New records of soft ticks (Acari: Argasidae) from caves in Brazil, with a morphological study of Ornithodoros fonsecai and an analysis of the taxonomic status of Antricola inexpectata.

In this study, we report soft ticks from bat-inhabiting caves in different areas of Brazil. From 2010 to 2019, we collected 807 tick specimens from nine caves located in four Brazilian states among two biomes. Ticks were morphologically identified as Antricola guglielmonei (282 specimens), Ornithodoros cavernicolous (260 specimens), and Ornithodoros fonsecai (265 specimens). Whereas A. guglielmonei was collected on bat guano in hot caves, O. cavernicolous and O. fonsecai were collected in cracks and crevices on the walls of cold caves, sometimes in the same chamber. Morphological identifications were corroborated by molecular and phylogenetic analyses inferred from tick mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene partial sequences. The sequences of A. guglielmonei, O. cavernicolous and O. fonsecai collected in this study clustered with conspecific GenBank sequences from different localities of Brazil. Remarkably, a clade containing 12 sequences of O. fonsecai was clearly bifurcated, denoting a degree of genetic divergence (up to 5 %) of specimens from Cerrado/Atlantic Forest biomes with the specimens from the Caatinga biome. To further evaluate this divergence, we performed morphometric analysis of the larval stage of different O. fonsencai populations by principal component analysis, which indicated that the larvae from Caatinga populations were generally smaller than the larvae from other biomes. Some of the present A. guglielmonei specimens were collected from the type locality of Antricola inexpectata. Comparisons of these specimens with the type specimens of A. inexpectata and A. guglielmonei indicated that they could not be separated by their external morphology. Hence, we are relegating A. inexpectata to a synonym of A. guglielmonei. This proposal is corroborated by our phylogenetic analysis.

The use of flow cytometry for diagnosis and immunophenotyping in chronic lymphocytic leukemia in a dog: Clinical case report.

Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common type of leukemia in dogs. It is characterized by the proliferation of neoplastic lymphocytes in the bone marrow, which are morphologically normal (mature), but non-functional. CLL in canines commonly originates in cytotoxic T lymphocytes (TCD8+), and although there is controversy regarding the prognostic value of the immunophenotype, this cell lineage may be associated with a good prognosis. Case Description: A 10-year-old, entire female, mixed-breed dog was brought to the University Hospital of the Veterinary Faculty (UdelaR) for consultation because a routine pre-surgical check-up revealed lymphocytic leukocytosis, normocytic anemia, and hyperglobulinemia due to an oligoclonal gammopathy. The ultrasound revealed splenomegaly. PCR performed on blood was negative for Ehrlichia canis. Blood and bone marrow flow cytometry was performed to complement the diagnosis and carry out the immunophenotype, which showed CLL of CD8+ T-cell lineage. The clinical suspicion of CLL was confirmed by a myelogram. Chemotherapy treatment based on alkylating agents and glucocorticoids was established. So far, the patient has an overall survival of 13 months with a good response to treatment. Conclusion: The combination of the immunophenotyping test, the myelogram, and the hematological and biochemical profile confirmed the presence of T-CLL in our patient. Flow cytometry, increasingly used in veterinary medicine, allowed us to confirm the diagnosis of CLL originating in cytotoxic T lymphocytes in our patient, through the presence of positive staining of primary antibodies specific for the canine species CD45, CD3, CD5, and CD8 and the absence of staining for CD4, CD21, and CD34.

Characterization of "Candidatus Ehrlichia Pampeana" in Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Ticks and Gray Brocket Deer (Mazama gouazoubira) from Uruguay.

