/ Laboratório de Biologia do Carrapato/ Embrapa Gado de Corte, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Leandro de Oliveira Souza Higa
- Fundação de Apoio a Pesquisa Agropecuária e Ambiental (Fundapam)/ Laboratório de Biologia do Carrapato/ Embrapa Gado de Corte, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Adriane Suzin
- Doutoranda no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlandia, MG, Brazil
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Bottero MNS, Beati L, Venzal JM, Guardia L, Thompson CS, Mangold AJ, Guglielmone AA, Nava S. Ixodes silvanus n. sp. (Acari: Ixodidae), a new member of the subgenus Trichotoixodes Reznik, 1961 from northwestern Argentina. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 12:101572. [PMID: 33068841 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Females, nymphs, and larvae of Ixodes silvanus n. sp. collected from birds and from the vegetation in northwestern Argentina (Yungas Phytogeographic Province) are described herein. The new species belongs to the subgenus Trichotoixodes (Acari: Ixodidae). The female is diagnosed by a combination of the following characters: scutum with setae moderately long and more numerous in central field, fewer and moderately long setae on lateral fields, and inconspicuous setae in anterior field; basis capituli subtriangular dorsally; porose areas large and irregular in shape, lacking distinct margins; auriculae with straight edges diverging posterolaterally and ending with small blunt processes; hypostome narrow and pointed with dental formula 4/4 in the anterior third, then 3/3 and 2/2 near the base; coxae I with two spurs, sub-equal in size, internal slightly slimmer than external. The nymph is diagnosed by notum with numerous and long setae, ventral surface covered by numerous whitish setae, scutum with short scapulae and few and shallow punctations, setae on scutum few, short and irregularly distributed, basis capituli sub-triangular dorsally with posterior margin straight, cornua large and directed postero-laterally, auriculae large and projected laterally, lateral margin of basis capituli above auriculae with a lateral and triangular projection, hypostome pointed with dental formula 3/3 in the anterior third and then 2/2, and coxa I with two short, sub-equal, triangular spurs. The diagnostic characters of the larva are: basis capituli dorsally sub-triangular with lateral angles acute and posterior margin straight, auriculae as large triangular lateral projections, hypostome with apex bluntly pointed and dental formula 3/3 in the anterior third and then 2/2, coxa I with two short, sub-equal, triangular spurs, and pattern of dorsal and ventral body setae. This new species is phylogenetically related to Ixodes brunneus, Ixodes turdus and Ixodes frontalis, and the principal hosts for all its parasitic stages are birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria N Saracho Bottero
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, CC 22, 2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina
| | - Lorenza Beati
- United States National Tick Collection, Institute for Coastal Plain Science, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30460, USA
| | - José M Venzal
- Laboratorio de Vectores y Enfermedades Transmitidas, Facultad de Veterinaria, CENUR Litoral Norte-Salto, Universidad de la República, Rivera 1350, CP 50000 Salto, Uruguay
| | - Leonor Guardia
- Instituto Superior de Entomología "Dr. Abraham Willink" (INSUE), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e IML, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Carolina S Thompson
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, CC 22, 2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Atilio J Mangold
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, CC 22, 2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Alberto A Guglielmone
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, CC 22, 2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Santiago Nava
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, CC 22, 2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina.
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Flores FS, Saracho-Bottero MN, Sebastian PS, Venzal JM, Mangold AJ, Nava S. Borrelia genospecies in Ixodes sp. cf. Ixodes affinis (Acari: Ixodidae) from Argentina. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101546. [PMID: 32993952 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this work was to evaluate the presence of Borrelia infection in Ixodes sp. cf. Ixodes affinis ticks from Argentina. Specimens of Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis were collected on vegetation and birds in five locations belonging the most humid part of the Chaco Biogeographic Province. Specimens were tested for Borrelia infection by nested-PCR targeting the flaB gene and the rrfA-rrlB intergenic spacer region (IGS), sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. A total of 48 Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis (12 questing adults from vegetation and 20 nymphs and 16 larvae on nine bird species: Arremon flavirostris, Basileuterus culicivorus, Campylorhamphus trochilirostris, Myiothlypis leucoblephara, Tachyphonus rufus, Thlypopsis sordida, Turdus amaurochalinus, Turdus rufiventris and Troglodytes aedon) were collected. Twelve adults, 14 nymphs and 11 larvae (3 individually and 8 in 3 pools) were analyzed. Partial sequences were detected in 6 adults, 11 nymphs and 4 larvae (2 individual and 2 pools). Phylogenetically, the Borrelia found in Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis belongs to the B. burgdorferi sensu lato (s. l.) complex. The partial sequences obtained from the borrelian gene flaB and IGS were associated to two groups formed by sequences previously detected in Ixodes fuscipes, Ixodes longiscutatus and Ixodes pararicinus from the Southern Cone of America in northern Argentina, southern Brazil and Uruguay. The results of this work suggest that the haplotypes of B. burgdorferi s. l. complex detected in the three species of the I. ricinus complex distributed in the Southern Cone of America are related and widely distributed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando S Flores
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral / Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - María N Saracho-Bottero
