Detección de los genes gltA, OmpA y OmpB para la identificación de Rickettsia en garrapatas de animales

José Luis Bonilla Espinoza; Ligia Verónica  Hernández Salgado; Luis Fernando Salazar Antón

doi:10.5377/ul.v17i1.22360

Authors

José Luis Bonilla Espinoza National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, Leon. Nicaragua https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3796-3973
L. V. Hernández-Salgado National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, Leon. Nicaragua https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0442-0868
L. F. Salazar-Antón National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, Leon. Nicaragua https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9767-3601

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5377/ul.v17i1.22360

Keywords:

Nested PCR, Taxonomy, DNA, Rickettsia, Ticks

Abstract

Rickettsiae are obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria transmitted by tick bites. The genus Rickettsia is subdivided into four groups: the typhus group, the spotted fever group, a transitional group, and an ancestral group. This study aimed to detect the gltA, ompA, and ompB genes for the identification of Rickettsia in animal ticks. 1250 ticks were collected from cattle, horses, and dogs. The ticks were taxonomically classified, DNA was extracted, and nested PCR was performed to identify the gltA, ompA, and ompB genes of Rickettsia. Four tick species were identified, and 209 were found to be positive for Rickettsia. For Rhipicephalus boophilus microplus, in cattle 21 amplified for the gltA gene, 19 for OmpA and 9 for OmpB, in horses 6 amplified for gltA, 5 for OmpA and 3 for OmpB; for Amblyomma mixtum, 17 cattle amplified the gltA gene, 16 for OmpA and 13 for OmpB, in horses 4 amplified for gltA, 3 for OmpA and 2 for OmpB and in dogs 1 amplified for the gltA, OmpA and OmpB genes; for Dermacentor nitens, 2 cattle amplified for the gltA gene, 3 for OmpA and 2 for OmpB, in horses 23 amplified for the gltA gene, 26 for OmpA and 22 for OmpB; For Rhipicephalus sanguineus in canines, 4 amplified the gltA gene, 4 the OmpA gene, and 2 the OmpB gene. The presence of Rickettsia was confirmed in different tick species parasitizing domestic animals.

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Author Biographies

José Luis Bonilla Espinoza, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, Leon. Nicaragua

MSc. José Luis Bonilla. Academic Professor and Researcher in the Knowledge Area of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine. Specific Directorate of Veterinary and Zootechnics, of the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN – León). Veterinary Doctor graduated in 2005. Master's Degree in Tropical Diseases, National University of Costa Rica, 2007. Training in Leptospirosis virulence at the FINLAY Institute, Cuba, 2009. In the period 2009 - 2010, Coordinator of the Veterinary Center for Diagnosis and Research (CEVEDI) from UNAN-León. In 2010, he was appointed Assistant Professor of the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry. In 2012, he was appointed Head of Department of the Veterinary Medicine Course at UNAN-León. Since 2012 until now he has been appointed Full Professor. From 2016 to date, he is Coordinator of the master's degree in Small Animal Health. Currently, a PhD student at UNAN-León, in the Medical Sciences program with an emphasis on Infectious Diseases. For the last 17 years, my academic research has focused on the molecular epidemiology of bacterial and viral pathogens such as Leptospirosis, Rickettsial Agents, Brucellosis, Tuberculosis, Rotavirus, Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis, Equine Infectious Anemia.

L. V. Hernández-Salgado, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, Leon. Nicaragua

Titular Professor in the Area of Knowledge of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, UNAN-LEON. Coordinator of the Master's in Preventive Medicine.

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