title: First molecular detection of Rickettsia parkeri in Amblyomma tigrinum and Amblyomma dubitatum ticks from Uruguay.
abstract: Rickettsia parkei is the etiological agent of spotted fever in Uruguay, where is transmitted to humans by the tick Amblyomma triste. In the present study, ticks were collected from capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) and domestic dogs during 2011-2012 in different parts of Uruguay. Three out of 11 (27.3%) Amblyomma dubitatum ticks collected from capybaras, and 4 out of 6 (66.7%) Amblyomma tigrinum ticks collected from dogs were shown by molecular analyses to be infected by Rickettsia parkeri strain Maculatum 20. Until the present work, A. triste was the only tick species that was found infected by R. parkeri in Uruguay. This is the first report of R. parkeri infecting these two tick species in Uruguay, expanding the current distribution of this rickettsial pathogen in the country.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitología Veterinaria, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Av. Alberto Lasplaces 1620, CP 11600 Montevideo, Uruguay. Electronic address: pau.parasito@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lado
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitología Veterinaria, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Av. Alberto Lasplaces 1620, CP 11600 Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Av. Prof. Orlando M. de Paiva 87, 05508-900 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Labruna
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Vectores y enfermedades transmitidas and Departamento de Parasitología Veterinaria, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Regional Norte - Sede Salto, Rivera 1350, CP 50000 Salto, Uruguay.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Venzal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000145:classification / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014583:Uruguay
keywords: Amblyomma dubitatum; Amblyomma tigrinum; Rickettsia parkeri; Ticks; Uruguay