1
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Polli MG, Martins MM, Rodrigues VDS, Rezende LM, Suzin A, Maia RDC, Souza ACP, Muñoz-Leal S, Szabó MPJ, Yokosawa J. Molecular detection of Borrelia sp. in Ornithodoros cavernicolous (Acari: Argasidae) in midwestern Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102303. [PMID: 38113807 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are obligate hematophagous parasites that can transmit to vertebrate hosts several pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, protozoa and helminths. Among these agents, some Borrelia species some Borrelia species cause disease in humans and other vertebrate hosts; therefore, they have medical and veterinary health importance. To gather additional information on Borrelia species in Brazil, the current study aimed to detect the presence of these species in Ornithodoros cavernicolous ticks collected in September 2019 from cement pipes that are used by bats as shelter in a farm located in the midwestern region of Brazil. DNA samples obtained from 18 specimens of O. cavernicolous were subjected of two polymerase chain reactions, targeting a segment of the Borrelia fla B gene. Of the samples tested, only one (6 %, 1/18) showed amplification. The nucleotide sequence of the amplified DNA showed more than 97 % (293/300) identity with a sequence of a Borrelia sp. detected in blood collected from a bat from Macaregua Cave, Colombia, and more than 97 % (292/300) detected in lungs from vampire bats from northeastern Brazil. The deduced amino acid sequences were identical to each other. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that these sequences formed a group of Borrelia species (putatively associated with bats) that is closely related to sequences of Borrelia species of the Lyme borreliosis group. Further investigations should be carried out in order to determine whether the sequence of the Borrelia sp. we found belongs to a new taxon. It will also be of great importance to determine which vertebrate hosts, besides bats, O. cavernicolous ticks can parasitize in order to investigate whether the Borrelia sp. we found may be transmitted and cause disease to the other vertebrate hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayara Garcia Polli
- Laboratory of Microorganisms of Cerrado (Brazilian Savannah), Department of Microbiology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICBIM), Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Applied Immunology and Parasitology, UFU, ICBIM, Brazil
| | - Maria Marlene Martins
- Laboratory of Ixodology (LabIx), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FAMEV), UFU, Brazil
| | - Vinicius da Silva Rodrigues
- Post-Graduation Program in Applied Immunology and Parasitology, UFU, ICBIM, Brazil; Laboratory of Ixodology (LabIx), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FAMEV), UFU, Brazil
| | - Lais Miguel Rezende
- Laboratory of Ixodology (LabIx), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FAMEV), UFU, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Veterinary Sciences, UFU, FAMEV, Brazil
| | - Adriane Suzin
- Laboratory of Ixodology (LabIx), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FAMEV), UFU, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Ecology and Conservation of Natural Resources, Instituto de Biologia, UFU, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo da Costa Maia
- Post-Graduation Program in Applied Immunology and Parasitology, UFU, ICBIM, Brazil; Laboratory of Ixodology (LabIx), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FAMEV), UFU, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Prado Souza
- Post-Graduation Program in Applied Immunology and Parasitology, UFU, ICBIM, Brazil; Laboratory of Ixodology (LabIx), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FAMEV), UFU, Brazil
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Ñuble, Chile
| | | | - Jonny Yokosawa
- Laboratory of Microorganisms of Cerrado (Brazilian Savannah), Department of Microbiology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICBIM), Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil.
