1. Ticks and Rickettsia spp. exposure in hunters of Brazilian Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biome.
- Author
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Kmetiuk, Louise B., Krawczak, Felipe S ., Machado, Fernanda P., Martins, Thiago F., Bach, Renato V. W., Martins, Camila M., Barros-Filho, Ivan R., Lipinski, Leandro C., dos Santos, Andrea P., Labruna, Marcelo B., and Biondo, Alexander W.
- Subjects
RICKETTSIA ,TICK-borne diseases ,ISOPROPYL alcohol ,SERUM - Abstract
Rickettsia bacteria are responsible for diseases in human beings and animals worldwide, with ticks described as their natural reservoirs and vectors. Although human beings have been considered less exposed to ticks and consequently to rickettsiae than animals, specific human activities such as hunting may increase the tick-borne disease exposure. The aim of this study was to identify the exposure of ticks and Rickettsia spp. in hunters of Brazil. Serum samples were collected by cephalic puncture of wild boars hunters (National Human Ethics Research Committee authorization number 97639017.7.0000.0102) and individually tested by indirect immunofluorescent-antibody assay (IFA) for five Brazilian Rickettsia isolates: R. rickettsii strain Taiaçu, R. parkeri strain At24, R. amblyommatis strain Ac37, R. rhipicephali strain HJ5, and R. bellii strain CL. Ticks obtained from hunters were preserved in isopropyl alcohol and identified by taxonomic keys. Serum samples were collected from 49 hunters, 42/49 (85.7%) in Atlantic Forest biome from southern and 7/49 (14.3%) in Cerrado biome from central-western Brazil, until now. A total of 7/49 (14.3%) hunters were seropositive for Rickettsia spp., with IFA endpoint titers varied from 64 to 512, all hunters from Atlantic Forest Biome. No possible antigen involved in a homologous reaction (PAIHR) was determined. A total of 22 Amblyomma sculptum ticks were collected from Cerrado biome hunters, composed by 19/22 (86.4%) males and 3/22 (13.4%) females. The much higher seropositivity of hunters from Atlantic Forest biome may suggest the Rickettsia spp. circulation in ticks of southern Brazil. Although Amblyomma sculptum exposure in Cerrado biome, no hunters were seropositive to Rickettsia spp., probable due the rare rickettsial infection in ticks from non-edemic areas for Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF). Further studies can be required to explore the associated risk factors to Rickettsia spp. exposure in hunters from BSF non-endemic and endemic areas of Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019