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Monje LD, Eberhardt AT, Vaschalde PJ, Barolin J, Costa FB, Labruna MB, Beldomenico PM. Natural infection of free-ranging capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) with Anaplasmataecea and Rickettsiaceae bacteria in the Iberá wetlands ecoregion, Argentina. Vet Res Commun 2024; 48:1161-1169. [PMID: 38227179 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10301-7] [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] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
The current work assessed the infection with Ehrlichia and Anaplasma species, and exposure to Rickettsia spp. in free-ranging capybaras in the Iberá wetlands ecoregion in Argentina. By indirect immunofluorescence assay, 37 out of 51 (73%) capybara sera were seropositive to Rickettsia spp., with 23.5% and 4% samples considered homologous to Rickettsia parkeri and Rickettsia bellii, respectively (or very closely related serotypes). Anaplasmataceae DNA was found to be highly prevalent in capybaras, with 33 out of 62 samples positive for Anaplasma sp. with Ct values of 28.64 ± 0.35 (average ± standard error), and 12 samples positive for Ehrlichia sp. with Ct values of 31.74 ± 0.87. Anaplasma sp. from capybaras was closely related to Anaplasma sp. reported to infect Amblyomma dubitatum in Iberá wetlands and to Anaplasma odocoilei, while the detected Ehrlichia sp. was closely related to "Candidatus Ehrlichia hydrochoerus" previously reported to infect capybaras in Brazil and A. dubitatum in Iberá wetlands. Structures compatible with Anaplasma morulae were observed in the cytoplasm of platelets from Anaplasma-positive capybaras. Our findings show that capybaras from the Iberá wetlands were exposed to Rickettsia species related to R. bellii and to the pathogen R. parkeri, and were infected with "Ca. Ehrlichia hydrochoerus" and a novel Anaplasma species, herein named "Candidatus Anaplasma capybara".
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas D Monje
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), R.P. Kreder 2805, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina.
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Ayelen T Eberhardt
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), R.P. Kreder 2805, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Paula J Vaschalde
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), R.P. Kreder 2805, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Johann Barolin
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), R.P. Kreder 2805, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | | | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pablo M Beldomenico
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), R.P. Kreder 2805, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
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Urdapilleta M, Pech-May A, Lamattina D, Burgos EF, Balcazar DE, Ferrari WAO, Lareschi M, Salomón OD. Ecology of fleas and their hosts in the trifinio of north-east Argentina: first detection of Rickettsia asembonensis in Ctenocephalides felis felis in Argentina. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 36:20-29. [PMID: 34455608 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fleas are important in public health due to their role as parasites and vectors of pathogens, including Rickettsia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diversity, abundance and prevalence of fleas and the presence of Rickettsia in the trifinio of north-east Argentina. Fleas from household and synanthropic animals were obtained from urban and periurban areas. They were taxonomically identified and samples of 227 fleas in 86 pools were analysed by polymerase chain reaction targeting the gltA and ompB genes of Rickettsia spp. The study revealed that Ctenocephalides felis felis was dominant on dogs, cats and opossums, with higher prevalence in the periurban area. The Shannon-Wiener and Morisita-Horn indices expressed differences in the diversity and similarity values of the absolute abundances of the species between the areas compared. DNA amplifications revealed 30.8% C. f. felis pools positive for Rickettsia spp. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the haplotype obtained was identical to Rickettsia asembonensis from Peru and Brazil. This is the first detection in Argentina of R. asembonensis that infects C. f. felis, and we emphasize the importance of conducting research from a 'One Health' perspective on the role of opossums and rodents in the integration of the transmission cycles of rickettsial bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Urdapilleta
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT-ANLIS) (Ministerio de Salud de la Nación), Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
| | - A Pech-May
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT-ANLIS) (Ministerio de Salud de la Nación), Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
| | - D Lamattina
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT-ANLIS) (Ministerio de Salud de la Nación), Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
| | - E F Burgos
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT-ANLIS) (Ministerio de Salud de la Nación), Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
| | - D E Balcazar
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
- Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (CEPAVE-CONICET-UNLP), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - W A O Ferrari
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
- Instituto de Biotecnología Ambiental y Salud (INBIAS-CONICET-UNRC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - M Lareschi
