Tick-Borne Microorganisms in Neotropical Vertebrates

Abstract

This chapter aims to summarize and discuss the current knowledge on the microorganisms transmitted or potentially transmitted by ticks that have been detected orisolated in neotropical vertebrates with two exceptions. First, although Coxiellaburnetii could be transmitted experimentally by Amblyomma mixtum in Panama(Rodaniche and Rodaniche 1949) and has been isolated from Amblyomma tigrinumin Argentina (Pacheco et al. 2013), ticks are not the primary source of infection forthis cosmopolitan pathogen (Duron et al. 2015). Therefore, C. burnetii is notincluded in this chapter. Second, protozoans of the genus Hepatozoon are transmitted to vertebrates through the ingestion of infected ticks and other hematophagousinvertebrates that harbor oocysts (Smith 1996). While in the NZR, DNA ofHepatozoon has been detected in wild vertebrates (i.e., reptiles, rodents, racoons,foxes), compelling evidence indicating that these protozoans are naturally transmitted by ticks from the region is lacking. Therefore, further studies should seekoocysts in the hemolymph of ticks but also mites, feas, mosquitoes, and leeches toshed light on the vectors (Bennett et al. 1992; Smith 1996).