Rickettsial infection in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) of wild animals in midwestern Brazil

Abstract

Ticks collected in the last two decades from free-living and captive wild animals from 28 municipalities of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso were identified and tested using molecular methods for the presence of rickettsial agents. A total of 4467 ticks (229 larvae, 1676 nymphs, 1565 males, 997 females) representing 27 ixodid species were collected from 235 species of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals from three different ecoregions (Pantanal, Cerrado, and Amazonia). The species Amblyomma parkeri, Amblyomma romitii, Amblyomma varium and Ixodes luciae are reported for the first time in the state of Mato Grosso. Amongst 538 ticks tested by molecular methods for rickettsial infection, we detected 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii' infecting Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto and Amblyomma coelebs, Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest infecting Amblyomma ovale, Rickettsia sp. strain NOD infecting Amblyomma nodosum, and 'Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae' infecting Amblyomma sculptum. Our results represent an impressive expansion of knowledge on tick fauna and rickettsiae and are essential for understanding the ecology of ticks and tick-borne diseases in the Neotropical region, particularly in midwestern Brazil.

Tick fauna of wild animals received and attended at the Santarém Zoological Park, western Pará State, Brazil

“…In addition, four nymphs of Amblyomma naponense were identified on this same host species. Nymphal stage of A. humerale was recently recorded in southern tamanduas (SOARES et al, 2015;WITTER et al, 2016). In contrast, the identification of A. naponense nymphs on T. tetradactyla is reported for the first time in Brazil, thus contributing further to the knowledge on the biology and ecology of this understudied tick species.…”

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) as ectoparasites of Brazilian wild birds and their association with rickettsial diseases

“…Amblyomma calcaratum Neumann, 1899 has been reported from Mexico to Argentina, where the adult stage is found feeding almost exclusively on anteaters (Myrmecophagidae) (JONES et al, 1972;CÀCERES et al, 2002;WITTER et al, 2016) (MARTINS et al, 2014b), the region of Pantanal in the state of Mato Grosso and Cerrado in the state of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul . Moreover, this species was found parasitizing wild birds in Peru (OGRZEWALSKA et al, 2012b), Paraguay and Costa Rica .…”

“…Amblyomma coelebs Neumann, 1899 is established in the Neotropical and Nearctic regions MARTINS et al, 2011;MARTINS et al, 2014a;SPONCHIADO et al, 2015;WITTER et al, 2016), Didelphimorphia (LABRUNA et al, 2005a;SARAIVA et al, 2012;SPONCHIADO et al, 2015;WITTER et al, 2016), Cingulata (MARTINS et al, 2014a), Artiodactyla (LABRUNA et al, 2005a, Carnivora (LABRUNA et al, 2002a;2005b;MARTINS et al, 2011;WITTER et al, 2016) and on humans (LABRUNA et al, 2005a;GARCIA et al, 2015). Although few records of immature A.…”

“…Ticks A. coelebs were shown to be infected with 'Ca. Rickettsia amblyommii' in Brazil (LABRUNA et al, 2004a;SILVEIRA et al, 2015;WITTER et al, 2016) and French Guyana (PAROLA et al, 2007). found on birds (ARAGÃO, 1936;LABRUNA et al, 2007a;SOARES et al, 2009;OGRZEWALSKA et al, 2008OGRZEWALSKA et al, , 2009aOGRZEWALSKA et al, , 2011aOGRZEWALSKA et al, , 2012aTOLESANO-PASCOLI et al, 2010;NAVA et al, 2010b;LUGARINI et al, 2015;RAMOS et al, 2015;GRESSLER et al, 2016;WITTER et al, 2016).…”

Ocorrência de carrapatos em Tamandua tetradactyla (Linnaeus, 1758) na Caatinga, Nordeste do Brasil

“…Entre as espécies desse gênero, Amblyomma auricularium (Conil, 1878), popularmente conhecido como "carrapatovermelho-do-tatu", já foi registrado parasitando diversas espécies de animais silvestres no bioma Caatinga (Horta et al, 2011 (Martins et al, 2004, Arzua et al, 2005, Quadros et al, 2009, Dantas-Torres et al, 2010a, Dantas-Torres et al, 2010b, Lavina et al, 2011, Spolidorio et al, 2012, Garcia et al, 2013, Martins et al, 2014, 2015a,b, 2016, Santos et al, 2015, Soares et al, 2015, Bastos et al, 2016, Witter et al, 2016.…”