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Wild boars (Sus scrofa L.) are considered among the most harmful invasive species worldwide, causing irreversible ecosystem damage, acting as zoonotic spreaders and reservoirs, threatening human and animal health, and having an important economic impact. Accordingly, the present study has assessed the rickettsial exposure, tick infestation of wild boars, and rickettsial DNA presence in ticks from infested animals from the Cerrado biome in midwestern Brazil. Anti-Rickettsia spp. antibodies were detected in serum samples of wild boars by immunofluorescence assay. Overall, 106/285 (37.2%) wild boar serum samples from 13 to 18 (72.2%) municipalities showed seroreactivity to at least one of the four Rickettsia spp. antigens tested, the largest number of wild boars serologically tested to Rickettsia spp. in this type of study. Among the 106 seroreactive animals, 34 showed possible homologous reactions between R. parkeri, R. amblyommatis, and R. bellii, with endpoint titers between 128 and 512. A sample of 45 ticks collected from four culled wild boars was identified as Amblyomma sculptum, and all tested negative for rickettsial DNA presence. In conclusion, this study has provided a reliable sampling seroprevalence and indicated high exposure of wild boars to rickettsial agents, with a potential interaction with Rickettsia spp. from the spotted fever group within the Cerrado biome from midwestern Brazil.
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Ticks parasitize a wide variety of wild animals, including amphibians and reptiles. In addition to the possibility of microorganism transmission to these hosts, ticks can also cause severe bleeding, and high parasitism can lead to death. Therefore, knowing the diversity of ticks parasitizing amphibians and reptiles is important for conservation and preservation measures for these vertebrates. In the present study, we report parasitism by ticks in amphibians and reptiles from different Brazilian biomes (Amazon, Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest). Ticks were collected from amphibians and reptiles deposited from the Herpetological Collection of the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), São Luís (Maranhão State), the State University Santa Cruz (UESC), Ilhéus (Bahia State), and the Federal University of São Francisco Valley (Univasf), Petrolina (Pernambuco State). Additionally, ticks were collected from amphibians and reptiles captured and road-killed in the Amazon biome, at Maranhão and Amapá States. Specimens of ticks were photographed under a Zeiss stereomicroscope (5.1 zoom). Map with the locations were made using the Qgis program. Overall, 1973 specimens of amphibians and reptiles were examined. A total of 927 ticks were collected: 98 larvae, 421 nymphs and 408 adults. Six species of ticks were identified: Amblyomma rotundatum and Amblyomma dissimile the most frequent, and Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto, Amblyomma sculptum, Amblyomma nodosum and Amblyomma humerale, occasionally. Surprisingly, a total of twelve males of A. rotundatum were collected. Here we report new records of association between cold-blooded animals and ticks and reinforce the absence of A. dissimile in the Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes. Additionally, we report new records of A. rotundatum males on reptiles in the Amazon biome. This last record allows us to speculate about a possible association of A. rotundatum males with reptiles and the Amazon biome.
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Tick-borne diseases are important for animal and human health, because they can cause death if not diagnosed and treated early. Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) can cause high morbidity in dog populations. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is among the most virulent infectious in humans; dogs are also susceptible to infection. The aims of this study were to evaluate the presence of Ehrlichia canis and Rickettsia spp. infections in domestic dogs, and to identify tick species parasitizing dogs among urban areas of two municipalities (Sobral and Alcântaras) in the Ceará State, Northeastern Brazil. A total of 208 domiciled dogs was sampled. After clinical evaluation, blood samples and ticks were collected and submitted to Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) targeting E. canis DNA. Serum samples were screened by Indirect Immunofluorescence Assays (IFA) for antibodies against different strains of Rickettsia spp. previously recognized in Brazil. The results of this study indicate the molecular detection of E. canis in the state of Ceará, Brazil, where the proportion of canine infection in Sobral (9.9%) was higher than in Alcântaras (5.6%). Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato was the prevalent tick species infesting the dogs in both municipalities (43.5 and 53.3%, respectively). Our serological results indicate that dogs of the study area were at low risk of exposure to these tick-borne Rickettsia spp. of the spotted fever group. Our study offers epidemiological data of these diseases to better understanding Rickettsiales epidemic and enzootic cycles in the Brazilian semiarid region, improving prevention and control measures.