Human ehrlichiosis are scantily documented in Uruguay. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Ehrlichia spp. in Haemaphysalis juxtakochi and in a gray brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) from Uruguay. The presence of Ehrlichia DNA was investigated in free-living H. juxtakochi in five localities of southeast and northeast Uruguay, as well as blood, spleen, and ticks retrieved from a M. gouazoubira. Ehrlichia spp. DNA was detected in six out of 99 tick pools from vegetation, in the spleen of M. gouazoubira, and in one out of five pools of ticks feeding on this cervid. Bayesian inference analyses for three loci (16S rRNA, dsb, and groEL) revealed the presence of a new rickettsial organism, named herein as "Candidatus Ehrlichia pampeana". This new detected Ehrlichia is phylogenetically related to those found in ticks from Asia, as well as Ehrlichia ewingii from USA and Cameroon. Although the potential pathogenicity of "Ca. E. pampeana" for humans is currently unknown, some eco-epidemiological factors may be relevant to its possible pathogenic role, namely: (i) the phylogenetic closeness with the zoonotic agent E. ewingii, (ii) the evidence of H. juxtakochi parasitizing humans, and (iii) the importance of cervids as reservoirs for zoonotic Ehrlichia spp. The molecular detection of "Ca. E. pampeana" represents the third Ehrlichia genotype described in Uruguay.

An Hepatozoon americanum-like protozoan in crab-eating (Cerdocyon thous) and grey pampean (Lycalopex gymnocercus) foxes from Uruguay.

In South America, apicomplexan parasites of the genus Hepatozoon have been sporadically detected in mammals. Previous studies in wild canids from Brazil and Argentina demonstrated infections by species genetically related to Hepatozoon americanum. The aim of the present work was to detect the presence of Hepatozoon in road-killed foxes encountered in Uruguayan highways. Blood samples from 45 crab-eating (Cerdocyon thous) and 32 grey pampean (Lycalopex gymnocercus) foxes were analyzed by PCR for Hepatozoon 18S rRNA gene. Eight foxes (10.4%) were found to be infected with an H. americanum-like protozoan, an Hepatozoon closely related to H. americanum. Bayesian and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analyses revealed that the sequences obtained in this study cluster with H. americanum from the United States, and with an H. americanum-like species from dog and foxes from Brazil and Argentina. In the Unites States, H. americanum causes severe disease in dogs. In addition to this, an increasing habitat overlap between dogs and foxes makes the presence of H. americanum-like protozoan in foxes acquires veterinary relevance. This work represents the first report of L. gymnocercus infected with an H. americanum-like protozoan, and of wild canids infected with Hepatozoon in Uruguay.

Longitudinal Study of Infection with Borrelia spp. in Questing Ticks from North-Western Spain.

Introduction:Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, is the most prevalent tick-borne pathogen in Europe, where it is mainly transmitted by Ixodes ricinus. This tick also circulates Borrelia miyamotoi, a member of the relapsing fever group of species. Objectives: A longitudinal study was performed to assess the prevalence of Borrelia spp. in questing ticks. Relationships between Borrelia prevalence in ticks and some variables such as tick development stage, sampling area, and questing tick density were assessed; in addition, the distribution of B. burgdorferi s.l. was analyzed to establish the periods of acarological risk. Methods: Ticks were collected monthly by flagging in three different ecological areas (coast, plateau, and mountain) in north-western Spain during a 2-year study. Borrelia DNA was detected by PCR, targeting the flagellin (fla) gene. Positive samples were also characterized at the rrfA-rrlB intergenic spacer region and the glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase (GlpQ) gene. Results:B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA was detected in 11.84% of I. ricinus. Five Lyme Borrelia species were identified (Borrelia afzelii, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia lusitaniae, and Borrelia valaisiana). One single relapsing fever species (B. miyamotoi) was detected (0.85%). Questing Ixodes frontalis, Ixodes acuminatus, Dermacentor reticulatus, and Dermacentor marginatus yield negative results. The prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. was significantly higher in female ticks and in the mountain area. In addition, a seasonal pattern in the B. burgdorferi s.l. prevalence distribution throughout the study was not detected. Conclusions: The detection of a noticeable prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. in questing I. ricinus suggests a high acarological risk, especially in mountain area. There is no evidence of a relationship between the prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. and the density of questing ticks, nor traces of a seasonal pattern in the values of prevalence in ticks.

Tick species diversity and population dynamics of Ixodes ricinus in Galicia (north-western Spain).