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2
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Lourenço EC, Famadas KM, Gomes LAC, Bergallo HG. Ticks (Ixodida) associated with bats (Chiroptera): an updated list with new records for Brazil. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2335-2352. [PMID: 37597061 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07935-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Bats harbor diverse groups of ectoparasites, such as insects and mites like ticks (Ixodida). Some species of ticks with records for bats and humans have already been reported with the occurrence of pathogens. This research article aims to document new geographical and host records of ticks infesting bats in Rio de Janeiro state, Southeastern Brazil, and provides a list of tick species associated with bats in Brazil. We counted 12 argasid ticks and five ixodid ticks associated with six individuals of bats. Larvae of Amblyomma sp., Ixodes sp., Ornithodoros sp., and Ornithodoros hasei and one nymph of Amblyomma sculptum parasitizing Artibeus obscurus, Phyllostomus hastatus, Micronycteris sp., Molossus fluminensis, and Carollia perspicillata in different localities of Rio de Janeiro state were studied. We carried out a systematic review with the descriptors: tick bat Brazil. We considered data from 42 articles in the systematic review. We compiled eleven records of Ixodidae, and 160 records of Argasidae. Ornithodoros cavernicolous were the most recorded tick species. Overall, we registered 171 tick-bat or roost-bat associations with 85 records of these infesting bats. The review also shows the occurrence of tick species associated with bats, and we present new records on ticks parasitizing bats in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabete Captivo Lourenço
- Mammal Ecology Laboratory, Ecology Department, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.
| | - Kátia Maria Famadas
- Hemoparasites and Vectors Laboratory, Parasitology Animal Department, Rio de Janeiro Rural Federal University, Rio de Janeiro state, Seropédica, Brazil
| | - Luiz Antonio Costa Gomes
- Institutional Platform Biodiversity and Wildlife Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil
| | - Helena Godoy Bergallo
- Mammal Ecology Laboratory, Ecology Department, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil
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3
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Kneubehl AR, Muñoz-Leal S, Filatov S, de Klerk DG, Pienaar R, Lohmeyer KH, Bermúdez SE, Suriyamongkol T, Mali I, Kanduma E, Latif AA, Sarih M, Bouattour A, de León AAP, Teel PD, Labruna MB, Mans BJ, Lopez JE. Amplification and sequencing of entire tick mitochondrial genomes for a phylogenomic analysis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19310. [PMID: 36369253 PMCID: PMC9652274 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23393-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) has proven to be important for the taxonomy, systematics, and population genetics of ticks. However, current methods to generate mitogenomes can be cost-prohibitive at scale. To address this issue, we developed a cost-effective approach to amplify and sequence the whole mitogenome of individual tick specimens. Using two different primer sites, this approach generated two full-length mitogenome amplicons that were sequenced using the Oxford Nanopore Technologies' Mk1B sequencer. We used this approach to generate 85 individual tick mitogenomes from samples comprised of the three tick families, 11 genera, and 57 species. Twenty-six of these species did not have a complete mitogenome available on GenBank prior to this work. We benchmarked the accuracy of this approach using a subset of samples that had been previously sequenced by low-coverage Illumina genome skimming. We found our assemblies were comparable or exceeded the Illumina method, achieving a median sequence concordance of 99.98%. We further analyzed our mitogenome dataset in a mitophylogenomic analysis in the context of all three tick families. We were able to sequence 72 samples in one run and achieved a cost/sample of ~ $10 USD. This cost-effective strategy is applicable for sample identification, taxonomy, systematics, and population genetics for not only ticks but likely other metazoans; thus, making mitogenome sequencing equitable for the wider scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander R Kneubehl
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - Serhii Filatov
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel G de Klerk
- Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Ronel Pienaar
- Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Kimberly H Lohmeyer
- Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Kerrville, TX, USA
| | - Sergio E Bermúdez
- Medical Entomology Department, Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Research, City of Panamá, Panama
| | - Thanchira Suriyamongkol
