Amblyomma triste Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae): Hosts and seasonality of the vector of Rickettsia parkeri in Uruguay

Amblyomma triste Koch, 1844, the tick species most frequently involved in human bites in Uruguay, has been implicated as a vector of human rickettsiosis. Seasonal abundance of adult A. triste was examined by standard flagging at three sites where human tick bites and cases of the disease have been r...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Veterinary parasitology 2008-08, Vol.155 (1), p.104-109
Main Authors: Venzal, J.M., Estrada-Peña, A., Castro, O., de Souza, C.G., Félix, M.L., Nava, S., Guglielmone, A.A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acari
adult animals
air temperature
alternative hosts
Amblyomma
Amblyomma triste
animal pathogenic bacteria
Animals
Arachnid Vectors - microbiology
Cattle
developmental stages
disease outbreaks
disease vectors
Dogs
Female
Goats - parasitology
Horses - parasitology
Host-Parasite Interactions
Hosts
Humans
Ixodidae
Ixodidae - microbiology
larvae
Lions - parasitology
Male
photoperiod
Rickettsia - physiology
Rickettsia Infections - epidemiology
Rickettsia Infections - microbiology
Rickettsia Infections - parasitology
Rickettsia parkeri
rickettsial diseases
seasonal variation
Seasonality
Seasons
Sigmodontinae
small mammals
tick bites
Tick Infestations - epidemiology
ticks
Time Factors
Uruguay
Uruguay - epidemiology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Amblyomma triste Koch, 1844, the tick species most frequently involved in human bites in Uruguay, has been implicated as a vector of human rickettsiosis. Seasonal abundance of adult A. triste was examined by standard flagging at three sites where human tick bites and cases of the disease have been reported. Adult tick activity occurred from August to February (end of winter to mid summer in the southern hemisphere) with a peak in spring. Activity declined in step with decreasing temperatures and photoperiod during winter. This period of activity coincides with seasonal outbreaks of human rickettsiosis in the region. In a small mammal survey, the Sigmodontinae rodents Scapteromys tumidus (Waterhouse, 1837) and Oxymycterus nasutus (Waterhouse, 1837) and the small marsupial Monodelphis dimidiata (Wagner, 1847) were the main hosts for immature A. triste. Immature ticks were observed on hosts in November, well within the period of peak adult abundance. In stored collections, immature ticks were most often collected from January to March. These data suggest that one generation might be completed in 1 year. The main animal host for adult A. triste at our study sites was the domestic dog. Humans were afflicted by the tick in rural and suburban settlements where other host animals are scarce or extinct and where dogs are common.
ISSN:0304-4017
1873-2550
DOI:10.1016/j.vetpar.2008.04.017