Phoretic mites (Rhinoseius spp. ) in Apodiformes from Cerrado and Pantanal Biomes in midwestern Brazil / Ácaros Foréticos (Rhinoseius spp. ) em Apodiformes dos Biomas Cerrado e Pantanal no Centro-Oeste do Brasil

Abstract Nasal mites are commonly found in hummingbirds (Apodiformes). In most cases, endoparasitic mites were reported to parasitize the respiratory system, particularly the anterior nasal chambers, larynx, trachea, lungs, and the air and conjunctival sacs. However, some mites are only carried by hummingbirds, because flowers serving as a nutrient source for these small mites, such as for Apodiformes, a tropical nectar-feeding in their natural habitat. From August 2012 to May 2014, humminbirds were captured using mist nets, and examined for the presence of nasal mites (identified according to specific keys) in the Pantanal, and Cerrado biomes, from the Mato Grosso state, midwestern Brazil. Overall, 76 Apodiform specimens, from the Trochilidae family were captured, and 20 female nasal mites, identified as being from the Rhinoseius genus, were collected from eight hosts (10.5%), of the following species: Amazilia fimbriata, Amazilia versicolor, Eupetonema macroura, and Thalurania furcata. The Rhinoseius spp. has been reported on, in many ecosystems in the Americas, including Brazil, however, this is the first report on Apodiformes from the Pantanal biome. Phoretic mites are not responsible for direct damage to the population of Apodiformes, as they are not pathogenic. However, they compete for food with hummingbirds and decrease the quantity of food available in the environment. They also affect the reproductive dynamics of plants, feed on pollen, and interfere with the intricacies of the biodiversity where they live.

Resumo Os ácaros nasais são comumente encontrados em beija-flores (Apodiformes). Na maioria dos casos, os ácaros foram relatados como endoparasitas, parasitando o sistema respiratório, particularmente as câmaras nasais anteriores, a laringe, a traqueia, os pulmões e os sacos aéreos e conjuntivais. No entanto, alguns ácaros são transportados apenas por beija-flores, pois flores servem como fonte de nutrientes para esses pequenos ácaros, assim como para Apodiformes tropicais alimentados de néctar em seu habitat natural. De agosto de 2012 a maio de 2014, beija-flores foram capturadas com redes de neblina e examinadas quanto à presença de ácaros nasais (identificados de acordo com chaves específicas) nos biomas Pantanal e Cerrado, no estado do Mato Grosso, Centro-Oeste do Brasil. No total, 76 exemplares Apodiformes da família Trochilidae foram capturados e 20 fêmeas de ácaros nasais, identificados como pertencentes ao gênero Rhinoseius, foram coletados de oito hospedeiros (10,5%), das seguintes espécies: Amazilia fimbriata, Amazilia versicolor, Eupetonema macroura e Thalurania furcata. Rhinoseius spp. foi relatado em muitos ecossistemas nas Américas, incluindo o Brasil, no entanto, este é o primeiro relato em Apodiformes do bioma Pantanal. Os ácaros foréticos não são responsáveis ​​por danos diretos à população de Apodiformes, pois não são patogênicos. No entanto, eles competem por comida com beija-flores e diminuem a quantidade de comida disponível no ambiente. Eles também afetam a dinâmica reprodutiva das plantas, se alimentam de pólen e interferem nas interações da biodiversidade em que vivem.

Phoretic mites (Rhinoseius spp.) in Apodiformes from Cerrado and Pantanal Biomes in midwestern Brazil.

Nasal mites are commonly found in hummingbirds (Apodiformes). In most cases, endoparasitic mites were reported to parasitize the respiratory system, particularly the anterior nasal chambers, larynx, trachea, lungs, and the air and conjunctival sacs. However, some mites are only carried by hummingbirds, because flowers serving as a nutrient source for these small mites, such as for Apodiformes, a tropical nectar-feeding in their natural habitat. From August 2012 to May 2014, humminbirds were captured using mist nets, and examined for the presence of nasal mites (identified according to specific keys) in the Pantanal, and Cerrado biomes, from the Mato Grosso state, midwestern Brazil. Overall, 76 Apodiform specimens, from the Trochilidae family were captured, and 20 female nasal mites, identified as being from the Rhinoseius genus, were collected from eight hosts (10.5%), of the following species: Amazilia fimbriata, Amazilia versicolor, Eupetonema macroura, and Thalurania furcata. The Rhinoseius spp. has been reported on, in many ecosystems in the Americas, including Brazil, however, this is the first report on Apodiformes from the Pantanal biome. Phoretic mites are not responsible for direct damage to the population of Apodiformes, as they are not pathogenic. However, they compete for food with hummingbirds and decrease the quantity of food available in the environment. They also affect the reproductive dynamics of plants, feed on pollen, and interfere with the intricacies of the biodiversity where they live.

