Experimental and Applied Acarology (2020) 81, 255-264

Jéssica Cardoso Pessoa de Oliveira, Guilherme Henrique Reckziegel, Carlos Alberto do Nascimento Ramos, Alessio Giannelli, Leucio Câmara Alves, Gílcia Aparecida de Carvalho and Rafael Antonio Nascimento Ramos (2020)
Detection of Rickettsia felis in ectoparasites collected from domestic animals
Experimental and Applied Acarology 81 (2), 255-264
Abstract: Ticks and fleas are arthropods widely distributed around the world involved in the transmission of various vector-borne diseases (VBDs), including Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF), Baggio-Yoshinari Syndrome and the plague, with outstanding consequences for the public health. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp. and Yersinia pestis in arthropods collected from dogs, cats and horses living in the state of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil. From January 2017 to April 2019, ectoparasites were collected, morphologically identified and molecularly analysed through PCR and sequencing. In total 401 specimens were collected from 86 animals, being 68% (n = 273) and 32% (n = 128) from rural and urban areas, respectively. The most commonly detected species were the ticks Dermacentor nitens, Amblyomma sculptum, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.), Rhipicephalus microplus, and Amblyomma ovale, and the fleas Ctenocephalides felis and Ctenocephalides canis. DNA of Rickettsia felis was detected in D. nitens collected from horses, and C. felis, and R. sanguineus s.l. collected from dogs. All samples scored negative for Borrelia spp. and Y. pestis DNA. This study provides valuable data on ectoparasite fauna from domestic animals and identifies the circulation of a zoonotic pathogen (i.e., R. felis) in the population of the arthropods assessed. Therefore, preventive measures should be adopted in order to reduce the risk of occurrence of neglected VBD caused by this pathogen in animal and human hosts.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Alessio Giannelli

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Rhipicephalus sanguineus		Brazil (NE)
	Ctenocephalides felis		Brazil (NE)
	Rhipicephalus microplus		Brazil (NE)
	Dermacentor nitens		Brazil (NE)
	Ctenocephalides canis		Brazil (NE)
	Amblyomma ovale		Brazil (NE)
	Amblyomma sculptum		Brazil (NE)