Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and rickettsiae associated with wild boars in a rural area of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Wild boars or feral pigs are classified by the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Resources (IBAMA) in "Category I of invasive exotic species". They cause economic losses, harm the environment, serve as hosts and reservoirs for several zoonotic disease agents, and provide a blood meal for tick species that act as vectors for zoonotic diseases. The objective of this study was to identify tick species on wild boars, assess host-seeking ticks in the related environment, and identify other potential tick hosts coexisting with wild boars on a farm located in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil.

Comparing scapular morphology of Amblyomma sculptum and Amblyomma dubitatum nymphs allows a fast and practical differential diagnosis of ticks in highly infested areas with dominance of these two species.

Rickettsia rickettsii infection causes the highest human fatality rate among all Rickettsia species of the world and is endemic in Southeast Brazil. In this part of the country most human spotted fever cases are related to unnaturally high populations of ticks, usually a mix of two species, Amblyomma dubitatum Neumann and Amblyomma sculptum Berlese and their local host, capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). At the same time, an increase in the number of SF notifications as well as its urbanization was observed, and a better characterization of disease epidemiology is mandatory for control measures and to halt its expansion.

Rhipicephalus microplus and Amblyomma sculptum (Ixodidae) infestation of Nellore cattle (Bos taurus indicus) in a farm of the Brazilian Cerrado: seasonality and infestation patterns.

We herein describe zebuine cattle tick infestation in a farm in southeast Brazil with an examination accurate enough to detect tick immatures and species other than R. microplus. Cattle were inspected monthly for ticks from May 2015 to May 2017 and 7604 ticks were collected along 276 bovine inspections.

Diversity of free-living ticks and serological evidence of spotted fever group Rickettsia and ticks associated to dogs, Porto Velho, Western Amazon, Brazil.

Rondônia is the only state in the North Region of Brazil to have registered confirmed cases of Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF). The present study investigated the epidemiological cycle of Rickettsia spp. by surveying free-living ixodofauna and tick parasitism of dogs in the municipality of Porto Velho, Rondônia State.

Estimating water erosion from the brightness index of orbital images: A framework for the prognosis of degraded pastures.

The inadequate management of soils and the absence of conservation practices favor the degradation of pastures and can trigger adverse environmental alterations and damage under the terms of Brazilian Federal Law no. 6.938/1981.

Effect of low temperature and relative humidity on reproduction and survival of the tick Rhipicephalus microplus.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the survival of Rhipicephalus microplus females under low temperature, to determine the influence of temperature and relative humidity (RH) on the biological parameters of this tick. In total 300 viable engorged female ticks collected from cattle were used. On the day of collection (D0), 30 female ticks were divided into three groups: G1, kept at 28 °C and 80% RH; G2, kept at 20 °C and 80% RH; and G3, kept at 20 °C and 30% RH.

Microhabitat determines uneven distribution of Amblyomma parvum but not of Amblyomma sculptum ticks within forest patches in the Brazilian Pantanal.

Environmental distribution of the two most abundant ticks in forest areas in the Brazilian Pantanal was evaluated by CO traps methodology in the wet season (peak of adult ticks) of 2012 and 2013. Adults of Amblyomma parvum were concentrated inside agglomerates of Bromelia balansae, in the border of forest patches. Adults of Amblyomma sculptum occurred in similar numbers both in bromeliad clumps and in bromeliad-free areas.

The modeling of pasture conservation and of its impact on stream water quality using Partial Least Squares-Path Modeling.

Cattle grazing is a major source of income across the globe, and therefore conservation of pastures is vital to society. Pasture conservation requires the full understanding of factors contributing to their degradation, which is facilitated through panoramic analyses capable to handle all factors and capture their relationships at once. In this study, Partial Least Squares - Path Modeling (PLS-PM) was used to accomplish that task.

The assessment of water erosion using Partial Least Squares-Path Modeling: A study in a legally protected area with environmental land use conflicts.

Water erosion has historically been assessed by various methods, with the purpose to help reducing this phenomenon. However, application of models capable to handle complex relationships between large numbers of variables is still relatively scarce. The method of Partial Least Squares-Path Modeling (PLS-PM), used in this study, was able to expose complex causal paths between soil erosion and potentially related factors, namely "Surface Runoff", "Environmental Land Use Conflicts", "Soil Fertility" and "Relief Factors", within the Environmental Protection Area of Uberaba River Basin (EPA) located in Minas Gerais state, Brazil.

In vitro efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae sensu lato against unfed Amblyomma parvum (Acari: Ixodidae).

Amblyomma parvum Aragão (Acari: Ixodidae) is a tick species found with wide distribution in the Neotropical region. Even though it is a wildlife-related tick, it is also a frequent parasite of domestic animals, is aggressive to human beings and may harbor pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, it is a target species for control on domestic animals, particularly those at the rural-wildlife interface.

Life cycle of Amblyomma mixtum (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitizing different hosts under laboratory conditions.

Amblyomma mixtum is a tick species in the Amblyomma cajennense complex. The known geographic range of A. mixtum extends from Texas in the USA to western Ecuador and some islands in the Caribbean.