Phoretic mites (Rhinoseius spp.) in Apodiformes from Cerrado and Pantanal Biomes in midwestern Brazil

Abstract Nasal mites are commonly found in hummingbirds (Apodiformes). In most cases, endoparasitic mites were reported to parasitize the respiratory system, particularly the anterior nasal chambers, larynx, trachea, lungs, and the air and conjunctival sacs. However, some mites are only carried by hummingbirds, because flowers serving as a nutrient source for these small mites, such as for Apodiformes, a tropical nectar-feeding in their natural habitat. From August 2012 to May 2014, humminbirds were captured using mist nets, and examined for the presence of nasal mites (identified according to specific keys) in the Pantanal, and Cerrado biomes, from the Mato Grosso state, midwestern Brazil. Overall, 76 Apodiform specimens, from the Trochilidae family were captured, and 20 female nasal mites, identified as being from the Rhinoseius genus, were collected from eight hosts (10.5%), of the following species: Amazilia fimbriata, Amazilia versicolor, Eupetonema macroura, and Thalurania furcata. The Rhinoseius spp. has been reported on, in many ecosystems in the Americas, including Brazil, however, this is the first report on Apodiformes from the Pantanal biome. Phoretic mites are not responsible for direct damage to the population of Apodiformes, as they are not pathogenic. However, they compete for food with hummingbirds and decrease the quantity of food available in the environment. They also affect the reproductive dynamics of plants, feed on pollen, and interfere with the intricacies of the biodiversity where they live.

Resumo Os ácaros nasais são comumente encontrados em beija-flores (Apodiformes). Na maioria dos casos, os ácaros foram relatados como endoparasitas, parasitando o sistema respiratório, particularmente as câmaras nasais anteriores, a laringe, a traqueia, os pulmões e os sacos aéreos e conjuntivais. No entanto, alguns ácaros são transportados apenas por beija-flores, pois flores servem como fonte de nutrientes para esses pequenos ácaros, assim como para Apodiformes tropicais alimentados de néctar em seu habitat natural. De agosto de 2012 a maio de 2014, beija-flores foram capturadas com redes de neblina e examinadas quanto à presença de ácaros nasais (identificados de acordo com chaves específicas) nos biomas Pantanal e Cerrado, no estado do Mato Grosso, Centro-Oeste do Brasil. No total, 76 exemplares Apodiformes da família Trochilidae foram capturados e 20 fêmeas de ácaros nasais, identificados como pertencentes ao gênero Rhinoseius, foram coletados de oito hospedeiros (10,5%), das seguintes espécies: Amazilia fimbriata, Amazilia versicolor, Eupetonema macroura e Thalurania furcata. Rhinoseius spp. foi relatado em muitos ecossistemas nas Américas, incluindo o Brasil, no entanto, este é o primeiro relato em Apodiformes do bioma Pantanal. Os ácaros foréticos não são responsáveis por danos diretos à população de Apodiformes, pois não são patogênicos. No entanto, eles competem por comida com beija-flores e diminuem a quantidade de comida disponível no ambiente. Eles também afetam a dinâmica reprodutiva das plantas, se alimentam de pólen e interferem nas interações da biodiversidade em que vivem.

A survey of tick-borne pathogens in dogs and their ticks in the Pantanal biome, Brazil.

Tick and blood samples collected from domestic dogs in the Brazilian Pantanal were tested by molecular methods for the presence of tick-borne protozoa and bacteria. Among 320 sampled dogs, 3.13% were infected by Babesia vogeli (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae), 8.75% by Hepatozoon canis (Eucoccidiorida: Hepatozoidae), 7.19% by Anaplasma platys (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), and 0.94% by an unclassified Anaplasma sp. In three tick species collected from dogs, the following tick-borne agents were detected: (a) B. vogeli, An. platys and Ehrlichia canis (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), infecting Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Ixodida: Ixodidae) ticks; (b) H. canis, an unclassified Anaplasma sp. and Rickettsia amblyommii (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae), infecting Amblyomma cajennense sensu lato (Ixodida: Ixodidae) ticks, and (c) Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest, an emerging human pathogen, infecting Amblyomma ovale ticks. Molecular analysis, based on a mitochondrial gene, revealed that the Am. cajennense s.l. ticks of the present study corresponded to Amblyomma sculptum, a member of the Am. cajennense species complex, and that Rh. sanguineus s.l. belonged to the tropical lineage. Whereas dogs are exposed to a number of tick-borne bacterial and protozoan agents in the Pantanal biome, humans are potentially exposed to infection by spotted fever group rickettsiae (e.g. R. amblyommii and Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest) because both Am. sculptum and Am. ovale are among the most important human-biting ticks in Brazil.

