title: A Rickettsia parkeri-like agent infecting Amblyomma calcaratum nymphs from wild birds in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
abstract: In total, 142 birds, mostly passerines, belonging to 42 species were examined for the presence of ticks in 3 locations in Mato Grosso do Sul Brazil during 2006. Seven birds (5%) were infested with 4 nymphs of Amblyomma calcaratum (Ramphocelus carbo, 3 infested/12 examined) and 5 larvae of Amblyomma sp. (Furnarius rufus, 2/5; Turdus leucomelas, 1/6; and Paroaria capitata, 1/8). All 4 nymphs of A. calcaratum tested by polymerase chain reaction targeting rickettsial genes gltA and ompA and by amplicon sequencing were found to be infected with a Rickettsia sp. strain NOD, a Rickettsia parkeri-like agent. A. calcaratum infected with a rickettsial bacterium was found for the first time.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Veterinaria Preventiva e Saude Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogrzewalska
authors.forename: Thiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capek
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Literak
authors.forename: Marcelo B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Labruna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D001717:Birds; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D009758:Nymph / Q000382:microbiology; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*