Avian haemosporidian (Haemosporida: Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) in the department of Arauca, Colombian Orinoquia region.

Avian haemosporidian from the genera Haemoproteus and Plasmodium are a diverse and widely distributed group of vector-borne blood parasites. These parasites can have negative effects on bird survival by influencing several aspects of their life cycle, causing different clinical signs and even death. Colombia has the widest range of bird richness throughout the globe; however, the associations between haemosporidian parasites and wild birds in different ecosystems remain poorly explored. Within this frame of reference, the objective of the present study was to identify and understand haemosporidian associated with resident and migratory wild birds and their lineages in northeast Orinoquia region, Colombia. Birds were captured in 8 localities and blood samples were collected, identifying the presence of haemosporidian parasites through morphological and molecular analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Blood samples from 233 wild birds (86 species) were analyzed for haemosporidian parasites. Sixteen individuals (6.9%) from 15 resident and migratory species were positive for Haemoproteus or Plasmodium. Fourteen haemosporidian lineages were identified, five of them reported for the first time. These new lineages are reported in four resident birds and one boreal migratory bird (Parkesia noveboracensis). This study is the first developed in the department of Arauca and contributes to the knowledge of haemosporidian lineages and their interaction with wild birds in the Colombian Orinoquia region and South America.

Seroprevalence and detection of Rickettsia spp. in wild birds of Arauca, Orinoquia region, Colombia.

Wild birds have an important role as hosts of ticks infected by rickettsiae. However, the role of birds as reservoirs of tick-borne rickettsiae is unknown and poorly understood. This is particularly relevant in several tropical and subtropical areas, where migration influences the global spread of ectoparasites and pathogens of public health importance. This research aimed to detect and evaluate the exposure to spotted fever group rickettsiae in wild birds that could represent reservoirs in the Department of Arauca in the Colombian Orinoquia region. Sampling was conducted in three municipalities of the Department of Arauca (Colombia). Blood samples were collected from 255 birds and processed to obtain serum (n = 155) and DNA (n = 255) samples. The serum samples were processed for indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFA) for the detection of antibodies to Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia parkeri, Rickettsia amblyommatis, Rickettsia rhipicephali, and Rickettsia bellii. Additionally, we investigated rickettsiae DNA in blood samples by amplification of the citrate synthase gene (gltA). The IFA results revealed seropositivity in 97 samples from 54 species of resident and migratory birds. No sample was positive for rickettsial DNA. The presence of antibodies in 62.5% of the sera indicates previous exposure of these birds to rickettsiae. The null detection of rickettsiae in the blood of seropositive birds is possibly due to a short period of bacteremia. Experimental studies are required to improve our understanding of the role of wild birds as sources of rickettsial infections in ticks.

Rickettsia spp. in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from wild birds in Caldas, Colombia.

Several bacteria belonging to the genus Rickettsia are recognized as causal agents of diseases in domestic and wild animals and humans. These bacteria are considered emerging or reemerging and are transmitted by ticks, fleas, and lice vectors. In recent decades, there have been reports of rickettsias in ticks of the genus Amblyomma, Ixodes, and Haemaphysalis collected from wild birds. Accordingly, birds play a plausible role in the transport and spread of ticks infected by Rickettsia spp. In this study, we performed molecular detection of Rickettsia species in ticks collected from wild birds in the department of Caldas, Colombia. We detected and identified Rickettsia amblyommatis, 'Candidatus Rickettsia colombianensi' and a Rickettsia sp. closely related to 'Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae' and Rickettsia canadensis. This study contributes to the knowledge on infection by Rickettsia in ticks collected from wild birds in Colombia. We also provide the first reports of infection by R. amblyommatis in the genus Ixodes collected from wild birds in South America and the presence of Rickettsia at elevations above 3000 m a.s.l.

