title: New records of Ornithodoros puertoricensis Fox 1947 (Ixodida: Argasidae) parasitizing humans in rural and urban dwellings, Panama.
abstract: The presence of ticks inside human constructions was evaluated in two localities from Colon province (Charco La Piedra and Espinar) and one from Panama province (Ancon, City of Panama). In two of houses, eight people from Charco La Piedra and one from Ancón reported "insect bites," which produced blisters for several weeks. The investigation resulted in the collection of argasid ticks, which were identified by morphology and sequencing the 16s ribosomal RNA gene, and later evaluated for the presence of relapsing fever Borrelia DNA. All ticks were identified as Ornithodoros puertoricensis. While spirochetal DNA was not detected by PCR in the ticks, our report highlights the potential for relapsing fever borreliosis in rural and urban localities in Panama.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama. Electronic address: sbermudez@gorgas.gob.pa.
authors.forename: Sergio E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Bermúdez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Control de Vectores, Ministerio de Salud, Colón, Panama.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, TX, USA; Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Tyler D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Pohlenz
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kneubehl
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Aparna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krishnavajhala
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama.
authors.forename: Lillian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.affiliation: Unidad Clínica de Enfermedades Tropicales, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, TX, USA; Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Job E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: López
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D026861:Ornithodoros / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D010176:Panama; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000469:parasitology*
keywords: Human exposure; Ornithodoros puertoricensis; Panama; Tick-borne relapsing fever Borrelia