Microorganisms in the ticks Amblyomma dissimile Koch 1844 and Amblyomma rotundatum Koch 1844 collected from snakes in Brazil

Abstract

Knowledge about ticks (Acari) and screening of ticks parasitizing various hosts are necessary to understand the epidemiology of tick‐borne pathogens. The objective of this study was to investigate tick infestations on snakes (Reptilia: Squamata: Serpentes) arriving at the serpentarium at the Institute Vital Brazil, Rio de Janeiro. Some of the identified ticks were individually tested for the presence of bacteria of the genera Rickettsia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae), Borrelia (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae), Coxiella (Legionellales: Coxiellaceae), Bartonella (Rhizobiales: Bartonellaceae), Ehrlichia (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), Anaplasma (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), and Apicomplexa protozoa of the genera Babesia (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae) and Hepatozoon (Eucoccidiorida: Hepatozoidae). A total of 115 hard ticks (Ixodida: Ixodidae) were collected from 17 host individuals obtained from four Brazilian states. Two species of tick were identified: Amblyomma dissimile Koch 1844 (four larvae, 16 nymphs, 40 adults), and Amblyomma rotundatum Koch 1844 (12 nymphs, 43 adults). Rickettsia bellii was found in A. rotundatum and A. dissimile ticks and Rickettsia sp. strain Colombianensi, Anaplasma‐like and Hepatozoon sp. in A. dissimile ticks. Among the tested ticks, no DNA of Borrelia, Bartonella, Coxiella or Babesia was found. The present findings extend the geographic range of Rickettsia sp. strain Colombianensi in Brazil and provide novel tick–host associations.

Ticks and Associated Pathogens From Rescued Wild Animals in Rainforest Fragments of Northeastern Brazil

“…Hepatozoon sp. have only recently been found in Brazilian reptiles, specifically in two A. dissimile ticks collected from Bothrops atrox snakes in the Northern region of Brazil (80). In our work, we showed the presence of Hepatozoon sp.…”

“…DNA, but this hemopathogen has already was described in ticks collected from a tortoise, Chelonoidis denticulata, in the state of Espírito Santo in Southeastern Brazil (48). Rickettsia bellii was also found in A. rotundatum and A. dissimile ticks collected from snakes in several regions of Brazil (80).…”

“…However, the sequencing approach was unable to distinguish between Candidatus Neoehrlichia or organisms of the Anaplasma and Ehrlichia genera (82). In Northern Brazil, amplicons for the Anaplasma genus were detected in two A. dissimile collected from Bothrops atrox snakes (80). The genus Ehrlichia, belonging to the Anaplasmataceae family, are the most investigated pathogen of this family.…”

“…in ticks from two different snakes, B. constrictor and H. carinicaudus. The role of these ticks in transmission of Hepatozoon genus in snakes (80), and other reptiles was not determined. Experimental ingestion of rodent tissues infected with Hepatozoon ayorgbor by snakes successfully transmitted this parasite (90), suggesting that the feed of infected animals can be an important pathway in horizontal transmission of Hepatozoon sp.…”

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

“…According to Luz et al [29] 12 (54.5%) out of 22 Rhinella marina toads captured in Amapá state, were parasitized by a total of 97 ticks (6 males, 39 females, 31 nymphs, 21 larvae) and mean intensity of 8.1 ticks per infested toad. In the Amazonian biome, A. dissimile is common on R. marina (Anura) and Boidae (Squamata) ( Table 1) [32,33,36,37] Crotalus durissus 1M; 1F [34] Lachesis muta 1 [34] Elapidae Micrurus averyi 3F [31] Micrurus lemniscatus 12M; 9F [31] Colubridade Leptophis ahaetulla 3 [33] Chironius multiventris 3 [33] Chironius scurrulus 1M; 1F [34] Chironius laevicollis 12 15M; 6F [31] Mastigodryas boddaerti 1 [33] Hydrodynastes gigas 1 7F [30] Helicops polylepis 1 [34] Leptodeira annulata 1 [34] Phimophis guerini 1F [34] Erythrolamprus reginae 1 [34] Spilotes pullatus 72 42M; 9F [31] Erythrolamprus reginae semilineatus 1 [34] Dipsadidae Xenodon severus 8 [40] Testudinidae Chelonoidis denticulatus 3M 3 2M; 42F [31,41] Chelonoidis carbonaria 1 1M; 1F 11 [32,39] Podocnemididae Podocnemis expansa 1F [39] Podocnemis unifilis 1 [39] Trachemys dorbigni 2 12F [39] Kinosternidae Kinosternon scorpioides 2F [42] including pre-attachment periods for each parasitic stage lasts approximately 350 days, as reported by Schumaker et al [43] who started a colony from one engorged female collected from the Amazonian biome. Ogrzewalska et al [37] reported Rickettsia bellii and 'Candidatus Rickettsia colombianensi' in ticks collected from Bothrops atrox from Pará state.…”