title: [Ticks of genus Amblyomma (Acari: Ixodidae) and their relationship with hosts in endemic area for spotted fever in the State of São Paulo].
abstract: Seven species of mammals and 36 of birds were investigated to determine the tick prevalence and intensity of infestation. The study was conducted at the Esalq/USP in Piracicaba municipality, State of São Paulo. It was collected 52 mammals and 158 birds parasitized by 12,418 ticks. Adult ticks (N= 7,343) were found on capybaras, while the immature were mainly collected on small mammals and birds. The main hosts for immatures in descending order were opossums (69.1%), capybara (24.4%) and black vultures (3.7%). Among the avifauna, the black vulture (Cathartidae) had the heaviest infestation (69.9%) followed by species of the Thamnophilidae and Turdidae families. Adult ticks collected on capybaras were A. cajennense (80.8%) and A. dubitatum (19.2%). Both tick species were also found on opossums corresponding to 72.4% and 27.6%, respectively. Due to easy capture and attractiveness for ticks, opossums could be used as bioindicators in Brazilian zoonotic areas with spotted fever. Considering the prevalence and also abundance of ticks, host attractiveness, proliferation and susceptibly for R. rickettsi infection, capybaras and opossums are the main amplifying hosts for this microorganism at the ESALQ/Campus, while horses, black vultures and stray cats act as secondary hosts.
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, SP, Brasil. c_aa_perez@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Alvaro Fernando de
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Victor Hugo Barbosa de
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Daniele do Carmo
authors.initials: Ddo C
authors.lastname: Balestrin
authors.forename: Murilo Saraiva
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Julio C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Leonardo Adriano
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Ana Dulce
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Arruda-Santos
authors.forename: Clarice Pinto
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Máximo-Espíndola
authors.forename: Darci Moraes
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Barros-Battesti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000469:parasitology*; D001907:Boutonneuse Fever / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004199:Disease Vectors; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D026863:Ixodidae; D008322:Mammals / Q000469:parasitology*