1. Seasonal dynamics of Amblyomma sculptum in two areas of the Cerrado biome midwestern Brazil, where human cases of rickettsiosis have been reported
- Author
-
Warley Vieira de Freitas Paula, Aparecida Lorrany Nunes Sampaio, Susy das Graças Alecrim Alves, Luiza Gabriella Ferreira de Paula, Anaiá da Paixão Sevá, Giovana Pereira Bezerra, Andreza Alves dos Santos, Lucianne Cardoso Neves, Caio Márcio de Oliveira Monteiro, Ana Laura Gonçalves Barreto, Viviane Zeringóta, Filipe Dantas-Torres, Lígia Miranda Ferreira Borges, Felipe da Silva Krawczak, Vanessa Carvalho Miranda, and Mirna Vieira Secchis
- Subjects
Nymph ,0106 biological sciences ,Ixodidae ,Biome ,Zoology ,Tick ,01 natural sciences ,030308 mycology & parasitology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Amblyomma ,medicine ,Animals ,Humans ,Rickettsia ,Ecosystem ,0303 health sciences ,Ecology ,biology ,Rickettsia Infections ,General Medicine ,biology.organism_classification ,Rickettsia rickettsii ,medicine.disease ,Spotted fever ,010602 entomology ,Rickettsiosis ,Animal ecology ,Insect Science ,Seasons ,Brazil - Abstract
Amblyomma sculptum is a common human-biting tick in Brazil, where it plays an important role as a vector of Rickettsia rickettsii, the agent of the Brazilian spotted fever. Herein, we studied the seasonal dynamics of A. sculptum in an urban area of the Cerrado biome in midwestern Brazil, where human rickettsiosis is endemic. Ticks were collected in two sites located within the campus of Federal University of Goiás. The collections were done by dragging, flagging and visual search. In total, 117,685 ticks were collected, including 100,627 Amblyomma spp. larvae, 10,055 nymphs and 6977 adults of A. sculptum, and one nymph and 25 adults of Amblyomma dubitatum. The highest peak of larvae occurred in June 2018 and in July 2019, whereas nymphs peaked in July 2018 and September 2019. Adults reached their highest numbers in March 2018 and November 2019. These data suggest that A. sculptum develops one generation per year in this urban area of the Cerrado biome in midwestern Brazil. Interestingly, the peak of nymphs occurred during the same period of all confirmed cases of rickettsiosis in Goiás, suggesting a possible relationship between the seasonal dynamics of this tick stage and rickettsiosis transmission in this state.
- Published
- 2021