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Paludo RLDR, Paula WVDF, Neves LC, de Paula LGF, de Lima NJ, da Silva BBF, Pereira BG, Pádua GT, Dantas-Torres F, Labruna MB, Martins TF, Sponchiado J, de Sousa-Paula LC, Hannibal W, Krawczak FDS. Rickettsial Infection in Ticks from a National Park in the Cerrado Biome, Midwestern Brazil. Pathogens 2023; 13:13. [PMID: 38251322 PMCID: PMC10818336 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
This study was carried out from February 2020 to September 2021 in Parque Nacional das Emas (PNE), a national park located in the Cerrado biome, midwestern Brazil, as well as in surrounding rural properties. Serum and tick samples were collected from dogs, terrestrial small mammals, and humans. Ticks were also collected from the environment. Dogs were infested with Rhipicephalus linnaei adults, whereas small mammals were infested by immature stages of Amblyomma spp., Amblyomma triste, Amblyomma dubitatum, and Amblyomma coelebs. Ticks collected from vegetation belonged to several species of the genus Amblyomma, including A. coelebs, A. dubitatum, Amblyomma naponense, Amblyomma sculptum, and A. triste. Two Rickettsia species were molecularly detected in ticks: Rickettsia parkeri in A. triste from the vegetation and a Rickettsia sp. (designated Rickettsia sp. strain PNE) in A. sculptum and A. triste collected from lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris). Based on short gltA gene fragments, this rickettsial organism showed 99.7-100% to Rickettsia tillamookensis. Seroreactivity to Rickettsia antigens was detected in 21.9% of dogs, 15.4% of small mammals, and 23.5% of humans. The present study reveals the richness of ticks and demonstrates the circulation of rickettsial agents in one of the largest conservation units in the Cerrado biome in Brazil. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a rickettsial phylogenetically related to R. tillamookensis in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Loren dos Reis Paludo
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás—UFG, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil; (R.L.d.R.P.); (W.V.d.F.P.); (L.C.N.); (L.G.F.d.P.); (N.J.d.L.); (B.B.F.d.S.); (B.G.P.); (G.T.P.)
- Centro Universitário de Mineiros—UNIFIMES, Mineiros 75833-130, Brazil
| | - Warley Vieira de Freitas Paula
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás—UFG, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil; (R.L.d.R.P.); (W.V.d.F.P.); (L.C.N.); (L.G.F.d.P.); (N.J.d.L.); (B.B.F.d.S.); (B.G.P.); (G.T.P.)
| | - Lucianne Cardoso Neves
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás—UFG, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil; (R.L.d.R.P.); (W.V.d.F.P.); (L.C.N.); (L.G.F.d.P.); (N.J.d.L.); (B.B.F.d.S.); (B.G.P.); (G.T.P.)
| | - Luiza Gabriella Ferreira de Paula
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás—UFG, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil; (R.L.d.R.P.); (W.V.d.F.P.); (L.C.N.); (L.G.F.d.P.); (N.J.d.L.); (B.B.F.d.S.); (B.G.P.); (G.T.P.)
| | - Nicolas Jalowitzki de Lima
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás—UFG, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil; (R.L.d.R.P.); (W.V.d.F.P.); (L.C.N.); (L.G.F.d.P.); (N.J.d.L.); (B.B.F.d.S.); (B.G.P.); (G.T.P.)
| | - Bianca Barbara Fonseca da Silva
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás—UFG, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil; (R.L.d.R.P.); (W.V.d.F.P.); (L.C.N.); (L.G.F.d.P.); (N.J.d.L.); (B.B.F.d.S.); (B.G.P.); (G.T.P.)
| | - Brenda Gomes Pereira
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás—UFG, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil; (R.L.d.R.P.); (W.V.d.F.P.); (L.C.N.); (L.G.F.d.P.); (N.J.d.L.); (B.B.F.d.S.); (B.G.P.); (G.T.P.)
| | - Gracielle Teles Pádua
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás—UFG, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil; (R.L.d.R.P.); (W.V.d.F.P.); (L.C.N.); (L.G.F.d.P.); (N.J.d.L.); (B.B.F.d.S.); (B.G.P.); (G.T.P.)
| | - Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto Ageu Magalhães—IAM, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Recife 50740-465, Brazil;
| | - Marcelo B. Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo—USP, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (M.B.L.); (T.F.M.)
| | - Thiago Fernandes Martins
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo—USP, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (M.B.L.); (T.F.M.)
- Instituto Pasteur, Área Técnica de Doenças Vinculadas a Vetores e Hospedeiros Intermediários, Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, São Paulo 01027-000, Brazil
| | - Jonas Sponchiado
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Farroupilha, Campus Alegrete, Alegrete 97541-000, Brazil;
| | - Lucas Christian de Sousa-Paula
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA;
| | - Wellington Hannibal
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Biogeografia de Mamíferos, Universidade Estadual de Goiás—UEG, Quirinópolis 75860-000, Brazil;
| | - Felipe da Silva Krawczak
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás—UFG, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil; (R.L.d.R.P.); (W.V.d.F.P.); (L.C.N.); (L.G.F.d.P.); (N.J.d.L.); (B.B.F.d.S.); (B.G.P.); (G.T.P.)
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Lima FRD, Martins TF, Castro PHGD, Souza Júnior JCD, Felippi DA, Rezende GC, Pereira VJA, Port-Carvalho M, Schulz BH, Petri BSS, Furuya HR, Sá LRMD, Santos LAD, Moura ABD, Pinter A, Labruna MB, Chryssafidis AL. New records of Amblyomma ticks parasitizing neotropical primates in Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102169. [PMID: 36966542 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
Abstract
Amblyomma is an important tick genus for animal and human health, with some species being the vectors of zoonotic pathogens, such as Rickettsia rickettsii, in the Neotropical region. Knowing their hosts may help to understand the distribution of these agents and decrease the occurrence of clinical cases. Primates are intelligent and adaptable animals that can get close to humans in the search for food. So, they may be an important epidemiological link for the spread of these ticks. Beyond that, primates also suffer from these infections, serving as sentinels for different diseases. Thus, the present study aims to report the parasitism by Amblyomma spp. on six species of Neotropical primates from different locations in Brazil. The 337 collected ticks were morphologically identified using stereomicroscopes and taxonomic keys, and six distinct species of ticks were identified. We report here the first record of nymphs of the tick species Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto on Alouatta belzebul, a male of Amblyomma fuscum on Alouatta guariba clamitans, nymphs of Amblyomma sculptum on Leontopithecus chrysopygus and Callithrix aurita, as well as nymphs of Amblyomma geayi on Saimiri collinsi. Of the 337 tick specimens collected, 256 (75,96%) were nymphs. The importance of primates in the life cycle of these species remains to be elucidated.
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Forero-Becerra E, Acosta A, Benavides E, Martínez-Díaz HC, Hidalgo M. Amblyomma mixtum free-living stages: Inferences on dry and wet seasons use, preference, and niche width in an agroecosystem (Yopal, Casanare, Colombia). PLoS One 2022; 17:e0245109. [PMID: 35385470 PMCID: PMC8986011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The formulation of effective control strategies for any pest species generally involves the study of habitat use and preference and niche width in anthropogenically transformed natural landscapes. We evaluated whether the use, habitat preference, and niche range of the Amblyomma mixtum tick changed between stages, habitats, and seasonality (dry-wet seasons 2019) on a farm in Yopal (Casanare, Colombia). The presence and relative abundance of free-living larvae, nymphs, and adults was quantified in four different habitats according to the type of vegetation cover (Riparian Forest, Cocoa Crop, King Grass Crop, and Star Grass Paddock). Habitat availability was estimated, environmental variables were analyzed, and various indices of habitat use and preference, and niche width were calculated. A. mixtum's habitat use and preference, and niche width changed between stages, habitat types, and time of the year. The total abundance of A. mixtum was an order of magnitude greater in the dry season than the wet season. In the dry season, all stages used all habitats, while A. mixtum adults used all the habitats in both seasons. In the dry season, nymphs and larvae preferred three out of the four habitats, while adults preferred the King Grass Crop. In the wet season, nymphs and larvae preferred two habitats, whereas the adults preferred the King Grass Crop. The value of the niche width index was high for larvae, nymphs, and adults in the dry season, while it was high only for adults in the wet season. Thus, A. mixtum's vast environmental tolerance and niche breadth allows the species to use and colonize changing habitats (unstable or temporary) with fluctuating environmental conditions (e.g., King Grass Crop), potentially keeping a stable population over time and making it an extremely resistant species. However, the wet flooding season in Yopal may exceed A. mixtum's stages' tolerances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elkin Forero-Becerra
- Faculty of Sciences, Departament of Microbiology, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Alberto Acosta
- Faculty of Sciences, Departament de Biology, UNESIS (Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática), Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Efraín Benavides
