Rickettsia parkeri Cepa Mata Atlântica em carrapatos Amblyomma ovale de cães na região de Formiga em Minas Gerais

Abstract

Ticks are hematophagous ectoparasites of extreme importance for public, human, and animal health, acting as vectors for many diseases, such as Brazilian Spotted Fever. In Brazil, there is a wide variety of tick species distributed across different biomes and climates, with the Amblyomma genus holding the greatest importance regarding public health. Recent studies highlight the relevance of Amblyomma ovale, which is responsible for harboring and transmitting the Atlantic rainforest strain of the Rickettsia parkeri bacterium, the causative agent of a non-lethal spotted fever variant with milder symptoms. Considering that dogs are frequent hosts for the adult stages of the A. ovale tick when they enter the Atlantic Forest—a favorable biome for this tick—this study evaluated the occurrence of this ectoparasite in 30 dogs in the municipality of Formiga, Minas Gerais. Furthermore, the collected ticks were screened for Rickettsia DNA, and the dogs' exposure to this pathogen was assessed using an indirect immunofluorescence serological test. About the results of the study, DNA sequencies were found 100% identical to Rickettsia parkeri Atlantic Rainforest strain from 2 Amblyomma ovale ticks, this result when added to the Fomiga cenarium classify the region of the city an endemic region to this zoonosis.