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
- Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (CEPAVE-CONICET-UNLP), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - O D Salomón
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Tropical (INMeT-ANLIS) (Ministerio de Salud de la Nación), Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
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3
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Torres-Chable OM, Jimenez-Delgadillo BG, Alvarado-Kantún YN, Zaragoza-Vera CV, Arjona-Jimenez G, Zaragoza-Vera M, Baak-Baak CM, Cigarroa-Toledo N, Brito-Argaez LG, Machain-Williams C, Garcia-Rejon JE. Rickettsia parkeri (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) detected in Amblyomma maculatum ticks collected on dogs in Tabasco, Mexico. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2020; 82:431-440. [PMID: 33025238 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-020-00524-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The present study was carried out to identify Rickettsia species with zoonotic potential in ticks collected from dogs in a rural area in Tabasco, Mexico. In total 197 Amblyomma maculatum ticks were collected from 40 domestic dogs. The collected specimens were pooled and subjected to DNA extraction. A fragment (380 bp) of citrate synthase gene (gltA) was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using universal primers for Rickettsia. A second PCR was later performed to amplify a fragment (420 bp) of the outer membrane protein B gene (ompB). The PCR products were purified, sequenced and compared using the basic local alignment search tool (BLAST). Twenty out of 40 (50%) tick pools assayed were positive for rickettsial DNA using both primer pairs. The consensus sequence obtained from the ompB gene fragments showed 99.5-100% of identity with strains of Rickettsia parkeri. This study provides the first molecular evidence of the presence of R. parkeri in A. maculatum ticks infesting domestic dogs from southeastern Mexico. Close contact between dogs and humans should lead to consider the infection caused by this species of Rickettsia among the differential diagnoses for people of Tabasco, Mexico, who show acute febrile syndrome associated to inoculation eschar and have a clinical history of tick exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oswaldo M Torres-Chable
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Tropicales y Transmitidas por Vector, División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico.
| | - Bertha G Jimenez-Delgadillo
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Parasitarias 1, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Yessenia N Alvarado-Kantún
- Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Claudia V Zaragoza-Vera
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Tropicales y Transmitidas por Vector, División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico
| | - Guadalupe Arjona-Jimenez
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Tropicales y Transmitidas por Vector, División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico
| | - Maritza Zaragoza-Vera
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Tropicales y Transmitidas por Vector, División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico
| | - Carlos M Baak-Baak
- Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Nohemi Cigarroa-Toledo
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, 97000, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Ligia Guadalupe Brito-Argaez
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas de Yucatán (CICY), Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Carlos Machain-Williams
- Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Julián E Garcia-Rejon
- Laboratorio de Arbovirología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
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Sebastian PS, Flores FS, Saracho-Bottero MN, Tarragona EL, Venzal JM, Nava S. Molecular detection of rickettsial bacteria in ticks of the genus Ixodes from the Southern Cone of America. Acta Trop 2020; 210:105588. [PMID: 32553859 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
To obtain information about rickettsial bacteria in ticks of the genus Ixodes from Argentina and Uruguay, specimens of I. fuscipes (previously named as I. aragaoi), Ixodes pararicinus, Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis, and Ixodes sp. were tested targeting the rickettsial gltA and ompA genes. Rickettsial bacteria was detected in all of these species. Rickettsia found in Ixodes sp. is closely related to Ca. Rickettsia mendelii, which was previously detected in I. ricinus of the Czech Republic and later in I. brunneus from the USA. Phylogenetic analyses of the Rickettsia strains found in I. fuscipes, I. pararicinus, and Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis showed that these strains form a clade together with R. buchneri detected in I. scapularis from the USA, which is closely related to R. monacensis from Europe. Rickettsia buchneri, R. cooleyi and the Rickettsia detected in I. fuscipes, I. pararicinus, and Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis clustered together in a clade well supported, which suggest that they are different strains of R. buchneri. The phylogenetic analysis shows that Ixodes ticks that are closely related in evolutionary terms (i.e. Ixodes species from the I. ricinus complex, I. brunneus-Ixodes sp.) share closely related rickettsial strains. The results of this study show that rickettsial bacteria are present in Ixodes ticks from Argentina and describe the first detection of Ca. R. mendelii in South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick S Sebastian
