Rediscovering an old friend: the case of Ixodes dampfi in a protected natural reserve in central Mexico

Sánchez‐Montes, Sokani; Santoyo-Colín, Verónica; Zapata-Marín, Alejandro; López‐Pérez, Andrés M.; Gil-Alarcón, Guillermo; Arenas, Pablo; Zazueta-Islas, Héctor M.; Solís-Cortés, Marlene; Salceda-Sánchez, Beatriz; Colunga‐Salas, Pablo; Becker, Ingeborg; Gual-Sill, Fernando

doi:10.1007/s00436-021-07318-1

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…( Alectorobius ) cf. talaje and the present confirmatory record of O. puertoricensis (Guzmán‐Cornejo et al, 2011; Guzmán‐Cornejo et al, 2022; Guzmán‐Cornejo & Robbins, 2010; Sánchez‐Montes, Santoyo‐Colín, et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

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Confirmation of the presence of Rickettsia felis infecting Ornithodoros puertoricensis in Mexico

Ballados‐González

Bravo‐Ramos

Grostieta

et al. 2022

Medical Vet Entomology

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Soft ticks are neglected competent vectors of a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms, among which bacteria of the genera Rickettsia and Borrelia stand out. In Mexico, previous studies have shown the presence of a member of the Ornithodoros talaje complex in the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae Kerr) from southeastern Mexico. However, its specific identification has not been achieved. Two D. virginiana were treated in a private clinic during the period of April–May 2022. Tick larvae were manually removed, DNA extraction was performed, and some genes from various bacterial and parasitic pathogens were amplified and sequenced. A total of 96 larvae were recovered, which were morphologically identified as Ornithodoros puertoricensis (Ixodida: Argasidae Fox); the 16 S sequences showed a similarity of 96.79%–99.51% with sequences of O. puertoricensis from Panama and Colombia. The presence of Rickettsia felis (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae Bouyer et al.) was detected in 15 specimens from one host. The soft tick O. puertoricensis is recorded for the first time as an ectoparasite of the Virginia opossum in America and represents the second report for this soft tick in Mexico since 1963. This represents the most northern record of this tick species in its geographic distribution and brings a new soft tick‐Rickettsia association.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…This may be an important factor that brings them into contact with these ectoparasites. Guzmán-Cornejo et al, 2022;Guzmán-Cornejo & Robbins, 2010;Sánchez-Montes, Santoyo-Colín, et al, 2021).…”

Section: O Puertoricensis (At This Moment)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Confirmation of the presence of Rickettsia felis infecting Ornithodoros puertoricensis in Mexico

Ballados‐González

Bravo‐Ramos

Grostieta

et al. 2022

Medical Vet Entomology

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Effect of urbanization on the opossum Didelphis virginiana health and implications for zoonotic diseases

Glebskiy

Acosta-Gutiérrez²,

Cano‐Santana

2022

Journal of Urban Ecology

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Urban animals can be an important threat to human health as possible hosts of zoonotic diseases and their susceptibility to these diseases can depend on their overall health conditions. Thus, it is important to understand the factors that determine their health conditions. For this, we studied Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) in six locations with different urbanization levels and types in Mexico City, Mexico. We trapped opossums and measured eight health-related characteristics (number of ectoparasites and tartar severity, among others) and estimated the percentage of area covered by the four main types of terrain (natural vegetation, managed vegetation, impermeable terrain and constructions). Data were analyzed by a canonical correspondence analysis. We found that impermeable terrain was related to negative health characteristics, while the constructions were opposite to impermeable terrain and mostly related to good health characteristics. At the same, time constructed areas held a smaller population than the natural areas. This suggests that constructed areas provide few shelters, but opossums are healthier there, while impermeable areas provide more shelter but cause more health problems to the animals, thus increasing the chances of zoonotic diseases. We recommend reducing the impermeable areas in city planning to contribute to a better health of the urban animals and therefore reduce risks of zoonotic diseases with potentially disastrous results.

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Opossums cleaning our cities: consumption of rodent carcasses in an urban reserve

Glebskiy,

Cano-Santana

2023

Mammalia

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Rodent carcasses are a source of food and a biological hazard that can commonly be found in natural and anthropic ecosystems. Therefore, this article aims to determine which organisms consume those carcasses in an urban reserve. For this, 53 rodent carcasses were placed in front of camera traps to record their consumers. The final destiny of 41 carcasses is known: 76 % were consumed by opossums (Didelphis virginiana) and 24 % by ringtails (Bassariscus astutus). Flies and ants attempted to take advantage of the carcasses but in all cases ended up losing the competition to mammals. Opossums are the most efficient carrion consumers, as they exhibit learning as to where the carcasses are located and are able to consume old carcasses (up to 10 days old). This suggests that mid-size mammals, especially opossums, are providing an important ecological and health service for both natural ecosystems and human populations by removing rodent carcasses that otherwise could become sources of infection.

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Rediscovering an old friend: the case of Ixodes dampfi in a protected natural reserve in central Mexico

Cited by 3 publications

References 21 publications

Confirmation of the presence of Rickettsia felis infecting Ornithodoros puertoricensis in Mexico

Confirmation of the presence of Rickettsia felis infecting Ornithodoros puertoricensis in Mexico

Effect of urbanization on the opossum Didelphis virginiana health and implications for zoonotic diseases

Opossums cleaning our cities: consumption of rodent carcasses in an urban reserve

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