Molecular identification of Rickettsia felis in ticks and fleas from an endemic area for Brazilian Spotted Fever

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 103; no. 2; pp. 191 - 194
• Main Authors: Oliveira, K.A, Oliveira, L.S, Dias, C.C.A, Silva Jr, A, Almeida, M.R, Almada, G, Bouyer, D.H, Galvão, M.A.M, Mafra, C.L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz 01.03.2008; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde; Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Domestic - parasitology; Brazil - epidemiology; Brazilian Spotted Fever; Ctenocephalides felis; Ctenocephalides felis - Brazilian Spotted Fever; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Bacterial - isolation & purification; Dogs; Endemic Diseases; Environment; Horses; Humans; Insect Vectors - classification; Insect Vectors - microbiology; PARASITOLOGY; Polymerase Chain Reaction; R. felis-spotted fever; Rickettsia felis; Rickettsia felis - genetics; Rickettsia felis - isolation & purification; Rickettsia Infections - epidemiology; Rickettsia Infections - microbiology; Rickettsia Infections - transmission; Rickettsia rickettsii; Siphonaptera - classification; Siphonaptera - microbiology; tick; Ticks - classification; Ticks - microbiology; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Brazil; Rickettsia felis; Ctenocephalides felis; Rickettsia rickettsii; Brazilian Spotted Fever; tick; R. felis-spotted fever
• ISSN: 1678-8060; 0074-0276; 0074-0276; 1678-8060
• DOI: 10.1590/S0074-02762008000200011

Rickettsioses are arthropod-borne diseases caused by parasites from the Order Rickettsiales. The most prevalent rickettsial disease in Brazil is Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF). This work intends the molecular detection of those agents in ectoparasites from an endemic area of BSF in the state of Espírito Santo. A total of 502 ectoparasites, among them Amblyomma cajennense , Amblyomma σdubitatum (A. cooperi), Riphicephalus sanguineus , Anocentor nitens and Ctenocephalides felis , was collected from domestic animals and the environment and separated in 152 lots according to the origin. Rickettsia sp. was detected in pools of all collected species by amplification of 17kDa protein-encoding gene fragments. The products of PCR amplification of three samples were sequenced, and Rickettsia felis was identified in R. sanguineus and C. felis. These results confirm the presence of Rickettsia felis in areas previously known as endemic for BSF, disease caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. Moreover, they show the needing of further studies for deeper knowledge of R. felis-spotted fever epidemiology and differentiation of these diseases in Brazil.