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

Ticks from the Brazilian Amazon: Species, Distribution and Host-Relations

Ticks are important ectoparasites and can transmit a wide variety of pathogens to animals and humans worldwide. These ectoparasites are the most important vectors of diseases causing pathogens in domestic and wild animals, and the second for man. In Brazil, Spotted Fever is the only disease transmitted to humans by ticks, while for animals we can highlight babesiosis, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. Although ticks are found in all of Brazil’s biomes, little is known about its diversity and host-relations in the Amazon biome. The existing gaps and the lack of research indicate that the diversity of ticks and their possible pathogens are underestimated in the Brazilian Amazon. Therefore, in order to guide the next studies in the Amazon biome, we present in this chapter a compilation of the records of hard ticks and soft ticks parasitizing wild and domestic animals, and humans. We present the general list of ticks for this biome, their distribution, hosts and importance for public health and veterinary. Finally, the ixodofauna found in the Brazilian Amazon and presented here does not match the vertebrate diversity of this biome, which is one of the largest on the planet. Therefore, more acarologists and epidemiologists are needed in this region

Swine sarcoptic mange. II. Economic evaluation of alternative control strategies

Buscou-se, neste trabalho, analisar do ponto de vista econômico uma estratégia de ação no controle da sarna sarcóptica (SS), em uma granja de ciclo completo, no período de 1982 a 1988, com capacidade para 240 fêmeas e 12 machos mantidos em confinamento, e compará-la com estratégias usualmente utilizadas. A análise foi efetuada comparando-se ano a ano a estratégia de controle (EC) adotada com o uso de sarnicida injetável (SI), duas vezes ao ano, e aplicação de sarnicida (AS) através da pulverização dos animais duas vezes ao ano. No período estudado, a população da granja teve um crescimento de 18% no plantel de reprodutores, e de 110% no rebanho. Em conseqüência, o custo total da EC evoluiu de US$144,47 para US$ 595,62, o que representa uma variação de 312%. No caso do SI e do AS, o custo variou apenas 1,04% e 6,24%, respectivamente. O exame de "raspados" da "EC", nem sempre está disponível aos produtores ou há dificuldade de acesso. Nestes casos a pulverização do sarnicida é a opção indicada.The aim of the paper was to compare economically three control methods of sarcoptic mange. The methods were: 1) strategic method (SM); 2) injectable product (IP); 3) spray product (SP). The SM was applied from 1982 to 1988 in a confined herd with 240 sows and 12 boards, while the cost of IP and SP were estimated assuming identical effects in terms of mange control. The costs of the treatments were calculated for each year for the herd and by animal. From 1982 to 1985 the SM presented the lowest total cost while from 1986 to 1988 the SP had small total cost. The SM, IP and SP had an increase of 312%, 1.04% and 6.24% respectively. The exam of "scrapings" of "EC" not always is available to the producers or the access is difficult. In these cases the spray product showed the indicated alternative

Distribution modeling of Amblyomma rotundatum and Amblyomma dissimile in Brazil: estimates of environmental suitability

The number of reports of tick parasitism in amphibians and reptiles has increased over the past few years, including new host and location records for Amblyomma rotundatum and Amblyomma dissimile. However, knowledge of the geographical distribution remains incomplete, and in many regions of Brazil, the presence of these vectors has not been investigated. Several candidate models were built using a correlative maximum entropy approach, and best-fitting models were selected based on statistical significance, predictive ability, and complexity based on current climatic trends and future projected climate changes. Final models showed a good ability to discriminate A. rotundatum and A. dissimile current and future potential distributions. The entire country had higher predicted suitability for A. rotundatum while A. dissimile was mainly restricted to the Amazon and Pantanal biomes. A. rotundatum is a species with enormous potential for dissemination in the next decades, potentially through the legal and illegal transport of reptiles and amphibians. The proposed model is useful for targeting surveillance efforts increasing the efficiency and accuracy of future ecological research and tick management efforts

Morphological anomalies in hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from Brazil

Tick abnormalities have been unusual in nature, and they can be divided into local and general. In the present study, external morphological anomalies were described in 31 individual adult ticks of 15 different species of Ixodidae, which were collected on wild hosts (20 ticks), domestic hosts (7 ticks), and in the environment (4 ticks) in 11 states of Brazil from 1998 to 2022. Among the 31 tick specimens, 14 (45%) were categorized as local anomalies, and 17 (55%) as general anomalies. The ticks were taxonomically identified into 14 species of Amblyomma, and one species of Rhipicephalus. Local anomalies included malformations of scutum/alloscutum, ectromely, leg atrophy, and a third ectopic spiracular plate. General anomalies included opisthosoma duplication, no expansion of dorsal alloscutum in engorged females, and gynandromorphism; the latter is described for 13 tick specimens. Morphological anomalies in Amblyomma aureolatum, Amblyomma brasiliense, Amblyomma humerale and Amblyomma longirostre are reported for the first time. Although the results herein expand the list of anomalous tick species in the Neotropics, future studies should be conducted to clarify the origin of these anomalies