Ticks are the major arthropod vectors of animal and human pathogens in Europe; thus, information of tick species and their phenology allows identifying those areas and periods involving a high risk of exposure to particular tick-borne pathogens. In order to assess the diversity of exophilic tick species in north-western Spain, questing ticks were collected by flagging in 17 different locations; ticks were microscopically and molecularly identified at the 16S rDNA loci. In addition, phenology of questing ticks in the same region was studied in representative sampling areas of three different ecological regions, where ticks were monthly collected in 300-m transects during two complete years. The possible influence of different climate variables on the normalized accumulated fraction of nymphal and adult Ixodes ricinus was assessed using a generalized linear mixed model (GLMN). I. ricinus was the most frequently and widely distributed tick species; Dermacentor marginatus, Dermacentor reticulatus, Ixodes frontalis and Ixodes acuminatus were sporadically found. Nymphs were the most commonly collected stage. Both nymphs and adults of I. ricinus presented a unimodal activity pattern; density showed a peak in late spring-early summer whereas the lowest levels were found at late summer-early autumn. GLMN showed that both nymphal and adult I. ricinus phenology was directly associated with the accumulated temperature, photoperiod and average daily maximum temperature and inversely associated with average daily maximum relative humidity. This information could be used to predict the annual periods associated with a higher exposure and risk of transmission of pathogens and to complete the global map of distribution of tick species.

Factors associated with hard tick (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitism in medium-sized mammals in the Atlantic Rainforest region of Argentina.

Associations with environmental and host parameters were assessed to describe tick parasitism patterns in two medium-sized mammals of the Atlantic rainforest region of Argentina. Ticks found on 93 specimens of Nasua nasua and 26 specimens of Didelphis aurita captured at six sites in the Iguazú National Park were collected. Generalized linear models were constructed to explain the presence and abundance of ticks and the most appropriate ones were selected after stepwise simplification. The season, site and host body mass variables were important to explain the abundance of Amblyomma coelebs nymphs, while site was important to describe larval abundance of this species. Season was the most important variable for larvae and nymphs of Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, while Amblyomma brasiliense nymphs were associated with host age. Amblyomma ovale larvae were related to host age, and adult ticks with host sex. The results indicate that these medium-sized mammals are important to support the immature tick stages and that both host and environmental factors may be associated with parasite loads.

Molecular identification of Borrelia spirochetes in questing Ixodes ricinus from northwestern Spain.

BACKGROUND: Ixodes ricinus, the predominant tick species in Europe, can transmit the causative agents of important human diseases such as Lyme borreliosis (LB), caused by Borrelia spirochetes. In northern Spain, LB is considered endemic; recently, a significant increase of the annual incidence of LB was reported in the northwestern (NW) region. METHODS: In order to provide information on the prevalence of Borrelia spp., pooled and individually free-living I. ricinus from NW Spain were molecularly analyzed. Positive samples were characterized at the fla and Glpq genes and the rrfA-rrlB intergenic spacer region to identify Borrelia species/genospecies. RESULTS: Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) (s.l.) individual prevalence and MIR were significantly higher in adult females (32.3 and 16%) than in nymphs (18.8 and 6.2%) and adult males (15.6 and 8.4%). Five Borrelia genospecies belonging to the B. burgdorferi (s.l.) group were identified: B. garinii was predominant, followed by B. valaisiana, B. lusitaniae, B. afzelii and B. burgdorferi (sensu stricto) (s.s.). One species belonging to the tick-borne relapsing fever group (B. miyamotoi) was also found, showing low individual prevalence (1%), positive pool (0.7%) and MIR (0.1%) values. To our knowledge, this is the first citation of B. miyamotoi in free-living ticks from Spain. CONCLUSIONS: The significant prevalences of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) genospecies detected in questing ticks from NW Spain are similar to those detected in northern and central European countries and higher to those previously found in Spain. These results together with the high incidence of LB in humans and the high seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) in roe deer shown in other studies reveal that the northwest area is one of the most risky regions for acquiring LB in Spain.

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes longiscutatus ticks from Brazilian Pampa.

