Experimental and Applied Acarology (2022) 86, 385-406

Vítor S. Alves, Luis F. Salazar-Garcés, Leonardo F. Santiago, Paula L.C. Fonseca, Antônio M.S. Fernandes, Raphael C. Silva, Lorena M. Souza, Pedro P.R.S. Cunha, Marina F.C. Barbosa, Eric R.G.R. Aguiar, Luis G.C. Pacheco, Neuza M. Alcantara-Neves and Carina S. Pinheiro (2022)
Identification of Glycycometus malaysiensis (for the first time in Brazil), Blomia tropicalis and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus through multiplex PCR
Experimental and Applied Acarology 86 (3), 385-406
Abstract: Blomia tropicalis and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus play an important role in triggering allergy. Glycycometus malaysiensis causes IgE reaction in sensitive people, but is rarely reported in domestic dust, because it is morphologically similar to B. tropicalis making the identification of these species difficult. The identification of mites is mostly based on morphology, a time-consuming and ambiguous approach. Herein, we describe a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) assay based on ribosomal DNA capable to identify mixed cultures of B. tropicalis, D. pteronyssinus and G. malaysiensis, and/or to identify these species from environmental dust. For this, the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) regions, flanked by partial sequences of the 5.8S and 28S genes, were PCR-amplified, cloned and sequenced. The sequences obtained were aligned with co-specific sequences available in the GenBank database for primer design and phylogenetic studies. Three pairs of primers were chosen to compose the mPCR assay, which was used to verify the frequency of different mites in house dust samples (n = 20) from homes of Salvador, Brazil. Blomia tropicalis was the most frequent, found in 95% of the samples, followed by G. malaysiensis (70%) and D. pteronyssinus (60%). Besides reporting for the first time the occurrence of G. malaysiensis in Brazil, our results confirm the good resolution of the ITS2 region for mite identification. Furthermore, the mPCR assay proved to be a fast and reliable tool for identifying these mites in mixed cultures and could be applied in future epidemiological studies, and for quality control of mite extract production for general use.
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Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
identification/taxonomy
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus		Brazil (NE)
	Blomia tropicalis		Brazil (NE)
	Glycycometus malaysiensis		Brazil (NE)