Detection of “Candidatus Rickettsia wissemanii” in ticks parasitizing bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in the northern Brazilian Amazon

Luz, Hermes Ribeiro; Muñoz-Léal, Sebastián; Carvalho, William Douglas de; Castro, Isaí Jorge de; Xavier, Bruna da Silva; Toledo, José Júlio de; Hilário, Renato R.; Acosta, Igor da Cunha Lima; Faccini, João Luíz Horácio; Labruna, Marcelo B.

doi:10.1007/s00436-019-06442-3

Cited by 19 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first report of SFG rickettsiae in bat tissue samples in Europe and the first report of R. monacensis in tissues of P. pipistrellus and N. noctula (insectivorous bats) worldwide. Although SFG rickettsiae were not previously detected in bat tissue samples in Europe, SFG rickettsiae and related Rickettsia species were detected in bat specialist ectoparasites in Europe as well in other parts of the world (Table 3) [33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]. This may suggest bat's and/or their ectoparasites potential involvement in the transmission of these pathogens.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Rickettsia spp. in bats of Romania: high prevalence of Rickettsia monacensis in two insectivorous bat species

et al. 2021

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Background Spotted fever group rickettsiae represent one of the most diverse groups of vector-borne bacteria, with several human pathogenic species showing an emerging trend worldwide. Most species are vectored by ticks (Ixodidae), with many zoonotic reservoir species among most terrestrial vertebrate groups. While the reservoir competence of many different vertebrate species is well known (e.g. birds, rodents and dogs), studies on insectivorous bats have been rarely performed despite their high species diversity, ubiquitous urban presence and importance in harboring zoonotic disease agents. Romania has a high diversity and ubiquity of bats. Moreover, seven out of eight SFG rickettsiae species with zoonotic potential were previously reported in Romania. Based on this, the aim of this study was to detect Rickettsia species in tissue samples in bats. Methods Here we report a large-scale study (322 bats belonging to 20 species) on the presence of Rickettsia spp. in Romanian bat species. Tissue samples from insectivorous bats were tested for the presence of Rickettsia DNA using PCR detection amplifying a 381 bp fragment of the gltA gene. Positive results were sequenced to confirm the results. The obtained results were statistically analyzed by chi-squared independence test. Results Positive results were obtained in 14.6% of bat samples. Sequence analysis confirmed the presence of R. monacensis in two bat species (Nyctalus noctula and Pipistrellus pipistrellus) in two locations. Conclusion This study provides the first evidence of a possible involvement of these bat species in the epidemiology of Rickettsia spp., highlighting the importance of bats in natural cycles of these vector-borne pathogens.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Rickettsia spp. in bats of Romania: high prevalence of Rickettsia monacensis in two insectivorous bat species

et al. 2021

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“…Considering previous published papers, the presumed geographical distribution of Ornithodoros species that are probable vectors of RFGB in Brazil is as follows (Fig. 1 ; Additional file 1 : Table S1): Ornithodoros brasiliensis in Rio Grande do Sul State [ 99 – 103 , 110 ]; O. rudis in the states of Maranhão and Goiás [ 104 , 105 , 111 ]; O. mimon in the states of Minas Gerais, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, Goiás, Ceará and São Paulo [ 105 , 106 , 111 – 113 ]; O. hasei in the states of Ceará, Maranhão, Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Amapá [ 105 , 114 – 116 ]; O. rietcorreai in the states of Ceará, Maranhão, Piauí, Tocantins, Bahia and Paraíba [ 105 , 107 , 108 , 111 , 113 , 117 – 119 ]; and O. tabajara in Ceará State [ 105 , 120 ].…”

