Integrative taxonomy of neotropical chiggers (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae and Leeuwenhoekiidae), including monitoring of pathogens from the families Anaplasmataceae, Bartonellaceae, and Rickettsiaceae

• Grant number: 24/01231-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Fernando de Castro Jacinavicius
• Grantee: Fernando de Castro Jacinavicius
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti ; Patricia Jacqueline Thyssen ; Ricardo Bassini Silva ; Ronald A Ochoa

Abstract

Vertebrates in general harbor a wide variety of parasitic arthropods that, in addition to the damage caused by feeding, can transmit pathogens to their hosts. One of these groups of arthropods are the chiggers (Trombiculidae s.l.) which, during parasitism, can cause a skin reaction in the host, known as trombiculiasis. Consequently, some species in this family are vectors of Orientia, a human rickettsiosis, known as scrub typhus. In addition to this bacterium, the presence of some other pathogens (Borrelia, Coxiella, Hepatozoon and Rickettsia) has been detected in these mites in several places around the world. In Brazil, their biodiversity was expanded to 74 species, however in some of them, there is only a single record of locality and host. Thanks to advances in the studies of these mites, in recent years, we have received many samples of chiggers collected from several Latin American countries that have been preserved in tissue banks for future processing aimed at morphological and molecular characterization, as well as pathogen monitoring and detection studies. The present study aims to inventory these ectoparasitic mites of vertebrates, as there is a large gap in distribution, host association, morphological and molecular data that needs to be filled. Considering the lack of knowledge about the biodiversity of species that occur in this region, it is relevant to study the material deposited in one of the largest collections of ectoparasitic mites in Latin America. (AU)

Scientific publications

(13)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; JACINAVICIUS, FERNANDO DE CASTRO; SANCHES, GUSTAVO SERON; CALCHI, ANA CLAUDIA; CASTRO-SANTIAGO, ANA CAROLINA; ALVES, CAROLINA FELTES; MACAGNAN, EDUARDO; DE SOUZA, GABRIELA CRISTINI; ANDRE, MARCOS ROGERIO; ALBUQUERQUE, ADRIANA SILVA; et al. First record of Ixodes uriae White, 1852 (Parasitiformes: Ixodidae) on the great shearwater (Procellariiformes: Procellariidae) in Southern Brazil: a step toward understanding tick-host interactions. VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS, v. 49, n. 2, p. 7-pg., 2025-04-01. (20/11755-6, 24/01231-0, 22/05615-2, 19/19853-0)

BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; PESENATO, ISABELLA PEREIRA; DE AQUINO, CARLOS ALBERTO QUEIROZ; BATISTA, AKSA INGRID VIEIRA; MOREIRA, ICARO COSTA; DOS SANTOS, WANDERSON LUCAS ALVES; BATISTA, JAEL SOARES; DE OLIVEIRA, MOACIR FRANCO; PEREIRA, JOSIVANIA SOARES; JACINAVICIUS, FERNANDO DE CASTRO. Emerging diseases in poultry: The role of Apolonia tigipioensis Torres and Braga, 1938 (Trombidiformes: Leeuwenhoekiidae) in avian parasitism, including the first record of parasitism in the greater rhea, Rhea americana (L., 1758) (Struthioniformes: Rheidae). VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY- REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS, v. 57, p. 4-pg., 2025-01-01. (24/01231-0, 22/11576-0, 20/11755-6, 19/19853-0)

BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; BARBOSA, BEATRIZ BACELAR; PEREIRA, ARYNA DIAS; UBAID, FLAVIO KULAIF; JACINAVICIUS, FERNANDO DE CASTRO. Unveiling the chewing lice (Menoponidae and Philopteridae) fauna of the Brazilian Northeast: new records for Maranhão and Piauí States. VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS, v. 49, n. 2, p. 11-pg., 2025-04-01. (24/01231-0, 20/11755-6, 19/19853-0)

PESENATO, ISABELLA PEREIRA; COSTA, JACIARA DE OLIVEIRA JORGE; JACINAVICIUS, FERNANDO DE CASTRO; BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; SOARES, HERBERT SOUSA; FAKELMANN, THIAGO; CASTELLI, GIOVANNA NOSBERTO; MAIA, GLEDSON BANDEIRA; ONOFRIO, VALERIA CASTILHO; NIERI-BASTOS, FERNANDA APARECIDA; et al. Brazilian fleas (Hexapoda: Siphonaptera): diversity, host associations, and new records on small mammals from the Atlantic Rainforest, including Rickettsia screening. PARASITES & VECTORS, v. 18, n. 1, p. 30-pg., 2025-04-04. (24/01231-0, 20/11755-6, 22/11576-0, 18/18992-3)

BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; MELLO-OLIVEIRA, VICTOR DE SOUZA; DE ALMEIDA, BEATRIZ ROCHA; PESENATO, ISABELLA PEREIRA; CALCHI, ANA CLAUDIA; CASTRO-SANTIAGO, ANA CAROLINA; LOURENCO, ELIZABETE CAPTIVO; FAMADAS, KATIA MARIA; WELBOURN, CAL; OCHOA, RONALD; et al. Molecular detection of Ehrlichia Sp. in bat-associated chigger mites (trombidiformes: leeuwenhoekiidae and trombiculidae S. s.) from Brazil. Experimental and Applied Acarology, v. 94, n. 3, p. 9-pg., 2025-04-01. (22/05615-2, 20/07826-5, 22/11576-0, 23/09381-9, 19/19853-0, 24/01231-0, 23/06878-0, 21/06758-9, 20/11755-6)

PESENATO, ISABELLA PEREIRA; BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; JACINAVICIUS, FERNANDO DE CASTRO. A review on trombiculiasis: An underreported parasitosis that affects humans and animals, including world distribution, clinical findings, associated pathogens, prophylaxis and identification methods. Acta Tropica, v. 260, p. 10-pg., 2024-10-09. (20/11755-6, 22/11576-0, 24/01231-0)

BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; DE ALMEIDA, BEATRIZ ROCHA; LOURENCO, ELIZABETE CAPTIVO; WELBOURN, CAL; OCHOA, RONALD; FAMADAS, KATIA MARIA; BARROS-BATTESTI, DARCI MORAES; JACINAVICIUS, FERNANDO DE CASTRO. The rediscovery of the types of Whartonia pachywhartoni Vercammen-Grandjean, 1966 (Trombidiformes: Leeuwenhoekiidae) with new records in Brazil. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACAROLOGY, v. N/A, p. 7-pg., 2025-02-13. (20/11755-6, 24/01231-0, 23/09381-9, 19/19853-0)

BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; DE SOUZA, BERNARDO AGUIAR GOMES TELLES; WELBOURN, CAL; BARROS-BATTESTI, DARCI MORAES; JACINAVICIUS, FERNANDO DE CASTRO. First host-association record for Leptus (Leptus) adaminae Haitilinger, 2004 (Trombidiformes: Erythraeidae). BIOLOGIA, v. N/A, p. 6-pg., 2024-12-20. (20/11755-6, 24/01231-0, 19/19853-0)

DE ALMEIDA, BEATRIZ ROCHA; JACINAVICIUS, FERNANDO DE CASTRO; PESENATO, ISABELLA PEREIRA; DORNELAS JR, LEORMANDO FORTUNATO; WELBOURN, CAL; OCHOA, RONALD; CAMARGO, LUIS MARCELO ARANHA; BARROS-BATTESTI, DARCI MORAES; BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO. Redescription of the species Hooperella saccopteryx (Brennan and Jones, 1960) (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) and first record to Brazil. ACAROLOGIA, v. 64, n. 4, p. 9-pg., 2024-01-01. (20/11755-6, 22/11576-0, 24/01231-0, 23/09381-9, 19/19853-0)

BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; BARBIER, EDER; ANDRE, MARCOS ROGERIO; BARROS-BATTESTI, DARCI MORAES; JACINAVICIUS, FERNANDO DE CASTRO. New records of Spelaeorhynchus praecursor Neumann, 1902 (Mesostigmata: Spelaeorhynchidae) in the Brazilian Caatinga. Systematic Parasitology, v. 102, n. 1, p. 5-pg., 2025-02-01. (20/11755-6, 24/01231-0, 23/09610-8, 23/01606-1, 22/05615-2, 19/19853-0)

BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; CALCHI, ANA CLAUDIA; CASTRO-SANTIAGO, ANA CAROLINA; MAROCCO, JOAO CARLOS; DORIGONI, LETICIA; DE QUADROS, ROSILEIA MARINHO; ANDRE, MARCOS ROGERIO; BARROS-BATTESTI, DARCI MORAES; DOWLING, ASHLEY P. G.; LABRUNA, MARCELO BAHIA; et al. Molecular evidence of Wolbachia in bat-associated mite Periglischrus Iheringi Oudemans, 1902 (Mesostigmata: Spinturnicidae) from Brazil. VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS, v. 49, n. 1, p. 8-pg., 2025-02-01. (20/11755-6, 24/01231-0, 21/06758-9, 20/07826-5, 22/05615-2, 19/19853-0)

BASSINI-SILVA, RICARDO; CHAGAS, MARIA EDUARDA MORAES DAS; CALCHI, ANA CLAUDIA; CASTRO-SANTIAGO, ANA CAROLINA; MUNHOZ DE MELLO, ERICA; SOARES, GABRIELLA; DORNELAS, LEORMANDO FORTUNATO; MAROCCO, JOAO CARLOS; DORIGONI, LETICIA; DOS SANTOS DA SILVA, ALLYSON; et al. Contribution to the knowledge of Periglischrus iheringi Oudemans, 1902 (Mesostigmata: Spinturnicidae) associated with Artibeus bats (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) from Brazil. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACAROLOGY, v. 51, n. 1, p. 6-pg., 2025-01-04. (23/09336-3, 20/11755-6, 24/01231-0, 21/06758-9, 20/07826-5, 19/19853-0)

MELLO-OLIVEIRA, VICTOR DE SOUZA; JACINAVICIUS, FERNANDO DE CASTRO; ANDRADE, LIVIA DE OLIVEIRA; LIMA SICONELLI, MARCIO JUNIO; ARAGAO MACEDO PEREIRA, FERNANDA MARA; SOARES-NETO, LAURO LEITE; HIPPOLITO, ALICIA GIOLO; LUX HOPPE, ESTEVAM GUILHERME; DOWLING, ASHLEY P. G.; BARROS-BATTESTI, DARCI MORAES; et al. Two case reports of the parasitism of Ophionyssus natricis (Gervais, 1844) (Mesostigmata: Macronyssidae) in captive Epicrates crassus (Cope) (Squamata: Boidae) in Brazil. Systematic Parasitology, v. 102, n. 1, p. 5-pg., 2025-02-01. (23/06878-0, 24/01231-0, 20/11755-6, 19/19853-0)