Papers by Graziela Pascoli
Experimental and Applied Acarology
Dedico este trabalho ao meu filho José Francisco Pascoli de Andrade que do alto de seus dez anos ... more Dedico este trabalho ao meu filho José Francisco Pascoli de Andrade que do alto de seus dez anos de idade me iluminou com muitos momentos de sabedoria durante as etapas mais difíceis dessa jornada. vii AGRADECIMENTOS Esse trabalho não seria possível sem todo o apoio e incentivo que obtive durante este processo. Agradeço a todos que participaram dessa pesquisa, em especial:
Este trabalho teve como objetivos: determinar a prevalência e a carga parasitária de carrapatos e... more Este trabalho teve como objetivos: determinar a prevalência e a carga parasitária de carrapatos em aves silvestres; identificar as espécies de carrapatos encontradas, correlacionar a ocorrência e a carga parasitária de carrapatos com variáveis ecológicas das espécies hospedeiras; e determinar a prevalência de ácaros plumícolas e de piolhos-de-aves nessas espécies. O estudo foi desenvolvido em um fragmento de Mata de Galeria (30 ha), localizado na Fazenda Experimental do Glória (Uberlândia, MG). Foram realizadas quatro campanhas de campo, entre março e junho de 2005. Durante os 10 dias de capturas, 20 redes de neblina (12x2,6m) foram abertas do alvorecer ao crepúsculo (2.000 horas/rede). Os parasitos foram pesquisados manualmente, sendo os carrapatos coletados para identificação. Foram realizados cálculos de prevalência, densidade relativa e intensidade média de infestação. As aves foram classificadas quanto à dieta, grau de dependência florestal e participação em bandos mistos, conforme a literatura. Foram capturadas 162 aves (10 famílias, 22 gêneros e 26 espécies). As espécies mais freqüentes foram: Antilophia galeata (n=63), Eucometis penicilata (n = 12) e Arremon flavirostris (n=11). Quatro espécies endêmicas de Cerrado foram capturadas: Hylocryptus rectirostris, Antilophia galeata, Basileuterus leucophrys, Herpsilochmus longirostris. A taxa geral de prevalência de carrapatos foi de 53% (86 indivíduos de 15 espécies, todas Passeriformes). Foram coletados 352 carrapatos. As espécies identificadas foram: Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma nodosum e Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Apenas um carrapato adulto foi coletado, e entre os estágios imaturos 64% eram do estágio larval (n=225). Essas larvas estavam fixadas principalmente nas pálpebras e cabeça. Os maiores índices de infestação por carrapatos foram observados entre espécies frugívoras e dependentes de ambientes florestais. O grau de dependência florestal mostrou correlação positiva significativa com a prevalência (rs=0,6978; p=0,0001) e com a densidade relativa de carrapatos (rs=0,6779; p=0,0001). Não houve correlação significativa entre infestação e bandos mistos. De 37 aves recapturadas, 12 (32,4%) representaram casos novos de infestação por carrapatos e sete de reinfestação. A taxa geral de prevalência por ácaros plumícolas foi de 64% e a de piolho-de-ave foi de 13%. Várias aves (n=48 indivíduos) estavam infestadas por mais de um tipo de ectoparasito. Os resultados evidenciam um alto nível de transmissão de ectoparasitos na área, talvez como uma conseqüência da forte pressão ambiental exercida sobre o fragmento de mata estudado.
Experimental and Applied Acarology
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Birds are highly visually oriented and use plumage coloration as an important signalling trait in... more Birds are highly visually oriented and use plumage coloration as an important signalling trait in social communication. Hence, males and females may have different patterns of plumage coloration, a phenomenon known as sexual dichromatism. Because males tend to have more complex plumages, sexual dichromatism is usually attributed to female choice. However, plumage coloration is partly condition-dependent; therefore, other selective pressures affecting individuals' success may also drive the evolution of this trait. Here, we used tanagers as model organisms to study the relationships between dichromatism and plumage coloration complexity in tanagers with parasitism by haemosporidians, investment in reproduction and life-history traits. We screened blood samples from 2849 individual birds belonging to 52 tanager species to detect haemosporidian parasites. We used publicly available data for plumage coloration, bird phylogeny and life-history traits to run phylogenetic generalized l...
Parasitology
Vector-borne parasites are important ecological drivers influencing life-history evolution in bir... more Vector-borne parasites are important ecological drivers influencing life-history evolution in birds by increasing host mortality or susceptibility to new diseases. Therefore, understanding why vulnerability to infection varies within a host clade is a crucial task for conservation biology and for understanding macroecological life-history patterns. Here, we studied the relationship of avian life-history traits and climate on the prevalence ofPlasmodiumandParahaemoproteusparasites. We sampled 3569 individual birds belonging to 53 species of the family Thraupidae. Individuals were captured from 2007 to 2018 at 92 locations. We created 2 phylogenetic generalized least-squares models withPlasmodiumandParahaemoproteusprevalence as our response variables, and with the following predictor variables: climate PC1, climate PC2, body size, mixed-species flock participation, incubation period, migration, nest height, foraging height, forest cover, and diet. We found thatParahaemoproteusandPlasm...
