Molecular survey of potentially pathogenic microorganisms in ticks collected from coatis (Nasua nasua) in Iguaçu National Park, Atlantic Forest biome, southern Brazil

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) Vol. 122; no. 10; pp. 2367 - 2377
• Main Authors: Araújo, Izabela Mesquita, de Azevedo Baêta, Bruna, Magalhães-Matos, Paulo César, Guterres, Alexandro, da Silva, Cláudia Bezerra, da Fonseca, Adivaldo Henrique, Cordeiro, Matheus Dias
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-10-2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Amblyomma; Anaplasma; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Biomes; Borrelia; Deforestation; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Ehrlichia; Immunology; Medical Microbiology; Microbiology; Microorganisms; National parks; National parks and reserves; Polymerase chain reaction; RNA; rRNA 16S; rRNA 18S; rRNA 23S; Vectors; Brazil; Canada; Atlantic Forest; Tick-borne pathogens; Procyonidae; Piroplasmida
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07937-w

Human contact with wild animals in synanthropic habits is often mediated by arthropod vectors such as ticks. This is an important method of spreading infectious agents that pose a risk to human health. Thus, this study aimed to molecularly detect
Ehrlichia
spp.,
Anaplasma
spp.,
Borrelia
spp., and protozoa of the order Piroplasmida in ticks collected from coatis of Iguaçu National Park (PNI), Paraná, Brazil. This study involved 553 ticks DNA, including
Amblyomma
spp. larvae,
Haemaphysalis juxtakochi
nymphs,
Amblyomma brasiliense
,
Amblyomma coelebs
, and adults of
Amblyomma ovale
. The DNA extracted from each sample was subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the genes 23S rRNA for the Anaplasmataceae family, 16S rRNA for
Anaplasma
spp.,
dsb
for
Ehrlichia
spp.,
flaB
, 16S rRNA,
hpt
, and
glpQ
for
Borrelia
spp., and 18S rRNA for Piroplasmid protozoans. DNA from
Anaplasma
sp. was detected in ticks of the species
A. coelebs
(4/553);
Borrelia
sp. DNA was detected in
A. coelebs
(3/553),
A. ovale
(1/553), and
Amblyomma
larvae (1/553); and
Theileria
sp. was detected in
A. coelebs
(2/553). All tested samples were negative for
Ehrlichia
spp. Our study constitutes the newest report in South America of these microorganisms, which remain poorly studied.