Detection of an Undescribed <i>Babesia</i> sp. in Capybaras and <i>Amblyomma</i> Ticks in Central-Western Brazil
Capybaras (<i>Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris</i>) are the largest rodents on Earth. While capybaras are hosts for various tick species, there is limited information regarding the tick-borne pathogens they can carry. We investigated the presence of piroplasmids and <i>Ehrlichia</i>...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-12-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/1/94 |
| _version_ | 1797626639290466304 |
|---|---|
| author | Lucianne Cardoso Neves Lucas Christian de Sousa-Paula Sarah Alves Dias Bianca Barbara Fonseca da Silva Warley Vieira de Freitas Paula Luiza Gabriella Ferreira de Paula Brenda Gomes Pereira Gracielle Teles Pádua Ana Carolina Borsanelli Ennya Rafaella Neves Cardoso Felipe da Silva Krawczak Filipe Dantas-Torres |
| author_facet | Lucianne Cardoso Neves Lucas Christian de Sousa-Paula Sarah Alves Dias Bianca Barbara Fonseca da Silva Warley Vieira de Freitas Paula Luiza Gabriella Ferreira de Paula Brenda Gomes Pereira Gracielle Teles Pádua Ana Carolina Borsanelli Ennya Rafaella Neves Cardoso Felipe da Silva Krawczak Filipe Dantas-Torres |
| author_sort | Lucianne Cardoso Neves |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Capybaras (<i>Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris</i>) are the largest rodents on Earth. While capybaras are hosts for various tick species, there is limited information regarding the tick-borne pathogens they can carry. We investigated the presence of piroplasmids and <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. in capybaras and their associated ticks in two peri-urban areas in Goiás state, central-western Brazil. Blood samples collected from 23 capybaras were used to investigate the presence of piroplasmids and <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. in stained-blood smears and by PCR. Ticks collected from the capybaras were identified morphologically and also tested using PCR for the same pathogens. A total of 955 ticks were collected, including 822 (86.1%) <i>Amblyomma sculptum</i>, 132 (13.8%) <i>Amblyomma dubitatum</i>, and one (0.1%) unidentified larva of <i>Amblyomma</i> sp. Neither the capybaras nor ticks were positive for <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. However, a stained-blood smear examination revealed the presence of ring-stage and pyriform-shaped merozoites in the erythrocytes of one (4.4%) capybara. In the same way, 47.8% (11/23) and 19.9% (36/181) of blood samples and ticks, respectively, were positive for piroplasmids in the PCR. We successfully sequenced a partial 18S rRNA gene fragment of four samples (two capybaras, one <i>A. sculptum</i>, and one <i>A. dubitatum</i>), and the phylogenetic reconstruction disclosed that the organism reported in the present study clusters within the genus <i>Babesia</i>. Further research is required for a formal delineation of this species (designated as <i>Babesia</i> sp. strain Capybara) and to investigate the hypothesis of <i>A. dubitatum</i> and <i>A. sculptum</i> ticks being vectors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:13:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a35bfe72b578402c8057f31ed6d3a765 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:13:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-a35bfe72b578402c8057f31ed6d3a7652023-11-16T14:18:59ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152022-12-011319410.3390/ani13010094Detection of an Undescribed <i>Babesia</i> sp. in Capybaras and <i>Amblyomma</i> Ticks in Central-Western BrazilLucianne Cardoso Neves0Lucas Christian de Sousa-Paula1Sarah Alves Dias2Bianca Barbara Fonseca da Silva3Warley Vieira de Freitas Paula4Luiza Gabriella Ferreira de Paula5Brenda Gomes Pereira6Gracielle Teles Pádua7Ana Carolina Borsanelli8Ennya Rafaella Neves Cardoso9Felipe da Silva Krawczak10Filipe Dantas-Torres11Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, BrazilLaboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife 50740-465, BrazilVeterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, BrazilVeterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, BrazilVeterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, BrazilVeterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, BrazilVeterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, BrazilVeterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, BrazilVeterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, BrazilVeterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, BrazilVeterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, BrazilLaboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife 50740-465, BrazilCapybaras (<i>Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris</i>) are the largest rodents on Earth. While capybaras are hosts for various tick species, there is limited information regarding the tick-borne pathogens they can carry. We investigated the presence of piroplasmids and <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. in capybaras and their associated ticks in two peri-urban areas in Goiás state, central-western Brazil. Blood samples collected from 23 capybaras were used to investigate the presence of piroplasmids and <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. in stained-blood smears and by PCR. Ticks collected from the capybaras were identified morphologically and also tested using PCR for the same pathogens. A total of 955 ticks were collected, including 822 (86.1%) <i>Amblyomma sculptum</i>, 132 (13.8%) <i>Amblyomma dubitatum</i>, and one (0.1%) unidentified larva of <i>Amblyomma</i> sp. Neither the capybaras nor ticks were positive for <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. However, a stained-blood smear examination revealed the presence of ring-stage and pyriform-shaped merozoites in the erythrocytes of one (4.4%) capybara. In the same way, 47.8% (11/23) and 19.9% (36/181) of blood samples and ticks, respectively, were positive for piroplasmids in the PCR. We successfully sequenced a partial 18S rRNA gene fragment of four samples (two capybaras, one <i>A. sculptum</i>, and one <i>A. dubitatum</i>), and the phylogenetic reconstruction disclosed that the organism reported in the present study clusters within the genus <i>Babesia</i>. Further research is required for a formal delineation of this species (designated as <i>Babesia</i> sp. strain Capybara) and to investigate the hypothesis of <i>A. dubitatum</i> and <i>A. sculptum</i> ticks being vectors.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/1/94<i>Babesia</i> sp.<i>Amblyomma sculptum</i><i>Amblyomma dubitatum</i>rodents |
| spellingShingle | Lucianne Cardoso Neves Lucas Christian de Sousa-Paula Sarah Alves Dias Bianca Barbara Fonseca da Silva Warley Vieira de Freitas Paula Luiza Gabriella Ferreira de Paula Brenda Gomes Pereira Gracielle Teles Pádua Ana Carolina Borsanelli Ennya Rafaella Neves Cardoso Felipe da Silva Krawczak Filipe Dantas-Torres Detection of an Undescribed <i>Babesia</i> sp. in Capybaras and <i>Amblyomma</i> Ticks in Central-Western Brazil Animals <i>Babesia</i> sp. <i>Amblyomma sculptum</i> <i>Amblyomma dubitatum</i> rodents |
| title | Detection of an Undescribed <i>Babesia</i> sp. in Capybaras and <i>Amblyomma</i> Ticks in Central-Western Brazil |
| title_full | Detection of an Undescribed <i>Babesia</i> sp. in Capybaras and <i>Amblyomma</i> Ticks in Central-Western Brazil |
| title_fullStr | Detection of an Undescribed <i>Babesia</i> sp. in Capybaras and <i>Amblyomma</i> Ticks in Central-Western Brazil |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detection of an Undescribed <i>Babesia</i> sp. in Capybaras and <i>Amblyomma</i> Ticks in Central-Western Brazil |
| title_short | Detection of an Undescribed <i>Babesia</i> sp. in Capybaras and <i>Amblyomma</i> Ticks in Central-Western Brazil |
| title_sort | detection of an undescribed i babesia i sp in capybaras and i amblyomma i ticks in central western brazil |
| topic | <i>Babesia</i> sp. <i>Amblyomma sculptum</i> <i>Amblyomma dubitatum</i> rodents |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/1/94 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT luciannecardosoneves detectionofanundescribedibabesiaispincapybarasandiamblyommaiticksincentralwesternbrazil AT lucaschristiandesousapaula detectionofanundescribedibabesiaispincapybarasandiamblyommaiticksincentralwesternbrazil AT sarahalvesdias detectionofanundescribedibabesiaispincapybarasandiamblyommaiticksincentralwesternbrazil AT biancabarbarafonsecadasilva detectionofanundescribedibabesiaispincapybarasandiamblyommaiticksincentralwesternbrazil AT warleyvieiradefreitaspaula detectionofanundescribedibabesiaispincapybarasandiamblyommaiticksincentralwesternbrazil AT luizagabriellaferreiradepaula detectionofanundescribedibabesiaispincapybarasandiamblyommaiticksincentralwesternbrazil AT brendagomespereira detectionofanundescribedibabesiaispincapybarasandiamblyommaiticksincentralwesternbrazil AT gracielletelespadua detectionofanundescribedibabesiaispincapybarasandiamblyommaiticksincentralwesternbrazil AT anacarolinaborsanelli detectionofanundescribedibabesiaispincapybarasandiamblyommaiticksincentralwesternbrazil AT ennyarafaellanevescardoso detectionofanundescribedibabesiaispincapybarasandiamblyommaiticksincentralwesternbrazil AT felipedasilvakrawczak detectionofanundescribedibabesiaispincapybarasandiamblyommaiticksincentralwesternbrazil AT filipedantastorres detectionofanundescribedibabesiaispincapybarasandiamblyommaiticksincentralwesternbrazil |