Publications

seroprevalence of rickettsia spp. in equids and molecular detection of 'candidatus rickettsia amblyommii' in amblyomma cajennense sensu lato ticks from the pantanal region of mato grosso, brazil.	the aim of the study was to evaluate exposure of equids to rickettsial agents (rickettsia rickettsii, rickettsia parkeri, 'candidatus rickettsia amblyommii', rickettsia rhipicephali, and rickettsia bellii) and rickettsial infection in ticks of a pantanal region of brazil. sera of 547 equids (500 horses and 47 donkeys) were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence assay. in total, 665 adults and 106 nymphal pools of amblyomma cajennense f. sensu lato, 10 dermacentor nitens neumann ticks, and 88 l ...	2014	26309313
molecular detection of rickettsia bellii and rickettsia sp. strain colombianensi in ticks from cordoba, colombia.	the purpose of this study was to provide molecular evidence of rickettsia spp. in ticks collected from 2 sites of cordoba. from may to june 2009, 1069 amblyomma cajennense ticks were removed from 40 capybaras (hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in a rural locality of monteria. furthermore, 458 amblyomma sp. larvae and 20 amblyomma sp. nymphs were collected in a rural locality of los cordobas (cordoba) by drag sampling on vegetation (n=1547). ticks were grouped into pools and tested for rickettsial infec ...	2014	24378078
dynein function and protein clearance changes in tumor cells induced by a kunitz-type molecule, amblyomin-x.	amblyomin-x is a kunitz-type recombinant protein identified from the transcriptome of the salivary glands of the tick amblyomma cajennense and has anti-coagulant and antitumoral activity. the supposed primary target of this molecule is the proteasome system. herein, we elucidated intracellular events that are triggered by amblyomin-x treatment in an attempt to provide new insight into how this serine protease inhibitor, acting on the proteasome, could be comparable with known proteasome inhibito ...	2014	25479096
multiplex qpcr assay for identification and differentiation of amblyomma americanum, amblyomma cajennense, and amblyomma maculatum (ixodida: ixodidae) tick species in the eastern united states.	many ticks of the genus amblyomma are vectors of human pathogens, and the correct species identification is medically and epidemiologically important. morphological identification is time-consuming and requires a high level of expertise. identification of engorged, immature, or damaged ticks and the differentiation of closely related species remain problematic. here, we report the development of a real-time taqman assay for the genomic identification and differentiation of amblyomma americanum ( ...	2014	25118411
dynamics of cell and tissue genesis in the male reproductive system of ticks (acari: ixodidae) amblyomma cajennense [corrected] (fabricius, 1787) and amblyomma aureolatum (pallas, 1772): a comparative analysis.	ticks are classified into three families: argasidae, ixodidae, and nutalliellidae. the taxonomy and phylogeny within ixodidae are still discussed by the specialists, thus requiring further studies. amblyomma cajennese and amblyomma aureolatum (brazil) belong to two species complexes known as "cajennese" and "ovale", respectively, and are directly related to the transmission of the brazilian spotted fever. this confirms the medical and veterinary significance of these species, as well as the need ...	2014	24553976
rickettsial infections in ticks from wild birds in paraguay.	ticks were collected from wild birds at 3 locations in paraguay during the south american winter in august and september 2012. in total, 480 birds belonging to 106 species were examined. overall, 31 (6.5%) birds representing 21 species were found parasitized by ticks which were identified as amblyomma calcaratum neumann (2 larvae, 20 nymphs), amblyomma longirostre (koch) (17 larvae, 3 nymphs), amblyomma parvum aragão (7 nymphs), amblyomma aureolatum (pallas) (1 nymph), amblyomma ovale koch (1 ny ...	2014	24231270
free-living ixodid ticks in an urban atlantic forest fragment, state of rio de janeiro, brazil.	as a consequence of the importance of ticks in forests in protected areas, was conducted survey of species of free-living ticks in the natural park municipal curió, state of rio de janeiro, brazil. monthly samples were taken by dragging method, dry ice traps and visual search in two transects. adults and nymphs of amblyomma cajennense (n= 147), amblyomma brasiliense (n= 4) and amblyomma parvum (n= 1) were collected. this is the first occurrence of a. parvum in the state. no correlation was found ...	2014	25054511
acaricidal properties of vetiver essential oil from chrysopogon zizanioides (poaceae) against the tick species amblyomma cajennense and rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus (acari: ixodidae).	ticks are arthropods widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, which can transmit infectious agents also responsible for zoonoses. excessive use of conventional acaricides has resulted in the onset of drug resistance by these parasites, thus the need to use alternative methods for their control. this study evaluated the acaricidal activities of chrysopogon zizanioides (vetiver) essential oils containing different zizanoic and khuzimol (high and low acidity) acid concentrations on a ...	2015	26359641
rickettsial infections in ticks from reptiles, birds and humans in honduras.	ticks were collected from captive reptiles, wild birds, and incidentally from humans at two locations in honduras and part of these were tested for the presence of rickettsia using polymerase chain reaction. the following species of ticks were found: amblyomma dissimile on iguanidae reptiles, amblyomma longirostre and amblyomma nodosum on birds, and amblyomma mixtum (amblyomma cajennense complex) on humans. a. dissimile was infected with rickettsia sp. strain colombianensi. both a. longirostre a ...	2015	26159797
post-transcriptional control of amblyomin-x on secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor and expression of adhesion molecules in endothelial cells.	angiogenesis is a pivotal process of homeostasis and tissue repair, but it also favours neovascularisation syndromes and cancer nutrition. the chemical mediation of angiogenesis is complex, involving a balance between serine proteases and their inhibitors. we addressed the mechanisms of action of a kunitz serine protease inhibitor (kpi) on spontaneous angiogenesis, using amblyomin-x, a kpi designed from the cdna library of the amblyomma cajennense tick. amblyomin-x treatment (10-1000 ng/10 μl; e ...	2015	25912945
