Detection of Rickettsia tamurae-like and other spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) associated with wild birds in the Western Amazon, Brazil.

Ticks are vectors for several pathogens, including bacteria belonging to the Rickettsia genus, such as Rickettsia rickettsii and Rickettsia parkeri, the causative agents of spotted fever. The aim of the present study was to investigate the tick species richness and rickettsial agents associated with wild birds captured in the Humaita Forest Reserve, Acre, in the Western Amazon region. Wild birds were captured with ornithological nets for visual inspection with the purpose of collecting ticks, which were identified through morphological analyses and molecular tests for several genes (12S rDNA, 16S rDNA, gltA, ompA, and sca4). A total of 607 wild birds were captured, 12% of which were parasitized by 268 ticks of the Amblyomma genus, with new host-parasite associations reported for Amblyomma calcaratum, Amblyomma geayi, Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma naponense, Amblyomma nodosum, and Amblyomma varium. Of the total ticks collected, 113 were tested for the presence of rickettsial DNA fragments, with 19 testing positive for R. parkeri in A. geayi, Rickettsia tamurae-like in Amblyomma sp., and Rickettsia amblyommatis in A. geayi, A. longirostre, and Amblyomma sp. We detected R. tamurae-like in Amblyomma larvae for the first time in the Western Brazilian Amazon biome, and registered spotted fever group rickettsiae, although the relevance of the detected species in a public health context should be further explored in South America, as well as new host-parasite interactions in this underexplored region.

Human parasitism and toxicosis by Ornithodoros rietcorreai (Acari: Argasidae) in an urban area of Northeastern Brazil.

The soft tick, Ornithodoros rietcorreai, is a parasite of the rodent, Kerodon rupestris, and, to a lesser extent, of bats living in rock cavities in Northeastern Brazil. This report describes the first recorded episodes of human parasitism by this argasid tick, reported to the Brazilian Ministry of Health in September 2017. We assessed outdoor environments, roofs, animal nests and chicken coops in five houses located in an urban area of Russas City, Ceará State, Brazil. Our results confirmed the presence of the tick in two of the assessed houses. The collected specimens were molecularly identified as O. rietcorreai. Of the ten individuals living in the investigated properties, three reported being parasitized by ticks. Although O. rietcorreai ticks were recovered from the evaluated houses, the primary hosts for the ticks were not identified. The retrospective medical records of parasitized individuals reported the following: local pruritus 3/3, malaise 3/3, local edema and erythema 3/3, local rash 3/3, local pain 3/3, slow lesion healing 3/3 and paresthesia 1/3. One of the individuals reported four parasitism episodes (March, June, July and August 2017) and required medical attention and the administration of anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory drugs. The aforementioned reports were the first to address human parasitism, with subsequent toxicosis, by this tick species in Brazilian urban areas. Attention was drawn to the potential consequences of such episodes to the health of previously exposed individuals.

Investigação sobre espécies de Ixodida em interação trófica com humanos no Município de Belford Roxo, Rio de Janeiro / Investigation on ixodida species of trophic interaction with humans in Belford Roxo, Rio de Janeiro

