Primer registro de ácaros (Gamasida: Laelapidae) parásitos de roedores silvestres en Uruguay, con nuevos registros de hospedadores

Information is presented for the first time on laelapid mites associated with wild rodents in Uruguay. Specimens of the following species were identified: Laelapinae: Androlaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese), Androlaelaps rotundus (Fonseca), Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni (Oudemans), Laelaps paulistanensis (Fonseca), Laelaps manguinhosi (Fonseca) and Mysolaelaps microspinosus Fonseca; Haemogamasinae: Eulaelaps stabularis (Koch). Most of the ectoparasite-host associations are reported for the first time. New host and locality records presented in this study are in accordance with previous findings on the same and/or related host species in nearby South American localities.Se presenta por primera vez infonnación sobre ácaros lelápidos asociados a roedores silvestres en Uruguay. Se identificaronespecímenes de las siguientes especies: Laelapinae:Androlaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese). Androlaelaps rotundus (Fonseca). Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni (Oudemans). Laelapspaulistanensis Fonseca. Laelaps manguinhosi Fonseca y Mysolaelaps microspinosus Fonseca; Haemogamasinae: Eulaelaps stabularis (Koch). La mayoría de las asociaciones ectoparásitohospedador se registran por primera vez. Los nuevos registros de hospedador y localidad que se presentanen este estudio coinciden con hallazgos previos en las mismas, o estrechamente relacionadas, especies hospedadoras en localidades cercanas de Sud América.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Primer registro de ácaros (Gamasida: Laelapidae) parásitos de roedores silvestres en Uruguay, con nuevos registros de hospedadores

Information is presented for the first time on laelapid mites associated with wild rodents in Uruguay. Specimens of the following species were identified: Laelapinae: Androlaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese), Androlaelaps rotundus (Fonseca), Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni (Oudemans), Laelaps paulistanensis (Fonseca), Laelaps manguinhosi (Fonseca) and Mysolaelaps microspinosus Fonseca; Haemogamasinae: Eulaelaps stabularis (Koch). Most of the ectoparasite-host associations are reported for the first time. New host and locality records presented in this study are in accordance with previous findings on the same and/or related host species in nearby South American localities.Se presenta por primera vez infonnación sobre ácaros lelápidos asociados a roedores silvestres en Uruguay. Se identificaronespecímenes de las siguientes especies: Laelapinae:Androlaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese). Androlaelaps rotundus (Fonseca). Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni (Oudemans). Laelapspaulistanensis Fonseca. Laelaps manguinhosi Fonseca y Mysolaelaps microspinosus Fonseca; Haemogamasinae: Eulaelaps stabularis (Koch). La mayoría de las asociaciones ectoparásitohospedador se registran por primera vez. Los nuevos registros de hospedador y localidad que se presentanen este estudio coinciden con hallazgos previos en las mismas, o estrechamente relacionadas, especies hospedadoras en localidades cercanas de Sud América.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Rickettsial infection in Amblyomma cajennense ticks and capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in a Brazilian spotted fever-endemic area

Brazilian spotted fever (BSF), caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii, is the deadliest spotted fever of the world. In most of the BSF-endemic areas, capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) are the principal host for the tick Amblyomma cajennense, which is the main vector of BSF. In 2012, a BSF case was confirmed in a child that was bitten by ticks in a residential park area inhabited by A. cajennense-infested capybaras in Itú municipality, southeastern Brazil. Host questing A. cajennense adult ticks were collected in the residential park and brought alive to the laboratory, where they were macerated and intraperitoneally inoculated into guinea pigs. A tick-inoculated guinea pig that presented high fever was euthanized and its internal organs were macerated and inoculated into additional guinea pigs (guinea pig passage). Tissue samples from guinea pig passages were also used to inoculate Vero cells through the shell vial technique. Infected cells were used for molecular characterization of the rickettsial isolate through PCR and DNA sequencing of fragments of three rickettsial genes (gltA, ompA, and ompB). Blood serum samples were collected from 172 capybaras that inhabited the residential park. Sera were tested through the immunofluorescence assay using R. rickettsii antigen. A tick-inoculated guinea pig presented high fever accompanied by scrotal reactions (edema and marked redness). These signs were reproduced by consecutive guinea pig passages. Rickettsia was successfully isolated in Vero cells that were inoculated with brain homogenate derived from a 3rd passage-febrile guinea pig. Molecular characterization of this rickettsial isolate (designated as strain ITU) yielded DNA sequences that were all 100% identical to corresponding sequences of R. rickettsii in Genbank. A total of 83 (48.3%) out of 172 capybaras were seroreactive to R. rickettsii, with endpoint titers ranging from 64 to 8192. A viable isolate of R. rickettsii was obtained from the tick A. cajennense, comprising the first viable R. rickettsi isolate from this tick species during the last 60 years. Nearly half of the capybara population of the residential park was seroreactive to R. rickettsii, corroborating the findings that the local A. cajennense population was infected by R. rickettsii.We are grateful to the administrative staff of the residential park that provided logistic support for the present study, and to the “Superintendência de Controle de Endemias” of the state of São Paulo (SUCEN) for their valuable help in collecting ticks. This work was supported by the Brazilian funding agencies FAPESP, CNPq, and CAPES