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CC 22, CP 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Fernando S Flores
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Universidad Nacional del Litoral, and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CP 3080, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - María N Saracho-Bottero
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CC 22, CP 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Evelina L Tarragona
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CC 22, CP 2300, 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
| | - Santiago Nava
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CC 22, CP 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
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Weck B, Krawczak FS, Costa FB, Dall'Agnol B, Marcili A, Reck J, Labruna MB. Rickettsia parkeri in the Pampa biome of southern Brazil: Isolation, molecular characterization, and serological evidence of canine infection. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2020; 22:100448. [PMID: 33308714 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2020.100448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In this work we performed a field study in a spotted fever-endemic area of the Pampa biome in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil (Rosário do Sul municipality), with the aim to evaluate the serological status of dogs for spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae, to attempt the isolation rickettsiae from A. tigrinum ticks, and to further perform a multi-genic molecular characterization of the rickettsial isolate. For this purpose, we collected blood serum samples and ticks from 18 rural dogs during 2016-2017. By immunofluorescence assay, all 18 dogs (100%) reacted serologically to SFG rickettsiae, with highest endpoint titers to R. parkeri, suggesting that at least part of these dogs have been infected by R. parkeri. Among 23 ticks collected from the dogs (13 A. tigrinum and 10 Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu stricto), 46% (6/13) A. tigrinum contained DNA of R. parkeri, which was successfully isolated in Vero cell culture from one of these ticks. Partial sequences of five genes (gltA, ompA, virB4, dnaA, dnaK) and 3 intergenic spacers (mppA-purC, rrl-rrf-ITS, rpmE-tRNAfMet) were generated from this rickettsial isolate, and were all 100% identical to corresponding sequences of R. parkeri s.s. We provide the first report of a viable isolate of R. parkeri from A. tigrinum, confirming that this isolate belongs to the strain R. parkeri s.s., as it has already been demonstrated for other two tick species of the Amblyomma maculatum species complex (A. maculatum and Amblyomma triste).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Weck
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Felipe S Krawczak
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Francisco B Costa
- Departamento de Patologia, Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Bruno Dall'Agnol
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Arlei Marcili
- Mestrado em Medicina e Bem-Estar Animal, Universidade Santo Amaro, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Jose Reck
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Sebastian PS, Tarragona EL, Saracho Bottero MN, Nava S. Phylogenetic divergence between Rickettsia amblyommatis strains from Argentina. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2020; 69:101418. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2020.101418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Ticks biting humans in the Brazilian savannah: Attachment sites and exposure risk in relation to species, life stage and season. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 11:101328. [PMID: 31767495 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.101328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Information about human tick bites in Brazil is mostly anecdotal. Published information is typically restricted to single tick infestation episodes and does not address human exposure occurring on a daily basis in natural, rural, or green urban areas. We present a comprehensive 2-yr study on human parasitism during a broad survey on ticks within a Brazilian savannah reserve. Overall, 439 tick bites were recorded from the following species: Amblyomma sculptum (n = 331 bites), Amblyomma parvum (n = 64), Amblyomma auricularium (n = 3), Rhipicephalus microplus (n = 2), Dermacentor nitens (n = 1) and 38 Amblyomma spp. ticks. Nymphs accounted for most tick bites (n = 292, 66.5 % of all bites) and these were overwhelmingly A. sculptum (92.8 % of nymphal bites). The main adult tick biting humans was A. parvum (n = 61, 50 % of all adult tick bites) followed closely by A. sculptum (n = 58, 47.5 % of all adult tick bites). Winter was the season with the highest percentage of tick bites (39.7 % of all bites), followed by spring (32.4 %); summer (18.9 %) and autumn (9 %). Amblyomma sculptum adult bites peaked in summer whereas nymphal bites occurred primarily in winter and spring. Amblyomma parvum adult bites peaked in spring and summer. The most common tick attachment sites included the waist, legs and belly, but A. parvum adults were recorded from the head of humans as well. A noteworthy observation was the lack of human parasitism by Amblyomma triste, the third most prevalent species in the environment. This tick species is a frequent human biter in both Uruguay and Argentina where it transmits a pathogen, Rickettsia parkeri, to humans.
