Molecular identification of Rickettsia parkeri infecting Amblyomma triste ticks in an area of Argentina where cases of rickettsiosis were diagnosed

• Main Authors: Gabriel Cicuttin, Santiago Nava
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 2013-02-01
• Series: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz.
• Subjects: Rickettsia parkeri; Amblyomma triste; Argentina
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762013000100022

Specimens of the hard tick Amblyomma triste were found infected with Rickettsia parkeri in an area of Argentina (General Lavalle, Buenos Aires Province) where cases of human illness attributed to this microorganism have been reported. Molecular detection of R. parkeri was based on polymerase chain reactions that amplify a ca. 400-bp fragment of the 23S-5S intergenic spacer and a ca. 500-bp fragment of the gene encoding a 190-kDa outer membrane protein. Three (6.97%) of 43 A. triste ticks were determined to be positive for R. parkeri. These results provide strong evidence that A. triste is the vector of R. parkeri in the study area. The findings of this work have epidemiological relevance because human parasitism by A. triste ticks has been frequently recorded in some riparian areas of Argentina and Uruguay and new cases of R. parkeri rickettsiosis might arise in the South American localities where humans are exposed to the bites of this tick species.