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM, USA.,Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - Ivana Mali
- Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA
| | - Esther Kanduma
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Abdalla A Latif
- University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Life Sciences, Durban, Westville, South Africa
| | - M'hammed Sarih
- Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Service de Parasitologie et des Maladies Vectorielles, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Ali Bouattour
- Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Laboratoire Virus, Vecteurs, Hôtes, Service d'Entomologie Médicale, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Adalberto A Pérez de León
- San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Parlier, CA, USA
| | - Pete D Teel
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ben J Mans
- Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Pretoria, South Africa.,Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa.,Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Job E Lopez
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. .,Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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Nogueira BCF, Campos AK, Muñoz-Leal S, Pinter A, Martins TF. Soft and hard ticks (Parasitiformes: Ixodida) on humans: A review of Brazilian biomes and the impact of environmental change. Acta Trop 2022; 234:106598. [PMID: 35841953 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Records of accidental parasitism by ticks in humans from Brazil are scarce, with most being reported by researchers who are parasitized during their research and by professionals who work with animals. In order to compile these records, an extensive literature review was carried out. Our revision includes studies published between 1909 and 2022, including nine species of the Argasidae family and 32 species of the Ixodidae family that were reported biting humans in the six biomes of the Brazilian territory. The species with the highest number of records of human parasitism was Amblyomma sculptum, followed by Amblyomma coelebs, Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto, and Amblyomma brasiliense. The Atlantic Forest was the most frequent biome where human parasitism occurred, probably due to the greater number of inhabitants, universities, and researchers in the region; however, this does not mean that this biome is more conducive to the development of ticks and their parasitism in humans. In addition to Amblyomma ovale, a vector of Rickettsia parkeri in the country, two of the main species that act as vectors of Rickettsia rickettsii, A. sculptum, and Amblyomma aureolatum, have been reported, which is quite worrying considering that the wide distribution of the species and life stages most frequently mentioned in parasitism (i.e., nymphs and adults) are the ones that favour pathogen transmission. This research provides a significant contribution to the knowledge of tick species associated with human parasitism in Brazil; however, due to environmental change potentiated by deforestation and fires, it is expected that there will be a geographic expansion of some tick species and the pathogens that use them as a vector and an increase in human parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Artur Kanadani Campos
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - Adriano Pinter
- Departamento de Laboratórios Especializados, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Thiago Fernandes Martins
- Departamento de Laboratórios Especializados, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
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5
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Faccini-Martínez ÁA, Silva-Ramos CR, Santodomingo AM, Ramírez-Hernández A, Costa FB, Labruna MB, Muñoz-Leal S. Historical overview and update on relapsing fever group Borrelia in Latin America. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:196. [PMID: 35676728 PMCID: PMC9175325 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05289-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Relapsing fever group Borrelia (RFGB) are motile spirochetes transmitted to mammalian or avian hosts through the bite of hematophagous arthropods, such as soft ticks (Argasidae), hard ticks (Ixodidae) and the human clothing lice. RFGB can infect pets such as dogs and cats, as well as birds, cattle and humans. Borrelia recurrentis, B. anserina and B. theileri are considered to have worldwide distribution, affecting humans, domestic birds and ruminants, respectively. Borrelia spp. associated with soft ticks are transmitted mainly by Ornithodoros ticks and thrive in endemic foci in tropical and subtropical latitudes. Nowadays, human cases of soft tick-borne relapsing fever remain neglected diseases in several countries, and the impact these spirochetes