Rodents as potential reservoirs for Borrelia spp. in northern Chile.

Small mammals play an essential role in the transmission and maintenance cycles of Borrelia spirochetes. In Chile, recent studies have characterized novel Borrelia genotypes in ticks collected from small mammals, a fact that suggests these vertebrates are hosts for spirochetes from this genus. Considering this evidence, the goal of this study was to determine the presence of Borrelia DNA in small mammals inhabiting northern Chile. In winter of 2018, 58 small mammals were captured in five localities. Blood samples were collected from rodents and DNA was extracted to determine the presence of Borrelia DNA by PCR targeting the flaB gene and rrs-rrlA intergenic spacer (IGS). From three individuals (5%), belonging to two rodent species of Cricetidae family (Phyllotis xanthopygus and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus), we retrieved three flaB and two IGS Borrelia genotypes. Phylogenetic analyses performed with both Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inferences showed that our sequences grouped with homologous genotypes from the relapsing fever and Lyme borreliosis groups. Our findings suggest that P. xanthopygus and O. longicaudatus rodents may play a role as reservoirs for borrelial spirochetes in Chile.

Rodents as potential reservoirs for Borrelia spp. in northern Chile / Roedores como potenciais reservatórios de Borrelia spp. no norte do Chile

Small mammals play an essential role in the transmission and maintenance cycles of Borrelia spirochetes. In Chile, recent studies have characterized novel Borrelia genotypes in ticks collected from small mammals, a fact that suggests these vertebrates are hosts for spirochetes from this genus. Considering this evidence, the goal of this study was to determine the presence of Borrelia DNA in small mammals inhabiting northern Chile. In winter of 2018, 58 small mammals were captured in five localities. Blood samples were collected from rodents and DNA was extracted to determine the presence of Borrelia DNA by PCR targeting the flaB gene and rrs–rrlA intergenic spacer (IGS). From three individuals (5%), belonging to two rodent species of Cricetidae family (Phyllotis xanthopygus and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus), we retrieved three flaB and two IGS Borrelia genotypes. Phylogenetic analyses performed with both Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inferences showed that our sequences grouped with homologous genotypes from the relapsing fever and Lyme borreliosis groups. Our findings suggest that P. xanthopygus and O. longicaudatus rodents may play a role as reservoirs for borrelial spirochetes in Chile.(AU)

Pequenos mamíferos possuem um papel essencial na transmissão e manutenção de espiroquetas do gênero Borrelia. No Chile, estudos recentes têm descrito novos genótipos de Borrelia em carrapatos, parasitando pequenos mamíferos. Isso sugere que esses vertebrados podem atuar como possíveis reservatórios dessas espiroquetas. Considerando-se essa evidência, o objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a presença de DNA de Borrelia em pequenos mamíferos da região norte do Chile. Durante o inverno de 2018, 58 pequenos mamíferos foram capturados em cinco localidades. Amostras de sangue obtidas a partir dos indivíduos capturados foram submetidas à extração de DNA e ensaios de PCR, para a detecção de Borrelia spp. baseados no gene flaB e espaçador intergênico rrs–rrlA (IGS). A partir de três espécimes (5%) pertencentes a duas espécies de roedores da família Cricetidae (Phyllotis xanthopygus e Oligoryzomys longicaudatus) obtiveram-se três genótipos de Borrelia para o gene flaB e dois para IGS. Análises filogenéticas inferidas, usando-se os métodos Bayesiano e de Máxima Verossimilhança, indicaram que as sequências geradas neste estudo agrupam-se com borrelias do grupo da Febre Recorrente e Borreliose de Lyme. Os achados deste estudo sugerem que roedores P. xanthopygus e O. longicaudatus poderiam atuar como possíveis reservatórios para Borrelia spp. no Chile.(AU)

Rodents as potential reservoirs for Borrelia spp. in northern Chile / Roedores como potenciais reservatórios de Borrelia spp. no norte do Chile

Abstract Small mammals play an essential role in the transmission and maintenance cycles of Borrelia spirochetes. In Chile, recent studies have characterized novel Borrelia genotypes in ticks collected from small mammals, a fact that suggests these vertebrates are hosts for spirochetes from this genus. Considering this evidence, the goal of this study was to determine the presence of Borrelia DNA in small mammals inhabiting northern Chile. In winter of 2018, 58 small mammals were captured in five localities. Blood samples were collected from rodents and DNA was extracted to determine the presence of Borrelia DNA by PCR targeting the flaB gene and rrs-rrlA intergenic spacer (IGS). From three individuals (5%), belonging to two rodent species of Cricetidae family (Phyllotis xanthopygus and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus), we retrieved three flaB and two IGS Borrelia genotypes. Phylogenetic analyses performed with both Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inferences showed that our sequences grouped with homologous genotypes from the relapsing fever and Lyme borreliosis groups. Our findings suggest that P. xanthopygus and O. longicaudatus rodents may play a role as reservoirs for borrelial spirochetes in Chile.

Resumo Pequenos mamíferos possuem um papel essencial na transmissão e manutenção de espiroquetas do gênero Borrelia. No Chile, estudos recentes têm descrito novos genótipos de Borrelia em carrapatos, parasitando pequenos mamíferos. Isso sugere que esses vertebrados podem atuar como possíveis reservatórios dessas espiroquetas. Considerando-se essa evidência, o objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a presença de DNA de Borrelia em pequenos mamíferos da região norte do Chile. Durante o inverno de 2018, 58 pequenos mamíferos foram capturados em cinco localidades. Amostras de sangue obtidas a partir dos indivíduos capturados foram submetidas à extração de DNA e ensaios de PCR, para a detecção de Borrelia spp. baseados no gene flaB e espaçador intergênico rrs-rrlA (IGS). A partir de três espécimes (5%) pertencentes a duas espécies de roedores da família Cricetidae (Phyllotis xanthopygus e Oligoryzomys longicaudatus) obtiveram-se três genótipos de Borrelia para o gene flaB e dois para IGS. Análises filogenéticas inferidas, usando-se os métodos Bayesiano e de Máxima Verossimilhança, indicaram que as sequências geradas neste estudo agrupam-se com borrelias do grupo da Febre Recorrente e Borreliose de Lyme. Os achados deste estudo sugerem que roedores P. xanthopygus e O. longicaudatus poderiam atuar como possíveis reservatórios para Borrelia spp. no Chile.

A new genus and species of chigger mite (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) from Loxodontomys pikumche (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in Chile.

The family Trombiculidae is one of the most diverse and cosmopolitan (Walter et al. 2009). In Chile, the family Trombiculidae is represented by six genera associated with reptiles: Eutrombicula Ewing; Microtrombicula Ewing; Paratrombicula Goff & Whitaker; Whartonacarus (Brennan & Jones); Diaguitacarus Stekolnikov & González-Acuña and Proschoengastia Vercammen-Grandjean and two genera associated with rodents Chilacarus Webb, Bennett & Loomis and Poliremotus Brennan & Goff (Stekolnikov & González-Acuña 2015).

A new genus and species of pterygosomatid mite (Acari: Pterygosomatidae) parasitizing Callopistes maculatus (Squamata: Teiidae) from Chile.

A new genus and species Callopistiella atacamensis gen. nov. and sp. nov. (Acariformes: Pterygosomatidae) are described from Callopistes maculatus (Squamata: Teiidae) in Chile. In this species, both sexes are characterized by the hypostome without a velum, the chelicerae proximally globose and very thin distally, ending in a movable digit curved outward, the fixed cheliceral digit reduced to a membranous and sparsely serrate structure, presence of seta 2c, tarsus I with seta ft nude and 2 times longer than solenidion ω2; larvae have solenidion ω1 on tarsus I and tibia I without solenidion φ and moderate hypertrichy present around the genital area. Some biological aspects of this new species are discussed.