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Grupo de Investigación Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Heidy-C. Martínez-Díaz
- Faculty of Sciences, Laboratorio de Bacteriología Especial, Departament of Microbiology, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Marylin Hidalgo
- Faculty of Sciences, Laboratorio de Bacteriología Especial, Departament of Microbiology, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
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Parasite association in non-volant small mammals in Brazil. COMMUNITY ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42974-022-00080-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Dantas-Torres F, Picelli AM, Sales KGDS, Sousa-Paula LCD, Mejia P, Kaefer IL, Viana LA, Pessoa FAC. Ticks on reptiles and amphibians in Central Amazonia, with notes on rickettsial infections. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2022; 86:129-144. [PMID: 34914021 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00682-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Reptiles and amphibians are exceptional hosts for different ectoparasites, including mites and ticks. In this study, we investigated tick infestations on reptiles and amphibians trapped in Central Amazonia, and also assessed the presence of rickettsial infections in the collected ticks. From September 2016 to September 2019, 385 reptiles (350 lizards, 20 snakes, 12 tortoises, and three caimans) and 120 amphibians (119 anurans and one caecilian) were captured and examined for ectoparasites. Overall, 35 (10%) lizards, three (25%) tortoises and one (0.8%) toad were parasitized by ticks (124 larvae, 32 nymphs, and 22 adults). In lizards, tick infestation varied significantly according to landscape category and age group. Based on combined morphological and molecular analyses, these ticks were identified as Amblyomma humerale (14 larvae, 12 nymphs, 19 males, and one female), Amblyomma nodosum (three larvae, one nymph, and one female), and Amblyomma rotundatum (four larvae, three nymphs, and one female), and Amblyomma spp. (103 larvae and 16 nymphs). Our study presents the first records of A. nodosum in the Amazonas state and suggests that teiid lizards are important hosts for larvae and nymphs of A. humerale in Central Amazonia. Moreover, a nymph of A. humerale collected from a common tegu (Tupinambis teguixin) was found positive for Rickettsia amblyommatis, which agrees with previous reports, suggesting that the A. humerale-R. amblyommatis relationship may be more common than currently recognized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Amanda Maria Picelli
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Experimental, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | | | | | - Paulo Mejia
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, AP, Brazil
| | - Igor Luis Kaefer
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Lucio André Viana
- Laboratório de Estudos Morfofisiológicos e Parasitários, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, AP, Brazil
| | - Felipe Arley Costa Pessoa
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Doenças Transmissíveis na Amazônia, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
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Domínguez L, Miranda RJ, Torres S, Moreno R, Ortega J, Bermúdez SE. Hard tick (Acari: Ixodidae) survey of Oleoducto trail, Soberania National Park, Panama. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:830-837. [PMID: 30981671 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Hard tick diversity was determined along the Oleoducto trail (OT), Soberania National Park, from February 2013 to September 2014. Ticks were surveyed at four sites of 500 m2 each and with increasing forest cover gradient and decreasing disturbance. Tick collections were made by dragging and flagging vegetation, and traps and mist nets were used to capture mammals and birds. Animals confiscated from poachers were also examined. To obtain information about potential hosts along the trail, 20 camera traps were used. 1536 ticks were collected, representing 20 species; of these, 1089 were questing ticks (10 species) collected on flags. We examined 143 birds (30 species) and 59 mammals (10 species), of which 40 birds and 36 mammals had ticks. Site 1 presented the lowest number of species and also the lowest number of potential hosts. Artiodactyls were the most frequent mammals photographed in camera traps, and ticks that parasitize these animals were among the most abundant in sites 2-4. Of these, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi was the most abundant species. Differences among sites were consistent with the gradient of forest cover, disturbance along OT and distribution of potential hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillian Domínguez
- Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama
| | - Roberto J Miranda
- Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama
| | - Sugeys Torres
- Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama
| | - Ricardo Moreno
- Fundación Yaguará Panamá, Panama; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama
| | - Josué Ortega
- Fundación Yaguará Panamá, Panama; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama
| | - Sergio E Bermúdez
- Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama.