the mitochondrial genome of the lone star tick (amblyomma americanum).	amblyomma americanum is an abundant tick in the southeastern, midwestern, and northeastern united states. it is a vector of multiple diseases, but limited genomic resources are available for it. we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of a single female a. americanum collected in georgia using the illumina platform. the consensus sequence was 14,709 bp long, and the mean coverage across the assembly was >12,000×. all expected tick genomic features were present, including two "tick-box" mo ...	2015	26189992
ticks and rickettsial infection in the wildlife of two regions of the brazilian amazon.	during 2009-2012, wild animals and their ticks were sampled in two areas within the amazon biome of brazil, in the states of mato grosso and pará. animal tissues, blood, and ticks were molecularly tested for rickettsia and coxiella dna. a total of 182 wild animals were sampled, comprising 28 mammalian, five avian, and three reptilian species. animal tissues or blood were all negative for rickettsia or coxiella dna. a total of 454 ticks (22 larvae, 226 nymphs, 127 males, 79 females) were collecte ...	2015	25273064
seroprevalence of tick-borne pathogens and tick infestation in dogs from tapirapé and karajá indigenous communities, brazil.	with the aim of studying some tick-borne diseases, a total of 327 dogs (114 from tapirapé and 213 from karajá indigenous ethnicity, mato grosso, mt, brazil) were sampled. serum samples were submitted to the indirect fluorescence antibody test (ifat) to detect antibodies against babesia vogeli, ehrlichia canis, and rickettsia spp. possible associations of risk factors and the occurrence of seroreativity to tick-borne agents and tick infestations were analyzed through chi-squared tests. among 327 ...	2015	26186512
a serological and molecular survey of babesia vogeli, ehrlichia canis and rickettsia spp. among dogs in the state of maranhão, northeastern brazil.	this study evaluated exposure and infection by tick-borne agents (babesia vogeli, ehrlichia canis and rickettsia spp.) in 172 dogs in rural areas and 150 dogs in urban areas of the municipality of chapadinha, state of maranhão, northeastern brazil, using molecular and serological methods. overall, 16.1% of the sampled dogs (52/322) were seroreactive to b. vogeli, with endpoint titers ranging from 40 to 640. for e. canis, 14.6% of the dogs (47/322) were seroreactive, with endpoint titers from 80 ...	2015	25909250
the geographic distribution and ecological preferences of the american dog tick, dermacentor variabilis (say), in the u.s.a.	equine piroplasmosis (ep), caused by two parasitic organisms, theileria equi and babesia caballi, is a tick-borne disease of recent concern in horses in the u.s.a. outbreaks of ep have been detected in florida, missouri, kansas and texas. in 2009, ep transmission in texas occurred through the adults of two tick species, amblyomma mixtum [formerly known as amblyomma cajennense (fabricius, 1787)] koch (ixodida: ixodidae) and dermacentor variabilis (say) (ixodida: ixodidae), the american dog tick ( ...	2015	25684582
rickettsia infection in amblyomma tonelliae, a tick species from the amblyomma cajennense complex.	the present study was performed to evaluate the rickettsia infection in amblyomma tonelliae ticks from argentina. all ticks were subjected to dna extraction and tested by a battery of pcrs to amplify fragments of four rickettsial genes, 23s-5s, glta, ompa and htra. two ticks were positive. the rickettsia detected in one tick represents a new lineage which is named rickettsia sp. strain el tunal. this new strain belongs to the canadensis group because it is closely related to rickettsia monteiroi ...	2015	25544308
rickettsial infection in ticks from wild birds from cerrado and the pantanal region of mato grosso, midwestern brazil.	the involvement of different species of ticks and wild animals, such as birds, play an important role in the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases. birds may serve as reservoirs for some tick-borne diseases, and may carry and spread hematophagous ectoparasites mechanically. this study aimed to show the diversity of ticks on birds and molecular detection of rickettsial infection in ticks from pantanal and cerrado, two similar brazilian biomes characterized by hydrological seasons. during two years, ...	2015	26232933
rickettsial infection in animals, humans and ticks in paulicéia, brazil.	a previous study in paulicéia municipality, south-eastern brazil, reported 9.7% of the amblyomma triste ticks to be infected by rickettsia parkeri, a bacterial pathogen that causes spotted fever in humans. these a. triste ticks were shown to be associated with marsh areas, where the marsh deer blastocerus dichotomus is a primary host for this tick species. during 2008-2009, blood serum samples were collected from 140 horses, 41 dogs, 5 opossums (didelphis albiventris) and 26 humans in farms from ...	2015	25643912
molecular detection of theileria spp. in livestock on five caribbean islands.	theileria spp. are tick-transmitted, intracellular apicomplexan protozoan parasites infecting a wide range of animals. as there is very limited information on the prevalence of theileria spp. in the caribbean we used the recently described genus-specific pan-theileria fret-qpcr to identify infected animals in the region and a standard 18s rrna gene pcr and sequencing to determine the species involved. we found theileria spp. in 9% of the convenience samples of animals (n = 752) studied from five ...	2015	26783522
molecular methods routinely used to detect coxiella burnetii in ticks cross-react with coxiella-like bacteria.	q fever is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by coxiella burnetii. ticks may act as vectors, and many epidemiological studies aim to assess c. burnetii prevalence in ticks. because ticks may also be infected with coxiella-like bacteria, screening tools that differentiate between c. burnetii and coxiella-like bacteria are essential.	2015	26609691
comparative genome sequencing of rickettsia rickettsii strains that differ in virulence.	rickettsia rickettsii is an obligate intracellular pathogen that is the causative agent of rocky mountain spotted fever. strains of r. rickettsii differ dramatically in virulence. in a guinea pig model of infection, the severity of disease as assessed by fever response varies from the most virulent, sheila smith, to iowa, which causes no fever. to identify potential determinants of virulence in r. rickettsii, the genomes of two additional strains were sequenced for comparison to known sequences ...	2015	25644009
