Publications by authors named "Katia Tamekuni"

The aims of the present study were to serosurvey dogs, horses, and humans highly exposed to tick bites for anti-Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. antibodies, identify tick species present, and determine risk factors associated with seropositivity in a rural settlement of Paraná State, southern Brazil.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Considering the zoonotic potential of tick-borne disease (TBD) agents and the fact that dogs may act as sentinels for human infection, the aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of TBD agents and risk factors for exposure in two different canine populations from Parana State, Southern Brazil. A total of 138 dog serum samples from urban (UA) (n=68) and rural (RA) (n=70) areas were tested with commercial ELISA rapid test for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia canis and Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFAT) for Babesia vogeli. An overall of 92∕138 (66.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Spotted fevers are emerging zoonoses caused by Rickettsia species in the spotted fever group (SFG). Rickettsia rickettsii is the main etiologic agent of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF)and it is transmitted by Amblyomma spp. ticks.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is an emerging disease most likely caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. The objective of the present study was to estimate the seroprevalence of BSF rickettsia infections in equines from six horse farms located in Londrina County, Paraná, Southern Brazil. Six owners of horse farms situated in Cambé, Santa Fé, Guaraci and Londrina municipalities participated in the study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ticks are important to public health due to diseases they transmit to animals and humans and, economic losses they cause to livestock production. Among other agents, such as Babesia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, the Rickettsia are the most important pathogens transmitted by ticks in Brazil. Worldwide there are about 870 tick species described and, of these, 55 species were already reported in Brazil, being the genus Amblyomma the most numerous with 33 species.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Anaplasma marginale is a bacterium that has obligate intraerythrocytic multiplication in cattle causing important economic loss. The A. marginale major surface protein 1 (MSP1) complex, heterodimer composed of MSP1a and MSP1b, has been identified as adhesins for bovine erythrocytes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The outer membrane proteins of Anaplasma marginale have been the focus of research to obtain an improved vaccine against bovine anaplasmosis. We evaluated the capacity of the recombinant plasmids pcDNA-msp1alpha, pcDNA-msp1beta, and pcDNA-mp5 to express MSP1a, MSP1b, and MSP5 proteins, and to determine the immunogenicity of BALB/c mice immunized with these plasmids individually or in association. Expression of proteins was confirmed in Vero cells by IFA.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Anaplasmosis, caused by Anaplasma marginale, results in significant economic losses of cattle in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Six major surface proteins (MSPs) were well characterized and designated as MSP1, MSP2, MSP3, MSP4, and MSP5. The objective of this study was to evaluate the humoral immune response of BALB/c mice against the recombinant MSPs, incorporated into immunostimulating complex (ISCOM).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Boophilus microplus larvae from two different sources were used for the detection of Anaplasma marginale DNA: larvae A, which were collected from a pasture of an endemic farm, and larvae B, which originated from engorged female ticks fed on calves with no clinical signs of disease and with low rickettsemia (approximately 0.01 to 1.0%).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF