Diversity and pathogen surveillance in chigger mites across Brazil's five biogeographic regions
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The expansion of land use in Brazil has caused biodiversity loss and increased human interaction with parasites and pathogens previously restricted to natural ecosystems. Chigger mites are ectoparasites during the larval stage and can cause skin reactions or transmit pathogens to their hosts, including humans. This study aimed to evaluate the diversity of chiggers collected from all five Brazilian biogeographical regions, along with pathogen surveillance. Specimens were subjected to both morphological taxonomy and endogenous control, followed by PCR assays targeting pathogens of the genera Borrelia, Orientia, and Rickettsia. The analyses revealed a high species richness, including two novel records in Brazil: the genus Boshkerria and the species Quadraseta antillarum. Additionally, the genus Quadraseta tested positive for Rickettsia sp., while tests for the other agents were negative. This is the first report of a Rickettsia sp. agent detected in a Quadraseta nymph.
Source: Parasitology International
Authors: Isabella Pereira Pesenato, Ricardo Bassini-Silva, Ana Cláudia Calchi, Sueli Akemi Taniwaki Miyagi, Ester Nascimento da Costa, Carlos Cezar Trigo Nasser-Felix, Glauber Meneses Barboza de Oliveira, Mauricio Claudio Horta, Gabriela Cousandier, Jonas Sponchiado, Ralph Maturano, Graziela Virginia Tolesano-Pascoli, Renata D. Alquezar, Camile Lugarini, Ariane Ferreira, Luciano Moreira-Lima, Erika Hingst-Zaher, Josivania Soares Pereira, Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti, Marcelo B. Labruna, Fernando de Castro Jacinavicius
Institutions: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Instituto Butantan, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Universidade de São Paulo, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco, Instituto Federal Farroupilha, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Universidade de Brasília, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade
Language: English
Topic: Study of Mite Species
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,450
Awards: Cave mites of Brazil: morphological and molecular studies, pathogen monitoring and geographic distribution, Chigger mites (Acari: Trombiculidae and Leeuwenhoekiidae) parasites of vertebrates: morphological studies and investigation of the presence of Rickettsia spp, Integrative taxonomy of neotropical chiggers (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae and Leeuwenhoekiidae), including monitoring of pathogens from the families Anaplasmataceae, Bartonellaceae, and Rickettsiaceae, G5104847661, G807692582
OpenAlex ID: W7127923627