immunosuppressive effects of amblyomma cajennense tick saliva on murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells.	dendritic cells (dcs) are professional antigen-presenting cells with vital roles in the activation of host immunity. ticks are bloodsucking arthropods that secrete bioactive compounds with immunomodulatory properties via their saliva. it is known that some tick species modulate the biology of dcs with different intensities; however, studies on amblyomma cajennense, the cayenne tick, have not yet been performed, although this species is considered one of the most capable of modulating immune resp ...	2015	25586117
molecular characterization of anaplasma marginale in ticks naturally feeding on buffaloes.	anaplasma marginale is the most prevalent pathogen transmitted by ticks in cattle in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. however, the tick species involved in the transmission of a. marginale in buffaloes in brazil have not been identified. the objective of the present study was to determine the presence of a. marginale in ticks parasitizing water buffaloes. a total of 200 samples of rhipicephalus microplus, dermacentor nitens, amblyomma cajennense, and amblyomma maculatum were collec ...	2015	26209411
arachnids of medical importance in brazil: main active compounds present in scorpion and spider venoms and tick saliva.	arachnida is the largest class among the arthropods, constituting over 60,000 described species (spiders, mites, ticks, scorpions, palpigrades, pseudoscorpions, solpugids and harvestmen). many accidents are caused by arachnids, especially spiders and scorpions, while some diseases can be transmitted by mites and ticks. these animals are widely dispersed in urban centers due to the large availability of shelter and food, increasing the incidence of accidents. several protein and non-protein compo ...	2015	26273285
satellite hyperspectral imagery to support tick-borne infectious diseases surveillance.	this study proposed the use of satellite hyperspectral imagery to support tick-borne infectious diseases surveillance based on monitoring the variation in amplifier hosts food sources. to verify this strategy, we used the data of the human rickettsiosis occurrences in southeastern brazil, region in which the emergence of this disease is associated with the rising capybara population. spatio-temporal analysis based on monte carlo simulations was used to identify risk areas of human rickettsiosis ...	2015	26599337
native strains of beauveria bassiana for the control of rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato.	rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato ticks are widespread worldwide due to their adaptability to survive under different environmental conditions. they may act as vectors of a wide range of pathogens to humans and animals and their control is based on the use of chemical products on dogs and in the environment. alternative control strategies, such as the use of entomopathogenic fungi as bio-control agents have also been investigated. the ability of native strains of beauveria bassiana sensu lato ...	2015	25651851
histoarchitecture of the ovary of rhipicephalus (boophilus) annulatus during pre- and postengorgement period.	the present communication describes the detailed day wise study of histological changes of the ovary of rhipicephalus (boophilus) annulatus in the postengorgement period together with the systematic classification of their oocytes. the ovary of r. (b.) annulatus is panoistic type with an asynchronous development of oocytes. all the stages (ii, iii, iv, and v) of oocytes except stage i were similar to r. (b.) microplus. the stage i oocytes showed basophilia, which was not reported earlier in othe ...	2015	25664337
tick-induced allergies: mammalian meat allergy, tick anaphylaxis and their significance.	serious tick-induced allergies comprise mammalian meat allergy following tick bites and tick anaphylaxis. mammalian meat allergy is an emergent allergy, increasingly prevalent in tick-endemic areas of australia and the united states, occurring worldwide where ticks are endemic. sensitisation to galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-gal) has been shown to be the mechanism of allergic reaction in mammalian meat allergy following tick bite. whilst other carbohydrate allergens have been identified, this alle ...	2015	25653915
rickettsia amblyommii infecting amblyomma sculptum in endemic spotted fever area from southeastern brazil.	the rickettsia bacteria include the aetiological agents for the human spotted fever (sf) disease. in the present study, a sf group rickettsia amblyommii related bacterium was detected in a field collected amblyomma sculptum (amblyomma cajennense species complex) tick from a brazilian sf endemic site in southeastern brazil, in the municipality of juiz de fora, state of minas gerais. genetic analysis based on genes ompa,ompb and htra showed that the detected strain, named r. amblyommii str. jf, is ...	2015	26676317
challenges posed by tick-borne rickettsiae: eco-epidemiology and public health implications.	rickettsiae are obligately intracellular bacteria that are transmitted to vertebrates by a variety of arthropod vectors, primarily by fleas and ticks. once transmitted or experimentally inoculated into susceptible mammals, some rickettsiae may cause febrile illness of different morbidity and mortality, and which can manifest with different types of exhanthems in humans. however, most rickettsiae circulate in diverse sylvatic or peridomestic reservoirs without having obvious impacts on their vert ...	2015	25954738
comparative population genetics of two invading ticks: evidence of the ecological mechanisms underlying tick range expansions.	two species of ixodid tick, ixodes affinis neumann and amblyomma maculatum koch, are simultaneously expanding their ranges throughout the mid-atlantic region of the us. although we have some understanding of the ecology and life history of these species, the ecological mechanisms governing where and how new populations establish and persist are unclear. to assess population connectivity and ancestry, we sequenced a fragment of the 16s mitochondrial rrna gene from a representative sample of indiv ...	2015	26254575
modulation of host immunity by tick saliva.	next generation sequencing and proteomics have helped to comprehensively characterize gene expression in tick salivary glands at both the transcriptome and the proteome level. functional data are, however, lacking. given that tick salivary secretions are critical to the success of the tick transmission lifecycle and, as a consequence, for host colonization by the pathogens they spread, we thoroughly review here the literature on the known interactions between tick saliva (or tick salivary gland ...	2015	26189360
borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in humans in a rural area of paraná state, brazil.	this study describes the detection of borrelia garinii and borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) in brazilian individuals using pcr and dna sequencing. our results suggest that these species are emerging pathogens in this country, and additional studies are necessary to determine the epidemiological characteristics of this disease in brazil.	2015	26273276
conserved amblyomma americanum tick serpin19, an inhibitor of blood clotting factors xa and xia, trypsin and plasmin, has anti-haemostatic functions.	tick saliva serine protease inhibitors (serpins) facilitate tick blood meal feeding through inhibition of protease mediators of host defense pathways. we previously identified a highly conserved amblyomma americanum serpin 19 that is characterised by its reactive center loop being 100% conserved in ixodid ticks. in this study, biochemical characterisation reveals that the ubiquitously transcribed a. americanum serpin 19 is an anti-coagulant protein, inhibiting the activity of five of the eight s ...	2015	25957161
passive surveillance for ticks on horses in saskatchewan.	passive surveillance of ticks on horses in saskatchewan revealed that the horses were parasitized by 3 species, dermacentor albipictus, d. andersoni, and d. variabilis. the nymphs and adults of d. albipictus occurred on horses earlier in the year than did adults of the 2 other species.	2015	25969582
vector potential and population dynamics for amblyomma inornatum.	we studied the natural life cycle of amblyomma inornatum and its vector potential in south texas. this tick is distributed throughout south texas and most of central america. a. inornatum represented 1.91% of the ticks collected by carbon dioxide traps during a study of free-living ticks in the tamaulipan biotic province in south texas. the life cycle of a. inornatum in south texas showed a clear seasonal pattern consistent with one generation per year. nymphs emerged in the spring with a peak i ...	2015	25881916
tick-borne infections in human and animal population worldwide.	the abundance and activity of ectoparasites and its hosts are affected by various abiotic factors, such as climate and other organisms (predators, pathogens and competitors) presenting thus multiples forms of association (obligate to facultative, permanent to intermittent and superficial to subcutaneous) developed during long co-evolving processes. ticks are ectoparasites widespread globally and its eco epidemiology are closely related to the environmental conditions. they are obligatory hematop ...	2015	27047089
potentially novel ehrlichia species in horses, nicaragua.	ehrlichia sp. dna was amplified from 4 ehrlichia-seroreactive horses from mérida, nicaragua. sequencing of 16s rdna, sodb, and groel genes indicated that the bacterium is most likely a novel ehrlichia species. the tick vector and the potential for canine and human infection remain unknown.	2015	25625228
vaccination against bm86 homologues in rabbits does not impair ixodes ricinus feeding or oviposition.	human tick-borne diseases that are transmitted by ixodes ricinus, such as lyme borreliosis and tick borne encephalitis, are on the rise in europe. diminishing i. ricinus populations in nature can reduce tick exposure to humans, and one way to do so is by developing an anti-vector vaccine against tick antigens. currently, there is only one anti-vector vaccine available against ticks, which is a veterinary vaccine based on the tick antigen bm86 in the gut of rhipicephalus microplus. bm86 vaccine f ...	2015	25919587
bacteria associated with amblyomma cajennense tick eggs.	ticks represent a large group of pathogen vectors that blood feed on a diversity of hosts. in the americas, the ixodidae ticks amblyomma cajennense are responsible for severe impact on livestock and public health. in the present work, we present the isolation and molecular identification of a group of culturable bacteria associated with a. cajennense eggs from females sampled in distinct geographical sites in southeastern brazil. additional comparative analysis of the culturable bacteria from an ...	2015	26537602
the recent evolution of a maternally-inherited endosymbiont of ticks led to the emergence of the q fever pathogen, coxiella burnetii.	q fever is a highly infectious disease with a worldwide distribution. its causative agent, the intracellular bacterium coxiella burnetii, infects a variety of vertebrate species, including humans. its evolutionary origin remains almost entirely unknown and uncertainty persists regarding the identity and lifestyle of its ancestors. a few tick species were recently found to harbor maternally-inherited coxiella-like organisms engaged in symbiotic interactions, but their relationships to the q fever ...	2015	25978383
the case for a 'one health' approach to combating vector-borne diseases.		2015	26027713
epidemiological surveillance of capybaras and ticks on warning area for brazilian spotted fever.	the vulnerability of tropical developing countries to the emerging disease constitutes a critical phenomenon in which the invasion of wild niches by human hosts, contributes to expansion of zoonotic diseases, such as the brazilian spotted fever (bsf). this study performed a diagnosis of species occurrence of their hosts (hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) and vectors (amblyomma sculptum and amblyomma dubitatum) on the warning area for this reemerging disease in brazil.	2015	27047211
questing amblyomma mixtum and haemaphysalis juxtakochi (acari: ixodidae) infected with candidatus "rickettsia amblyommii" from the natural environment in panama canal basin, panama.	this work emphasizes the detection of candidatus "rickettsia amblyommii" in questing haemaphysalis juxtakochi and amblyomma mixtum. from february 2009 to december 2012, questing ticks were collected from the vegetation and leaf-litter of four protected forests and two grassy areas around the panama canal basin. dna was extracted from amblyomma mixtum, amblyomma naponense, amblyomma oblongoguttatum, amblyomma pecarium, amblyomma tapirellum, haemaphysalis juxtakochi, and unidentified immature ambl ...	2015	26865823
experimental infection of horses with rickettsia rickettsii.	rickettsia rickettsii is vectored by ticks, and some vertebrate hosts can be sources of infection to ticks during bacteremic periods. in brazil, the main vector for r. rickettsii is the tick amblyomma sculptum, a member of the a. cajennense complex. horses, in turn, are one of the major hosts for a. sculptum. in this study, horses experimentally infected with r. rickettsii were assessed for clinical changes and their capability to transmit the infection to a. sculptum ticks.	2016	27624315