Flea-borne Rickettsia species in fleas, Caldas department, Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: Rickettsioses are zoonotic diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria of the genus Rickettsia and transmitted to man by means of arthropod vectors such as ticks, fleas, mites and lice. Historically, Caldas Department has reported a significant number of cases of murine typhus to the Colombian national health surveillance system, and consequent studies of flea-borne rickettsiosis identified the circulation of Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis in multiple municipalities. Our aim was to genotype species of Rickettsia detected in fleas collected from domestic and wild mammals in Caldas. METHODOLOGY: Flea samples were taken by convenience sampling from dogs, cats and wild mammals (rodents and marsupials) in 26 municipalities. Specimens were classified by current taxonomic keys and pooled for DNA extraction and molecular screening for Rickettsia spp. by PCR amplification of gltA, htrA and sca5 genes. Positive samples were genotyped by enzyme digestion (htrA) and sequencing. RESULTS: A total of 1388 flea samples were collected. Rickettsia DNA was amplified in 818 (gltA), 883 (htrA) and 424 (sca5) flea pools. Alignment analysis with available Rickettsia DNA sequences showed greater similarity with R. asembonensis (gltA) and with R. felis (sca5 and htrA). Restriction pattern was compatible with R. felis. R. typhi was not identified. CONCLUSION: The present study confirms the presence and high prevalence of R. asembonensis and R. felis in fleas from domestic and wild animals in different municipalities from Caldas Department.

Associations between wild birds and hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in Colombia.

Ticks of the family Ixodidae are vectors of important pathogens in human and animal health. Birds are involved in long-distance transport and dispersion of hard ticks. Tick infestations on wild birds mostly involve species within the genera Amblyomma, Ixodes, and Haemaphysalis. In Colombia, tick research is scarce and there are no studies to date about the associations between wild birds and ticks. We aimed to contribute to the knowledge of the associations between wild birds and hard ticks based on the collection of 2314 wild birds belonging to 29 families in Caldas - Colombia between 2015 and 2019. In total, we collected 133 hard ticks that were found parasitizing 78 birds representing 45 species and 14 wild bird families. We report at least seven tick species on birds confirmed by morphological and molecular methods: Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma varium, Amblyomma dissimile, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma nodosum, Amblyomma calcaratum and Haemaphysalis leporispalustris. In addition, we recorded three Ixodes species, which yielded DNA sequences that did not have high identity (≤ 95 %) to any species in GenBank. Ticks were found infesting resident and migratory boreal birds. This is the first study addressing the associations between wild birds and hard ticks in Colombia. We describe new associations between birds and ticks in the Americas.

Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) of wild birds in Arauca, Orinoquia region of Colombia.

Birds are important hosts for the development of the immature stages of several tick species that are vectors for disease-causing microorganisms in animals and humans. Colombia has the highest number of bird species worldwide; however, there is scarce data on the role of birds in the circulation of ticks and their associated pathogens, such as rickettsiae. The department of Arauca has a high diversity of resident and migratory (boreal and austral) birds and ticks associated with the transmission of Rickettsia. The objective of this research was to identify tick species parasitizing birds and to detect Rickettsia species in these ectoparasites. We conducted samplings in the municipalities of Arauca, Cravo Norte, and Tame between November of 2018 and August of 2019. Birds were captured using mist nets and examined for the presence of tick species. The collected ticks were morphologically and molecularly identified. Furthermore, we detected rickettsiae in ticks by amplifying fragments of the citrate synthase (gltA) and outer membrane protein (ompB) genes. We captured 606 birds belonging to 25 families and 115 species. Tick infestation rate was 3.3% (20/606) in the birds captured and eight new associations between wild birds and ticks are reported for the American continent. We identified four tick species: Amblyomma nodosum, Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma mixtum, and Amblyomma sp.. Moreover, we confirmed the presence of Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest in A. nodosum, a medically-relevant rickettsia due to cases of rickettsiosis in the American continent. This finding manifests the importance of wild birds as hosts and dispersal agents of ticks infected with pathogenic rickettsiae, as well as the need to monitor migratory birds in the Orinoquia and other regions of Colombia and America.

A morphological, reproductive, and molt phenology database for 379 bird species from the Colombian Tropical Andes.

The Colombian Tropical Andes are one of the regions with highest bird diversity on Earth. However, information on bird morphology, reproductive phenology, and molt is particularly scarce in this region. Also, this region is heavily impacted by deforestation, and it is vulnerable to climate change. Hence, providing baseline information on life history and morphological traits will be essential to support future research on functional diversity, climate change effects, conservation, evolution, and phenology. To fill this gap, we have compiled information on bird distribution, morphology, molt, and reproductive phenology at 52 localities of the Department of Caldas, covering an elevation range between 148 and 3845 m. This compilation comprises a wide range of habitats, including native forests, forestry plantations, croplands, and paramo. Our database presents information for 3,398 records belonging to 379 bird species (representing 23 orders, 53 families, and 258 genera). From those records, 2,843 correspond to information collected in the field between 2008 and 2019, and the remaining 555 records correspond to specimens deposited in the Natural History Museum of the Caldas University, collected between 1969 and 2014. We measured nine morphological traits from all specimens: total culmen, gape, bill width, bill depth, tarsus, wing length, tail length, total length, and mass. We also have reproductive condition information for 257 species and molt information available for 378 species. The information contained in this data set represents ~20% of the Colombian avifauna and ~11% of the bird species richness in South America. This data set is released for non-commercial use only. Credits should be given to this paper (i.e., proper citation), and the products generated with this database should be shared under the same license terms (CC BY-NC-SA).

Estudio fitoquímico preliminar y evaluación de la actividad antibacteriana del Solanum Dolichosepalum Bitter (Frutillo) / Preliminary phytochemical study and evaluation of the antibacterial activity of Solanum Dolichosepalum Bitter (frutillo)

Introducción: Solanum dolichosepalum Bitter, llamada comúnmente frutillo, es tradicionalmente usada en Colombia como antibacteriano, antiinflamatorio, cicatrizante y en enfermedades renales. La escasa información en bases de datos sobre la planta en estudio no permitió referenciar un mayor número de artículos actuales. Objetivo: evaluar la actividad antibacteriana de extractos obtenidos del fruto de S. dolichosepalum y realizar un estudio fitoquímico preliminar. Método: la actividad antimicrobiana fue evaluada a partir de cuatro fracciones (F) obtenidas del extracto etanólico de los frutos secos deS. dolichosepalum frente a cepas de Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus y Pseudomona aeruginosa por el método de Kirby-Bauer. La primera fracción se sometió a cromatografía en columna y a sus fracciones se les evaluó la concentración inhibitoria mínima (MIC) por el método de microdilución. Los metabolitos responsables de la actividad antimicrobiana se identificaron por cromatografía de capa delgada en placas de sílica gel (MERCK) y lámpara ultravioleta (365nm). Se realizó finalmente un estudio fitoquímico del extracto etanólico de los frutos para evaluar la presencia de metabolitos bioactivos. Resultados: las pruebas fitoquímicas del extracto etanólico revelaron la presencia de alcaloides, esteroides y/o triterpenoides libres, taninos, saponinas, flavonoides y glucósidos cardiotónicos. De las cuatro fracciones obtenidas a partir de este extracto, las fracciones F1 y F2 tuvieron MIC de 31,25 y 15,62 mg/mL, respectivamente frente a E. coli y de 500 y 31,25 mg/mL frente a S. aureus. F3 y F4 no presentaron inhibición y ninguna fracción tuvo actividad frente a P. aeruginosa. Las fracciones obtenidas por cromatografía en columna a partir de F1 se denominaron F1A, F1B, F1C y F1D; la fracción F 1B mostró la mayor actividad antimicrobiana, con MICs de 35 y 17,5 mg/mL frente a S. aureus y E. coli respectivamente. Conclusiones: los resultados obtenidos confirman el uso tradicional delS. dolichosepalum como antibacteriana, con actividad frente a E. coli y S. aureus(AU)

