Rickettsioses in Brazil: distinct diseases and new paradigms for epidemiological surveillance

Faccini-Martínez, Álvaro A.; Krawczak, Felipe da Silva; Oliveira, Stefan Vilges de; Labruna, Marcelo Bahia; Angerami, Rodrigo Nogueira

doi:10.1590/0037-8682-0732-2020

Cited by 12 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…South America has experienced the emergence and re-emergence of tick-borne spotted fever illness affecting humans and domestic dogs. In Brazil, the reported cases of tick-borne spotted fever are associated with different species of Rickettsia , such as Rickettsia rickettsii , Rickettsia parkeri sensu stricto (s.s.) and the Rickettsia parkeri strain, Atlantic rainforest [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae’ and Probable Exclusion of Rickettsia parkeri in Ticks from Dogs in a Natural Area of the Pampa Biome in Brazil

et al. 2023

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Spotted fever illness caused by the tick-borne pathogen Rickettsia parkeri has emerged in the Pampa biome in southern Brazil, where the tick Amblyomma tigrinum is implicated as the main vector. Because domestic dogs are commonly parasitized by A. tigrinum, this canid is also a suitable sentinel for R. parkeri-associated spotted fever. Herein, we investigate rickettsial infection in ticks, domestic dogs and small mammals in a natural reserve of the Pampa biome in southern Brazil. The ticks A. tigrinum, Amblyomma aureolatum and Rhipicephalus sanguineus were collected from dogs. Molecular analyses of ticks did not detect R. parkeri; however, at least 34% (21/61) of the A. tigrinum ticks were infected by the non-pathogenic agent ‘Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae’. Serological analyses revealed that only 14% and 3% of 36 dogs and 34 small mammals, respectively, were exposed to rickettsial antigens. These results indicate that the study area is not endemic for R. parkeri rickettsiosis. We tabulated 10 studies that reported rickettsial infection in A. tigrinum populations from South America. There was a strong negative correlation between the infection rates by R. parkeri and ‘Candidatus R. andeanae’ in A. tigrinum populations. We propose that high infection rates by ‘Candidatus R. andeanae’ might promote the exclusion of R. parkeri from A. tigrinum populations. The mechanisms for such exclusion are yet to be elucidated.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae’ and Probable Exclusion of Rickettsia parkeri in Ticks from Dogs in a Natural Area of the Pampa Biome in Brazil

et al. 2023

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“…R. rickettsii is the agent of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF), the most severe form of spotted fever and an important zoonosis with a high fatality rate in humans (≥50%), mainly in the southeast of the country [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. R. parkeri is the causative agent of a milder spotted fever, which has not been related to fatal cases so far, but it is an emerging pathogen in different parts of the country [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Among other species circulating in Brazil, Rickettsia bellii has been detected in more than 25 tick species and is considered to be non-pathogenic for animals and humans [ 9 , 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detection of Rickettsia spp. in Animals and Ticks in Midwestern Brazil, Where Human Cases of Rickettsiosis Were Reported

Neves

Paula

et al. 2023

Animals

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Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is the most important tick-borne diseases affecting humans in Brazil. Cases of BSF have recently been reported in the Goiás state, midwestern Brazil. All cases have been confirmed by reference laboratories by seroconversion to Rickettsia rickettsii antigens. Because serological cross-reactions among different rickettsial species that belong to the spotted fever group (SFG) are common, the agent responsible for BSF cases in Goiás remains unknown. From March 2020 to April 2022, ticks and plasma were collected from dogs, horses and capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), and from the vegetation in an area where BSF cases have been reported and two areas under epidemiological surveillance in Goiás. Horses were infested by Amblyomma sculptum, Dermacentor nitens and Rhipicephalus microplus; dogs by Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.), Amblyomma ovale and A. sculptum, and capybaras by A. sculptum and Amblyomma dubitatum. Adults of A. sculptum, A. dubitatum, Amblyomma rotundatum and immature stages of A. sculptum and A. dubitatum, and Amblyomma spp. were collected from the vegetation. DNA of Rickettsia that did not belong to the SFG was detected in A. dubitatum, which was identified by DNA sequencing as Rickettsia bellii. Seroreactivity to SFG and Rickettsia bellii antigens was detected in 25.4% (42/165) of dogs, 22.7% (10/44) of horses and 41.2% (7/17) of capybaras, with higher titers for R. bellii in dogs and capybaras. The seropositivity of animals to SFG Rickettsia spp. antigens demonstrates the circulation of SFG rickettsiae in the region. Further research is needed to fully determine the agent responsible for rickettsiosis cases in this area.

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“…As the second most important rickettsial agent of Brazil (Faccini‐Martínez, Krawczak, Oliveira, Labruna, & Angerami, 2021), R. parkeri has been primarily transmitted to human beings by Ixodid ticks, including Amblyomma ovale in the Atlantic rainforest biome (Krawczak, Agostinho, Polo, Moraes‐Filho, & Labruna, 2016). Small rodents and wild birds have been recognized as primary hosts of A. ovale larval and nymphal (Labruna et al., 2005), and wild carnivores of A. ovale adults (Martins et al., 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiology ofRickettsiaspp. in Atlantic rainforest areas of island and seashore mainland, southern Brazil

Kmetiuk

Paula

Pádua

et al. 2022

Transbounding Emerging Dis

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Non-fatal cases of rickettsial infection with different clinical features than the classic BSF (Brazilian Spotted Fever) have been reported in seashore areas of Paraná state, southern Brazil. In addition, Amblyomma ovale tick infected by Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest has been also described in this area. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of anti-Rickettsia spp. antibodies in human and dog populations, and Rickettsia spp. infection in ticks from oceanic islands and seashore mainland cities of southern Brazil. Serum samples were collected from 328 persons and their 282 dogs from three islands and two seashore mainland cities. A total of 211 ticks were collected from dogs, identified as A. ovale and R. sanguineus. In overall, 40 of 328 (12.2%) human samples were seropositive for Rickettsia spp., including 21 of 190 (11.1%) on islands and 19 of 138 (13.7%) on seashore mainland, and 62 of 282 (22.0%) dog samples, including 31 of 153 (20.3%) on islands and 31 of 129 (24.0%) in seashore mainland areas. In overall, nine of 82 (11.0%) ticks were positive to real-time PCR assay targeting a fragment of the rickettsial gltA gene, including two of 64 (3.1%) Rickettsia sanguineus and seven of 18 (38.9%) A. ovale, of which four were infected with the R. parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest. Despite no association between risk factors and Rickettsia spp. seropositivity was found in human beings, access to natural areas (p = .011) and tick infestation (p = .004) was significantly associated to dog seropositivity. The serological and molecular findings herein have confirmed previous tick and clinical case reports and enlarged the geographical occurrence of A. ovale infected by R. parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest in oceanic islands and seashore mainland cities of Paraná State, indicating a new likely transmission area of this new rickettsial infection in human beings and dogs of southern Brazil.

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Rickettsioses in Brazil: distinct diseases and new paradigms for epidemiological surveillance

Cited by 12 publications

References 10 publications

‘Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae’ and Probable Exclusion of Rickettsia parkeri in Ticks from Dogs in a Natural Area of the Pampa Biome in Brazil

‘Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae’ and Probable Exclusion of Rickettsia parkeri in Ticks from Dogs in a Natural Area of the Pampa Biome in Brazil

Detection of Rickettsia spp. in Animals and Ticks in Midwestern Brazil, Where Human Cases of Rickettsiosis Were Reported

Epidemiology ofRickettsiaspp. in Atlantic rainforest areas of island and seashore mainland, southern Brazil

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