brazilian spotted fever with an approach in veterinary medicine and one health perspective.	there is increasing interaction between man and pathogens transmitted by arthropods, especially by ticks. it is on this background that a holistic approach stands out, for the sake of public health. brazilian spotted fever is an endemic disease at the country's southeast, with amblyomma sculptum as its major contributor, followed by a. aureolatum and potentially rhipicephalus sanguineus. dogs have been considered sentinels, and in some areas the disease in dogs can precede human disease. conside ...	2016	26881183
host specificity in a diverse neotropical tick community: an assessment using quantitative network analysis and host phylogeny.	host specificity is a fundamental determinant of tick population and pathogen transmission dynamics, and therefore has important implications for human health. tick host specificity is expected to be particularly high in the tropics, where communities of ticks, hosts and pathogens are most diverse. yet the degree to which tropical tick species are host-specific remains poorly understood. combining new field data with published records, we assessed the specificity of tick-host associations in pan ...	2016	27357506
geographical distribution of amblyomma cajennense (sensu lato) ticks (parasitiformes: ixodidae) in brazil, with description of the nymph of a. cajennense (sensu stricto).	until recently, amblyomma cajennense (fabricius, 1787) was considered to represent a single tick species in the new world. recent studies have split this taxon into six species. while the a. cajennense species complex or a. cajennense (sensu lato) (s.l.) is currently represented by two species in brazil, a. cajennense (sensu stricto) (s.s.) and amblyomma sculptum berlese, 1888, their geographical distribution is poorly known.	2016	27036324
ticks and rickettsiae from wildlife in belize, central america.	the agents of spotted fevers in latin america are rickettsia rickettsii, r. parkeri, rickettsia sp. strain atlantic rainforest, and r. massiliae. in continental central america, r. rickettsii remains the only known pathogenic tick-borne rickettsia. in the present study, ticks were collected from wild mammals in natural areas of belize. besides providing new data of ticks from belize, we investigated rickettsial infection in some of these ticks. our results provide ticks harboring rickettsial age ...	2016	26831147
a new argasid tick species (acari: argasidae) associated with the rock cavy, kerodon rupestris wied-neuwied (rodentia: caviidae), in a semiarid region of brazil.	the rock cavy kerodon rupestris (wied-neuwied, 1820) is a rodent species endemic to northeastern brazil. earlier studies have associated the argasid tick ornithodoros talaje (guérin-méneville, 1849) with rocky cavy; however, a recent study proposed that o. talaje is not established in brazil, where previous reports of this species were possibly misidentifications of closely related species, yet to be properly determined. here, we describe a new species of ornithodoros koch, 1844 associated with ...	2016	27655282
coxiella detection in ticks from wildlife and livestock in malaysia.	recent studies have shown that ticks harbor coxiella-like bacteria, which are potentially tick-specific endosymbionts. we recently described the detection of coxiella-like bacteria and possibly coxiella burnetii in ticks found from rural areas in malaysia. in the present study, we collected ticks, including haemaphysalis bispinosa, haemaphysalis hystricis, dermacentor compactus, dermacentor steini, and amblyomma sp. from wildlife and domesticated goats from four different locations in malaysia. ...	2016	27763821
molecular ecological insights into neotropical bird-tick interactions.	in the tropics, ticks parasitize many classes of vertebrate hosts. however, because many tropical tick species are only identifiable in the adult stage, and these adults usually parasitize mammals, most attention on the ecology of tick-host interactions has focused on mammalian hosts. in contrast, immature neotropical ticks are often found on wild birds, yet difficulties in identifying immatures hinder studies of birds' role in tropical tick ecology and tick-borne disease transmission. in panama ...	2016	27203693
contributions to rickettsioses research in colombia (1917-1943), luis b. patiño camargo.	colombian physician luis benigno patiño camargo was one of the pioneers in the study of rickettsioses in south america, demonstrating for the first time in colombia the presence of rickettsia rickettsii as the etiological agent of a highly deadly exanthematic febrile syndrome in the 1930s. however, patiño-camargo performed other investigations from 1917-1943, which represent the first descriptions and scientific evidence of the presence of r. prowazekii and r. typhi in colombia. almost 60 years ...	2016	27074327
risk factors for bartonella species infection in blood donors from southeast brazil.	bacteria from the genus bartonella are emerging blood-borne bacteria, capable of causing long-lasting infection in marine and terrestrial mammals, including humans. bartonella are generally well adapted to their main host, causing persistent infection without clinical manifestation. however, these organisms may cause severe disease in natural or accidental hosts. in humans, bartonella species have been detected from sick patients presented with diverse disease manifestations, including cat scrat ...	2016	26999057
effect of the saliva from different triatomine species on the biology and immunity of tlr-4 ligand and trypanosoma cruzi-stimulated dendritic cells.	triatomines are blood-sucking vectors of trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of chagas disease. during feeding, triatomines surpass the skin host response through biomolecules present in their saliva. dendritic cells (dcs) play a crucial role in the induction of the protection to aggressive agents, including blood-sucking arthropods. here, we evaluated if salivary components of triatomines from different genera evade the host immunity by modulating the biology and the function of lps- or t. c ...	2016	27938380
the genome of the crustacean parhyale hawaiensis, a model for animal development, regeneration, immunity and lignocellulose digestion.	the amphipod crustacean parhyale hawaiensis is a blossoming model system for studies of developmental mechanisms and more recently regeneration. we have sequenced the genome allowing annotation of all key signaling pathways, transcription factors, and non-coding rnas that will enhance ongoing functional studies. parhyale is a member of the malacostraca clade, which includes crustacean food crop species. we analysed the immunity related genes of parhyale as an important comparative system for the ...	2016	27849518
