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Micoplasmas hemotrópicos (hemoplasmas) são bactérias gram-negativas e pleomórficas que se aderem a superfície dos eritrócitos de mamíferos, incluindo seres humanos. Em gambás, duas espécies de hemoplasmas já foram descritas ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemodidelphidis’ em gambás (Didelphis virginiana) da Vírginia (EUA) e ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemoalbiventris’ em gambás-de-orelha-branca (Didelphis albiventris) do Sul e Centro-Oeste do Brasil. Apesar de os hemoplasmas terem o potencial de causar anemia hemolítica nos animais infectados, ainda não está estabelecido o potencial clínico da infecção em gambás do Brasil. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os gambás (Didelphis spp.) do município de Curitiba (Paraná) para hemoplasmas. Para isso, foi realizada a captura de marsupiais de acordo com protocolos de contenção e anestesia específicos, coleta e identificação de carrapatos e coleta de sangue de sete gambás-de-orelha-branca. DNA foi extraído das amostras de sangue e posteriormente triado, utilizando um protocolo de PCR para o gene 16S rRNA de hemoplasmas. Três dos sete (42,85%) gambás estavam infestados por carrapatos adultos das espécies Ixodes loricatus (2 F) e Amblyomma dubitatum (1 F). Todas as amostras foram positivas para o gene endógeno de mamíferos gapdh e negativas para hemoplasma. O estudo envolverá ainda a triagem dos animais e carrapatos por PCR em tempo real.

The Ixodidae family comprises ticks that are hematophagous ectoparasites and are considered vectors of several hemoparasites from the Anaplasmataceae family and the genus Hepatozoon, Babesia, and Rickettsia. These ectoparasites parasitize domestic and wild animals belonging to several vertebrate groups. Ticks are highly adapted to different biomes and thus possess a wide geographical distribution. In the Brazilian state of Bahia, localized in the Northeast region, there are large rainforest fragments. Studies have rarely been carried out on ticks, and their hemoparasites, that parasitize wild animals in this region. Thus, this study aimed to identify the tick species parasitizing wild animals rescued in rainforest fragments of Bahia and investigate the presence of hemoparasites in tick tissues. During a 2-year period, 238 ticks were collected from 41 wild mammalians, reptiles, and amphibians. These ectoparasites were taxonomically classified according to their morphological characteristics. The ticks identified belonged to five different species from the Ixodidae family: Amblyomma varium, Amblyomma rotundatum, Amblyomma nodosum, Ixodes loricatus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. For the first time, an A. rotundatum parasitizing the Mesoclemmys tuberculata turtle was described. PCR assays using DNA extracted from salivary glands or midgut of the ticks were performed to detect specific DNA fragments of hemoparasites from the genus Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, Babesia, Hepatozoon, and from the Anaplasmataceae family. The results showed positive detection of the Rickettsia genus (7.9%), Anaplasmataceae family (15.8%), and Hepatozoon genus (15.8%). Specific DNA from the Ehrlichia and Babesia genera were not detected in these samples. Specific DNA from members of the Anaplasmataceae family was detected in A. varium for the first time. The present work showed that amphibians, reptiles, and mammals from Bahia's Atlantic Forest areparasitized by different tick species, and that these ectoparasites present pathogens in their tissues that impact both humans and animals due to their zoonotic potential.

During 24 months 96 marsupials and 64 rodents were captured, inspected and set free in the same space of the Pedra Branca State Park, Rio de Janeiro. From them, 105 ticks from 10 species in two families were manually collected. The dominant tick species on the rodents was Amblyomma longirostre and on the marsupials was Ixodes loricatus. There was a significant correlation of the temperature in relation to intensity of parasitism for ticks, demonstrating that the higher the temperature, greater is the number of ticks.

Este é primeiro relato da ocorrência de Ixodes no Estado do Mato Grosso do Sul e primeiro caso identificado de Ixodes loricatus Neumann, 1899, parasitando Didelphis albiventris no município de Campo Grande, MS, Brasil. This is first report of occurence of Ixodes in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul and first description of Ixodes loricatus Neumann, 1899, parasitizing Didelphis albiventris in Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.