Epidemiology of Brazilian spotted fever in the Atlantic Forest, state of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Autor(es)

Ogrzewalska, Maria ^[1] ; Saraiva, Danilo G. ^[1] ; Moraes-Filho, Jonas ^[1] ; Martins, Thiago F. ^[1] ; Costa, Francisco B. ^[1] ; Pinter, Adriano ^[2] ; Labruna, Marcelo B. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Med Vet Prevent & Saude Anim, Fac Med Vet & Zootenia, BR-05508270 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Superintendencia Controle Endemias Sucen, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Parasitology; v. 139, n. 10, p. 1283-1300, SEP 2012.
• Citações Web of Science: 59

Resumo

The tick-borne bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii is the aetiological agent of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF). The present study evaluated tick infestations on wild and domestic animals, and the rickettsial infection in these animals and their ticks in 7 forest areas adjacent to human communities in the Sao Paulo Metropolitan Area (SPMA). The results were compared to ecological traits of each sampled area. Two main tick species, Amblyomma aureolatum and Rhipicephalus sanguineus, were collected from dogs. The major ticks found on small mammals and birds were Ixodes loricatus and Amblyomma longirostre, respectively. Both anti-R. rickettsii antibodies and R. rickettsii-infected ticks were detected on dogs from only 2 areas in the southern part of the SPMA, which were considered to be endemic for BSF; the remaining 5 areas were considered to be non-endemic. Ecologically, the BSF-endemic areas clearly differed from the non-endemic areas by the presence of significantly more degraded forest patches in the former. The present results corroborate historical observations that have indicated that all human cases of BSF in the SPMA were contracted in the southern part of this metropolitan area. However, not all forest patches in the southern part of the SPMA were shown to be associated with BSF endemism. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 09/52892-7 - Ecologia da Febre Maculosa Brasileira na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo: avaliação da infecção por Rickettsia rickettsii em animais silvestres, domésticos e no carrapato vetor Amblyomma aureolatum
• Beneficiário: Maria Halina Ogrzewalska
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 10/50113-8 - Aspectos ecologicos das rickettsioses causadas por rickettsia rickettsii e rickettsia parkeri em areas de mata atlantica no estado de sao paulo.
• Beneficiário: Marcelo Bahia Labruna
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular