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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Secretory process of salivary glands of female Amblyomma cajennense (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks fed on resistant rabbits

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Author(s):
Nunes, P. H. [1] ; Bechara, G. H. [2] ; Camargo Mathias, M. I. [1]
Total Authors: 3
Affiliation:
[1] UNESP, Inst Biociencias, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP - Brazil
[2] UNESP, Dept Patol Vet, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 2
Document type: Journal article
Source: Experimental and Applied Acarology; v. 53, n. 2, p. 179-187, FEB 2011.
Web of Science Citations: 5
Abstract

Ticks have great economic and health importance since infested animals have reduced milk and meat production, and, besides that, they are expensive ectoparasites to control. While feeding, ticks can transmit to their hosts a large amount of pathogens, including Rickettsia rickettsii responsible for the ``spotted fever'' or ``fever of the mountains.'' It is known that animals infested with ticks or artificially immunized with their salivary gland extracts develop resistance, which is related to a decrease in engorged female weight, in egg-laying by adults, in egg viability and, in some cases, in the capacity of pathogens transmission. The present study aimed to examine morpho-histochemically the female salivary glands of semi and engorged Amblyomma cajennense fed on resistant rabbits. The results revealed that acinus I had no changes when compared to that of females fed on naive rabbits. The c cells of acinus II showed signs of early degeneration, which may result in feeding efficiency decrease. In acinus III d cells, activity time was longer. Such occurrence was associated with the time of female fixation, which increased in females fed on resistant hosts. (AU)