Assuntos
Doenças do Cão , Ehrlichia canis , Ehrlichiose , Rickettsia , Animais , Cães , Brasil/epidemiologia , Ehrlichia canis/isolamento & purificação , Doenças do Cão/epidemiologia , Doenças do Cão/microbiologia , Doenças do Cão/parasitologia , Rickettsia/isolamento & purificação , Ehrlichiose/veterinária , Ehrlichiose/epidemiologia , Ehrlichiose/microbiologia , Masculino , Infecções por Rickettsia/veterinária , Infecções por Rickettsia/epidemiologia , Infecções por Rickettsia/microbiologia , Feminino , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real/veterinária , Febre Maculosa das Montanhas Rochosas/veterinária , Febre Maculosa das Montanhas Rochosas/epidemiologia , Febre Maculosa das Montanhas Rochosas/microbiologia , PrevalênciaRESUMO
Borrelia theileri is a tick-borne spirochete causative agent of fever, apathy and reduced food consumption in cattle. Molecular diagnosis has expanded the understanding of Borrelia theileri with new hosts and geographical locations being described. The present study aimed to describe the first molecular detection of B. theileri in wild tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) from South America. Blood DNA samples obtained from 99 tapirs sampled in Pantanal (n = 61) and Cerrado (n = 38) biomes were screened using a qPCR assay based on the 16 S rRNA gene of Borrelia sp. Positive samples in the qPCR assay were subjected to PCR assays to allow characterization of fragments from 16 S rRNA and flaB genes. Two (2/99; 2.0%) animals from Pantanal biome were positive in the qPCR and one sample presented bands of expected size for the flaB protocol. Amplicons from this sample were successfully cloned and sequenced. In the phylogenetic analysis, Borrelia sp. from T. terrestris grouped together with B. theileri sequences previously detected in Rhipicephalus microplus ticks and cattle from Minas Gerais State in Brazil, Rhipicephalus geigyi from Mali, and R. microplus and Haemaphysalis sulcata from Pakistan. This finding contributes to our knowledge regarding susceptible hosts species for B. theileri. More studies are necessary to understand the potential effects of B. theileri on tapir's health.
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Borrelia , Perissodáctilos , Filogenia , Animais , Borrelia/genética , Borrelia/isolamento & purificação , Borrelia/classificação , Brasil , Perissodáctilos/microbiologia , RNA Ribossômico 16S/genética , Infecções por Borrelia/veterinária , Infecções por Borrelia/microbiologiaRESUMO
Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the obligate intracellular pathogen Coxiella burnetii, for which domestic ruminants are the primary source of infection in humans. Herein, we investigated the presence of C. burnetii in humans, sheep, and goats in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. The presence of anti-C. burnetii antibodies was surveyed using indirect immunofluorescence assay, and detection of C. burnetii DNA was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Anti-C. burnetii antibodies were detected in 60% of farms, 4.8% of goats, 1.5% of sheep, and 4.5% of human samples. PCR was positive in 18.9% of blood samples, 7.7% of milk samples, and 7.7% of vaginal mucus samples. A DNA sequence of a C. burnetii DNA sample extracted from the goat vaginal mucus showed 99.2-99.4% nucleotide identity with other strains previously reported in Brazil. These results indicate that C. burnetii is present in the surveyed area, where it poses a risk to both public and animal health. These findings indicate an urgent need for educative actions to protect population, as well as better training of veterinarians to detect and report Q fever.
