"Candidatus Borrelia ibitipoquensis," a Borrelia valaisiana-Related Genospecies Characterized from Ixodes paranaensis in Brazil

Autor(es)

Munoz-Leal, Sebastian ; Ramirez, Diego G. ; Luz, Hermes R. ; Faccini, Joao L. H. ; Labruna, Marcelo B.

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: MICROBIAL ECOLOGY; v. 80, n. 3, p. 8-pg., 2020-05-04.

Resumo

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) spirochetes include the agents of Lyme borreliosis in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, and merge their transmission cycles mainly with ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex. Twenty genospecies compose Bbsl currently, and with the exception of Borrelia chilensis, and Borrelia garinii, all have been described only for North America, Europe, North Africa, and Asia. Here, we collected specimens of Ixodes paranaensis, a tick associated with swifts in a Brazilian natural park from the state of Minas Gerais, and performed a molecular characterization of 11 borrelial genes. Based on comparisons of inter and intraspecific genetic divergences, and Bayesian phylogenetic trees inferred for 16S rRNA, flaB, p66, and concatenated clpA, clpX, pepX, pyrG, recG, nifS rlpB, and uvrA genes, we demonstrate the occurrence of a new genospecies of Bbsl. "Candidatus Borrelia ibitipoquensis" Ip37 is closely related to Borrelia sp. Am501, and Borrelia valaisiana, a spirochete transmitted by ticks of the I. ricinus complex in Eurasia that uses birds as reservoirs. In a similar ecological scenario involving ticks and avian hosts, the migratory swift Streptoprocne biscutata is the sole-documented bird associated with I. paranaensis, and, although not assessed in this study, could correspond to the vertebrate reservoir of this newly described genospecies in Brazil. Pathogenic roles of "Ca. B. ibitipoquensis" are still unknown. However, its possible vector I. paranaensis is not an anthropophilic tick, so human infections would be unlikely to occur. Our finding enhances the knowledge on Bbsl in South America, highlights the occurrence of ecologically and genetically related genospecies with vastly separated geographical distributions, and calls for the attention to explore a barely known diversity of spirochetes of this group in the region. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 18/02521-1 - Pesquisa de espiroquetas do grupo da febre recorrente (Spirochaetaceae: Borrelia) em carrapatos do gênero Ornithodoros (Acari: Argasidae) parasitas de humanos no Brasil
• Beneficiário: Sebastián Alejandro Munoz Leal
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 19/17960-3 - Técnicas de cultivo avançadas, sequenciamento de última geração e inmunoblot aplicado ao estudo de uma espiroqueta do grupo da febre recorrente brasileira
• Beneficiário: Sebastián Alejandro Munoz Leal
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Exterior - Estágio de Pesquisa - Pós-Doutorado