have on the health of wild and domestic animals is largely understudied. Human infection with RFGB is difficult to diagnose, given the lack of distinguishing clinical features (undifferentiated febrile illness). Clinically, soft tick or louse-borne relapsing fever is often confused with other etiologies, such as malaria, typhoid or dengue. In Latin America, during the first half of the twentieth century historical documents elaborated by enlightened physicians were seminal, and resulted in the identification of RFGB and their associated vectors in countries such as Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Argentina. Almost 80 years later, research on relapsing fever spirochetes is emerging once again in Latin America, with molecular characterizations and isolations of novel RFGB members in Panama, Bolivia, Brazil and Chile. In this review we summarize historical aspects of RFGB in Latin America and provide an update on the current scenario regarding these pathogens in the region. To accomplish this, we conducted an exhaustive search of all the published literature for the region, including old medical theses deposited in libraries of medical academies. RFGB were once common pathogens in Latin America, and although unnoticed for many years, they are currently the focus of interest among the scientific community. A One Health perspective should be adopted to tackle the diseases caused by RFGB, since these spirochetes have never disappeared and the maladies they cause may be confused with etiologies with similar symptoms that prevail in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro A Faccini-Martínez
- Research Institute, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud - FUCS, Bogotá, Colombia.,Servicios y Asesorías en Infectología - SAI, Bogotá, Colombia.,Latin American Group for the Study of Ornithodoros-borne Borrelioses (Grupo Latinoamericano Para el Estudio de Borreliosis Transmitidas Por Ornithodoros [GLEBTO]), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carlos Ramiro Silva-Ramos
- Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana M Santodomingo
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Concepción, Chillán, Ñuble, Chile
| | - Alejandro Ramírez-Hernández
- Latin American Group for the Study of Ornithodoros-borne Borrelioses (Grupo Latinoamericano Para el Estudio de Borreliosis Transmitidas Por Ornithodoros [GLEBTO]), Bogotá, Colombia.,Grupo Parasitología Veterinaria, Departamento de Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Francisco B Costa
- Latin American Group for the Study of Ornithodoros-borne Borrelioses (Grupo Latinoamericano Para el Estudio de Borreliosis Transmitidas Por Ornithodoros [GLEBTO]), Bogotá, Colombia.,Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Latin American Group for the Study of Ornithodoros-borne Borrelioses (Grupo Latinoamericano Para el Estudio de Borreliosis Transmitidas Por Ornithodoros [GLEBTO]), Bogotá, Colombia.,Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Latin American Group for the Study of Ornithodoros-borne Borrelioses (Grupo Latinoamericano Para el Estudio de Borreliosis Transmitidas Por Ornithodoros [GLEBTO]), Bogotá, Colombia. .,Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Concepción, Chillán, Ñuble, Chile.
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6
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Dantas-Torres F, Marzochi MCA, Muñoz-Leal S, Sales KGDS, Sousa-Paula LCD, Moraes-Filho J, Labruna MB. Ornithodoros cf. mimon infected with a spotted fever group Rickettsia in Brazil. Acta Trop 2022; 233:106541. [PMID: 35623399 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ornithodoros mimon is an argasid tick primarily associated with bats that also infest other animals including birds, opossums and humans. In this paper, we report the finding of an argasid species resembling O. mimon, which similarly may be found in human dwellings and parasitize humans in Brazil. We also provide molecular evidence that this argasid tick species may carry a rickettsial organism, whose pathogenicity remains unknown. A total of 16 ticks (two females, two males and 12 nymphs) were collected in the bedroom and in the attic of a human house, where cases of "insect" bites have been recurrent. These ticks were identified morphologically and genetically as Ornithodoros cf. mimon. Upon PCR testing, four of these ticks (one female and three nymphs) were positive for human blood and for a bacterium closely related to "Candidatus Rickettsia paranaensis". In conclusion, we report for the first time in Brazil an argasid tick species morphologically and genetically related to O. mimon, which feeds on humans and carry a rickettsial organism belonging to the spotted fever group. Further studies are needed to formally assess the taxonomic status of this tick species and also to investigate the pathogenicity of its associated rickettsial organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Recife, Brazil.
| | - Mauro C A Marzochi
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | | | | | - Jonas Moraes-Filho
- Mestrado e Doutorado em Saúde Única, Universidade Santo Amaro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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7
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Jorge FR, de Oliveira LMB, Magalhães MML, Weck B, de Oliveira GMB, Serpa MCA, Moura FBP, Júnior RSL, Dos Santos JML, Teixeira BM, Muñoz-Leal S, Labruna MB. New records of soft ticks (Acari: Argasidae) in the Caatinga biome of Brazil, with a phylogenetic analysis of argasids using the nuclear Histone 3 (H3) gene. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2022; 86:567-581. [PMID: 35305191 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-022-00709-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In Brazil, 19 species of the genus Ornithodoros (Acari: Argasidae) have been reported. The medical and veterinary importance of Ornithodoros ticks has increased substantially in recent decades, with the discovery of various relapsing fever Borrelia infecting Ornithodoros ticks. Herein, argasid ticks were collected during 2019-2020 from caves, abandoned nests and homes in various regions of Ceará State, Brazilian semiarid-Caatinga biome. In total, 289 ticks were collected and identified into five species: Ornithodoros cavernicolous (176 specimens), Ornithodoros fonsecai (81), Ornithodoros mimon (12), Ornithodoros rietcorreai (4), and a fifth species provisionally retained as Ornithodoros sp. Ubajara. Tick identifications were corroborated by a phylogenetic analysis inferred using the 16S rRNA gene. To extend the molecular characterization, DNA samples were tested by an additional PCR assay targeting the nuclear Histone 3 (H3) gene. Because there were no H3 sequences of argasids in GenBank, we extended this PCR assay for additional Ornithodoros species, available in our laboratory. In total, 15 partial sequences of the H3 gene were generated for 10 Ornithodoros species, showing 0% intraspecific polymorphism, and 1.5-11.6% interspecific polymorphism. Phylogenetic analyses inferred segregated Ornithodoros sp. Ubajara as a potential novel species. Our results also highlight the potential of the H3 gene for deeper phylogenetic analyses of argasids. The present study provides new data for argasid ticks of the genus Ornithodoros in the Caatinga biome. Because some of these tick species are human-biting ticks, active surveillance for the incidence of human infection due to Ornithodoros-borne agents is imperative in the Caatinga biome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe R Jorge
- Veterinary Science Graduate Program at Ceará State University, Av. Dr. Silas Munguba, 1700 - Itaperi, Fortaleza, CE, 60714-903, Brazil
| | - Lorena M B de Oliveira
- Veterinary Science Graduate Program at Ceará State University, Av. Dr. Silas Munguba, 1700 - Itaperi, Fortaleza, CE, 60714-903, Brazil
| | - Meylling M L Magalhães
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, INTA University Center - UNINTA, R. Antônio Rodrigues Magalhães, 359 - Dom Expedito, Sobral, CE, 62050-100, Brazil
| | - Bárbara Weck
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Glauber M B de Oliveira
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Maria Carolina A Serpa
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Francisco B P Moura
- Department of Anthropozoonoses, Department of Health of Ceará, Av. Almirante Barroso, 600 - Praia de Iracema, Fortaleza, CE, 60060-440, Brazil
| | - Romilson S Lopes Júnior
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, INTA University Center - UNINTA, R. Antônio Rodrigues Magalhães, 359 - Dom Expedito, Sobral, CE, 62050-100, Brazil
| | - Jessica M L Dos Santos
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, INTA University Center - UNINTA, R. Antônio Rodrigues Magalhães, 359 - Dom Expedito, Sobral, CE, 62050-100, Brazil
| | - Bruno M Teixeira
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, INTA University Center - UNINTA, R. Antônio Rodrigues Magalhães, 359 - Dom Expedito, Sobral, CE, 62050-100, Brazil.
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, casilla 537, Chillán, Ñuble, Chile
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
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8
