Abstract
Spotted fevers are emerging zoonoses caused by Rickettsia species in the spotted fever group (SFG). Rickettsia rickettsii is the main etiologic agent of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF)and it is transmitted by Amblyomma spp. ticks. The study aimed to investigate SFG rickettsiae in the Arthur Thomas Municipal Park in Londrina, PR, by collecting free-living ticks and ticks from capybaras and blood samples from personnel working in these areas. Samples from A. dubitatum and A. cajennense were submitted for PCR in pools to analyze the Rickettsia spp. gltA (citrate synthase gene). All the pools analyzed were negative. Human sera were tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay with R. rickettsii and R. parkeri as antigens.Among the 34 sera analyzed, seven (20.6%) were reactive for R. rickettsii: four of these had endpoint titers equal to 64, 2 titers were 128 and 1 titer was 256. None of the samples were reactive for R. parkeri. An epidemiological questionnaire was applied to the park staff, but no statistically significant associations were identified. The serological studies suggest the presence of Rickettsiae related to SFG that could be infecting the human population studied; however, analysis of the ticks collected was unable to determine which species maybe involved in transmission to humans.
Highlights
Spotted fevers are emerging zoonoses caused by Rickettsia species in the spotted fever group (SFG)
R. rickettsii is the etiologic agent of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) and it is transmitted by Amblyomma spp. tick bites[1]
Due to the lack of data concerning the presence of rickettsiae in the parks of Paraná, the objective of this study was to investigate the presence of rickettsiae of the spotted fever group in ticks living in the vegetation and on capybaras in the park and the occurrence of positive serology among staff members
Summary
Spotted fevers are emerging zoonoses caused by Rickettsia species in the spotted fever group (SFG). Rickettsia rickettsii is the main etiologic agent of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) and it is transmitted by Amblyomma spp. ticks. Samples from A. dubitatum and A. cajennense were submitted for PCR in pools to analyze the Rickettsia spp. R. rickettsii is the etiologic agent of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) and it is transmitted by Amblyomma spp. tick bites[1]. In Brazil, only R. rickettsii has been isolated and characterized in humans and this was only in the State of São Paulo[8,9]. In Brazil, no reports of diseases caused by this rickettsia in humans have been recorded; it has already been detected in the ticks A. dubitatum and A. triste in the State of São Paulo[11,12]
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