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Allerdice MEJ, Beati L, Yaglom H, Lash RR, Delgado-de la Mora J, Licona-Enriquez JD, Delgado-de la Mora D, Paddock CD. Rickettsia parkeri (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) Detected in Ticks of the Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae) Group Collected from Multiple Locations in Southern Arizona. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 54:1743-1749. [PMID: 28981813 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjx138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Rickettsia parkeri is an emerging human pathogen transmitted by Amblyomma ticks in predominately tropical and subtropical regions of the western hemisphere. In 2014 and 2015, one confirmed case and one probable case of R. parkeri rickettsiosis were reported from the Pajarita Wilderness Area, a semi-arid mountainous region in southern Arizona. To examine more closely the potential public health risk of R. parkeri in this region, a study was initiated to investigate the pervasiveness of Amblyomma maculatum Koch group ticks in mountainous areas of southern Arizona and to ascertain the infection frequencies of R. parkeri in these ticks. During July 2016, a total of 182 adult ticks were collected and evaluated from the Pajarita Wilderness Area in Santa Cruz County and two additional sites in Cochise and Santa Cruz counties in southern Arizona. DNA of R. parkeri was detected in a total of 44 (24%) of these ticks. DNA of "Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae" and Rickettsia rhipicephali was detected in three (2%) and one (0.5%) of the samples, respectively. These observations corroborate previous collection records and indicate that established populations of A. maculatum group ticks exist in multiple foci in southern Arizona. The high frequency of R. parkeri in these tick populations suggests a public health risk as well as the need to increase education of R. parkeri rickettsiosis for those residing, working in, or visiting this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle E J Allerdice
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Lorenza Beati
- United States National Tick Collection, Institute for Coastal Plain Science, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
| | - Hayley Yaglom
- Office of Infectious Disease Services | Bureau of Epidemiology & Disease Control, Arizona Department of Health Services, Phoenix, AZ
| | - R Ryan Lash
- Travelers' Health Branch, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | | | | | - David Delgado-de la Mora
- Department of Agronomic and Veterinary Sciences, Technologic Institute of Sonora, Sonora, Mexico
| | - Christopher D Paddock
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
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Polsomboon S, Hoel DF, Murphy JR, Linton YM, Motoki M, Robbins RG, Bautista K, Bricen O I, Achee NL, Grieco JP, Ching WM, Chao CC. Molecular Detection and Identification of Rickettsia Species in Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Collected From Belize, Central America. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 54:1718-1726. [PMID: 28981693 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjx141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about tick-borne rickettsial pathogens in Belize, Central America. We tested ixodid ticks for the presence of Rickettsia species in three of the six northern and western Belizean districts. Ticks were collected from domestic animals and tick drags over vegetation in 23 different villages in November 2014, February 2015, and May 2015. A total of 2,506 collected ticks were identified to the following species: Dermacentor nitens Neumann (46.69%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (19.55%), Rhipicephalus microplus (Canestrini) (19.47%), Amblyomma cajennense complex (9.74%), Amblyomma maculatum Koch (3.47%), Amblyomma ovale Koch (0.68%), Ixodes nr affinis (0.16%), Amblyomma nr maculatum (0.12%), and Amblyomma nr oblongoguttatum (0.12%). Ticks were pooled according to species, life stage (larva, nymph, or adult), and location (n = 509) for DNA extraction and screened for genus Rickettsia by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). All 42 positive pools were found to be positive for spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia in pools of A. cajennense complex (n = 33), A. maculatum (n = 4), A. nr maculatum (n = 1), A. ovale (n = 1), R. sanguineus (n = 1), and I. nr affinis (n = 2). Rickettsia amblyommatis was identified from A. cajennense complex and A. nr maculatum. Rickettsia parkeri was found in A. maculatum, and Rickettsia sp. endosymbiont was detected in I. nr affinis. The presence of infected ticks suggests a risk of tick-borne rickettsioses to humans and animals in Belize. This knowledge can contribute to an effective tick management and disease control program benefiting residents and travelers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suppaluck Polsomboon
- Department of Preventive Medicine & Biostatistics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - David F Hoel
- Department of Preventive Medicine & Biostatistics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - Jittawadee R Murphy