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Mendoza-Roldan JA, Mendoza-Roldan MA, Otranto D. Reptile vector-borne diseases of zoonotic concern. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2021; 15:132-142. [PMID: 34026483 PMCID: PMC8121771 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Reptile vector-borne diseases (RVBDs) of zoonotic concern are caused by bacteria, protozoa and viruses transmitted by arthropod vectors, which belong to the subclass Acarina (mites and ticks) and the order Diptera (mosquitoes, sand flies and tsetse flies). The phyletic age of reptiles since their origin in the late Carboniferous, has favored vectors and pathogens to co-evolve through millions of years, bridging to the present host-vector-pathogen interactions. The origin of vector-borne diseases is dated to the early cretaceous with Trypanosomatidae species in extinct sand flies, ancestral of modern protozoan hemoparasites of zoonotic concern (e.g., Leishmania and Trypanosoma) associated to reptiles. Bacterial RVBDs are represented by microorganisms also affecting mammals of the genera Aeromonas, Anaplasma, Borrelia, Coxiella, Ehrlichia and Rickettsia, most of them having reptilian clades. Finally, reptiles may play an important role as reservoirs of arborivuses, given the low host specificity of anthropophilic mosquitoes and sand flies. In this review, vector-borne pathogens of zoonotic concern from reptiles are discussed, as well as the interactions between reptiles, arthropod vectors and the zoonotic pathogens they may transmit.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
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9
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López Y, Robayo-Sánchez LN, Muñoz-Leal S, Aleman A, Arroyave E, Ramírez-Hernández A, Cortés-Vecino JA, Mattar S, Faccini-Martínez ÁA. Ornithodoros puertoricensis (Ixodida: Argasidae) Associated With Domestic Fowl in Rural Dwellings From Córdoba Department, Caribbean Colombia. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:704399. [PMID: 34250072 PMCID: PMC8260938 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.704399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks of genus Ornithodoros are nidicolous parasites associated with a wide array of vertebrates. In humans, their bites cause hypersensitivity reactions and are capable to transmit pathogens of health concern. In the department of Córdoba, Caribbean region of Colombia, the first report of an Ornithodoros soft tick was made in 1980 by Betancourt, who described the collection of Ornithodoros talaje in human dwellings. Nevertheless, current the records of O. talaje made in South America have been questioned and likely correspond to misidentifications with morphologically similar species. Between October and December of 2020, we visited rural areas of four localities from three municipalities within the department of Córdoba: Cuero Curtido and Severá (municipality of Cereté), El Espanto (municipality of Planeta Rica), and Arroyo Negro (municipality of San Carlos). Search for soft ticks was performed in 46 human domiciles and peridomiciliary areas. We searched in areas frequented by domestic animals, inspecting cracks in the walls and fowl nests. Infestation by soft ticks was found in 13% (6/46) of visited houses. Overall, 215 ticks were collected (26 larvae, 144 nymphs and 45 adults) from nests of domestic birds or in the adjacent walls. Larvae, nymphs and adults were morphologically identified as Ornithodoros puertoricensis. Molecular identification of ticks was confirmed by sequencing the tick mitochondrial 16S gene of adults, pools of nymphs and larvae. Pairwise comparisons showed a 99% of identity with O. puertoricensis from Panama. This study reports for the first time O. puertoricensis associated with domestic fowl in rural dwellings in Colombia, and expands the geographical distribution of this tick species toward the Córdoba department. Importantly, local people described exposure to tick bites while sleeping in infested houses; therefore, the transmission of soft tick-borne pathogens is now of concern in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yesica López
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico, Universidad de Córdoba, Monteria, Colombia
| | - Laura Natalia Robayo-Sánchez
- Grupo Parasitología Veterinaria, Departamento de Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Chile
| | - Ader Aleman
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico, Universidad de Córdoba, Monteria, Colombia
| | - Esteban Arroyave
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Alejandro Ramírez-Hernández
- Grupo Parasitología Veterinaria, Departamento de Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jesús Alfredo Cortés-Vecino
- Grupo Parasitología Veterinaria, Departamento de Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Salim Mattar
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico, Universidad de Córdoba, Monteria, Colombia
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10
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Muñoz-Leal S, Faccini-Martínez ÁA, Teixeira BM, Martins MM, Serpa MCA, Oliveira GM, Jorge FR, Pacheco RC, Costa FB, Luz HR, Labruna MB. Relapsing Fever Group Borreliae in Human-Biting Soft Ticks, Brazil. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 27:322-324. [PMID: 33350927 PMCID: PMC7774541 DOI: 10.3201/eid2701.200349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We conducted a molecular survey for Borrelia spp. in Ornithodoros ticks previously reported as biting humans. We collected specimens in natural ecosystems and inside human dwellings in 6 states in Brazil. Phylogenetic analyses unveiled the occurrence of 4 putatively new species of relapsing fever group borreliae.