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Araújo NP, Bonvicino C, Svartman M. Comparative cytogenetics of four species of Thrichomys (Rodentia: Echimyidae). Genome 2018; 62:31-41. [PMID: 30481091 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2018-0147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Thrichomys Trouessart, 1880 is a genus of echimyid rodents endemic to South America, distributed from northeastern Brazil to Paraguay and Bolivia. Although all the recognized species of this genus have already been karyotyped, detailed comparative cytogenetic analyses have not been performed yet. We karyologically analyzed four species of Thrichomys from different Brazilian states. Our analyses included GTG- and CBG-banding, silver-staining of the nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NORs), and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with telomeric and 45S rDNA probes. Comparative GTG-banding suggested that the interspecific variation may result from Robertsonian rearrangements, pericentric and paracentric inversions, centromere repositioning, and heterochromatin variation. FISH with a telomeric probe showed interspecies variation in interstitial telomeric sequences (ITs) distribution. Our results represent the most complete data on the cytogenetics of Thrichomys reported to date and give an insight into the chromosome evolution of this genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiara Pereira Araújo
- a Laboratório de Citogenômica Evolutiva, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Cibele Bonvicino
- b Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, e Divisão de Genética, INCA, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marta Svartman
- a Laboratório de Citogenômica Evolutiva, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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Fonseca CFD, Lima DCD, Souza DDSE, Silva SGD, Lima JRD, Oliveira JBD, Moura GJD, Aléssio FM. Distribuição espacial e abundância de carrapatos (Acari: Ixodidae) em remanescente de Mata Atlântica, Nordeste do Brasil. PESQUISA VETERINÁRIA BRASILEIRA 2017. [DOI: 10.1590/s0100-736x2017001000008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
RESUMO: A distribuição espacial e a abundância de carrapatos em estágio de vida livre foram examinadas em fragmentos de Mata Atlântica no Nordeste do Brasil. O estudo foi realizado em Unidades de Conservação de Proteção Integral Mata do Tapacurá e Mata do Camucim, localizadas no município de São Lourenço da Mata, Pernambuco. Os carrapatos foram capturados pelo método da bandeira de flanela em seis parcelas de 200m2, sendo três parcelas estabelecidas em uma borda de mata adjacente a uma matriz agropastoril e outras três parcelas estabelecidas na borda de mata adjacente ao lago de barragem. Foram capturados 2652 carrapatos do gênero Amblyomma, sendo duas ninfas identificadas como Amblyomma dissimile com distribuição espacialmente agregada, demonstrados pela relação variância/média e o índice de agregação de Lloyd. Houve variação significativa na abundância de carrapatos entre as parcelas (H=26,79, p<0,005) sendo encontrados mais carrapatos na borda da mata adjacente à matriz agropastoril. Quanto as variáveis ambientais, houve correlação positiva entre a cobertura de dossel e a densidade de carrapatos (rs=0,31, p<0,05). No presente estudo observou-se que em estágios de vida livre, notadamente larvas e ninfas, a distribuição espacial e a abundância de carrapatos são fortemente influenciadas por áreas mais fechadas das matas. A maior presença de carrapatos próximos à matriz agropastoril poderia facilitar a migração de carrapatos entre ambientes silvestres e ambientes antrópicos.
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Debárbora VN, Mangold AJ, Eberhardt A, Guglielmone AA, Nava S. Natural infestation of Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris by Amblyomma dubitatum ticks. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2014; 63:285-94. [PMID: 24469297 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-014-9768-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2013] [Accepted: 01/16/2014] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Natural infestation of Amblyomma dubitatum in relation to individual specific attributes of Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris such as sex, body mass and body condition was analyzed. The anatomical distribution of A. dubitatum on H. hyrochaeris was also evaluated. Prevalence of adults and nymphs were significantly higher than prevalence of larvae. Non-significant differences in the infestation levels were found among host sex. Multiple regression analysis did not show any statistically significant association among the level of infestation with ticks and body mass and body condition of the host. All parasitic tick stages were collected in all five anatomical areas of the host, but they exhibited significant differences in feeding site preference. Factors associated to the host which determine the high levels of infestation with A. dubitatum could be assigned to a combination of population-level properties of the host as abundance, ubiquity and aggregation, rather than individual specific attributes related to body condition, body mass or sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria N Debárbora
- Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral (CECOAL-CONICET), Ruta 5 Km 2.5, Corrientes, Argentina
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