ABSTRACT
Ornithodoros mimon is an argasid tick species usually associated with bats and marsupials and occasionally parasitizes humans inside their homes. This paper reports a tick infestation in a residence in the municipality of Campinas, located in the interior of the state of São Paulo (SP). This report increases O. mimon occurrence in SP and corroborates its anthropophilic activity. Further studies are needed to clarify its role as a vector of pathogens. We highlighted the presence of O. mimon in an area with a large human population (Campinas) associated with synanthropic animals.(AU)
Ornithodoros mimon é uma espécie de carrapato argasídeo, geralmente associada a morcegos e marsupiais, sendo ocasionalmente relatada parasitando humanos dentro de seus domicílios. Este trabalho relata a infestação por carrapatos em uma residência no município de Campinas, interior do estado de São Paulo (SP). O presente relato amplia a ocorrência de O. mimon no estado de SP, corroborando sua atividade antropofílica, sendo necessários mais estudos para esclarecer o seu possível papel como vetor de patógenos. Destaca-se a presença de O. mimon numa área de grande contingente humano (Campinas), associado a animais sinantrópicos.(AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Tick Infestations/parasitology , Tick Infestations/epidemiology , Ornithodoros/pathogenicityABSTRACT
Resumen Este informe describe el hallazgo de garrapatas blandas (Ixodida, Argasidae) parasitando a dos carpinteros andinos (Colaptes rupicola) provenientes del distrito de Nuñoa, provincia de Melgar en Puno, Perú (14°31'11.77"S; 70°32'15.95"W; 3967 m de altitud). Un total de 29 larvas de garrapatas fueron colectadas directamente de las aves y posteriormente identificadas morfológicamente como Argas neghmei. El diagnóstico fue basado en la morfología de las larvas y confirmado mediante el análisis molecular del gen 16S ARNr mitocondrial de la garrapata. Un fragmento de 363 pares de bases de este gen mostró una identidad del 100% con secuencias registradas para A. neghmei de Argentina y Chile (GenBank: FJ853598 y DQ295781). Este hallazgo confirma la presencia de A. neghmei en Perú y agrega al carpintero andino como nuevo hospedero para esta garrapata.
Abstract This report describes the finding of soft ticks (Ixodida, Argasidae) parasitizing two Andean flickers (Colaptes rupicola) from the Nuñoa district, Melgar province in Puno, Peru (14°31'11.77"S; 70°32'15.95''W; elevation 3967 m). A total of 29 larval ticks were collected directly from the birds and morphologically identified as Argas neghmei. Diagnosis was based on the larval morphology and confirmed by molecular analysis of the tick mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. A sequence of 363 base pair of this gene showed to be 100% identical with sequences of A. neghmei from Argentina and Chile (GenBank: FJ853598 and DQ295781). This finding confirms the presence of A. neghmei in Peru and adds the Andean flicker as a new host for this species.
ABSTRACT
In order to describe the developmental biology of the tick Argas neghmei Kohls & Hoogstraal under laboratory conditions, 40 females and 40 males were collected from chicken coops located in Calama (II Region, Chile). They were fed on chickens and maintained under two laboratory conditions: one group at 30 ± 5 ºC and 35 ± 5 percent RH and another at 27 ± 5 ºC and 80 ± 5 percent RH, both at 12: 12 h L:D photoperiod. The ticks were observed daily to determine larval feeding periods, preoviposition, oviposition, egg incubation as well as the frequency of egg laying, number of eggs laid, and percentage of larval hatching. Females did not lay eggs at 80 ± 5 percent RH, and data on the biology of this tick was obtained only at 35 ± 5 percent RH. The life cycle of A. neghmei lasted an average of 269 days. Feeding period of each nymphal stage as well as of adult females between oviposition events lasted less than a day. Females laid on average 1.8 egg batches and egg-laying period lasted on average 14 days, during which about 96 eggs were laid per female.