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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Med Entomol / Detection and identification of rickettsial agents in ticks ...
Journal of medical entomology2009; 46(4); 856-861; doi: 10.1603/033.046.0417

Detection and identification of rickettsial agents in ticks from domestic mammals in eastern Panama.

Abstract: Several outbreaks of Rocky Mountain spotted fever have occurred in recent years in Colombian communities close to the border with Panama. However, little is known about rickettsiae and rickettsial diseases in eastern Panamanian provinces, the Darien Province and the Kuna Yala, located north of the endemic area in Colombia. In 2007, 289 ticks were collected in several towns from dogs, horses, mules, cows, and pigs. DNA was extracted from 124 Dermacentor nitens, 64 Rhipicephalus sanguineus, 43 Amblyomma ovale, 35 A. cajennense, 10 Boophilus microplus, 4 A. oblongoguttatum, and 9 A. cajennense nymphs. SYBR-Green polymerase chain reaction assays targeting a fragment of the OmpA and 16S rRNA genes were used for detection of DNA of the spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) and Anaplasmataceae (Anaplasma and Ehrlichia), respectively. In total, 37.4% ticks were positive for SFGR, including 20.3% R. sanguineus, 27.9% A. ovale, 25.8% D. nitens, 50% B. microplus, 50% A. oblongoguttatum, and 100% A. cajennense. The presence of Rickettsia amblyommii DNA was confirmed by sequencing in A. cajennense, A. oblongoguttatum, A. ovale, B. microplus, and R. sanguineus. DNA of R. rickettsii was only detected in one D. nitens collected from a horse in Santa Fe, Darien Province. Prevalence of Anaplasmataceae varied from 6.3% in R. sanguineus to 26.5% in A. cajennense. DNA of Ehrlichia chaffensis was found in three D. nitens and three A. cajennense from horses. This is the first study providing molecular characterization and prevalence information on SFGR in ticks from these areas and thus will be helpful for future evaluations of the risk of rickettsial diseases for individuals living in this region.
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Publication Date: 2009-08-04 PubMed ID: 19645289DOI: 10.1603/033.046.0417Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
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  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

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The research paper presents the detection and identification of bacteria known as rickettsial agents in ticks from domestic animals in eastern Panama. This study is conducted in response to the outbreaks of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in nearby Colombian communities and attempts to collect and analyze data about rickettsial diseases in the under-studied areas of the Darien Province and the Kuna Yala in Eastern Panama.

Methodology

  • The researchers collected 289 ticks from various domestic animals including dogs, horses, mules, cows, and pigs in 2007.
  • The DNA was extracted from the collected ticks which belonged to multiple species.
  • The presence of spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) and Anaplasmataceae (Anaplasma and Ehrlichia) was detected using SYBR-Green polymerase chain reaction assays.
  • The targeted fragment of the OmpA and 16S rRNA genes were analyzed to further confirm the presence of these rickettsial agents.

Findings

  • 37.4% of the ticks tested positive for SFGR. The prevalence varied among different species of ticks.
  • The presence of Rickettsia amblyommii DNA was confirmed in five different species of ticks.
  • Only one tick (Dermacentor nitens) collected from a horse in Santa Fe, Darien Province was found to contain R. rickettsii DNA.
  • The prevalence of Anaplasmataceae varied from species to species, from 6.3% in R. sanguineus to 26.5% in A. cajennense.
  • Six ticks – three D. nitens and three A. cajennense – collected from horses had DNA of Ehrlichia chaffensis.

Significance

This research paper provides the first molecular characterization of SFGR in ticks from the Darien Province and the Kuna Yala, thus providing valuable data about the risk of rickettsial diseases in these regions. It helps understand the prevalence and distribution of rickettsial agents in ticks, which can be crucial for future evaluations related to the risk of rickettsial diseases for individuals living in this region.

Cite This Article

APA
Bermúdez SE, Eremeeva ME, Karpathy SE, Samudio F, Zambrano ML, Zaldivar Y, Motta JA, Dasch GA. (2009). Detection and identification of rickettsial agents in ticks from domestic mammals in eastern Panama. J Med Entomol, 46(4), 856-861. https://doi.org/10.1603/033.046.0417

Publication

Journal of medical entomology
ISSN: 0022-2585
NlmUniqueID: 0375400
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 46
Issue: 4
Pages: 856-861

Researcher Affiliations

Bermúdez, Sergio E
  • Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama City, Panama 0816-02593. sbermudez@gorgas.gob.pa
Eremeeva, Marina E
    Karpathy, Sandor E
      Samudio, Franklin
        Zambrano, Maria L
          Zaldivar, Yamitzel
            Motta, Jorge A
              Dasch, Gregory A

                MeSH Terms

                • Anaplasmataceae / isolation & purification
                • Animals
                • Animals, Domestic / parasitology
                • Cattle / parasitology
                • Dogs / parasitology
                • Equidae / parasitology
                • Horses / parasitology
                • Humans
                • Nymph / microbiology
                • Panama
                • Rickettsia rickettsii / isolation & purification
                • Rickettsieae / isolation & purification
                • Risk Assessment
                • Swine / parasitology
                • Ticks / growth & development
                • Ticks / microbiology

                Citations

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