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Anticorpos Antibacterianos , Coxiella burnetii , Doenças das Cabras , Cabras , Febre Q , Doenças dos Ovinos , Coxiella burnetii/genética , Coxiella burnetii/isolamento & purificação , Coxiella burnetii/imunologia , Brasil/epidemiologia , Animais , Febre Q/veterinária , Febre Q/microbiologia , Febre Q/epidemiologia , Cabras/microbiologia , Humanos , Ovinos , Doenças das Cabras/microbiologia , Doenças das Cabras/epidemiologia , Doenças dos Ovinos/microbiologia , Doenças dos Ovinos/epidemiologia , Anticorpos Antibacterianos/sangue , Feminino , Zoonoses/microbiologia , DNA Bacteriano/genéticaRESUMO
The domestic cat is not considered a primary host for any specific tick species; however, it can be affected by some Ixodidae species, such as Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and Amblyomma spp. The study reports parasitism by Amblyomma auricularium and the detection of anti-Rickettsia spp. antibodies in domestic cats from a rural property in the Afrânio municipality, Pernambuco, Brazil. Amblyomma auricularium (24 nymphs, six females, and four males) and Amblyomma sp. (42 larvae) parasitized three cats, and 73 free-living ticks were captured in armadillo burrows: A. auricularium (36 nymphs, six females, five males) and Amblyomma sp. (26 larvae). Blood samples from cats were collected and the obtained plasma were subjected to indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) to detect antibodies against Rickettsia antigens. Thus, anti-Rickettsia spp. antibodies were determined (titers ranging from 128 to 512) and showed a predominant antibody response to Rickettsia amblyommatis or a very closely related genotype. This study reports the first infestation of nymphs and adults of A. auricularium on cats in a new area of occurrence in the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil and reports for the first time the presence of anti-Ricketsia antibodies in cats in the region, with R. amblyommatis as the probable infectious agent.
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Ixodidae , Rhipicephalus sanguineus , Rickettsia , Masculino , Feminino , Animais , Gatos , Amblyomma , Rickettsia/genética , Ixodidae/microbiologia , Brasil/epidemiologia , Ninfa/microbiologia , Ninfa/fisiologia , Larva/microbiologiaRESUMO
Over nearly 12 years, we collected ticks from free-ranging jaguars (Panthera onca) and performed statistical analyses to comprehend the vector-host relationship throughout the seasons. We evaluated the presence and number of ticks, as well as their association with weight, age, and gender of captured jaguars in the Pantanal and Amazon biomes. Out of 100 captured jaguars (comprising 72 initial captures and 28 recaptures, with 41 females and 31 males), 77 were found to be infested by different tick species. We gathered a total of 1,002 ticks, categorized by the following species in descending order of abundance: Amblyomma sculptum, Amblyomma ovale, Rhipicephalus microplus, Amblyomma triste, Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto, Amblyomma incisum, and Amblyomma spp. larvae. Apart from weight, statistical analysis indicated that age, gender and seasonality does not significantly affect the presence of different tick species in free ranging jaguars. Notably, A. sculptum adults were more abundant in the first semester, while A. sculptum nymphs and Amblyomma spp. larvae were mainly found during dry months, aligning with their expected life cycle stages. This is the first long-term study in jaguars to correlate seasonality and host factors and also the first time an adult of A. incisum is reported infesting a jaguar.
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Amblyomma , Panthera , Estações do Ano , Infestações por Carrapato , Animais , Feminino , Infestações por Carrapato/veterinária , Infestações por Carrapato/parasitologia , Masculino , Amblyomma/fisiologia , Panthera/fisiologia , Panthera/parasitologia , Brasil , Interações Hospedeiro-Parasita , Ninfa/fisiologia , Ninfa/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Ixodidae/fisiologiaRESUMO
Background and Aim: Studies on ticks of public health concern in equine husbandry are scarce in the Northeastern region of Brazil. This study aimed to investigate the presence of ticks on horses in the State of Alagoas, which is classified as a silent area for human rickettsiosis. Materials and Methods: Ticks infesting horses were collected using anatomical tweezers or a commercial hook and kept in ethanol-labeled tubes for taxonomic identification. Results: A total of 2,238 ticks were found. Ticks were identified as 2,215 (98.89%, 95% CI: 98.41-99.28) Dermacentor nitens, 19 (0.98%, 95% CI: 0.05-1.38) Amblyomma sculptum, and 4 (0.18%; 95% CI: 0.007-0.46) Rhipicephalus microplus. Conclusion: This is the first study to report A. sculptum and D. nitens in the State of Alagoas. The presence of A. sculptum should draw the attention of public health managers once Alagoas State is considered a silent area for rickettsial diseases, which means the absence of local surveillance programs for these pathogens.