a review of piroplasmid infections in wild carnivores worldwide: importance for domestic animal health and wildlife conservation.	piroplasmids are tick-borne protozoan parasites that infect blood cells (erythrocytes, lymphocytes or other leukocytes) or endothelial cells of numerous wild and domestic vertebrates worldwide. they cause severe disease in livestock, dogs, cats, wild mammals and, occasionally, in humans. piroplasmid infections are prevalent in wild carnivores worldwide although there is limited information about their clinical and epidemiological importance. there are currently nine recognized species of babesia ...	2016	27724937
acute oral mammalian toxicity and effect of solvents on efficacy of maerua edulis (gilg. & ben.) de wolf against rhipicephalus (boophilus) decoloratus koch, 1844 (acarina: ixodidae), tick larvae.	efficacy and toxicity of aqueous and organic solvents extracts of maerua edulis against ticks and mice, respectively, were determined. ground leaves were extracted separately using cold water, cold water plus surfactant (1% v/v liquid soap), hot water plus surfactant, hexane, or methanol to make 25% w/v stock solutions from which serial dilutions of 5, 10, 20, and 25% were made. for each concentration, 20 rhipicephalus decoloratus tick larvae were put in filter papers impregnated with extracts a ...	2016	27660762
an update on the epidemiological situation of spotted fever in brazil.	spotted fever is a tick-borne rickettsial disease. in brazil, its notification to the ministry of health is compulsory. since 2007, cases of spotted fever have been integrated to the notifiable diseases information system, and epidemiological analyzes are part of the routines on surveillance programs.	2016	27555867
saliva of rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus (acari: ixodidae) inhibits classical and alternative complement pathways.	rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus is the main ectoparasite affecting livestock worldwide. for a successful parasitism, ticks need to evade several immune responses of their hosts, including the activation of the complement system. in spite of the importance of r. microplus, previous work only identified one salivary molecule that blocks the complement system. the current study describes complement inhibitory activities induced by r. microplus salivary components and mechanisms elicited by puta ...	2016	27515662
rickettsia detected in the reptile tick bothriocroton hydrosauri from the lizard tiliqua rugosa in south australia.	rickettsiosis is a potentially fatal tick borne disease. it is caused by the obligate intracellular bacteria rickettsia, which is transferred to humans through salivary excretions of ticks during the biting process. globally, the incidence of tick-borne diseases is increasing; as such, there is a need for a greater understanding of tick-host interactions to create more informed risk management strategies. flinders island spotted fever rickettsioses has been identified throughout australia (tasma ...	2016	27338482
molecular identification of anaplasma marginale in two autochthonous south american wild species revealed an identical new genotype and its phylogenetic relationship with those of bovines.	anaplasma marginale is a well-known cattle pathogen of tropical and subtropical world regions. even though, this obligate intracellular bacterium has been reported in other host species different than bovine, it has never been documented in myrmecophaga tridactyla (giant anteater) or hippocamelus antisense (taruca), which are two native endangered species.	2016	27229471
amblyomin-x induces er stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and caspase activation in human melanoma and pancreatic tumor cell.	during the last two decades, new insights into proteasome function and its role in several human diseases made it a potential therapeutic target. in this context, amblyomin-x is a kunitz-type fxa inhibitor similar to endogenous tissue factor pathway inhibitor (tfpi) and is a novel proteasome inhibitor. herein, we have demonstrated amblyomin-x cytotoxicity to different tumor cells lines such as pancreatic (panc1, aspc1bxpc3) and melanoma (sk-mel-5 and sk-mel-28). of note, amblyomin-x was not cyto ...	2016	27015684
a survey of tick-borne pathogens in dogs and their ticks in the pantanal biome, brazil.	tick and blood samples collected from domestic dogs in the brazilian pantanal were tested by molecular methods for the presence of tick-borne protozoa and bacteria. among 320 sampled dogs, 3.13% were infected by babesia vogeli (piroplasmida: babesiidae), 8.75% by hepatozoon canis (eucoccidiorida: hepatozoidae), 7.19% by anaplasma platys (rickettsiales: anaplasmataceae), and 0.94% by an unclassified anaplasma sp. in three tick species collected from dogs, the following tick-borne agents were dete ...	2016	26467462
amblyomma mixtum koch, 1844 (acari: ixodidae): first record confirmation in colombia using morphological and molecular analyses.	up to some years ago, the taxon amblyomma cajennense represented a single tick species in the new world, from southern united states to northern argentina. recent studies, based on genetic, reproductive and morphological data reorganized this taxon into a complex of the following 6 valid species: a. cajennense sensu stricto, amblyomma mixtum, amblyomma sculptum, amblyomma interandinum, amblyomma tonelliae, and amblyomma patinoi. according to this classification, the a. cajennense complex is curr ...	2016	27062448
promising pharmacological profile of a kunitz-type inhibitor in murine renal cell carcinoma model.	renal cell carcinoma (rcc), also called kidney cancer or renal adenocarcinoma, is highly resistant to current treatments. it has been previously reported that a kunitz-type inhibitor domain-containing protein, isolated from the salivary glands of the amblyomma cajennense tick, triggers apoptosis in murine renal adenocarcinoma cells (renca) by inhibiting the proteasome and endoplasmic reticulum stress. of note, amblyomin-x is the corresponding recombinant protein identified in the cdna library fr ...	2016	27566592
amblyomin-x having a kunitz-type homologous domain, is a noncompetitive inhibitor of fxa and induces anticoagulation in vitro and in vivo.	cancer has long been associated with thrombosis and many of the standard chemotherapeutics used to treat cancer are pro-thrombotic. thus, the identification of novel selective anticancer drugs that also have antithrombotic properties is of enormous significance. amblyomin-x is an anticancer protein derived from the salivary glands of the amblyomma cajennense tick.	2016	27479486
