Ticks biting humans in the Brazilian savannah: Attachment sites and exposure risk in relation to species, life stage and season

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Juan Szabo, Matias Pablo ^[1] ; Martins, Thiago Fernandes ^[2] ; Mar Barbieri, Amalia Regina ^[2] ; Costa, Francisco Borges ^[3] ; Soares, Herbert Sousa ^[2] ; Tolesano-Pascoli, Graziela Virginia ^[1] ; Torga, Khelma ^[1] ; Saraiva, Danilo Goncalves ^[2] ; Ramos, Vanessa do Nascimento ^[1] ; Osava, Carolina Fonseca ^[4] ; de Castro, Marcio Botelho ^[5] ; Labruna, Marcelo Bahia ^[2]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Fed Uberlandia, Fac Med Vet, Lab Ixodol, Av Mato Grosso 3289, Bloco 2S, BR-38405314 Uberlandia, MG - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Dept Med Vet Prevent & Saude Anim, Av Prof Orlando Marques de Paiva 87, Cidade Univ, BR-05508270 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadual Maranhao, Lab Parasitol, PPGCA, Sao Luis, Maranhao - Brazil

^[4] Inst Fed Goiano, Campus Urutai, Rod Geraldo S Nascimento Km 2, 5, BR-75790000 Urutai, Go - Brazil

^[5] Univ Brasilia, Lab Patol Vet, Hosp Vet, Av L4 Norte, Campus Univ Darcy Ribeiro, CP 4508, BR-70910970 Brasilia, DF - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES; v. 11, n. 2 MAR 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Information about human tick bites in Brazil is mostly anecdotal. Published information is typically restricted to single tick infestation episodes and does not address human exposure occurring on a daily basis in natural, rural, or green urban areas. We present a comprehensive 2-yr study on human parasitism during a broad survey on ticks within a Brazilian savannah reserve. Overall, 439 tick bites were recorded from the following species: Amblyomma sculptum (n=331 bites), Amblyomma parvum (n=64), Amblyomma auricularium (n=3), Rhipicephalus microplus (n=2), Dermacentor nitens (n=1) and 38 Amblyomma spp. ticks. Nymphs accounted for most tick bites (n=292, 66.5 % of all bites) and these were overwhelmingly A. sculptum (92.8 % of nymphal bites). The main adult tick biting humans was A. parvum (n=61, 50 % of all adult tick bites) followed closely by A. sculptum (n=58, 47.5 % of all adult tick bites). Winter was the season with the highest percentage of tick bites (39.7 % of all bites), followed by spring (32.4 %); summer (18.9 %) and autumn (9 %). Amblyomma sculptum adult bites peaked in summer whereas nymphal bites occurred primarily in winter and spring. Amblyomma parvum adult bites peaked in spring and summer. The most common tick attachment sites included the waist, legs and belly, but A. parvum adults were recorded from the head of humans as well. A noteworthy observation was the lack of human parasitism by Amblyomma triste, the third most prevalent species in the environment. This tick species is a frequent human biter in both Uruguay and Argentina where it transmits a pathogen, Rickettsia parkeri, to humans. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 12/10102-2 - Ecologia de carrapatos e rickettsias transmitidas por carrapatos em uma reserva natural de Cerrado brasileiro
• Beneficiário: Amalia Regina Mar Barbieri
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado