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The aim of this work is to report the first detection of Procyon cancrivorus naturally co-infected with Hepatozoon sp. cf. H. procyonis and a novel Anaplasma strain from South America and potential vector tick species associated. On August 30, 2016, a specimen of P. cancrivorus was found dead on the route in Chaco province, Argentina. A tick and a blood sample by cardiac puncture was collected from the specimen. DNA was extracted from blood sample and the tick was morphological identity as a female of Amblyomma ovale. Molecular detection of Anaplasmataceae family and Hepatozoon spp. agents was performed targeting two different loci: 16 S rRNA and 18 S rRNA gene. The phylogenetic analyses show that the Anaplasma sp. strain detected in P. cancrivorus in this study is similar to Anaplasma sp. strains previously detected in Nasua nasua and A. ovale from Brazil. Furthermore, Hepatozoon sp. of the H. procyonis group was amplified that is phylogenetically closely related to H. procyonis reported in N. nasua from Brazil. Since it was not exactly the same as the latter, it was decided to name at Hepatozoon sp. cf. H. procyonis. It is possible that, this potential new species of Anaplasma would be specific for Procyonidae family and there are two species of Hepatozoon linked to this family in South America. These results added to other published studies suggest that A. ovale could be a potential vector both for the new potential strain of Anaplasma and for the Hepatazoon sp. of the H. procyonis group., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The aim of this study was to report the finding of a nymph attached to an Argentinean tourist returning from South Africa. The nymph specimen was morphologically analysed, submitted to DNA extraction and amplifying the 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene. Additionally, the nymph DNA was screened for Rickettsia, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma infection. The nymph was determined to belong to Amblyomma marmoreum species complex. No specific diagnosis was achieved because the comparative descriptions of species in this complex contain important discordances, and the DNA sequence obtained in the present study is positioned within the same clade with sequences of A. marmoreum see above, but the genetic divergence with them (4.96 and 5.76%) indicate that they belong to different species. No DNA of the Rickettsiales order bacterial was detected in the A. marmoreum species complex nymph., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The article discusses the presence of ticks parasitizing free-ranging armadillos and humans in Chaco province, Argentina. It highlights the importance of armadillos in ecosystem structure and conservation concerns for species like Tolypeutes matacus and Priodontes maximus. The study presents new records of ticks on these armadillo species and humans in the region, emphasizing the need for further research on tick-host associations and disease transmission risks. The study was conducted ethically and provides valuable insights into the parasitic fauna of armadillos in Argentina. [Extracted from the article]

The aim of this study was to examine the presence of tick-borne rickettsial bacteria in Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu stricto ticks collected from dogs in the Patagonian region of Argentina. Fourteen stray dogs from Valcheta, Río Negro province, Argentina were examined for the presence of R. sanguineus s.s. ticks. Ninety ticks were collected and identified to species level. DNA was extracted and analysed by conventional PCR assays for the presence of tick-borne bacteria belonging to the genera Anaplasma , Ehrlichia and Rickettsia. Thirty-three tick pools were tested by different PCR assays of which 3 were positive for Anaplasmataceae bacteria. From the 3 Anaplasmataceae positive samples, 2 partial 16S rDNA sequences were generated and belonging to Anaplasma platys , the causative agent of canine cyclic thrombocytopenia. Two tick samples were positive in Rickettsia specific PCR assays and were identified by phylogenetic analysis as Rickettsia massiliae , a member of the spotted fever group rickettsiae. The results of this study demonstrate the molecular detection of 2 rickettsial bacteria in R. sanguineus s.s. in a region of Argentina where no data were available so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was the detection of Rickettsia in ticks of sigmodontine rodents from Northeastern Buenos Aires province, Argentina. A total of 222 rodents were captured collecting 10 ticks identified as Ixodes loricatus Neumann, which were analysed by the real-time PCR and conventional PCR techniques. DNA of Rickettsia bellii was detected in nymphs obtained from the rodents Akodon azarae Fischer, Oxymycterus rufus Fischer and Deltamys kempi Thomas. This is the first report of R. bellii infecting I. loricatus in Argentina and the first report of this bacterium associated with ticks of sigmodontine rodents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work was performed to evaluate the presence of Borrelia in different populations of Ixodes pararicinus from northwestern Argentina (Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán provinces). Questing adults and nymphs of I . pararicinus were collected from vegetation, and I . pararicinus nymphs were also collected on birds. Eighty-two ticks were tested for Borrelia presence by PCR targeting the gene flagellin and the rrfA-rrlB intergenic spacer region. Pools of ticks positive to Borrelia were formed by two nymphs collected on Turdus rufiventris in Tucumán, one nymph collected on Syndactyla rufosuperciliata in Jujuy, one nymph collected on Turdus nigriceps in Tucumán, three nymphs collected on T. nigriceps in Tucumán, and two females collected from vegetation in Salta. Two haplotypes of Borrelia sp. belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex were found. One of them is closely related to the haplotypes of Borrelia genospecies previously reported in I . aragaoi from