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Patrick S Sebastian
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - José M Venzal
- Laboratorio de Vectores y enfermedades transmitidas, Facultad de Veterinaria, CENUR Litoral Norte - Salto, Universidad de la República, Rivera 1350, CP 50000 Salto, Uruguay
| | - Atilio J Mangold
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Santiago Nava
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
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Suzin A, Vogliotti A, Nunes PH, Barbieri ARM, Labruna MB, Szabó MPJ. Free-living ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in the Iguaçu National Park, Brazil: Temporal dynamics and questing behavior on vegetation. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101471. [PMID: 32723660 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Basic knowledge of species, ecological preferences and behavior of ticks in preserved rainforests are scanty. We herein describe species richness, seasonal activity, altitude influence and questing height of ticks along 3375 m of animal trails within the largest remain of inland Atlantic rainforest in Brazil, the Iguaçu National Park (INP). Altogether, 2954 ticks from nine tick species were collected; Amblyomma brasiliense Aragão (49.09% of the specimens), Amblyomma coelebs Neumann (29.08%), Amblyomma incisum Neumann (12.49%), Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Cooley (5.21%), Amblyomma ovale Koch (2.64%), Amblyomma longirostre Koch (0.20%), Ixodes fuscipes Fonseca (0.17%), Ixodes loricatus Neumann (0.07%) and Amblyomma dubitatum Neumann (0.03%) (Ixodida: Ixodidae). There was an evident seasonal influence on tick host-questing activity, with each tick stage prevailing in a season before the following one, and a general trend of one tick generation per year. Adult tick questing height mode on vegetation showed a correspondence between tick species and preferred host size and height. Adult ticks quested higher than immatures, but several larval clusters were found high enough to seek for large-sized hosts as well. Nymphal and adult tick questing height increased significantly at higher altitudes within the park. Amblyomma incisum and A. coelebs were more abundant at higher and lower altitudes, respectively. The knowledge on tick species richness, ecological preferences and behavior herein obtained provides baseline information to understand tick-borne disease epidemiology occurring at landscapes under a strong anthropogenic impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriane Suzin
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38400-902, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Vogliotti
- Instituto Latino-Americano de Ciências da Vida e da Natureza, Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (UNILA), Foz Do Iguaçu, Paraná 85866-970, Brazil
| | - Pablo Henrique Nunes
- Instituto Latino-Americano de Ciências da Vida e da Natureza, Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (UNILA), Foz Do Iguaçu, Paraná 85866-970, Brazil
| | | | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil
| | - Matias Pablo Juan Szabó
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38400-902, Brazil.
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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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Onofrio VC, Guglielmone AA, Barros-Battesti DM, Gianizella SL, Marcili A, Quadros RM, Marques S, Labruna MB. Description of a new species of Ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae) and first report of Ixodes lasallei and Ixodes bocatorensis in Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101423. [PMID: 32327327 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
In a recent study, we relegated the taxon Ixodes aragaoi Fonseca, 1935 to a junior synonym of Ixodes fuscipes Koch, 1844, and reinstated Ixodes spinosusNeumann, 1899 (a former synonym of I. fuscipes) to a valid species. We examined all lots of ticks formerly identified as I. fuscipes or I. aragaoi in three tick collections of Brazil. Through morphological analysis, some of the examined specimens could not be assigned to either I. fuscipes or I. spinosus based on the examination of the type specimens of these two species. Herein, we report these ticks to represent three different species: Ixodes catarinensis n. sp. Onofrio & Labruna, Ixodes lasalleiMéndez Arocha and Ortiz, 1958, and Ixodes bocatorensisApanaskevich and Bermúdez, 2017. The latter two species are reported for the first time in Brazil. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from the tick 16S rRNA gene partial sequences corroborated our morphological analysis, indicating that I. spinosus, I. lasallei, I. bocatorensis, and I. catarinensis n. sp. form a natural group of neotropical ticks. With the present study, the number of Ixodes species in Brazil increases from 9 to 12. We propose a new identification key for females and males of Ixodes species currently recognized in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria C Onofrio
- Laboratório Especial de Coleções Zoológicas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Mestrado em Medicina e Bem-Estar Animal, Universidade Santo Amaro, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Alberto A Guglielmone
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Darci M Barros-Battesti
- Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Sergio L Gianizella
- Laboratório de Zoologia, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Arlei Marcili
- Mestrado em Medicina e Bem-Estar Animal, Universidade Santo Amaro, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Rosiléia M Quadros
- Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca e Ciências Biológicas, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Lages, SC, Brazil; Laboratório de Zoologia e Parasitologia, Universidade do Planalto Catarinense, Lages, SC, Brazil
| | - Sandro Marques
- Laboratório de Identificação e Pesquisa de Fauna Sinantrópica da Prefeitura Municipal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 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, 05508-270, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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