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Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are highly prevalent communicable diseases in tropical and subtropical countries, generally not economically attractive for drug development and related to poverty. In Brazil, more specifically, socioeconomic inequalities and health indicators are strongly influenced by skin color, race, and ethnicity, due to the historical process of slavery. In this context, it is important to understand the concept of systemic racism: a form of indirect racial discrimination present in many institutions, which determines the process of illness and death of the black population, the ethnic group most affected by these diseases. The main objective of this paper was to carry out a literature review on the socioeconomic aspects of these diseases, relating them to institutional racism, and to encourage reflection on the influence of this type of racism in the NTDs context. Therefore, we present a paper that brings a evident correlation between racism versus neglected populations, which are affected by equally neglected diseases. A more humane and comprehensive view is needed to realize that these illnesses affect neglected and vulnerable populations, who require decent living conditions, health, and social justice. We hope to provide, with this paper, enough, but not exhaust, knowledge to initiate the discussion about neglected diseases, their socioeconomic aspects and institutional racism.

Ornithodoros mimon is an argasid tick primarily associated with bats that also infest other animals including birds, opossums and humans. In this paper, we report the finding of an argasid species resembling O. mimon, which similarly may be found in human dwellings and parasitize humans in Brazil. We also provide molecular evidence that this argasid tick species may carry a rickettsial organism, whose pathogenicity remains unknown. A total of 16 ticks (two females, two males and 12 nymphs) were collected in the bedroom and in the attic of a human house, where cases of "insect" bites have been recurrent. These ticks were identified morphologically and genetically as Ornithodoros cf. mimon. Upon PCR testing, four of these ticks (one female and three nymphs) were positive for human blood and for a bacterium closely related to "Candidatus Rickettsia paranaensis". In conclusion, we report for the first time in Brazil an argasid tick species morphologically and genetically related to O. mimon, which feeds on humans and carry a rickettsial organism belonging to the spotted fever group. Further studies are needed to formally assess the taxonomic status of this tick species and also to investigate the pathogenicity of its associated rickettsial organism.