tick repellents and acaricides of botanical origin: a green roadmap to control tick-borne diseases?	arthropods are dangerous vectors of agents of deadly diseases, which may hit as epidemics or pandemics in the increasing world population of humans and animals. among them, ticks transmit more pathogen species than any other group of blood-feeding arthropods worldwide. thus, the effective and eco-friendly control of tick vectors in a constantly changing environment is a crucial challenge. a number of novel routes have been attempted to prevent and control tick-borne diseases, including the devel ...	2016	27146901
analysis of amblyomma sculptum haplotypes in an area endemic for brazilian spotted fever.	amblyomma sculptum (ixodida: ixodidae) berlese, 1888, a member of the amblyomma cajennense complex, is the major vector of brazilian spotted fever (bsf) in southeastern brazil. in this study, the genetic diversity of a. sculptum populations in the state of rio de janeiro (rj), brazil, was investigated because genetic variability in tick populations may be related to vector competence. samples of a. sculptum from 19 municipalities in 7 regions of rj were subjected to dna extraction, amplification ...	2016	27120044
inhibition of the classical pathway of the complement system by saliva of amblyomma cajennense (acari: ixodidae).	inhibition of the complement system during and after haematophagy is of utmost importance for tick success in feeding and tick development. the role of such inhibition is to minimise damage to the intestinal epithelium as well as avoiding inflammation and opsonisation of salivary molecules at the bite site. despite its importance, the salivary anti-complement activity has been characterised only in species belonging to the ixodes ricinus complex which saliva is able to inhibit the alternative an ...	2016	26948715
amblyomma sculptum tick saliva: α-gal identification, antibody response and possible association with red meat allergy in brazil.	the anaphylaxis response is frequently associated with food allergies, representing a significant public health hazard. recently, exposure to tick bites and production of specific ige against α-galactosyl (α-gal)-containing epitopes has been correlated to red meat allergy. however, this association and the source of terminal, non-reducing α-gal-containing epitopes have not previously been established in brazil. here, we employed the α-1,3-galactosyltransferase knockout mouse (α1,3-galt-ko) model ...	2016	26812026
tick salivary gland as potential natural source for the discovery of promising antitumor drug candidates.	nowadays, the relationship between cancer blood coagulation is well established. regarding biodiversity and bioprospection, the tick biology has become quite attractive natural source for coagulation inhibitors, since its saliva has a very rich variety of bioactive molecules. for instance, a kunitz-type fxa inhibitor, named amblyomin-x, was found through transcriptome of the salivary gland of the amblyomma cajennense. tick. this tfpi-like inhibitor, after obtained as recombinant protein, has pre ...	2016	26796259
molecular evidence of different rickettsia species in villeta, colombia.	the aim of this work was to detect and identify rickettsia species in ticks collected in rural areas of villeta, colombia. tick specimens were collected from domestic animals and walls of houses in five rural villages of villeta town and from humans in naranjal village (same town). moreover, a flea collected from the same area was also processed. dna was extracted and tested by conventional, semi-nested, and nested pcr reactions targeting rickettsial genes. in the ticks collected from humans fro ...	2016	26789730
rickettsial infection in ticks (acari: ixodidae) of wild animals in midwestern brazil.	ticks collected in the last two decades from free-living and captive wild animals from 28 municipalities of the brazilian state of mato grosso were identified and tested using molecular methods for the presence of rickettsial agents. a total of 4467 ticks (229 larvae, 1676 nymphs, 1565 males, 997 females) representing 27 ixodid species were collected from 235 species of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals from three different ecoregions (pantanal, cerrado, and amazonia). the species amblyom ...	2016	26775021
specific role of cytoplasmic dynein in the mechanism of action of an antitumor molecule, amblyomin-x.	the kunitz-type recombinant protein, amblyomin-x, is an antitumor recombinant molecule from a cdna library prepared from the salivary glands of the tick amblyomma cajennense. the primary target of this protein appears to be the proteasome. amblyomin-x increased gene and protein expression of distinct subunits of the molecular motor dynein, which plays a key role in the intracellular transport. herein, amblyomin-x was specifically taken up by tumor cells through lipid-raft endocytic pathways, but ...	2016	26748183
urbanization of brazilian spotted fever in a municipality of the southeastern region: epidemiology and spatial distribution.	brazilian spotted fever is an emerging zoonosis notified mainly in the southeast of brazil, especially due to its high level of lethality.	2016	26083504
molecular detection and identification of rickettsia species in ticks (acari: ixodidae) collected from belize, central america.	little is known about tick-borne rickettsial pathogens in belize, central america. we tested ixodid ticks for the presence of rickettsia species in three of the six northern and western belizean districts. ticks were collected from domestic animals and tick drags over vegetation in 23 different villages in november 2014, february 2015, and may 2015. a total of 2,506 collected ticks were identified to the following species: dermacentor nitens neumann (46.69%), rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille) ...	2017	28981693
relative transcription of autophagy-related genes in amblyomma sculptum and rhipicephalus microplus ticks.	ticks endure stressful off-host periods and perform as vectors of a diversity of infectious agents, thus engaging pathways that expectedly demand for autophagy. little is known of ticks' autophagy, a conserved eukaryotic machinery assisting in homeostasis processes that also participates in tissue-dependent metabolic functions. here, the autophagy-related atg4 (autophagin-1), atg6 (beclin-1) and atg8 (lc3) mrnas from the human diseases vector amblyomma sculptum and the cattle-tick rhipicephalus ...	2017	29181673