Os carrapatos são ectoparasitos obrigatórios de grande importância veterinária e médica,pois estão envolvidos na transmissão de agentes infecciosos para o homem e os animaiscomo babesias, riquétsias, espiroquetas e vírus. O objetivo do trabalho foi identificar casosde carrapatos em interação trófica com humanos moradores do Município de Belford Roxo,no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, através de busca ativa de casos com munícipes que aderiremvoluntariamente à pesquisa após a exposição do mesmo. O estudo foi realizado no períodoentre Julho de 2013 e Janeiro de 2015 através de busca ativa dos casos de ixodidosehumana em bairros do Município de Belford Roxo. O material recolhido foi entreguevoluntariamente pelos moradores parasitados, tanto em locais indicados pelos mesmos,como no Laboratório de Parasitologia do Centro Universitário UNIABEU, local usado comobase operacional de apoio na região, e posteriormente transportados até o Laboratório deReferência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses – LIRN, no Instituto OswaldoCruz/FIOCRUZ, onde foram triados e identificados por chaves dicotômicas. Foram visitados14 bairros com casos confirmados de ixodidose humana em pelo menos nove bairros. Oshomens foram mais parasitados que as mulheres e houve uma dominância de casos nafaixa etária de adultos. Foram 129 carrapatos entregues voluntariamente pelos hospedeirosapós remoção manual dos mesmos fixados na pele. Amblyomma cajennense foi a espécieencontrada dominante entre as diagnosticadas com interação trófica com humanos, seguidapor Rhipicephalus sanguineus, e Amblyomma dubitatum. De acordo com os cálculos derisco, a infecção por uma das espécies não influencia a probabilidade de parasitismo poruma das outras duas espécies. É necessário a realização de novos estudos, e maisampliados no município, inclusive com busca na identificação de possíveis patógenos quepossam ser vetorados pelos carrapatos com avaliação do risco de transmissão...

Ticks are necessarily ectoparasites very important veterinary and medical, becausethey are involved in the transmission of infectious agents to humans and animals.The objective was to identify cases of ticks on trophic interactions with humanresidents of the municipality of Belford Roxo, Rio de Janeiro, through active casefinding with citizens who voluntarily join the search after exposure there. The studywas conducted from July 2013 until January 2015 by means of active search forcases of human ixodidose in the municipality of districts in Belford Roxo. Thecollected material was given voluntarily by infected residents at locations indicated bythem or on Parasitology Laboratory in “Centro Universitário UNIABEU”, used asoperational base of support in the region, and later transported at “Laboratório deReferência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses – LIRN”, at “Instituto OswaldoCruz/FIOCRUZ”, which they were separated and identified by specific dicotomickeys. They were visited 14 districts with confirmed cases of human ixodidose in atleast nine districts. Men were more infected than women and there was apredominance of cases aged adults. There were 129 ticks left voluntarily by the hostafter manual removal of the same fixed on the skin. Amblyomma cajennense was thedominant species found among diagnosed with trophic interaction with humans,followed by Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Amblyomma dubitatum. According to therisk calculations, infection by a species does not influence the probability ofparasitism by the other two species. It is necessary to conduct new studies, andmore extended in the city, including search in identifying potential pathogens that canbe inoculat by ticks with assessing the risk of transmission...

[Mutagenic occurrence in teleoginae of Rhipicephalus sanguineus from intradomiciliary environment at Rio de Janeiro city]. / Malformação em teleógina de Rhipicephalus sanguineus recolhida em ambiente intradomiciliar, no Rio de Janeiro, RJ.

From material collected by into a residence house at Rio de Janeiro city, using an aspirator machine during four continues hours in all house, it was captured 1,284 Rhipicephalus sanguineus including 289 females; one of them showed a mutagenic alteration like an asymmetry of opistosome, and monstrosity like a two anus. The first register of this phenomenon in R. sanguineus is reported.

Malformação em teleógina de Rhipicephalus sanguineus recolhida em ambiente intradomiciliar, no Rio de Janeiro, RJ / Mutagenic occurence in teleoginae of Rhipicephalus sanguineus from intradomiciliary environment at Rio de Janeiro city

Do material recolhido por aspiração no interior de uma residência no Rio de Janeiro, com uso de aspirador de pó, por 4 horas contínuas de captura, em todos os cômodos da casa, foram encontrados 1.284 Rhipicephalus sanguineus, dos quais 289 eram fêmeas e, destas, uma tinha malformação no opistossoma que estava assimétrico, e monstruosidade pela presença de dois ânus. Esse é o primeiro registro desse fenômeno em R. sanguineus.

From material collected by into a residence house at Rio de Janeiro city, using an aspirator machine during four continues hours in all house, it was captured 1,284 Rhipicephalus sanguineus including 289 females; one of them showed a mutagenic alteration like an asymmetry of opistosome, and monstrosity like a two anus. The first register of this phenomenon in R. sanguineus is reported.