- Department of Preventive Medicine & Biostatistics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - Yvonne-Marie Linton
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, MRC-534, Suitland, MD 20746
- Smithsonian Institution, Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, 10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560
| | - Maysa Motoki
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, MRC-534, Suitland, MD 20746
- Department of Entomology, Institut Pasteur du Laos, Sisattanak District, PO Box 3560, Vientiane, Laos, PDR
| | - Richard G Robbins
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, MRC-534, Suitland, MD 20746
| | - Kim Bautista
- Ministry of Health, Vector Control Office, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk, Belize
| | - Ireneo Bricen O
- Ministry of Health, Vector Control Office, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk, Belize
- Belize Vector and Ecology Center (BVEC), Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, Belize
| | - Nicole L Achee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, 239 Galvin Life Science Center, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - John P Grieco
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, 239 Galvin Life Science Center, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Wei-Mei Ching
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Disease Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910
| | - Chien-Chung Chao
- Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Department, Infectious Disease Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD 20910
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10
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Rickettsia parkeri in Amblyomma dubitatum ticks in a spotted fever focus from the Brazilian Pampa. Acta Trop 2017; 171:182-185. [PMID: 28359827 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Revised: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Spotted fever is an acute febrile illness, which is considered severely underreported and misdiagnosed in the Brazilian Pampa, caused by tick-borne Rickettsiae. Here, we report an eco-epidemiological investigation of Rickettsia spp. in ticks from a spotted fever focus in Toropi, southern Brazil. Ticks were collected from capybara carcasses and processed individually to obtain genomic DNA. Rickettsia was investigated using PCR that amplified the rickettsial fragments of the gltA, ompA and htrA genes. DNA from Rickettsia parkeri was found in four of 14 Amblyomma dubitatum ticks collected from capybara carcasses in Toropi and the nearby municipality of Quevedos. We also tested 210A. dubitatum ticks obtained from road-killed capybaras of other localities from the Pampa biome; none of them were positive for Rickettsiae. Thus, in Rio Grande do Sul, two Rickettsia species can be potentially associated to spotted fever: Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic Rainforest, associated with Amblyomma ovale ticks in the Atlantic Rainforest biome, and R. parkeri, associated both with Amblyomma tigrinum and A. dubitatum ticks in the Pampa biome. Our results reinforce that R. parkeri may be the agent associated with spotted fever in the Brazilian Pampa.
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11
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Sebastian PS, Tarragona EL, Bottero MNS, Mangold AJ, Mackenstedt U, Nava S. Bacteria of the genera Ehrlichia and Rickettsia in ticks of the family Ixodidae with medical importance in Argentina. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2017; 71:87-96. [PMID: 27812828 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-016-0096-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to get an overview about the occurrence of bacteria from the genus Ehrlichia and Rickettsia in ixodid ticks with medical importance in Argentina. Therefore, in 2013 and 2014, free-living ticks were collected in different provinces of northern Argentina. These ticks were determined as Amblyomma sculptum, Amblyomma neumanni, Amblyomma parvum, Amblyomma triste, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma tonelliae and Haemaphysalis juxtakochi. All samples were tested to determine the infection with Ehrlichia spp. and Rickettsia spp. by PCR assays. Rickettsial DNA was detected in all tested tick species, with the exception of A. tonelliae. 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii', 'Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae', and Rickettsia parkeri were found in A. neumanni, A. parvum, and A. triste, respectively. Another rickettsial species, Rickettsia bellii, was found in A. sculptum, A. ovale and H. juxtakochi. None of the tested ticks showed infection with Ehrlichia. The results of the study demonstrate that Rickettsia species belonging to the spotted fever group are associated with various species of Amblyomma throughout a wide area of northern Argentina, where cases of Amblyomma ticks biting humans are common.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick S Sebastian
- Parasitology Unit, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Straße 34, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany.
