Ixodes tropicalis in human and detection of Rickettsia belli

QUINTERO, JUAN C; FÉLIX, MARÍA L.; VENZAL, JOSÉ M.; NAVA, SANTIAGO

BIOMéDICA

INST NACIONAL SALUD

Año: 2021 vol. 41 p. 1 - 16

0120-4157

Introduction: Ixodes tropicalis is a poorly known tick species reported parasitizing wild rodents only in Colombia and Peru. Objective: To report a case of I. tropicalis infesting a human in the south of the metropolitan area of Aburrá Valley, Antioquia, Colombia and to report the molecular detection of Rickettsia bellii in this species. Materials and methods: The tick was identified using a morphological key and sequencing of tick mitochondrial 16S rRNA. Besides, bacterial and protozoa pathogens were evaluated using a PCR for detection of Rickettsia spp., family Anaplasmataceae, Borrelia spp., and piroplasmid. Results: The tick was identified as a female of I. tropicalis according to Kohls, 1956 description, and to partial 16S rRNA sequences that showed a minimum of 5% diverges compared to Ixodes sequences. Also, gltA gene of R. bellii was detected in this tick with 99.87% of identity. Conclusion: This is the first report in Colombia of a species of the Ixodes genus parasitizing a human, and the first report of detection of R. bellii in this tick species.