Molecular detection of Rickettsia spp. in ticks (Ixodida: Argasidae and Ixodidae) and mites (Trombiculoidae) from a Brazilian taxonomic collection.
5 affiliations
- 1Pós-Graduação Em Zoologia/Laboratório de Sistemática E Evolução de Ácaros Acariformes, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Antônio Carlos, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 6627, Brazil. [email protected].
- 2Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Tyumen State Medical University, Tyumen, Russia.
- 3Institute X-Bio, Tyumen State University, Tyumen, Russia.
- 4Pós-Graduação Em Zoologia/Laboratório de Sistemática E Evolução de Ácaros Acariformes, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Antônio Carlos, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 6627, Brazil.
- 5Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva E Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária E Zootecnia da, Universidade de São Paulo-FMVZ-USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Abstract
Rickettsia species are arthropod-hosted endosymbionts classified into phylogenetic and serological groups, heterogeneous concerning their ecologies. This study aims to screen ticks and mites deposited in the Acarological Collection at Center of Taxonomical Collections at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil, for rickettsial occurrences, making available genetic data on hosts and bacteria. Endogenous mitochondrial markers for ticks and mitochondrial and nuclear genes for chiggers were sequenced for sample quality control and species identification. A total of 38 soft ticks belonging to the genus Ornithodoros (at least six putative species), 18 hard ticks belonging to the genus Amblyomma (7 spp), and 52 chiggers belonging to genus Whartonia (2 spp) led to sequences. Polymerase Chain reactions for a Citrate Synthase gene fragment led to 21 sequences grouped in the phylogroups Bellii, Spotted Fever, and Transitional, with one sequence of Rickettsia obtained from Amblyomma dubitatum (identified as R. bellii), eight sequences from Ornithodoros (classified in six gltA genotypes associated to the phylogroups Bellii, Spotted Fever and Transitional) and twelve associate to Whartonia pachywhartoni (three likely in the Spotted Fever and nine in the Transitional phylogroup). Considering the diversity of rickettsial occurrences in Ornithodoros, with four of the nine gltA genotypes detected only in O. fonsecai, a species known to bite humans, the medical relevance of Rickettsia associated with caves and bats needs to be further investigated.
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BibTeX
@article{pepato2026molecular,
title = {{Molecular detection of Rickettsia spp. in ticks (Ixodida: Argasidae and Ixodidae) and mites (Trombiculoidae) from a Brazilian taxonomic collection.}},
author = {Almir R Pepato and Nikolay V Anisimov and Jefferson C Carvalho Farias da Silva and Teofania H D Amorim Vidigal and Marcelo B Labruna and Brenda K Gomes-Almeida},
journal = {Experimental \& applied acarology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/s10493-026-01200-4},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42955455},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Molecular detection of Rickettsia spp. in ticks (Ixodida: Argasidae and Ixodidae) and mites (Trombiculoidae) from a Brazilian taxonomic collection.
AU - Almir R Pepato
AU - Nikolay V Anisimov
AU - Jefferson C Carvalho Farias da Silva
AU - Teofania H D Amorim Vidigal
AU - Marcelo B Labruna
AU - Brenda K Gomes-Almeida
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/28
JO - Experimental & applied acarology
DO - 10.1007/s10493-026-01200-4
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42955455
AB - Rickettsia species are arthropod-hosted endosymbionts classified into phylogenetic and serological groups, heterogeneous concerning their ecologies. This study aims to screen ticks and mites deposited in the Acarological Collection at Center of Taxonomical Collections at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil, for rickettsial occurrences, making available genetic data on hosts and bacteria. Endogenous mitochondrial markers for ticks and mitochondrial and nuclear genes for chiggers were sequenced for sample quality control and species identification. A total of 38 soft ticks belonging to the genus Ornithodoros (at least six putative species), 18 hard ticks belonging to the genus Amblyomma (7 spp), and 52 chiggers belonging to genus Whartonia (2 spp) led to sequences. Polymerase Chain reactions for a Citrate Synthase gene fragment led to 21 sequences grouped in the phylogroups Bellii, Spotted Fever, and Transitional, with one sequence of Rickettsia obtained from Amblyomma dubitatum (identified as R. bellii), eight sequences from Ornithodoros (classified in six gltA genotypes associated to the phylogroups Bellii, Spotted Fever and Transitional) and twelve associate to Whartonia pachywhartoni (three likely in the Spotted Fever and nine in the Transitional phylogroup). Considering the diversity of rickettsial occurrences in Ornithodoros, with four of the nine gltA genotypes detected only in O. fonsecai, a species known to bite humans, the medical relevance of Rickettsia associated with caves and bats needs to be further investigated.
SN - 0168-8162
SN - 1572-9702
ER -