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Veterinary world2023; 16(11); 2200-2204; doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.2200-2204

First report of Amblyomma sculptum (Amblyomma cajennense complex) in a Brazilian state classified as a silent area for human rickettsiosis.

Abstract: Studies on ticks of public health concern in equine husbandry are scarce in the Northeastern region of Brazil. This study aimed to investigate the presence of ticks on horses in the State of Alagoas, which is classified as a silent area for human rickettsiosis. Unassigned: Ticks infesting horses were collected using anatomical tweezers or a commercial hook and kept in ethanol-labeled tubes for taxonomic identification. Unassigned: A total of 2,238 ticks were found. Ticks were identified as 2,215 (98.89%, 95% CI: 98.41-99.28) , 19 (0.98%, 95% CI: 0.05-1.38) , and 4 (0.18%; 95% CI: 0.007-0.46) . Unassigned: This is the first study to report and in the State of Alagoas. The presence of should draw the attention of public health managers once Alagoas State is considered a silent area for rickettsial diseases, which means the absence of local surveillance programs for these pathogens.
Copyright: © Gama, et al.
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Publication Date: 2023-11-01 PubMed ID: 38152277PubMed Central: PMC10750745DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.2200-2204Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Amblyomma sculptum ticks, part of the Amblyomma cajennense complex, have been identified for the first time in the Brazilian State of Alagoas, an area previously considered silent for human rickettsiosis. The study highlights the presence of these ticks on horses, suggesting a potential risk for the emergence of tick-borne rickettsial diseases in the region.

Background and Objective

  • Equine husbandry in Northeastern Brazil has limited studies on ticks that pose public health risks.
  • The State of Alagoas is classified as a “silent area” for human rickettsiosis, meaning no local cases or surveillance programs.
  • The study aimed to investigate the presence and species of ticks infesting horses in Alagoas.

Methods

  • Ticks were collected directly from horses using anatomical tweezers or a commercial hook.
  • Collected ticks were preserved in ethanol and labeled for taxonomic identification.
  • Identification involved classifying ticks to the species level, focusing on species known to transmit rickettsial pathogens.

Results

  • A total of 2,238 ticks were collected from horses.
  • Tick species distribution was as follows:
    • 2,215 ticks (98.89%) belonged to one species (the abstract does not specify explicitly, but presumably the most common species found).
    • 19 ticks (0.98%) were identified as Amblyomma sculptum, a species within the Amblyomma cajennense complex.
    • 4 ticks (0.18%) belonged to another species, not specified in the abstract.
  • Notably, this is the first documented report of Amblyomma sculptum and another tick species (not named in the abstract) in Alagoas.

Significance and Implications

  • The identification of Amblyomma sculptum in Alagoas is significant because this tick species is a known vector for Rickettsia bacteria, responsible for human rickettsiosis.
  • Alagoas being a “silent area” suggests that no previous local surveillance or cases of rickettsial diseases had been reported.
  • The presence of Amblyomma sculptum calls for increased public health attention and surveillance to monitor potential emergence or undetected circulation of rickettsial pathogens in horses and possibly humans.
  • The study suggests that authorities should consider implementing tick and rickettsiosis monitoring programs in the region to prevent outbreaks.

Conclusion

  • This research provides new entomological evidence expanding the geographical distribution of medically important tick species in Northeastern Brazil.
  • The findings warrant heightened public health awareness and preventive strategies addressing tick-borne diseases in Alagoas.
  • Further studies could investigate the prevalence of rickettsial pathogens within these ticks and assess risks to human populations.

Cite This Article

APA
da Gama BC, Martins TF, Labruna MB, Vieira RFDC, de Almeida JC. (2023). First report of Amblyomma sculptum (Amblyomma cajennense complex) in a Brazilian state classified as a silent area for human rickettsiosis. Vet World, 16(11), 2200-2204. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2023.2200-2204

Publication

Veterinary world
ISSN: 0972-8988
NlmUniqueID: 101504872
Country: India
Language: English
Volume: 16
Issue: 11
Pages: 2200-2204

Researcher Affiliations

da Gama, Bruna Costa
  • Centro de Engenharia e Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Viçosa, Alagoas, Brazil.
Martins, Thiago Fernandes
  • Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
  • Instituto Pasteur, Área Técnica de Doenças Vinculadas a Vetores e Hospedeiros Intermediários, Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Labruna, Marcelo Bahia
  • Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Vieira, Rafael Felipe da Costa
  • Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
  • Center for Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
de Almeida, Jonatas Campos
  • Centro de Engenharia e Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Viçosa, Alagoas, Brazil.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Farias Júnior EC, Lopes ACPA, Oliveira GMB, Vieira RFDC, Labruna MB, Almeida JC. First report of the soft tick Ornithodoros mimon (Ixodida: Argasidae) in Alagoas State, Northeastern Brazil. Rev Bras Parasitol Vet 2024;33(4):e013424.
    doi: 10.1590/S1984-29612024056pubmed: 39292105google scholar: lookup
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