Survey of bacterial and protozoan microorganisms in ticks collected from birds in the Atlantic Forest biome in Piraí municipality, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

This study aimed to verify the diversity of ticks in wild birds of remnant fragments of the Atlantic Forest biome in the municipality of Piraí, Rio de Janeiro state, and to detect pathogenic agents in the ticks collected. Birds were captured between June 2016 and April 2017. The collected ticks were identified using a specific dichotomous key. Tick DNA was tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., and Babesia spp. In total, 150 birds were captured, including 64 species, 18 families, and 5 orders. Of these, 22 (14.67%) of 18 different species were parasitized by Amblyomma spp. (n=7), Amblyomma longirostre (n=10), Amblyomma sculptum (n=1), and Amblyomma parkeri (n=21). Only one Amblyomma sp. amplified specific DNA fragments for Rickettsia amblyommatis, whereas the others were negative for Borrelia spp., Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., and Babesia spp. The avifauna play an important role in maintaining the life cycle of ticks, in addition to contributing to the dispersion of arthropods and the microorganisms transmitted by them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]