sequencing and comparative analysis of the amblyomma sculptum mitogenome.	the mitogenome of amblyomma sculptum was sequenced, providing important information for understanding the evolutionary relationships among species of the a. cajennense complex. the mitochondrial genome has a circular structure with 37 genes, including 13 coding dna sequences, two ribosomal rna genes (12s rrna and 16s rrna) and 22 trna genes. comparative analysis with the mitogenomes of six reference species of the genus amblyomma revealed that the nd5 gene, which is related to energy metabolism, ...	2017	29080758
toxic action of acmella oleracea extract on the male reproductive system of amblyomma cajennense ticks.	the present study evaluated through morphohistological and histochemical techniques the effects of different concentrations of crude ethanolic extract of a. oleracea (eeao) (jambu) on the male reproductive system of amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto (s.s.) ticks. the toxicity of this natural chemical was stablished, signalizing the promising potential of the compound as a strategy to control ectoparasites in the near future. for the experiment, 100 males fed on host rabbits with homogeneous wei ...	2017	28917309
life cycle of amblyomma mixtum (acari: ixodidae) parasitizing different hosts under laboratory conditions.	amblyomma mixtum is a tick species in the amblyomma cajennense complex. the known geographic range of a. mixtum extends from texas in the usa to western ecuador and some islands in the caribbean. amblyomma mixtum is a vector of disease agents of veterinary and public health importance. the objective of this study was to describe the life cycle of a. mixtum under laboratory conditions. bovines, rabbits and sheep were infested with larvae, nymphs, and adult ticks under controlled conditions to ass ...	2017	28889342
amblyomma ticks and future climate: range contraction due to climate warming.	ticks of the amblyomma cajennense species complex are important vectors of spotted fever in latin america. environmental conditions determine the geographic distribution of ticks, such that climate change could influence the distribution of tick-borne diseases. this study aimed to analyze the potential geographic distribution of a. cajennense complex ticks in a brazil region under present-day and future climate models, assuming dispersal limitations and non-evolutionary adaptation of these tick ...	2017	28865899
ambush behavior of the tick amblyomma sculptum (amblyomma cajennense complex) (acari: ixodidae) in the brazilian pantanal.	we herein describe the ambush behavior of amblyomma sculptum (berlese 1888), a widespread and epidemiologically important tick in brazil. along two years of sampling by visual search in the brazilian pantanal, a. sculptum ticks were observed on the vegetation and in the leaf litter. most of the ticks were observed between 10 and 50cm above ground level and less than five percent of the total were positioned below 10cm, indicating that they are seeking for middle or large-sized hosts. in both sea ...	2017	28259592
potential action of extract of acmella oleracea (l.) r.k. jansen to control amblyomma cajennense (fabricius, 1787) (acari: ixodidae) ticks.	the use of synthetic acaricides is currently the main method to control ticks. however, the indiscriminate use of these chemicals can lead to the selection of resistant individuals and in the accumulation of chemical residues in the environment, contaminating the soil and water streams, consequently affecting the flora, fauna, and the human beings as well. in this sense, the objective of this study was to investigate the acaricidal effect of crude ethanolic extract of acmella oleracea (l.) r.k. ...	2017	27707616
amblyomma sculptum: genetic diversity and rickettsias in the brazilian cerrado biome.	amblyomma sculptum (ixodida: ixodidae) berlese, 1888 is the most important tick vector in brazil, transmitting the bioagent of the most severe form of spotted fever (sf) in part of the cerrado (in the states of minas gerais and são paulo). in another part of the cerrado (central-west region of brazil), a milder form of sf has been recorded. however, neither the rickettsia nor the vector involved have been characterized. the aim of the current study was to analyse genetic variation and the presen ...	2017	28752684
rickettsia amblyommatis infecting ticks and exposure of domestic dogs to rickettsia spp. in an amazon-cerrado transition region of northeastern brazil.	this study was performed in maranhão state, a transition area two brazilian biomes, amazon and cerrado. during 2011-2013, 1,560 domestic dogs were sampled for collection of serum blood samples and ticks in eight counties (3 within the amazon and 5 within the cerrado). a total of 959 ticks were collected on 150 dogs (9.6%). rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) was the most abundant tick (68% of all collected specimens), followed by amblyomma cajennense sensu lato (s.l.) (12.9%), amblyomma p ...	2017	28594882
efficacy of sarolaner (simparic™) against induced infestations of amblyomma cajennense on dogs.	amblyomma cajennense is the main vector of rickettsia rickettsii which causes brazilian spotted fever. this adult tick preferably infests horses and capybaras, but has low host specificity during its immature stages, thus posing a threat to humans and dogs. in this study, the efficacy of sarolaner (simparic™/simparica®, zoetis) when administered once orally to dogs at 2 mg/kg was evaluated against induced infestations of a. cajennense nymphs for up to 35 days after treatment.	2017	28814323
genetic characterization of cacipacoré virus from ticks collected in são paulo state, brazil.	cacipacoré virus (cpcv) is a potential emerging virus classified in the genus flavivirus, family flaviviridae. in the present study, we present the genetic characterization of a cpcv isolated from ticks (amblyomma cajennense) collected from a sick capybara (hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in são paulo state, brazil. the cpcv isolate shares the typical genomic organization of flaviviruses with 10,857 nucleotides in length and a single open reading frame of 10,284 nucleotides encoding a polyprotein of ...	2017	28220327
isolation of rickettsia amblyommatis in huvec line.	rickettsia amblyommatis, formerly named rickettsia amblyommii and 'candidatus rickettsia amblyommii' is an intracellular bacterium belonging to the spotted fever group rickettsia. it is highly prevalent in amblyomma americanum and in other amblyomma spp. throughout the western hemisphere. r. amblyommatis has been cultivated in chicken fibroblast, primary embryonated chicken eggs, vero cells and arthropod-derived cells. because of the affinity of rickettsiae to invade vascular endothelial cells, ...	2018	29321939