Infection with Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma platys (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) in two lineages of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Acari: Ixodidae) from Argentina.

CICUTTIN GL, TARRAGONA EL, DE SALVO MN, MANGOLD AJ, NAVA S.

Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases

Elsevier

Año: 2015 vol. 6 p. 729 - 734

1877-959X

Natural infection with Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma platys in ticks belonging to the tropical and temperatelineages of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato from Argentina was evaluated. Samples were tested forEhrlichia canis infection by PCR assays using 16S rRNA, dsb and p28 gene, while detection of A. platys wasperformed with 16S rRNA and groESL gene. The assignment of the ticks to each lineage was corroboratedwith 16S rDNA sequences. All ticks infected with E. canis and A. platys belonged to the tropical lineage.These results constitute the first record of E. canis infection in R. sanguineus s.l ticks from Argentina.No ticks from the temperate lineage were found to be infected with E. canis, coinciding with previousstudies performed in Argentina and Uruguay where E. canis infection was not detected in R. sanguineuss.l from the temperate lineage. Because the presence of the tropical lineage of R. sanguineus s.l has beendocumented in tropical areas of northern Argentina between 22◦ and 24◦ of south latitude, the findingsof this work indicate that transmission of E. canis and A. platys to dogs by R. sanguineus s.l probably occursalong this region.