Author(s): MATIAS, J.; BLECHA, I. M. Z.; KOLLER, W. W.; GARCIA, M. V.; STEVE-GASSENT, M. D.; BARROS, J. C.; ANDREOTTI, R.

Summary: This study was made in an urban forest fragment in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Midwest of Brazil. During a three year period, from 2012 to 2015, the presence of tick species in the environment (vegetation and soil), their seasonality and the occurrence of rickettsial infection in ticks was investigated. 1219 samples were collected, from which 1045 belonged to the Amblyomma sculptum species and 174 belonged to the Amblyomma dubitatum species. The A. sculptum species presented its main annual peak in the periods when rainfall and temperature were the highest, while the A. dubitatum species presented a higher population level in the following season. However, the A. sculptum population decreased during the second year of the study, probably due to the installation of a physical barrier by the end of the first year, what has possibly caused a momentary decrease in the circulation of the ectoparasites? hosts. The A. dubitatum population remained stable. All sampled ticks presented a negative result regarding rickettsia DNA detection using the polymerase chain reaction method.

Publication year: 2016

Types of publication: Abstract in annals or event proceedings

Unit: Embrapa Beef Cattle

Keywords: Rickettsial diseases, Ticks, Urban areas