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11
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Muñoz-Leal S, Venzal JM, Jorge FR, Teixeira BM, Labruna MB. A new species of soft tick from dry tropical forests of Brazilian Caatinga. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101748. [PMID: 34052668 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Ornithodoros tabajara n. sp. is described from laboratory-reared larvae and adult specimens collected in the Brazilian Caatinga. This new species shares the ecological niche with Ornithodoros rietcorreai and is likely associated with colonial rodents of genus Kerodon. However, O. tabajara n. sp. is morphologically easy to distinguish from O. rietcorreai and other Neotropical Ornithodoros by a unique combination of characters: larva with 17 pairs of dorsal setae (seven anterolateral, three central and seven posterolateral), sub-oval dorsal plate, hypostome blunt apically with dentition formula 2/2 along its extension, only one pair of posthypostomal setae, six pairs of sternal setae, posteromedian setae absent, and leave-shaped anal valves; alive adults with whitish islands of mammillae symmetrically distributed on dorsum (not visible in ethanol-preserved specimens), and median disk merging with posteromedian file. A phylogenetic analysis performed with mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences points O. tabajara n. sp. as O. rietcorreai's sister taxon, which rises the hypothesis of sympatric speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Patología y Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, casilla 537, Chillán, Ñuble, Chile; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-270, Brazil.
| | - José M Venzal
- Laboratorio de Vectores y enfermedades transmitidas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte - Salto, Universidad de la República, Rivera 1350, CP 50000 Salto, Uruguay
| | - Felipe R Jorge
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias (PPGCV), MINTER - Universidade Estadual do Ceará (UECE)/Centro Universitário INTA - UNINTA, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Av. Dr. Silas Munguba, 1700, Itaperi, Fortaleza, CE 60714-903, Brazil
| | - Bruno M Teixeira
- Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas em Animais Silvestres - NEPAS, Curso de Medicina Veterinária, Mestrado em Biotecnologia, Centro Universitário INTA - UNINTA, R. Antônio Rodrigues Magalhães, 359, Dom Expedito, Sobral, CE 62050-100, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-270, Brazil
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12
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First molecular detection of piroplasmids in non-hematophagous bats from Brazil, with evidence of putative novel species. Parasitol Res 2020; 120:301-310. [PMID: 33244622 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06985-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Piroplasmida is an order of the phylum Apicomplexa that comprises the Babesia, Cytauxzoon, and Theileria genera. These hemoparasites infect vertebrate blood cells and may cause serious diseases in animals and humans. Even though previous studies have shown that bats are infected by different species of piroplasmids, the occurrence and diversity of these hemoparasites have not been investigated in this group of mammals in Brazil. Therefore, the present work aimed to investigate the occurrence and assess the phylogenetic placement of piroplasmids infecting bats sampled in a peri-urban area from Central-Western Brazil. Seventeen (12.6%) out of 135 animals were positive by nested PCR assay for the detection of Babesia/Theileria targeting the 18S rRNA gene. Eleven sequences of the 17 positive samples could be analyzed and showed an identity of 91.8-100% with Theileria bicornis, Babesia vogeli, a Babesia sp. identified in a small rodent (Thrichomys pachyurus) from the Brazilian Pantanal and a Babesia sp. identified in a dog from Thailand as assessed by nBLAST. A phylogenetic tree was constructed from an alignment of 1399 bp length using analyzed and known piroplasmid 18S rRNA sequences. In this tree, piroplasmid 18S rRNA sequences detected in three specimens of Phyllostomus discolor (Piroplasmid n. sp., P. discolor) were placed as a sister taxon to Theileria sensu stricto (Clade V) and Babesia sensu stricto (Clade VI). An additional phylogenetic tree was generated from a shorter alignment of 524 bp length including analyzed piroplasmid 18S rRNA sequences of bat species Artibeus planirostris and A. lituratus (Piroplasmid sp., Artibeus spp.). The two 18S rRNA sequences detected in Artibeus spp. (Piroplasmid n. sp., Artibeus spp.) were placed within Babesia sensu stricto (Clade VI) into a strongly supported clade (bootstrap: 100) that included Babesia vogeli. The two 18S rRNA sequences of Piroplasmid sp., Artibeus spp. showed a single and a two-nucleotide differences, respectively, with respect to B. vogeli in a 709 pb length alignment. For the first time, the present study shows the occurrence of putative new piroplasmid species in non-hematophagous bats from Brazil.