Uruguay (haplotypes D and E) and in I . pararicinus from Jujuy Province in Argentina. The second haplotype (detected in the sample of Salta) is closely related to the haplotypes A, B and C associated with I . aragaoi from Uruguay. All these results suggest that the presence of B . burgdorferi s.l. genospecies in I. pararicinus ticks is widespread along the entire distribution of this tick species in northwestern Argentina. However, the Borrelia presence in I. pararicinus cannot be directly assumed as a phenomenon of medical relevance, because Ixodes ticks are not relevant as human parasites in South America, and none of the two Borrelia genospecies detected in this work is related to any of the Borrelia genospecies currently known to be pathogenic to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to report tick infestations on wild birds from four Phytogeographic Provinces of Argentina. A total of 1085 birds was captured (124 species, 97 genera, 29 families and 13 orders), and ticks were collected from 265 birds (48 species, 40 genera and five orders). A total of 1469 ticks (1102 larvae, 363 nymphs and 4 females) belonging to 15 tick species (Amblyomma calcaratum, Amblyomma dubitatum, Amblyomma nodosum, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma parvum, Amblyomma sculptum, Amblyomma tigrinum, Amblyomma triste, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, Ixodes auritulus sensu lato , Ixodes pararicinus, Ixodes silvanus, Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis and Ornithodoros sp. cf. O. mimon). Eighty-one new associations between bird species and stages of tick species are detected. The families Thamnophilidae, Turdidae, Thraupidae, Passerellidae, Furnariidae and Troglodytidae were the most prevalent. According to the Phytogeographic Provinces involved in this study, the prevalence of infection for each of them in birds was: (1) Chaco: 28.2% (11 tick species); (2) Yungas: 22.0% (8 tick species); (3) Espinal: 11.1% (2 tick species); and (4) Pampa: 3.9% (1 tick species). This study provided information on the diversity of tick species that parasitize wild birds, the variability of the specific tick-bird associations between the different Phytogeographic Provinces and the relevance of some families of birds as hosts of different tick species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was to evaluate the presence of Borrelia infection in Ixodes sp. cf. Ixodes affinis ticks from Argentina. Specimens of Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis were collected on vegetation and birds in five locations belonging the most humid part of the Chaco Biogeographic Province. Specimens were tested for Borrelia infection by nested-PCR targeting the fla B gene and the rrfA-rrlB intergenic spacer region (IGS), sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. A total of 48 Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis (12 questing adults from vegetation and 20 nymphs and 16 larvae on nine bird species: Arremon flavirostris , Basileuterus culicivorus , Campylorhamphus trochilirostris , Myiothlypis leucoblephara , Tachyphonus rufus , Thlypopsis sordida , Turdus amaurochalinus , Turdus rufiventris and Troglodytes aedon) were collected. Twelve adults, 14 nymphs and 11 larvae (3 individually and 8 in 3 pools) were analyzed. Partial sequences were detected in 6 adults, 11 nymphs and 4 larvae (2 individual and 2 pools). Phylogenetically, the Borrelia found in Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis belongs to the B. burgdorferi sensu lato (s. l.) complex. The partial sequences obtained from the borrelian gene fla B and IGS were associated to two groups formed by sequences previously detected in Ixodes fuscipes , Ixodes longiscutatus and Ixodes pararicinus from the Southern Cone of America in northern Argentina, southern Brazil and Uruguay. The results of this work suggest that the haplotypes of B. burgdorferi s. l. complex detected in the three species of the I. ricinus complex distributed in the Southern Cone of America are related and widely distributed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Presence of rickettsial bacteria in ticks from Argentina and Uruguay was analysed. • Ixodes fuscipes, I. pararicinus, I. sp. cf. I. affinis , and Ixodes sp. were tested. • Rickettsial bacteria were detected in all of these species. • Rickettsia found in Ixodes sp. is closely related to Ca. Rickettsia mendelii. • Rickettsia strains found in remaining Ixodes spp. clade together with R. buchneri. • Closely related Ixodes spp. share Rickettsia strains closely related. To obtain information about rickettsial bacteria in ticks of the genus Ixodes from Argentina and Uruguay, specimens of I. fuscipes (previously named as I. aragaoi), Ixodes pararicinus, Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis , and Ixodes sp. were tested targeting the rickettsial gltA and ompA genes. Rickettsial bacteria was detected in all of these species. Rickettsia found in Ixodes sp. is closely related to Ca. Rickettsia mendelii, which was previously detected in I. ricinus of the Czech Republic and later in I. brunneus from the USA. Phylogenetic analyses of the Rickettsia strains found in I. fuscipes, I. pararicinus , and Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis showed that these strains form a clade together with R. buchneri detected in I. scapularis from the USA, which is closely related to R. monacensis from Europe. Rickettsia buchneri, R. cooleyi and the Rickettsia detected in I. fuscipes, I. pararicinus , and Ixodes sp. cf. I. affinis clustered together in a clade well supported, which suggest that they are different strains of R. buchneri. The phylogenetic analysis shows that Ixodes ticks that are closely related in evolutionary terms (i.e. Ixodes species from the I. ricinus complex, I. brunneus-Ixodes sp.) share closely related rickettsial strains. The results of this study show that rickettsial bacteria are present in Ixodes ticks from Argentina and describe the first detection of Ca. R. mendelii in South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]