Detecção de Theileria equi e Babesia caballi e anticorpos anti-Ehrlichia spp. em equídeos do Pantanal Mato-Grossense, Brasil / Detection of Theileria equi, Babesia caballi and anti-Ehrlichia spp antibodies in equides from the Pantanal of Mato Grosso State

O presente estudo avaliou equídeos de 19 fazendas da região do Pantanal Mato-Grossense, sendo 121 equídeos testados pela reação em cadeia pela polimerase (PCR), para detectar fragmentos dos genes dos seguintes gêneros: Babesia, Theileria, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, e Neorickettsia, e pela reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI), para detectar anticorpos anti-Ehrlichia spp. Das amostras testadas na PCR, 17 (14,0%) animais de nove (47,3%) fazendas foram positivos. Das amostras positivas, 16 foram 100% idênticas a sequencias de Theileria equi e uma foi 99% similar à sequência de Babesia caballi, todas disponíveis no GenBank. Pela RIFI, 48 (39,6%) equídeos foram soropositivos para antígenos de E. canis, sendo 40 (83,3%) amostras com títulos de 40 e oito (16,6%) com títulos de 320. Todas as fazendas avaliadas (100%) apresentaram equídeos soropositivos. Os resultados do presente estudo demonstram que T. equi e B. caballi infectam equinos na região, e a presença de anticorpos anti-Ehrlichia spp. indica a circulação de espécies antigenicamente relacionadas aos gêneros Ehrlichia e Anaplasma, apesar de a negatividade nos exames de PCR indicar provável processo crônico desses agentes.

The present study evaluated 121 equids from 19 ranches in the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso State through Polimerase Chain Raction (PCR) to detect Babesia, Theileria, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Neorickettsia partial genes and the Imunofluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT) to evaluate anti-Ehrlichia spp. antibodies. From the total tested in PCR, 17 (14.0%) equids from 9 (47.3%) farms were positive, and 16 yielded amplicons 100% identical to Theileria equi and one presented 99% similarity to Babesia caballi available on GenBank. Forty eight (39.6%) equids were positive by IFAT and 40 showed titers of 40 (83.3%) and 8 showed titers of 320 (16.6%). All ranches (100%) presented seropositive equids. Our results showed that T. equi and B. caballi are infecting equids in the region and the presence of anti-Ehrlichia antibodies suggests that species closely related to the genera Ehrlichia and Anaplasma are circulating among the equid local population. Moreover, the negative results in PCR is possibly related to the chronic infection phase.

Genetic diversity of Ehrlichia canis in Brazil.

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis is a highly prevalent disease in Brazil, where the genetic diversity of Ehrlichia canis remains undefined. In this study, we used the TRP36 gene to examine the genetic diversity of E. canis strains from naturally infected dogs residing in five distinct geographic regions in Brazil. E. canis DNA was detected in 82/126 (65%) dogs by dsb-specific PCR and E. canis was isolated in cell culture from 13 dogs. Sequences obtained from dsb genes amplified from the isolates were identical to the US E. canis strain. An extended molecular characterization based on the TRP36 gene identified two major genogroups based on differences among eight isolates. Isolates with tandem repeat amino acid sequence (TEDSVSAPA) identical to the previously reported TRP36 sequence were found in the midwest, northeast and southeast regions of Brazil, and classified into the US genogroup. A novel Brazilian genotype with a different tandem repeat sequence (ASVVPEAE) was also identified in midwest, northern and southern regions. Similarity in the N-terminal sequence of a US genogroup member with the Brazilian genogroup suggested that genomic recombination between the two genogroups may have occurred. Other subtypes within the Brazilian genogroup were also identified using C-terminal amino acid divergence. We identified two distinct major Brazilian genogroups and several subtypes based on analysis of TRP36, and such information will be useful for further genotyping and possible associations with disease severity, understanding of the genetic and antigenic variability of E. canis, and for developing strain-specific vaccines and diagnostic methods based on TRP36.

Ehrlichia canis in dogs in a semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil: serology, molecular detection and associated factors.

This study investigated infection by Ehrlichia spp. agents by PCR, immunofluorescence assay test (IFAT), and by Giemsa-stained blood smears in 108 dogs from a semiarid region of the state of Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil. Seventy-five (69.4%) of the 108 dogs were found to be seropositive to Ehrlichia canis, while only four dogs (3.7%) were positive in real-time PCR for E. canis. In six dogs (5.6%) E. canis-like morulae were observed in monocytes. Animals that stayed in environment whose floor was dried dirt, and dogs whose owners reported low frequency of cleaning the dog environment had higher (P<0.05) PCR positivity for E. canis. Increasing seropositivity was found in older dogs (P=0.012). This study provides the first molecular detection of E. canis in the semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil.