Detection of an Undescribed Babesia sp. in Capybaras and Amblyomma Ticks in Central-Western Brazil
by
, , , and
Lucianne Cardoso Neves
1, 
Lucas Christian de Sousa-Paula
2,3
,
Sarah Alves Dias
1,
Bianca Barbara Fonseca da Silva
1,
Warley Vieira de Freitas Paula
1,
Luiza Gabriella Ferreira de Paula
1,
Brenda Gomes Pereira
1,
Gracielle Teles Pádua
1,
Ana Carolina Borsanelli
1,
Ennya Rafaella Neves Cardoso
1,
Felipe da Silva Krawczak
1 and
Filipe Dantas-Torres
2,* 1
Veterinary and Animal Science School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74605-220, Brazil
2
Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife 50740-465, Brazil
3
Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2023, 13(1), 94; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13010094
Submission received: 8 November 2022
/
Revised: 19 December 2022
/
Accepted: 21 December 2022
/
Published: 27 December 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Arthropods of Vertebrates)
Simple Summary
Capybaras are known hosts for various tick species, but there are limited data regarding the tick-borne pathogens they can carry. We assessed the presence of piroplasmids and Ehrlichia spp. in capybaras and their associated ticks in Goiás state, central-western Brazil. Neither capybaras nor ticks were positive for Ehrlichia spp. However, we detected an undescribed species of protozoan in both the capybaras and ticks. Further research is required for a formal delineation of this protozoan species, as well as to investigate the role of these ticks as vectors and the possible pathogenicity of this parasite to other animals, including horses.
Abstract
Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) are the largest rodents on Earth. While capybaras are hosts for various tick species, there is limited information regarding the tick-borne pathogens they can carry. We investigated the presence of piroplasmids and Ehrlichia spp. in capybaras and their associated ticks in two peri-urban areas in Goiás state, central-western Brazil. Blood samples collected from 23 capybaras were used to investigate the presence of piroplasmids and Ehrlichia spp. in stained-blood smears and by PCR. Ticks collected from the capybaras were identified morphologically and also tested using PCR for the same pathogens. A total of 955 ticks were collected, including 822 (86.1%) Amblyomma sculptum, 132 (13.8%) Amblyomma dubitatum, and one (0.1%) unidentified larva of Amblyomma sp. Neither the capybaras nor ticks were positive for Ehrlichia spp. However, a stained-blood smear examination revealed the presence of ring-stage and pyriform-shaped merozoites in the erythrocytes of one (4.4%) capybara. In the same way, 47.8% (11/23) and 19.9% (36/181) of blood samples and ticks, respectively, were positive for piroplasmids in the PCR. We successfully sequenced a partial 18S rRNA gene fragment of four samples (two capybaras, one A. sculptum, and one A. dubitatum), and the phylogenetic reconstruction disclosed that the organism reported in the present study clusters within the genus Babesia. Further research is required for a formal delineation of this species (designated as Babesia sp. strain Capybara) and to investigate the hypothesis of A. dubitatum and A. sculptum ticks being vectors.
Keywords:
Babesia sp.; Amblyomma sculptum; Amblyomma dubitatum; rodents
