Epidemiology of Brazilian spotted fever in the Atlantic Forest, state of São Paulo, Brazil

Parasitology. 2012 Sep;139(10):1283-300. doi: 10.1017/S0031182012000546. Epub 2012 May 1.

Abstract

The tick-borne bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii is the aetiological agent of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF). The present study evaluated tick infestations on wild and domestic animals, and the rickettsial infection in these animals and their ticks in 7 forest areas adjacent to human communities in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area (SPMA). The results were compared to ecological traits of each sampled area. Two main tick species, Amblyomma aureolatum and Rhipicephalus sanguineus, were collected from dogs. The major ticks found on small mammals and birds were Ixodes loricatus and Amblyomma longirostre, respectively. Both anti-R. rickettsii antibodies and R. rickettsii-infected ticks were detected on dogs from only 2 areas in the southern part of the SPMA, which were considered to be endemic for BSF; the remaining 5 areas were considered to be non-endemic. Ecologically, the BSF-endemic areas clearly differed from the non-endemic areas by the presence of significantly more degraded forest patches in the former. The present results corroborate historical observations that have indicated that all human cases of BSF in the SPMA were contracted in the southern part of this metropolitan area. However, not all forest patches in the southern part of the SPMA were shown to be associated with BSF endemism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Biodiversity
  • Bird Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Birds
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Dog Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Dog Diseases / microbiology
  • Dogs
  • Ixodidae / microbiology
  • Mammals
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Parasitic Diseases, Animal / epidemiology
  • Parasitic Diseases, Animal / microbiology
  • Prevalence
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Rhipicephalus sanguineus / microbiology
  • Rickettsia rickettsii / genetics
  • Rickettsia rickettsii / isolation & purification
  • Rickettsia rickettsii / physiology
  • Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / epidemiology*
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Tick Infestations / epidemiology
  • Tick Infestations / microbiology
  • Trees*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Associated data

  • GENBANK/JN800424
  • GENBANK/JN800425
  • GENBANK/JN800426
  • GENBANK/JN800427
  • GENBANK/JN800428
  • GENBANK/JN800429
  • GENBANK/JN800430
  • GENBANK/JN800431
  • GENBANK/JN800432
  • GENBANK/JN800433
  • GENBANK/JN800434
  • GENBANK/JN800435
  • GENBANK/JN800436
  • GENBANK/JN800437
  • GENBANK/JN800438
  • GENBANK/JN800439
  • GENBANK/JN800440
  • GENBANK/JN800441
  • GENBANK/JN800442
  • GENBANK/JN800443
  • GENBANK/JN800444