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CC 22, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Evelina L Tarragona
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CC 22, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - María N Saracho Bottero
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CC 22, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Atilio J Mangold
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CC 22, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Ute Mackenstedt
- Parasitology Unit, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Straße 34, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Santiago Nava
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CC 22, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
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12
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Herrick KL, Pena SA, Yaglom HD, Layton BJ, Moors A, Loftis AD, Condit ME, Singleton J, Kato CY, Denison AM, Ng D, Mertins JW, Paddock CD. Rickettsia parkeri Rickettsiosis, Arizona, USA. Emerg Infect Dis 2016; 22:780-5. [PMID: 27089251 PMCID: PMC4861524 DOI: 10.3201/eid2205.151824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the United States, all previously reported cases of Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis have been linked to transmission by the Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum). Here we describe 1 confirmed and 1 probable case of R. parkeri rickettsiosis acquired in a mountainous region of southern Arizona, well beyond the recognized geographic range of A. maculatum ticks. The likely vector for these 2 infections was identified as the Amblyomma triste tick, a Neotropical species only recently recognized in the United States. Identification of R. parkeri rickettsiosis in southern Arizona demonstrates a need for local ecologic and epidemiologic assessments to better understand geographic distribution and define public health risk. Education and outreach aimed at persons recreating or working in this region of southern Arizona would improve awareness and promote prevention of tickborne rickettsioses.
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13
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Guillemi EC, Tomassone L, Farber MD. Tick-borne Rickettsiales: Molecular tools for the study of an emergent group of pathogens. J Microbiol Methods 2015; 119:87-97. [PMID: 26471201 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2015.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Revised: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The use of molecular techniques in recent years has enhanced the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis of Rickettsiales, a bacterial order which includes significant emerging and re-emerging pathogens of humans and animals. Molecular detection enables the accurate identification at the species level, providing additional information on the epidemiology and course of the clinical cases. Moreover, PCR and enzyme restriction analysis of the vector blood meal can be employed to study the tick feeding source and possibly identify pathogen's reservoir. Here, we review the molecular tools available for the identification and characterization of tick-borne bacteria from the genera Rickettsia, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma and for the study of ticks feeding behavior. We summarize the significant criteria for taxonomic identification of Rickettsiales species and propose a procedure algorithm for the classification of bacterial isolates as members of this order.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana C Guillemi
- Inst. de Biotecnología, INTA Castelar. Los Reseros y N. Repetto, 1686 Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Laura Tomassone
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Torino, Italy
| | - Marisa D Farber
- Inst. de Biotecnología, INTA Castelar. Los Reseros y N. Repetto, 1686 Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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14
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Melo AL, Alves AS, Nieri-Bastos FA, Martins TF, Witter R, Pacheco TA, Soares HS, Marcili A, Chitarra CS, Dutra V, Nakazato L, Pacheco RC, Labruna MB, Aguiar DM. Rickettsia parkeri infecting free-living Amblyomma triste ticks in the Brazilian Pantanal. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:237-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Revised: 11/26/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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15
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Rickettsia infection in Amblyomma tonelliae, a tick species from the Amblyomma cajennense complex. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:173-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Revised: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 11/29/2014] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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16
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Romer Y, Nava S, Govedic F, Cicuttin G, Denison AM, Singleton J, Kelly AJ, Kato CY, Paddock CD. Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis in different ecological regions of Argentina and its association with Amblyomma tigrinum as a potential vector. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2014; 91:1156-60. [PMID: 25349376 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.14-0334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia parkeri, a newly recognized tick-borne pathogen of humans in the Americas, is a confirmed cause of spotted fever group rickettsiosis in Argentina. Until recently, almost all cases of R. parkeri rickettsiosis in Argentina have originated from the Paraná River Delta, where entomological surveys have identified populations of R. parkeri-infected Amblyomma triste ticks. In this report, we describe confirmed cases of R. parkeri rickettsiosis from Córdoba and La Rioja provinces, which are located several hundred kilometers inland, and in a more arid ecological region, where A. triste ticks do not occur. Additionally, we identified questing A. tigrinum ticks naturally infected with R. parkeri in Córdoba province. These data provide evidence that another human-biting tick species serves as a potential vector of R. parkeri in Argentina and possibly, other countries of South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamila Romer