Introduction: Solanum dolichosepalum Bitter, commonly known as frutillo, has been traditionally used in Colombia as antibacterial, antiinflammatory and cicatrizant, and to treat renal disease. Due to the scant information about the study plant contained in databases, it was not possible to reference a larger number of current papers. Objective: Evaluate the antibacterial activity of extracts obtained from the fruit of S. dolichosepalum and conduct a preliminary phytochemical study. Method: The Kirby-Bauer method was applied to four fractions (F) obtained from the ethanolic extract of dry fruits of S. dolichosepalum to evaluate antimicrobial activity against strains ofEscherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomona aeruginosa. The first fraction underwent column chromatography and its fractions were tested for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using the microdilution method. Metabolites responsible for antimicrobial activity were identified by thin layer chromatography on silica gel plates (MERCK) with an ultraviolet lamp (365 nm). Finally, a phytochemical study was conducted of the ethanolic extract of the fruits to determine the presence of bioactive metabolites.Results: Phytochemical testing of the ethanolic extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, steroids and/or free triterpenoids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids and cardiotonic glucosides. Of the four fractions obtained from the extract, fractions F1 and F2 had an MIC of 31.25 and 15.62 mg/mL, respectively, against E. coli, and 500 and 31.25 mg/mL against S. aureus. F3 and F4 did not show any inhibition, and no fraction displayed any activity against P. aeruginosa. The fractions obtained by column chromatography from F1 were named F1A, F1B, F1C and F1D. Fraction F1B showed the highest antimicrobial activity, with MICs of 35 and 17.5 mg/mL against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. Conclusions: The results obtained confirm the validity of the traditional use ofS. dolichosepalum as antibacterial, with activity against E. coli and S. aureus(AU)

Estudio fitoquímico preliminar y evaluación de la actividad antibacteriana del Solanum Dolichosepalum Bitter (Frutillo) / Preliminary phytochemical study and evaluation of the antibacterial activity of Solanum Dolichosepalum Bitter (frutillo)

Introducción: Solanum dolichosepalum Bitter, llamada comúnmente frutillo, es tradicionalmente usada en Colombia como antibacteriano, antiinflamatorio, cicatrizante y en enfermedades renales. La escasa información en bases de datos sobre la planta en estudio no permitió referenciar un mayor número de artículos actuales. Objetivo: evaluar la actividad antibacteriana de extractos obtenidos del fruto de S. dolichosepalum y realizar un estudio fitoquímico preliminar. Método: la actividad antimicrobiana fue evaluada a partir de cuatro fracciones (F) obtenidas del extracto etanólico de los frutos secos deS. dolichosepalum frente a cepas deEscherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus y Pseudomona aeruginosa por el método de Kirby-Bauer. La primera fracción se sometió a cromatografía en columna y a sus fracciones se les evaluó la concentración inhibitoria mínima (MIC) por el método de microdilución. Los metabolitos responsables de la actividad antimicrobiana...(AU)

Introduction: Solanum dolichosepalum Bitter, commonly known as frutillo, has been traditionally used in Colombia as antibacterial, antiinflammatory and cicatrizant, and to treat renal disease. Due to the scant information about the study plant contained in databases, it was not possible to reference a larger number of current papers. Objective: Evaluate the antibacterial activity of extracts obtained from the fruit of S. dolichosepalum and conduct a preliminary phytochemical study. Method: The Kirby-Bauer method was applied to four fractions (F) obtained from the ethanolic extract of dry fruits of S. dolichosepalum to evaluate antimicrobial activity against strains ofEscherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomona aeruginosa. The first fraction underwent column chromatography and its fractions were tested for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using the microdilution method. Metabolites responsible for antimicrobial activity were identified by thin layer chromatography on silica gel plates (MERCK) with an ultraviolet lamp (365 nm). Finally, a phytochemical study was conducted of the ethanolic extract of the fruits to determine the presence of bioactive metabolites.Results: Phytochemical testing of the ethanolic extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, steroids and/or free...(AU)