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex includes the agents of Lyme disease/borreliosis in North America, Europe, and Asia, such Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia bavariensis, Borrelia spielmanii, Borrelia bissettiae, and Borrelia mayonii. In 2013 B. burgdorferi s.l. was reported for the first time in the Neotropical region, from Ixodes aragaoi ticks in Uruguayan Pampa. In addition, from 2011 to 2016, 17 suspected human cases of borreliosis-like syndrome were reported in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state, Brazil, which contains only part of country in the Pampa biome. The goal of this work is to report the results of a state surveillance program conducted in order to investigate the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. in its classic vector, Ixodes spp. ticks, from the Brazilian Pampa. For this, we searched for Ixodes spp. ticks in 307 rodents from 11 municipalities of RS state. We then tested the ticks for the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA using PCR analysis. Of 35 Ixodes spp. ticks tested, one larva and one nymph of Ixodes longiscutatus ticks tested positive for Borrelia sp. DNA. The phylogenetic analysis of the flaB fragment grouped our samples (referred as Borrelia sp. haplotype Pampa) into B. burgdorferi s.l. group in a particular branch with other South American haplotypes, and this group was close to Borrelia carolinensis, B. bissettiae, and Borrelia californiensis. This is the first evidence of B. burgdorferi s.l. circulation in ticks of the genus Ixodes in Brazil. These results highlight the need for the implementation of public health policies for the diagnosis and prevention of potential cases of human borreliosis in Brazil. Further studies are needed to fill the gaps in our knowledge of the distribution, pathogenicity, reservoirs, and vectors of these emerging South American B. burgdorferi s.l. haplotypes.

Anaplasma platys in dogs from Uruguay.

Anaplasmataceae family members include vector-borne bacteria of veterinary importance that may also affect humans. Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma platys are the main members of this family detected in dogs worldwide. In Uruguay there are not many published studies on tick-borne pathogens affecting dogs, the only haemoparasite molecularly confirmed in dogs, is the piroplasm Rangelia vitalii. The aim of the present work was to detect the presence of A. platys and E. canis in dogs and dogs-associated ticks of two localities in Northwestern Uruguay. Blood samples from dogs with and without clinical signs associated with vector-borne diseases, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus obtained from these dogs were analyzed by PCR for Anaplasmataceae. Positive dogs were further analyzed by PCR for Ehrlichia spp. and A. platys. All the ticks were found negative. No dog was detected infected with E. canis, while eight dogs (4.2%) were found to be infected with A. platys. Phylogenetic analysis of groESL operon sequence for A. platys revealed no differences with sequences described for A. platys in neighbor countries and from other regions of the world. This is the first report of the presence of A. platys in Uruguay.

Molecular detection of Rangelia vitalii in domestic dogs from Uruguay.

The piroplasm Rangelia vitalii is the etiological agent of canine rangeliosis, a severe disease affecting domestic dogs in South America. Two domestic dogs from two different Departments (Salto and Treinta y Tres) of Uruguay presented with clinical signs such as apathy, anorexia, pale mucous membranes, jaundice, and hemorrhagic manifestations, suggestive of a canine vector-borne disease. Molecular analysis, based on PCR and DNA sequencing of portions of the 18S rRNA gene, revealed that both dogs were infected by R. vitalii. Two consensus sequences, one from Salto and one from Treinta y Tres, differed from each other by only 1 nucleotide (99.8% similarity) and were 99.8-100% identical to corresponding sequences of R. vitalii from Brazil and Argentina available in GenBank. Through phylogenetic analysis inferred by the 18S rRNA gene, the two Uruguayan sequences of R. vitalii were aligned with the corresponding sequences from 7 other R. vitalii sequences available in GenBank (5 from Brazil and, 2 from Argentina) under high bootstrap support. The two dogs of the present study were negative for Ehrlichia canis according to the E. canis-specific real-time PCR assay. Our findings not only confirm the occurrence of R. vitalii in Uruguay but also provide the southernmost record of this re-emerging agent. The only previous report of R. vitalii in Uruguay dated from 1976, a period when molecular analyses were not available. We provide the first molecular detection of R. vitalii in Uruguay. Currently, canine rangeliosis is confirmed to occur in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) on swifts (Apodiformes: Apodidae) in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil.

