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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #349882
Research Project: Plant Feeding Mite (Acari) Systematics

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Blankaartia sinnamaryi (Floch & Fauran, 1956) (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) parasitizing birds in southeastern Brazil, with notes on Rickettsia detection

Author
item BASSINI-SILVA, R. - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item JACINAVICIUS, F. - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item MATURANO, RALPH - University Of Brazil
item MUNOZ-LEAL, SEBASTIAN - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item Ochoa, Ronald - Ron
item Bauchan, Gary
item LABRUNA, MARCELO BAHIA - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item BARROS-BATTESTI, D. - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP)

Submitted to: Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinaria
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/11/2018
Publication Date: 10/1/2018
Citation: Bassini-Silva, R., Jacinavicius, F.C., Maturano, R., Munoz-Leal, S., Ochoa, R., Bauchan, G.R., Labruna, M., Barros-Battesti, D.M. 2018. Blankaartia sinnamaryi (Floch & Fauran, 1956) (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) parasitizing birds in southeastern Brazil, with notes on Rickettsia detection. Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinaria. 27:354-362.

Interpretive Summary: The larval stage of chiggers are parasites that feed on many vertebrates including birds. This is a report from Southeastern Brazil of small song birds which were found to have the Blankaartia sinnamaryi chigger identified by morphological studies using the scanning electron microscope and DNA sequencing studies. These chiggers did have DNA from the Rickettsia bacteria. This is an important finding as these song birds fly great distance which could potentially spread the bacteria via the chiggers. These results are important to public health entomologists, animal protection officers, extension workers, agriculture scientists, biologists, ecologists and farmers.

Technical Abstract: The larvae of the family Trombiculidae are ectoparasites of vertebrates, including birds. The bites of these mites cause deep lesions and severe skin reactions in the host, which can lead to dermatitis, popularly known as trombiculiasis. By a morphological study of chiggers collected upon birds from Minas Gerais state, Southeastern Brazil, we report Blankaartia sinnamaryi-infestation on Passeriformes birds. Moreover, we provide a genetic identification of mites based on 18S rDNA sequences, and the detection of a Rickettsia sp. in this trombiculid mite species.