Description of a new species of Ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae) and first report of Ixodes lasallei and Ixodes bocatorensis in Brazil.

In a recent study, we relegated the taxon Ixodes aragaoi Fonseca, 1935 to a junior synonym of Ixodes fuscipes Koch, 1844, and reinstated Ixodes spinosusNeumann, 1899 (a former synonym of I. fuscipes) to a valid species. We examined all lots of ticks formerly identified as I. fuscipes or I. aragaoi in three tick collections of Brazil. Through morphological analysis, some of the examined specimens could not be assigned to either I. fuscipes or I. spinosus based on the examination of the type specimens of these two species. Herein, we report these ticks to represent three different species: Ixodes catarinensis n. sp. Onofrio & Labruna, Ixodes lasalleiMéndez Arocha and Ortiz, 1958, and Ixodes bocatorensisApanaskevich and Bermúdez, 2017. The latter two species are reported for the first time in Brazil. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from the tick 16S rRNA gene partial sequences corroborated our morphological analysis, indicating that I. spinosus, I. lasallei, I. bocatorensis, and I. catarinensis n. sp. form a natural group of neotropical ticks. With the present study, the number of Ixodes species in Brazil increases from 9 to 12. We propose a new identification key for females and males of Ixodes species currently recognized in Brazil.

Description of a new species of Ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae) and first report of Ixodes lasallei and Ixodes bocatorensis in Brazil

In a recent study, we relegated the taxon Ixodes aragaoi Fonseca, 1935 to a junior synonym of Ixodes fuscipes Koch, 1844, and reinstated Ixodes spinosus Neumann, 1899 (a former synonym of I. fuscipes) to a valid species. We examined all lots of ticks formerly identified as I. fuscipes or I. aragaoi in three tick collections of Brazil. Through morphological analysis, some of the examined specimens could not be assigned to either I. fuscipes or I. spinosus based on the examination of the type specimens of these two species. Herein, we report these ticks to represent three different species: Ixodes catarinensis n. sp. Onofrio & Labruna, Ixodes lasallei Méndez Arocha and Ortiz, 1958, and Ixodes bocatorensis Apanaskevich and Bermúdez, 2017. The latter two species are reported for the first time in Brazil. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from the tick 16S rRNA gene partial sequences corroborated our morphological analysis, indicating that I. spinosus, I. lasallei, I. bocatorensis, and I. catarinensis n. sp. form a natural group of neotropical ticks. With the present study, the number of Ixodes species in Brazil increases from 9 to 12. We propose a new identification key for females and males of Ixodes species currently recognized in Brazil.

Description of a new species of Ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae) and first report of Ixodes lasallei and Ixodes bocatorensis in Brazil

In a recent study, we relegated the taxon Ixodes aragaoi Fonseca, 1935 to a junior synonym of Ixodes fuscipes Koch, 1844, and reinstated Ixodes spinosus Neumann, 1899 (a former synonym of I. fuscipes) to a valid species. We examined all lots of ticks formerly identified as I. fuscipes or I. aragaoi in three tick collections of Brazil. Through morphological analysis, some of the examined specimens could not be assigned to either I. fuscipes or I. spinosus based on the examination of the type specimens of these two species. Herein, we report these ticks to represent three different species: Ixodes catarinensis n. sp. Onofrio & Labruna, Ixodes lasallei Méndez Arocha and Ortiz, 1958, and Ixodes bocatorensis Apanaskevich and Bermúdez, 2017. The latter two species are reported for the first time in Brazil. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from the tick 16S rRNA gene partial sequences corroborated our morphological analysis, indicating that I. spinosus, I. lasallei, I. bocatorensis, and I. catarinensis n. sp. form a natural group of neotropical ticks. With the present study, the number of Ixodes species in Brazil increases from 9 to 12. We propose a new identification key for females and males of Ixodes species currently recognized in Brazil.

Capillaria hepatica in Puma concolor: first report in Brazil.

Capillaria hepatica was detected by histopathologic diagnosis in two cougars that were shot in April 2008 in Painel, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Macroscopic analysis of their livers revealed the presence of diffuse granulomas, and the histopathologic analysis indicated the presence of C. hepatica eggs, surrounded by mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrate, small foci of necrosis, and mild-to-moderate fibrosis. This is the first report of C. hepatica in cougars (Puma concolor) in Brazil.

Detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts by auramine and Ziehl Neelsen staining methods

Cryptosporidium spp is a common intestinal pathogen of animals and humans. It may have an important economic impact on farms and cause potentially zoonotic infections. Fecal specimens were collected from 331 domestic animals (81 beef cattle, 50 sheep, 100 pigs and 100 dogs) and checked for the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts by way of Ziehl Neelsen and auramine staining methods. An overall positivity rate of 7.5 percent (25/331) was found, with rates of 10 percent (10/100) among the dogs and 18.5 percent (15/81) among the beef cattle. The feces of sheep and pigs tested negative. In beef cattle, 15 and 12 positive samples were detected by the auramine and Ziehl Neelsen staining techniques, respectively, with no statistically significant difference between the two methods. In dogs, the same number of positive samples was found by both techniques.

Fasciola hepatica: identificação in situ de antígenos / In situ identification of Fasciola hepatica antigens

O presente estudo objetivou avaliar antígenos excretórios/ secretórios (Ag E/S) e somáticos (Ag S) de Fasciola hepatica, anticorpos específicos e demonstrar a presença de sítios reativos em corte histológico do parasito adulto pela técnica de imunoistoquímica. A resposta imune foi observada pela reação intensa nas células que circundam a ventosa ventral do parasito. A técnica de imunoistoquímica é sensível e de fácil execução na detecção de sítios antigênicos em cortes histológicos de Fasciola hepatica.

The aim of the present study was to assess excretory-secretory antigens and somatic antigens of Fasciola hepatica, specific antibodies, and to identify reactive sites in histological sections of adult parasites by means of immunohistochemistry. The immune response was observed through the intense reaction of cells that surround the ventral sucker of Fasciola hepatica. lmmunohistochemistry is a sensitive and easy-to-use method for detecting antigenic sites in histological sections of this parasite.