Section: Historical Overview Of Rfgb In Latin Americamentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical overview and update on relapsing fever group Borrelia in Latin America

et al. 2022

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Relapsing fever group Borrelia (RFGB) are motile spirochetes transmitted to mammalian or avian hosts through the bite of hematophagous arthropods, such as soft ticks (Argasidae), hard ticks (Ixodidae) and the human clothing lice. RFGB can infect pets such as dogs and cats, as well as birds, cattle and humans. Borrelia recurrentis, B. anserina and B. theileri are considered to have worldwide distribution, affecting humans, domestic birds and ruminants, respectively. Borrelia spp. associated with soft ticks are transmitted mainly by Ornithodoros ticks and thrive in endemic foci in tropical and subtropical latitudes. Nowadays, human cases of soft tick-borne relapsing fever remain neglected diseases in several countries, and the impact these spirochetes have on the health of wild and domestic animals is largely understudied. Human infection with RFGB is difficult to diagnose, given the lack of distinguishing clinical features (undifferentiated febrile illness). Clinically, soft tick or louse-borne relapsing fever is often confused with other etiologies, such as malaria, typhoid or dengue. In Latin America, during the first half of the twentieth century historical documents elaborated by enlightened physicians were seminal, and resulted in the identification of RFGB and their associated vectors in countries such as Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Argentina. Almost 80 years later, research on relapsing fever spirochetes is emerging once again in Latin America, with molecular characterizations and isolations of novel RFGB members in Panama, Bolivia, Brazil and Chile. In this review we summarize historical aspects of RFGB in Latin America and provide an update on the current scenario regarding these pathogens in the region. To accomplish this, we conducted an exhaustive search of all the published literature for the region, including old medical theses deposited in libraries of medical academies. RFGB were once common pathogens in Latin America, and although unnoticed for many years, they are currently the focus of interest among the scientific community. A One Health perspective should be adopted to tackle the diseases caused by RFGB, since these spirochetes have never disappeared and the maladies they cause may be confused with etiologies with similar symptoms that prevail in the region. Graphical Abstract

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“…The orders Rodentia, Pilosa and Didelphimorphia are hosts for highest diversity to Amblyomma species 17, 15 and eight, respectively. All these species are also recorded on a variety of wild mammals in Brazil [83][84][85][86][87], except for A. rotundatum and A. dissimile, which are more specific ticks of cold-blooded animals (Amphibians and Reptiles), although there are occasional reports on mammals in South America [20,83]. Amblyomma humerale, of which the adult stage is more specific to tortoises, immature stages have been found on a variety of small mammals, reptiles and birds [17,68,71,83].…”

Section: Hard Ticks Associated With Wild and Domestic Mammalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nowadays, we know that O. hasei is a wide spread species in Brazil and that three-roosting bats Artibeus planirostris and Noctilio spp. could act as main hosts [87,[130][131][132]. With the exception of recent collection of larvae on A. planirostris [87], knowledge on the distribution of O. hasei along the Brazilian Amazon is still poorly vague.…”

Section: Soft Ticks In the Brazilian Amazonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ticks from the Brazilian Amazon: Species, Distribution and Host-Relations

Luz¹,

Muñoz-Léal²,

Costa³

et al. 2021

Ecosystem and Biodiversity of Amazonia

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Ticks are important ectoparasites and can transmit a wide variety of pathogens to animals and humans worldwide. These ectoparasites are the most important vectors of diseases causing pathogens in domestic and wild animals, and the second for man. In Brazil, Spotted Fever is the only disease transmitted to humans by ticks, while for animals we can highlight babesiosis, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. Although ticks are found in all of Brazil’s biomes, little is known about its diversity and host-relations in the Amazon biome. The existing gaps and the lack of research indicate that the diversity of ticks and their possible pathogens are underestimated in the Brazilian Amazon. Therefore, in order to guide the next studies in the Amazon biome, we present in this chapter a compilation of the records of hard ticks and soft ticks parasitizing wild and domestic animals, and humans. We present the general list of ticks for this biome, their distribution, hosts and importance for public health and veterinary. Finally, the ixodofauna found in the Brazilian Amazon and presented here does not match the vertebrate diversity of this biome, which is one of the largest on the planet. Therefore, more acarologists and epidemiologists are needed in this region.

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Detection of “Candidatus Rickettsia wissemanii” in ticks parasitizing bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in the northern Brazilian Amazon

Cited by 19 publications

References 19 publications

Rickettsia spp. in bats of Romania: high prevalence of Rickettsia monacensis in two insectivorous bat species

Rickettsia spp. in bats of Romania: high prevalence of Rickettsia monacensis in two insectivorous bat species

Historical overview and update on relapsing fever group Borrelia in Latin America

Ticks from the Brazilian Amazon: Species, Distribution and Host-Relations

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