A seroepidemiological and molecular study of the occurrence of Rickettsia spp. in dogs, horses and ticks in the Atlantic Forest of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil

• Grant number: 23/04369-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - Brazil
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: April 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Bahia Labruna
• Grantee: Marcelo Bahia Labruna
• Visiting researcher: Rinaldo Aparecido Mota
• Visiting researcher institution: Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE). Campus Dois Irmãos, Brazil
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Rickettsioses are zoonoses caused by bacteria of the genus Rickettsia, endemic in nature and present in all continents of the world. Rickettsia spp. inhabit the salivary glands and ovaries of tick vectors, which are among the most common groups of arthropod hosts for these bacteria. In the Northeast region of Brazil there are few studies on this disease and in the state of Pernambuco, almost nothing is known about the occurrence and impact of this zoonosis. Considering the importance of this disease for public health, we intend to carry out a seroepidemiological and molecular study on the occurrence of rickettsial infection in ticks, dogs and horses in the Atlantic Forest biome in the state of Pernambuco. In addition, we intend to establish a partnership and collaborate with the research of Professor Marcelo Bahia Labruna on this topic with the expansion of the study on rickettsial diseases in the Northeast region of Brazil. In this project, we will use taxonomy techniques of ticks from dogs and horses, serological techniques for the detection of antibodies to rickettsial diseases and molecular techniques to identify the bacteria in ticks, georeferencing and making heat maps of the distribution of infection and health education actions in the study area. It is expected to advance the study of this disease in the Atlantic Forest region of the state of Pernambuco, in addition to strengthening the academic and scientific ties between the institutions involved in this proposal (the other activities of the Visiting Researcher are covered in the topic scientific, social and academic contributions). (AU)