Epidemiology of zoonotic tick-borne diseases in Latin America: Are we just seeing the tip of the iceberg?

Abstract

Ticks are responsible for transmission of multiple bacterial, parasitic and viral diseases. Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) occur particularly in tropical and also subtropical areas. The frequency of these TBDs has been increasing and extending to new territories in a significant way, partly since ticks’ populations are highly favored by prevailing factors such as change in land use patterns, and climate change. Therefore, in order to obtain accurate estimates of mortality, premature mortality, and disability associated about TBDs, more molecular and epidemiological studies in different regions of the world, including Latin America, are required. In the case of this region, there is still a limited number of published studies. In addition, there is recently the emergence and discovering of pathogens not reported previously in this region but present in other areas of the world. In this article we discuss some studies and implications about TBDs in Latin America, most of them, zoonotic and with evolving taxonomical issues.

Seroprevalence canine survey for selected vector-borne pathogens and its relationship with poverty in metropolitan Pereira, Colombia, 2020

“…Among the most vulnerable populations for these vector-borne diseases ( Bonilla-Aldana et al, 2021 ) are dogs ( Bonilla-Aldana et al, 2020b ; Rodriguez-Morales et al, 2018a ; Rodriguez-Morales et al, 2018b ). Multiple studies worldwide have assessed the prevalence of such diseases in canine populations ( Petruccelli et al, 2020 ).…”

Trends and Opportunities in Tick-Borne Disease Geography

“…South America, for example, is represented in the tick mapping literature by only two studies conducted in Brazil, despite having confirmed cases of tick-borne diseases and known tick species of medical importance ( Guglielmone et al 2006 ). Documentation of zoonotic pathogens on the continent is similarly underfunded, and tick-borne transmission cycles are an active area of research ( Guglielmone et al 2006 , Rodriguez-Morales et al 2018 ). Identifying regional priorities for surveillance based on clinical and veterinary significance, and expanding the purview of tick-borne disease mapping using participatory approaches alongside quantitative and GIS work, will help manage the burden of tick-borne disease where it remains the highest.…”

Genomic Insights into the Population History and Adaptive Traits of Latin American Criollo Cattle

“…In Colombia and the surrounding tropical and subtropical regions, there is a significant prevalence of vector-borne haemoparasitic infections [113] that induce anaemia, fever, wasting, and reproductive dysfunction [114]. These diseases are primarily caused by eukaryotic parasites within the Babesia [115] and Trypanosoma [116] genera, and bacterial pathogens from the Anaplasma genus [117].…”