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13
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Records of ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) on humans and distribution of spotted-fever cases and its tick vectors in Paraná State, southern Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101510. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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14
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Retrospective and new records of ticks (Acari: Argasidae, Ixodidae) from the state of Maranhão, an Amazon-Cerrado transition area of Brazil. VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY- REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS 2020; 21:100413. [PMID: 32862893 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2020.100413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The Brazilian state of Maranhão is located in a transition area of the Amazon and Cerrado biomes, where there is a rich fauna of vertebrates. This study aimed to update the list of the ticks occurring in Maranhão, through a compilation of literature records and examination of three tick collections, plus the addition of unpublished collections of ticks from road-killed animals during recent years. Our results indicate that the tick fauna of Maranhão includes 26 species: seven in the family Argasidae (Antricola guglielmonei, Argas miniatus, Ornithodoros cavernicolous, Ornithodoros hasei, Ornithodoros mimon, Ornithodoros rietcorreai and Ornithodoros rudis); and 19 in the family Ixodidae (Amblyomma auricularium-provisional, Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto, Amblyomma calcaratum, Amblyomma dissimile, Amblyomma geayi, Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma naponense, Amblyomma nodosum, Amblyomma oblongoguttatum, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma parvum, Amblyomma rotundatum, Amblyomma sculptum, Amblyomma triste, Dermacentor nitens, Ixodes luciae, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, Rhipicephalus microplus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato). Eleven of the above species are reported for the first time in Maranhão. We consider previous reports of Ornithodoros talaje and Amblyomma pseudoconcolor in Maranhão as misidentification with O. hasei and A. auricularium, respectively. Until 1958, only 11 tick species were reported in Maranhão, with no additional reports until 2009. During 2010-2019, 15 additional species were reported. We also highlight the importance of ticks for public and veterinary health in Maranhão.
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Dantas-Torres F, Fernandes Martins T, Muñoz-Leal S, Onofrio VC, Barros-Battesti DM. Ticks (Ixodida: Argasidae, Ixodidae) of Brazil: Updated species checklist and taxonomic keys. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:101252. [PMID: 31255534 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are ectoparasites of great medical and veterinary significance in the neotropical region. In Brazil, they are responsible for enormous economic losses to the livestock industry and also for considerable morbidity and mortality in companion animals and humans. Therefore, recognizing the identity of a given species is important, not only from a biodiversity perspective, but also from the medical and veterinary standpoints. The Brazilian tick fauna is one of the most diverse and well-studied in the neotropical region. In the past few years, several new species were discovered and/or recorded for the first time in this country. The main objectives of this study were to provide an updated list of tick species occurring in Brazil and taxonomic keys for their identification. The updated list of Brazilian ticks includes 70 species, 47 in the family Ixodidae and 23 in the family Argasidae. The genera Amblyomma (32 spp.) and Ornithodoros (18 spp.) are the most representative. Updated taxonomic keys for the identification of ticks of Brazil are provided. Finally, the medico-veterinary significance of ticks occurring in this country is briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Thiago Fernandes Martins
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Valeria Castilho Onofrio
- Special Laboratory of Zoological Collections, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil; Master's Program in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Welfare, Santo Amaro University, SP, Brazil
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16
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de Oliveira SV, Faccini-Martínez ÁA. Rickettsia parkeri spotted fever and toxicosis by Ornithodoros: other tick bite-related entities to be known by dermatologists. An Bras Dermatol 2019; 94:122-123. [PMID: 30726485 PMCID: PMC6360985 DOI: 10.1590/abd1806-4841.20198389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Vilges de Oliveira
- Department of Collective Health, Faculdade de Medicina,
Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (MG), Brazil
| | - Álvaro A. Faccini-Martínez
- Postgraduate Program in Infectious Diseases, Health Science Center,
Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória (ES), Brazil
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