- Hospital F. J. Muñiz, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina; Sanatorio Allende, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Santiago Nava
- Hospital F. J. Muñiz, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina; Sanatorio Allende, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Francisco Govedic
- Hospital F. J. Muñiz, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina; Sanatorio Allende, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Gabriel Cicuttin
- Hospital F. J. Muñiz, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina; Sanatorio Allende, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Amy M Denison
- Hospital F. J. Muñiz, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina; Sanatorio Allende, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Joseph Singleton
- Hospital F. J. Muñiz, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina; Sanatorio Allende, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Aubree J Kelly
- Hospital F. J. Muñiz, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina; Sanatorio Allende, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Cecilia Y Kato
- Hospital F. J. Muñiz, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina; Sanatorio Allende, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Christopher D Paddock
- Hospital F. J. Muñiz, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina; Sanatorio Allende, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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17
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Monje LD, Nava S, Antoniazzi LR, Colombo VC, Beldomenico PM. In vitro isolation and infection intensity of Rickettsia parkeri in Amblyomma triste ticks from the Paraná River Delta region, Argentina. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2014; 5:924-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2014] [Revised: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/13/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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18
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Garcia GR, Gardinassi LG, Ribeiro JM, Anatriello E, Ferreira BR, Moreira HNS, Mafra C, Martins MM, Szabó MPJ, de Miranda-Santos IKF, Maruyama SR. The sialotranscriptome of Amblyomma triste, Amblyomma parvum and Amblyomma cajennense ticks, uncovered by 454-based RNA-seq. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:430. [PMID: 25201527 PMCID: PMC4261526 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tick salivary constituents antagonize inflammatory, immune and hemostatic host responses, favoring tick blood feeding and the establishment of tick-borne pathogens in hosts during hematophagy. Amblyomma triste, A. cajennense and A. parvum ticks are very important in veterinary and human health because they are vectors of the etiological agents for several diseases. Insights into the tick salivary components involved in blood feeding are essential to understanding vector-pathogen-host interactions, and transcriptional profiling of salivary glands is a powerful tool to do so. Here, we functionally annotated the sialotranscriptomes of these three Amblyomma species, which allowed comparisons between these and other hematophagous arthropod species. Methods mRNA from the salivary glands of A. triste, A. cajennense and A. parvum ticks fed on different host species were pyrosequenced on a 454-Roche platform to generate four A. triste (nymphs fed on guinea pigs and females fed on dogs) libraries, one A. cajennense (females fed on rabbits) library and one was A. parvum (females fed on dogs) library. Bioinformatic analyses used in-house programs with a customized pipeline employing standard assembly and alignment algorithms, protein databases and protein servers. Results Each library yielded an average of 100,000 reads, which were assembled to obtain contigs of coding sequences (CDSs). The sialotranscriptome analyses of A. triste, A. cajennense and A. parvum ticks produced 11,240, 4,604 and 3,796 CDSs, respectively. These CDSs were classified into over 100 distinct protein families with a wide range of putative functions involved in physiological and blood feeding processes and were catalogued in annotated, hyperlinked spreadsheets. We highlighted the putative transcripts encoding saliva components with critical roles during parasitism, such as anticoagulants, immunosuppressants and anti-inflammatory molecules. The salivary content underwent changes in the abundance and repertoire of many transcripts, which depended on the tick and host species. Conclusions The annotated sialotranscriptomes described herein richly expand the biological knowledge of these three Amblyomma species. These comprehensive databases will be useful for the characterization of salivary proteins and can be applied to control ticks and tick-borne diseases. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1756-3305-7-430) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sandra Regina Maruyama
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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