Morphological and molecular characterization of trombiculid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Macronyssidae) parasites of bats in Brazil

• Grant number: 23/09381-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2023
• End date: April 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Bassini Silva
• Grantee: Beatriz Rocha de Almeida
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The family Trombiculidae is one of the most important medical and veterinary families. These mites have about 70 species recorded for Brazil. Of these, only eight have been found parasitizing bats. The larval stage of this family is parasitic on any terrestrial vertebrate, causing deep, itchy lesions at the bite site, caused by intense skin reactions in the host. Due to parasitism, the importance of these mites as potential vectors in the epidemiological cycle of pathogens is highlighted. However, the role of these mites in the epidemiology of pathogens has yet to be confirmed. Furthermore, studies focused on these mites' parasitizing bats are scarce, especially with regard to their participation in the epidemiological chain of pathogens. The present study proposes an integrative analysis (molecular and morphological) of trombiculid mites deposited in acarological collections, and concomitantly, of material from tissue banks. Since this family can bite humans and show signs of being possible vectors of pathogens, our proposal includes the study of these mites for the entire national territory, focusing on specimens collected parasitizing bats.