Primer registro de ácaros (Gamasida: Laelapidae) parásitos de roedores silvestres en Uruguay, con nuevos registros de hospedadores

Information is presented for the first time on laelapid mites associated with wild rodents in Uruguay. Specimens of the following species were identified: Laelapinae: Androlaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese), Androlaelaps rotundus (Fonseca), Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni (Oudemans), Laelaps paulistanensis (Fonseca), Laelaps manguinhosi (Fonseca) and Mysolaelaps microspinosus Fonseca; Haemogamasinae: Eulaelaps stabularis (Koch). Most of the ectoparasite-host associations are reported for the first time. New host and locality records presented in this study are in accordance with previous findings on the same and/or related host species in nearby South American localities.Se presenta por primera vez infonnación sobre ácaros lelápidos asociados a roedores silvestres en Uruguay. Se identificaronespecímenes de las siguientes especies: Laelapinae:Androlaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese). Androlaelaps rotundus (Fonseca). Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni (Oudemans). Laelapspaulistanensis Fonseca. Laelaps manguinhosi Fonseca y Mysolaelaps microspinosus Fonseca; Haemogamasinae: Eulaelaps stabularis (Koch). La mayoría de las asociaciones ectoparásitohospedador se registran por primera vez. Los nuevos registros de hospedador y localidad que se presentanen este estudio coinciden con hallazgos previos en las mismas, o estrechamente relacionadas, especies hospedadoras en localidades cercanas de Sud América.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Ornithodoros brasiliensis Aragão (Acari: Argasidae): description of the larva, redescription of male and female, and neotype designation

Ornithodoros brasiliensis is an endemic tick from Brazil and is very aggressive to humans, resulting in pain, fever and intense inflammatory response. After more than 50 years without report, this species was recently found in rural areas of São Francisco de Paula municipality, State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, from where it was originally described. Herein, we describe the larva and redescribe the adults of O. brasiliensis based on scanning electron microscopy. Since the type was lost we designate the neotype specimen under the number IBSP 10409. In addition, the relationship between O. brasiliensis and other species from the Neotropical region that share the morphological characteristics of Ornithodoros with dorsal humps on tarsi, and also live under the soil and feed on hosts other than bats, are discussed. Molecular analysis inferred from a portion of the 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene is also provided and it placed O. brasiliensis in a cluster supported by a maximal bootstrap value (100%) with Ornithodoros parkeri, Ornithodoros rostratus, and Ornithodoros turicata.Fil: Barros Battesti, Darci M.. Governo do Estado de Sao Paulo. Secretaria da Saude. Instituto Butantan; BrasilFil: Onofrio, Valeria C.. Governo do Estado de Sao Paulo. Secretaria da Saude. Instituto Butantan; BrasilFil: Nieri Bastos, Fernanda A.. Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal; BrasilFil: Soares, João Fábio. Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal; BrasilFil: Marcili, Arlei. Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal; BrasilFil: Famadas, Kátia M.. Universidad Federal Rural de Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Faccini, Joao Luiz H.. Universidad Federal Rural de Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Ramirez, Diego G.. Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal; BrasilFil: Doyle, Rovaina L.. Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor; BrasilFil: Martins, João Ricardo. Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor; BrasilFil: Junior, José R.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Guglielmone, Alberto Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Labruna, Marcelo B.. Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal; Brasi

Survey of Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and Their Rickettsia in an Atlantic Rain Forest Reserve in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil

The current study investigated the occurrence of ticks and their rickettsiae in the Serra do Mar State Park, which encompasses one of the largest Atlantic rain forest reserves of Brazil. From July 2008 to June 2009, a total of 2,439 ticks (2,196 free living and 243 collected on hosts) was collected, encompassing the following 13 species: Amblyomma aureolatum (Pallas), Amblyomma brasiliense Aragao, Amblyomma dubitatum Neumann, Amblyomma fuscum Neumann, Amblyomma incisum Neumann, Amblyomma longirostre (Koch), Amblyomma naponense (Packard), Amblyomma nodosum Neumann, Amblyomma ovale Koch, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Cooley, Ixodes aragaoi Fonseca, Lodes loricatus Neumann, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille). Ticks were submitted to polymerase chain reaction assays targeting portions of the rickettsial genes gltA and ompA. Polymerase chain reaction products were DNA sequenced and compared with corresponding sequences available in GenBank. Rickettsia bellii, a rickettsia of unknown pathogenicity, was detected in one A. aureolatum, one A. ovate, and three A. incisum specimens. At least 8.8% (3/34) of the free-living A. ovale ticks, 13.6% (8/59) of the A. ovale ticks collected from dogs, and 1.9% (1/54) of the R. sanguineus (Latreille) ticks were found to be infected by Rickettsia sp strain Atlantic rain forest, a novel strain that has been shown to cause an eschar-associated spotted fever in the state of Sao Paulo. Our results suggest that A. ovale is the vector of Rickettsia sp strain Atlantic rain forest in the state of Sao Paulo.CAPES Comissao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel SuperiorCNPq Conselho Nacional de PesquisasFundacao de Amparo Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paolo (FAPESP)Commission of Bioethics in Animal Research of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Sao Paulo (USP)[1257/2008