title: Bacteria of the genus Rickettsia in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) collected from birds in Costa Rica.
abstract: The aim of this study was to document the presence of Rickettsia spp. in ticks parasitizing wild birds in Costa Rica. Birds were trapped at seven locations in Costa Rica during 2004, 2009, and 2010; then visually examined for the presence of ticks. Ticks were identified, and part of them was tested individually for the presence of Rickettsia spp. by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers targeting fragments of the rickettsial genes gltA and ompA. PCR products were DNA-sequenced and analyzed in BLAST to determine similarities with previously reported rickettsial agents. A total of 1878 birds were examined, from which 163 birds (9%) were infested with 388 ticks of the genera Amblyomma and Ixodes. The following Amblyomma (in decreasing order of abundance) were found in immature stages (larvae and nymphs): Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma calcaratum, Amblyomma coelebs, Amblyomma sabanerae, Amblyomma varium, Amblyomma maculatum, and Amblyomma ovale. Ixodes ticks were represented by Ixodes minor and two unclassified species, designated here as Ixodes sp. genotype I, and Ixodes sp. genotype II. Twelve of 24 tested A. longirostre ticks were found to be infected with 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii', and 2 of 4 A. sabanerae were found to be infected with Rickettsia bellii. Eight of 10 larval Ixodes minor were infected with an endosymbiont (a novel Rickettsia sp. agent) genetically related to the Ixodes scapularis endosymbiont. No rickettsial DNA was found in A. calcaratum, A. coelebs, A. maculatum, A. ovale, A. varium, Ixodes sp. I, and Ixodes sp. II. We report the occurrence of I. minor in Costa Rica for the first time and a number of new bird host-tick associations. Moreover, 'Candidatus R. amblyommii' and R. bellii were found in A. longirostre and A. sabanerae, respectively, in Costa Rica for the first time.
authors: Laboratory of Hantaviruses and Rickettsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: maria.ogrzewalska@ioc.fiocruz.br.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Ogrzewalska
authors: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic; CEITEC VFU Brno, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: literaki@vfu.cz.
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Literák
authors: Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v. v. i., Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: capek@ivb.cz.
authors: Miroslav
authors: M
authors: Capek
authors: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: sychrao@vfu.cz.
authors: Oldřich
authors: O
authors: Sychra
authors: Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal, Heredia, Costa Rica. Electronic address: valvarez@senasa.go.cr.
authors: Víctor Álvarez
authors: VÁ
authors: Calderón
authors: Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal, Heredia, Costa Rica. Electronic address: bcalvo@senasa.go.cr.
authors: Bernardo Calvo
authors: BC
authors: Rodríguez
authors: Institute Adolfo Lutz, Center of Immunology, Immunoproteomic Lab, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: crprudencio@ial.sp.gov.br.
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Prudencio
authors: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: thiagodogo@hotmail.com.
authors: Thiago F
authors: TF
authors: Martins
authors: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: labruna@usp.br.
authors: Marcelo B
authors: MB
authors: Labruna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000469:parasitology; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D001717:Birds; D003364:Costa Rica; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D007814:Larva / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Amblyomma; Birds; Costa Rica; Ixodes; Rickettsia; Ticks