Babesia bigemina (smith and Kilbourne, 1893) detection in Amblyomma sculptum (Berlese, 1888) ticks in the Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil

• Published in: Parasitology international 2024-10, Vol.102, p.102912, Article 102912
• Main Authors: dos Santos, Joelly Corrêa, Garcia, Marcos Valerio, Duarte, Pâmella Oliveira, Oshiro, Leandra Marla, Martins, Fernando Ibanez, de Oliveira Souza Higa, Leandro, de Lima, Álvaro Aragão, Andreotti, Renato
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amblyomma sculptum; Aquidauana; Babesia bigemina
• ISSN: 1383-5769; 1873-0329; 1873-0329
• DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2024.102912

Ticks parasitize various hosts, including humans, and are known to transmit pathogens that can be harmful not only to animals but also to humans. To evaluate the possible presence of pathogens in ticks, we aimed to collect and identify tick fauna specimens in Lagoa Comprida Municipal Natural Park, an anthropogenic urban area located in Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. A total of 1216 ticks, of which 51.2% were Amblyomma sculptum, 1.2% were Amblyomma dubitatum, and 41% were Amblyomma spp. were collected. These results show that the prevalence of A. sculptum is significantly higher than that of A. dubitatum across all four seasons. Molecular analyses revealed positive samples for the genus Babesia, including the confirmation of Babesia bigemina in an A. sculptum specimen, marking the first record of this relationship. This unexpected finding demands greater attention and deeper analysis in the context of the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases. •Predominance of Amblyomma sculptum and Amblyomma dibitatum in Lagoa Comprida Municipal Natural Park.•None of the 1216 collected samples tested positive for Rickettsia spp. and Borrelia spp.•Identification of Babesia bigemina DNA in Amblyomma sculptum.