TICKS OF MEDICAL AND VETERINARY IMPORTANCE IN ARGENTINA.

NAVA S, GUGLIELMONE AA

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Conferencia; VI International Conference on Ticks and Ticks-borne Pathogens; 2008

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> In this work the Argentinean tick species of medical and veterinary importance are listed. The data were obtained either from the published literature or from unpublished data achieved by the authors. A total of 45 tick species were recorded, and 17 of them were found on humans and 19 on domestic animals. The tick species recorded on humans were Argas neghmei, Ornithodoros rostratus, Otobius megnini, Amblyomma aureolatum, Amblyomma brasiliense, Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma coelebs, Amblyomma neumanni, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma parvum, Amblyomma pseudoparvum, Amblyomma tigrinum, Amblyomma triste, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, Rhipicephalus microplus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Fourteen species were found parasitizing cattle (O. megnini, A. cajennense, Amblyomma dubitatum, A. neumanni, Amblyomma parvitarsum, A. parvum, A. pseudoconcolor, A. pseudoparvum, A.  tigrinum, H. juxtakochi, Ixodes longiscutatus, Ixodes pararicinus, R. microplus and R. sanguineus), 9 species were detected on horses (A. cajennense, A. coelebs, A. neumanni,  A. parvum, Dermacentor nitens, I. longiscutatus, I.  pararicinus, R. microplus and R. sanguineus) and 13 species were collected on dogs (O. megnini, Amblyomma aureolatum, A. cajennense, A. neumanni, A. ovale, A. parvum, A. pseudoconcolor, A. pseudoparvum, A.  tigrinum, A. triste, H. juxtakochi, R. microplus and R. sanguineus). Furthermore, A. parvum is habitually found on goats, O. megnini is a common parasite of sheep and A. tigrinum has been found on domestic cat. The records of ticks in other domestic animals are few. Regarding to human health, A. cajennense and A. triste are involved in the transmission of Rickettsia rickettsii and Rickettsia parkeri to humans, respectively, and other tick-borne rickettsiae as Rickettsia amblyomii, Rickettsia belli, Rickettsia masillae and Rickettsia sp. strain Argentina have been identified in A. neumanni, R. sanguineus and A. parvum. In urban areas, dogs are frequently infested by R. sanguineus, and the parasitism of A. tigrinum in dogs is a widespread event in rural zones. Dermacentor nitens is suspected to be the vector of Babesia caballi, and high infestations with A. cajennense on cattle are recurrently detected. Rhipicephalus microplus is the vector of the causal agents of the bovine babesiosis, Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina, and constitutes the species with most veterinary relevance.