EVALUATION OF VECTORIAL COMPETENCE OF Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma triste AND Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus TICK SPECIES IN THE TRANSMISSION OF GRANULOCYTIC ANAPLASMOSIS (Anaplasma phagocytophilum) AGENT

• Grant number: 11/20501-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: February 01, 2012
• End date: March 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Rosangela Zacarias Machado
• Grantee: Marcos Rogério André
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis (HGA), Equine Granulocytic Anaplasmosis (EGA), and Tick-Borne Fever in ruminants agent, is a gram-negative bacteria which parasites mainly neutrophils and eosinophils, and whose biological cycle is maintained between Ixodes persulcatus complex-ticks and vertebrate reservoirs in environment. Recently, the agent was detected in dogs and wild birds by molecular approaches, and serologically in equines in Brazil. Even though serological evidence of exposure to Anaplasmataceae agents has been reported in human beings from Brazil, the agent has not been isolated neither characterized by molecular techniques. The present study aims at assessing the vectorial competence of Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma triste and Rhipicephalus microplus tick species in A. phagocytophilum transmission. This work will contribute to a better understanding of epidemiology and biological cycle of A. phagocytophilum in Brazil, and to elaboration of spatial models of risk areas for A. phagocytophilum infection to human beings and domestic animals in the future.