Analysis of Amblyomma sculptum haplotypes in an area endemic for Brazilian spotted fever.
Amblyomma sculptum (Ixodida: Ixodidae) Berlese, 1888, a member of the Amblyomma cajennense complex, is the major vector of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) in southeastern Brazil. In this study, the genetic diversity of A. sculptum populations in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil, was investigated because genetic variability in tick populations may be related to vector competence. Samples of A. sculptum from 19 municipalities in 7 regions of RJ were subjected to DNA extraction, amplification and sequencing of D-loop, cytochrome oxidase II and 12S rDNA mitochondrial genes. These sequences were used to map the genetic diversity of this tick. Amblyomma sculptum populations are genetically diverse in RJ, especially in the South Centre and Highland regions. Few unique haplotypes were observed in all populations, and the majority of genetic variation found was among ticks within each population. Phylogenetic reconstruction reinforced the assumption that all the haplotypes identified in RJ belong to A. sculptum. However, some RJ haplotypes are closer to A. sculptum from Argentina than to A. sculptum from elsewhere in Brazil. In RJ, A. sculptum has high genetic diversity, although little genetic differentiation. Observations also indicated a high level of gene flow among the studied populations and no evidence of population structure according to region in RJ.
Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Bitencourth
Laboratório de Biologia Evolutiva Teórica e Aplicada, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Voloch
Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Serra-Freire
Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Eucariontes e Simbiontes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Machado-Ferreira
Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Amorim
Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Gazêta
D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D050259:Genes, Mitochondrial; D006239:Haplotypes; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D012373:Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; C075526:RNA, ribosomal, 12S; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
Amblyomma cajennense complex; Rio de Janeiro State; epidemiology; population genetics; rickettsial disease; vector capabilities