Blankaartia sinnamaryi (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) parasitizing birds in southeastern Brazil, with notes on Rickettsia detection

Abstract

The larvae of the family Trombiculidae are ectoparasites of vertebrates, including birds. The bite of some species can cause deep lesions and severe skin reactions in the host, these can lead to dermatitis, popularly known as trombiculiasis. A morphological study of chiggers collected on birds from the state of Minas Gerais in Southeastern Brazil discovered Blankaartia sinnamaryi-infestation on Passeriformes birds. Molecular studies of the disclosed the 18S rDNA sequences of the mite, and the detection of a Rickettsia sp. in this chigger mite species.

Molecular detection of Rickettsia genus in chigger mites (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) collected on small mammals in southeastern brazilian

“…Kampen et al (2004), Moniuszko et al (2015) and Kumlert et al (2018) successfully amplified this gene for some chigger species of the genera Ascoschoengastia, Blankaartia, Hirsutella, Leptotrombidium, Neotrombicula, Schoengastia, Schoutedenichia, and Walchia, from Europe and Asia. Although in the current study we employed this same pairs of primers, none of our samples yielded amplicons, which is in the line with previous studies in Brazil (BASSINI-SILVA et al, 2018a;JACINAVICIUS et al, 2018a). We highlight then the need for testing new sets or designing new primers that will successfully amplify this gene for South American chiggers.…”

“…However, Rickettsia spp. have been reported from various mites collected on birds and mammals (VYSOTSKAYA & SCHLUGER, 1953;HASE et al, 1978;CHOI et al, 2007;TAKAHASHI et al, 2004;MIŤKOVÁ et al, 2015;HUANG et al 2017;BASSINI-SILVA et al, 2018a), which suggest that our finding is not an isolated case. On the other hand, we had no success in detecting the presence of Coxiella sp.…”

“…The single record of Rickettsia in chiggers from Brazil was documented by Bassini-Silva et al (2018a), and correspond to a Rickettsia felis-like agent detected in B. sinnamaryi, collected on Tachyphonus coronatus (Aves: Passeriformes) from the state of Minas Gerais. However, Rickettsia spp.…”

“…Of the 73 chiggers species reported from Brazil, 18S rDNA sequences were previously available for only three species: B. sinnamaryi (MG783391) (BASSINI-SILVA et al, 2018a), Eutrombicula daemoni Bassini-Silva and Jacinavicius, 2018 (MG707783, MG70778) (BASSINI-SILVA et al, 2018b), and Q. brasiliensis (MF113413, MF113412, KY934462, KY934463, KY934464) (JACINAVICIUS et al, 2018a). In the present study, we provide new 18S rDNA sequences for H. hertigi, Kymocta sp., Q. pazca, Q. trapezoides, and T. bakeri.…”

>b<Chigger mites (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) of small mammals from Brazil:>/b< morphological studies and investigation of the presence of pathogens

“…The material and types from chiggers housed at the collection CAVAIS-IOC have already been published by Jacinavicius et al (2018a, b), as well as, the collection of chiggers housed in NMNH and OSAL, constituted mainly by primary and secondary types, were summarized in a checklist by .…”