Publication Date
9-1-2023
Journal
Experimental and Applied Acarology
DOI
10.1007/s10493-023-00830-2
PMID
37584844
PMCID
PMC11559448
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
11-13-2024
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Author MSS
Published Open-Access
yes
Keywords
Humans, Animals, Ornithodoros, Argasidae, Relapsing Fever, Borrelia, Animals, Domestic, Soft ticks, Acari vector, Tick localization, Tick borne relapsing fever
Abstract
Soft ticks from the Ornithodoros genus are vectors of relapsing fever (RF) spirochetes around the world. In Mexico, they were originally described in the 19th century. However, few recent surveillance studies have been conducted in Mexico, and regions where RF spirochetes circulate remain vague. Here, the presence of soft ticks in populated areas was assessed in two sites from the Mexican states of Aguascalientes and Zacatecas. Argasidae ticks were collected, identified by morphology and mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene sequencing, and tested for RF borreliae. The specimens in both sites were identified as Ornithodoros turicata but no RF spirochetes were detected. These findings emphasize the need to update the distribution of these ticks in multiple regions of Mexico and to determine the circulation of RF borreliosis in humans and domestic animals.
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