Ticks infesting captive and free-roaming wild animal species at the São Paulo Zoo, São Paulo, Brazil

Irys Hany Lima Gonzalez,Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas,Luan Henrique Morais,Marcelo Bahia Labruna,Cauê Monticelli,Thiago Fernandes Martins,Amanda Alves De Moraes,Patrícia Locosque Ramos,Paula Andrea Borges Salgado,Thatiane Cristina Antunes

doi:10.1590/s1984-29612017036

Irys Hany Lima Gonzalez, Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s1984-29612017036

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Abstract

Ticks are ectoparasites of worldwide distribution that affect vertebrates and can transmit pathogens to animals and humans. The Zoological Park Foundation of São Paulo (FPZSP) is located in a Conservation Unit in one of the most important remaining fragments of the Atlantic Rainforest biome in the suburbs of São Paulo, Brazil. The FPZSP houses more than 3,000 wild animals on exhibit, in breeding programs and in environmental education programs, and also attracts migratory birds and free-roaming wildlife. This study focused on identifying the diversity of tick species that infest captive and free-roaming animals at the FPZSP. The collection of ticks kept at the FPZSP contains 523 specimens that were collected from different host species between 1990 and 2017. Ten tick species were found. In addition, Amblyomma aureolatum (Pallas) was found on stray cats living in the Atlantic forest fragment in the FPZSP. This study reveals a low occurrence of parasitism in captive animals and a high diversity of tick species collected from hosts in this Atlantic forest fragment, contributing information about host-parasite relationships and potential vectors of zoonotic diseases, since the vectors of Brazilian spotted fever, A. aureolatum and Amblyomma sculptum Berlese, were found in some hosts.

Highlights

Os carrapatos são ectoparasitas da classe Arachnida, conhecidos como importantes vetores de agentes infecciosos para animais e humanos
The purpose of this study was to identify the tick species that have been collected from captive animals in the Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo (FPZSP), and from free-roaming animals living in the PEFI
Most of the tick-host reports cited in this study have been reported in earlier studies conducted in Brazil and in Argentina (FONSECA, 1933; ARAGÃO, 1936; LABRUNA et al, 2005, 2007, 2009; MARTINS, J., et al, 2006; MARTINS, T., et al, 2009, 2013, 2015; GUGLIELMONE & NAVA, 2011), the present study demonstrates new heretofore unpublished associations between stages of ticks and hosts, namely adults of I. loricatus on M. americana and on Akodon sp., A. varium nymph on B. variegatus, and R. sanguineus s.l. on T. terrestris

Summary

Introduction

Os carrapatos são ectoparasitas da classe Arachnida, conhecidos como importantes vetores de agentes infecciosos para animais e humanos. The FPZSP, which maintains more than 3,000 wild mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and invertebrate species, in breeding programs, provides sanctuary for migrating birds and free-roaming animals (ZOOLÓGICO DE SÃO PAULO, 2017)

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