Brazil harbors five species of Cypseloidinae swifts. Those from Streptoprocne and Cypseloides genera have a very distinct ecology. They shelter at night and build nests in moist cliffs by waterfalls. Information about tick infestation of these birds is virtually non-existent and restricted to the description of a new species, Ixodes paranaensis, in Streptoprocne biscutata in Paraná State and another record of this species in Streptoprocne zonaris in Minas Gerais State. We herein report tick infestation of swifts at eight waterfalls in the Cerrado biome of Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil. Swifts were captured during six campaigns from November 2008 to April 2013. Overall, 584 swifts were captured (527 C. senex, four C. fumigatus and 53 S. zonaris). Four birds were tick infested (prevalence of 0.7 %). Three individuals of C. senex hosted one tick each; a nymph of I. paranaensis, a female of I. paranaensis and a nymph of Amblyomma cajennense. One S. zonaris hosted an I. paranaensis nymph and an Ornithodoros sp. larva (Argasidae).

Immature argasid ticks: diagnosis and keys for neotropical region / Carrapatos argasídeos imaturos: diagnoses e chaves para a região neotropical

Many argasid tick species are known only through their larval descriptions, in which the chaetotaxy, together with other external morphological characteristics, has been used to separate genera and species. However, the illustrations of these features are based on optical microscopy alone and many of these features are not clearly defined. Because of the difficulties in determining the larval and nymph stages of some genera, we have prepared illustrated keys for the immature stages of argasids, including an up-to-date list of the known species of the Neotropical region. We have also included an illustrated key for larvae of the Ornithodoros species from Brazil, based on scanning electron microscopy.

Muitos carrapatos argasídeos são conhecidos somente por descrições larvais, nas quais a quetotaxia associada a outros caracteres morfológicos tem sido usada para separar gêneros e espécies. No entanto, as ilustrações sobre esses caracteres são baseadas somente em microscopia óptica e muitos deles não estão claramente definidos. Devido às dificuldades em determinar estágios larvais e ninfais de alguns gêneros, elaboramos chaves ilustradas para os estágios imaturos de argasídeos, incluindo uma lista atualizada de espécies conhecidas da região Neotropical. Incluímos também uma chave ilustrada para larvas das espécies de Ornithodoros do Brasil baseada em microscopia eletrônica de varredura.

Immature argasid ticks: diagnosis and keys for Neotropical region.

Many argasid tick species are known only through their larval descriptions, in which the chaetotaxy, together with other external morphological characteristics, has been used to separate genera and species. However, the illustrations of these features are based on optical microscopy alone and many of these features are not clearly defined. Because of the difficulties in determining the larval and nymph stages of some genera, we have prepared illustrated keys for the immature stages of argasids, including an up-to-date list of the known species of the Neotropical region. We have also included an illustrated key for larvae of the Ornithodoros species from Brazil, based on scanning electron microscopy.

Description of adults and nymph, and redescription of the larva, of Ornithodoros marinkellei (Acari:Argasidae), with data on its phylogenetic position.

The argasid tick Ornithodoros marinkellei Kohls, Clifford, and Jones, 1969 was described 4 decades ago based on larval specimens collected from bats (Pteronotus spp.) in Colombia and Panama. Thereafter, larval O. marinkellei parasitizing bats were reported from Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil. Herein, we describe the adults and nymph, and redescribe the larva of O. marinkellei based on specimens recently collected in the western Brazilian Amazon region. In contrast to all other known adult argasids, the idiosoma of both males and females of O. marinkellei is covered with sclerotized plaques. The idiosoma of the nymph of O. marinkellei is entirely micromamillated, and differs from the adults by the absence of plaques. The larva of O. marinkellei is morphologically similar to the larvae of the 2 other species belonging to the subgenus Subparmatus , i.e., Ornithodoros viguerasi Cooley and Kohls, 1941 and Ornithodoros mormoops Kohls, Clifford, and Jones, 1969 . Because of the long and narrow dorsal plate, the larva of O. marinkellei is readily distinguished from O. viguerasi and O. mormoops. Comparison of our larvae from Brazil with O. marinkellei paratype specimens from Colombia confirmed their taxonomic identification. However, a few morphological differences, particularly in the size of the gnathosoma, were observed. Further studies are necessary to clarify whether O. marinkellei is a complex of different species, or a single species represented by morphologically polymorphic, and geographically distinct populations. Partial mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene sequences were generated for O. marinkellei specimens from Brazil, and compared with available homologous sequences in GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses revealed O. marinkellei to be distinct from the remaining argasid species available in GenBank, including other bat-associated tick species that are found in sympatry with O. marinkellei in the Neotropical region.

Carios mimon (Acari: Argasidae): description of adults and redescription of larva.

Carios mimon is an argasid tick common on Chiroptera, originally described from larvae collected on bats Mimon crenulatum from Bolivia and Eptesicus brasiliensis from Uruguay. Later it was also registered from Argentina and recently included among the Brazilian tick fauna. In Brazil, this species is very aggressive to man, resulting in intense inflammatory response and pain. It is known only by the larval description and its morphology resembles that from other species currently included into the genus Carios, formerly classified into the subgenus Alectorobius, genus Ornithodoros. Here we describe adults and redescribe the larva of C. mimon, based on light and scanning electron microscopy. Remarks about its morphological similarity with other species of this genus are also discussed. Molecular analysis inferred from a portion of the 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene placed C. mimon in a cluster supported by maximal bootstrap value (100%) with other argasid species (mostly bat parasites in the New World), which have been classified into either the genus Ornithodoros or Carios, depending on the Argasidae classification adopted by different authors.

Carios mimon (Acari: Argasidae) description of adults and redescription of larva

Carios mimon is an argasid tick common on Chiroptera, originally described from larvae collected on bats Mimon crenulatum from Bolivia and Eptesicus brasiliensis from Uruguay. Later it was also registered from Argentina and recently included among the Brazilian tick fauna. In Brazil, this species is very aggressive to man, resulting in intense inflammatory response and pain. It is known only by the larval description and its morphology resembles that from other species currently included into the genus Carios, formerly classified into the subgenus Alectorobius, genus Ornithodoros. Here we describe adults and redescribe the larva of C. mimon, based on light and scanning electron microscopy. Remarks about its morphological similarity with other species of this genus are also discussed. Molecular analysis inferred from a portion of the 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene placed C. mimon in a cluster supported by maximal bootstrap value (100%) with other argasid species (mostly bat parasites in the New World), which have been classified into either the genus Ornithodoros or Carios, depending on the Argasidae classification adopted by different authors.

Rickettsia felis in Ctenocephalides felis from Argentina.

This article reports on the detection of Rickettsia felis in Argentina in Ctenocephalides felis fleas collected from a dog and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and DNA sequencing.

Detection of Alpha and Gamma-Proteobacteria in Amblyomma triste (Acari: Ixodidae) from Uruguay.

Amblyomma triste is the most prevalent tick species reported in human tick bites in Uruguay and has been found to be infected with Rickettsia parkeri, but no other microorganisms have been reported from this tick. A sample of 254 adults of A. triste was collected by flagging on vegetation in suburban areas in southern Uruguay. Pools of five ticks were assembled and a screening for the DNA from the resulting 51 pools was realized by PCR assays using primers for amplifying a fragment of 16S rRNA gene for members of Anaplasmataceae. Seventeen pools were positive (33%) and the sequenciation of the gene fragment amplified revealed the presence of a putative new Alpha-Proteobacterium (denominated Atri-uru). The phylogenetic analysis showed that this microorganism is closely related to the symbiont of I. ricinus denominated 'Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii' and other associated organisms. This rickettsial symbiont of ticks is included in a recent new clade proposed for the Alpha subclass of the Proteobacteria. The discovery of this bacterium in A. triste is the first evidence of this group of Rickettsiales detected in the Genus Amblyomma, and the first record in South America. Also, in two of 17 positive samples a Gamma-Proteobacterium related to Francisella-like organisms was detected.