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BACKGROUND: Adult, nymph, and larval Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato infest dogs and thrive in premises including homes and kennels. Ticks emerge from hiding to seek and attach to dogs, engorge, then leave their hosts to hide then molt or oviposit. This study evaluated the effect of either external or systemic canine treatment on R. sanguineus s.l. populations in premises. METHODS: Thirty-two dogs in eight kennels were divided into three groups; one group (eight dogs in two kennels) served as untreated controls; one group (12 dogs in three kennels) received oral fluralaner (25-56 mg/kg); and one group (12 dogs in three kennels) received topical flumethrin/imidacloprid impregnated collars. Treatments were administered once on day 0. Prior to treatment, R. sanguineus s.l. infestations were established in kennels holding dogs, by placing ticks every 2 weeks from day -84 through day -14. Kennel surfaces (walls and floors) were smooth except for uniform "hideouts" to permit precise off-host tick counting. RESULTS: Control dog kennel mean tick counts (all life stages) increased from 737 ticks/kennel at day -7 to 2213 at day 63 when all control kennel dogs were acaricide-treated as a humane endpoint. Kennels housing dogs subsequently treated with systemic fluralaner had a mean of 637 counted ticks/kennel on study day -7 (7 days before treatment). One fluralaner treatment eliminated all premises ticks (100% reduction) by day 70, and these kennels remained tick-free through study completion (day 84). Kennels housing dogs subsequently treated with an external imidacloprid/flumethrin collar had a mean of 614 counted ticks/kennel at study day -7. Collar treatment reduced counts by 90% on day 63, with kennel tick counts climbing after this and ending the study with a 75% reduction. Systemic fluralaner treatment was significantly (P = 0.003) more effective at reducing engorged adult female tick counts than external imidacloprid/flumethrin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Fluralaner treatment eliminated off-host R. sanguineus life stages in infested kennels by day 70 following treatment and was significantly more effective than imidacloprid/flumethrin collar treatment in reducing the premises population of engorged female ticks. Imidacloprid/flumethrin treatment did not eliminate premises tick populations, with populations increasing before the study end.
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Doenças do Cão , Isoxazóis , Neonicotinoides , Nitrocompostos , Piretrinas , Rhipicephalus sanguineus , Infestações por Carrapato , Animais , Cães , Feminino , Infestações por Carrapato/tratamento farmacológico , Infestações por Carrapato/prevenção & controle , Infestações por Carrapato/veterinária , Doenças do Cão/tratamento farmacológico , Doenças do Cão/prevenção & controleRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The tick Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto (A. cajennense s.s.) frequently parasitizes animals and humans in the Amazon biome, in addition to being a vector of Rickettsia amblyommatis. In the present study, we evaluated both the population dynamics of A. cajennense s.s. in a degraded area of the Amazon biome and the presence of rickettsial organisms in this tick population. METHODS: The study was carried out in a rural area of the Santa Inês municipality (altitude: 24 m a.s.l.), Maranhão state, Brazil. Ticks were collected from the environment for 24 consecutive months, from June 2021 to May 2023. The region is characterized by two warm seasons: a rainy season (November-May) and a dry season (June-October). We characterized the temporal activity of A. cajennense s.s. on the vegetation by examining questing activity for each life stage (larvae, nymphs, adults [males and females]) in relation to the dry and rainy season. Ticks collected in this study were randomly selected and individually tested by a TaqMan real-time PCR assay that targeted a 147-bp fragment of the rickettsial gltA gene. RESULTS: Overall, 1843 (62.4%) adults (52.6% females, 47.4% males), 1110 (37.6%) nymphs and 398 larval clusters were collected. All adult females and nymphs were morphologically identified as A. cajennense s.s. Larval activity was observed from April to December, with a peak from June to September (dry season); nymph abundance peaked from September to November (transition period between dry and rainy seasons); and adult ticks were abundant from October to May (spring/summer/early autumn). The infection rate by R. amblyommatis in A. cajennense s.s. ticks was at least 7% (7/99). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest a 1-year generation pattern for A. cajennense s.s., with a well-defined seasonality of larvae, nymphs and adults in the Amazon biome. Larvae predominate during the dry season, nymphs are most abundant in the dry-rainy season transition and adults are most abundant in the rainy season. The presence of R. amblyommatis in adult ticks suggests that animals and humans in the study region are at risk of infection by this species belonging to the spotted fever group of Rickettsia.