The Parque Municipal do Sabiá is the main public park in Uberlândia and an urban refuge of local ... more The Parque Municipal do Sabiá is the main public park in Uberlândia and an urban refuge of local biodiversity. Surveys of ticks in mammals and birds and questing ticks were accomplished between March 2011 and May 2013. Free-living ticks were Amblyomma sculptum (648 adults and 747 nymphs) and Amblyomma dubitatum (36 adults and 85 nymphs), and 22 Amblyomma sp larvae clusters. A. sculptum was the most abundant species with 92% of the sample. A. sculptum adults predominated in the rainy season (U = 26, p <0.05) and nymphs in the dry season (U = 4, p <0.05). Thirty-four capybaras were captured and removed from the park during the years 2010 and 2011. Twenty-five (78.1%) capybaras were infested with 1272 ticks of the species A. dubitatum and A. sculptum, being the former the most abundant species (61.2%). Eighteen capybaras were anti-Rickettsia seroreactivity with titles from 64 to 1024. Five animals exhibited homologous reaction against the antigens of R. rickettsii and R. bellii. ...
Dedico este trabalho ao meu filho José Francisco Pascoli de Andrade que do alto de seus dez anos ... more Dedico este trabalho ao meu filho José Francisco Pascoli de Andrade que do alto de seus dez anos de idade me iluminou com muitos momentos de sabedoria durante as etapas mais difíceis dessa jornada. vii AGRADECIMENTOS Esse trabalho não seria possível sem todo o apoio e incentivo que obtive durante este processo. Agradeço a todos que participaram dessa pesquisa, em especial:
Parasitology International, 2021
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 2019
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Acta Tropica, 2019
Avian malaria is a widespread infection caused by parasites from the Order Haemosporida. Indeed, ... more Avian malaria is a widespread infection caused by parasites from the Order Haemosporida. Indeed, Neotropical swifts are interesting models for host-parasite coevolution studies due to their unique life history that may allow them to escape parasitism. Considering this, we evaluated haemosporidians from Neotropical swifts. We collected blood and prepared smears from 277 individuals from waterfalls in Brazil. Despite low parasitemia or absence of parasites detected by microscopy haemosporidian infection was detected in 44 swifts (15.8%) using a screening PCR that amplifies a 154nucleotide segment of ribosomal RNA coding sequence within the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of Plasmodium and Haemoproteus. Although previous studies reported absence of these parasites in European and North American swifts our data suggest that Neotropical swifts are susceptible to haemosporidians. Further studies will add information about evolutionary and ecological aspects of avian haemosporidia in Neotropical Cypseloidinae swifts.
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 2019
The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) and the collared anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla) ar... more The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) and the collared anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla) are widespread in Brazil and found in all Brazilian biomes. These hosts frequently use domestic animal environments such as pastures, where tick and related microorganism interchange may occur between hosts. Reports of tick infestations of these animals are scattered and refer to small samples and/or are geographically restricted. We herein present data on a wide geographic distribution of ticks and their Rickettsia collected from 72 giant and 30 collared anteaters, mostly road killed, over a period of 18 years, from Southeast and Central-West Brazil encompassing four States and 46 Municipalities. Overall nine tick species (Amblyomma auricularium, A. calcaratum, A. nodosum, A. ovale, A. parvum, A. sculptum, A. triste, Rhipicephalus microplus and R. sanguineus sensu lato) were collected from anteaters. Amblyomma sculptum, A. nodosum, and A. calcaratum were the most prevalent corresponding to, respectively, 48.8%, 39.3% and 2.7% of all ticks (n = 1775). However, A. nodosum tick numbers on collared anteaters were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than those on giant anteaters. At the same time, an abundance of A. sculptum adults on giant anteaters was significantly higher (Z = 2.875; P = 0.004) than that of A. nodosum and only eight A. sculptum nymphs were found on collared anteaters. DNA samples from 20 ticks from nine different animals yielded a visible amplicon in PCR targeting gltA. The PCR products targeting spottedfever Rickettsia gene (ompA) from five adults of A. nodosum were sequenced and were shown to be 100% identical to Rickettsia parkeri strain NOD (MF737635.1). The product of one nymph and one adult of A. sculptum yielded a sequence 99% identical to R. parkeri strain NOD. Further, Rickettsia bellii genes were found in three A. nodosum adults. Ecological, behavioral and anatomical traits of anteaters are discussed to explain reported tick infestations and Rickettsia DNA found.
Tropical Animal Health and Production, 2019
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 2018
This study evaluated the species richness and seasonal dynamics of ticks and rickettsial agents i... more This study evaluated the species richness and seasonal dynamics of ticks and rickettsial agents infecting ticks in the largest natural Reserve of the Cerrado biome of Brazil, the Grande Sertão Veredas National Park. During 2012-2014, a total of 9531 host-seeking ticks were collected by dry ice traps and dragging, whereas 1563 ticks were collected from small mammals, and 1186 ticks from domestic animals. Overall, the following 12 tick species were identified: Amblyomma auricularium, Amblyomma dubitatum, Amblyomma naponense, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma parvum, Amblyomma sculptum, Amblyomma tigrinum, Amblyomma triste, Dermacentor nitens, Rhipicephalus microplus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, and Ornithodoros mimon. The three most abundant tick species, A. sculptum, A. parvum, and A. triste, are likely to develop one generation per year, with adults predominating between spring and autumn, and immature ticks during autumn-winter. Small mammals seem to be important hosts for immature stages of A. parvum, and A. triste, but not for A. sculptum. Molecular analyses revealed the presence of the human pathogen Rickettsia parkeri in 10% of the A. triste ticks, whereas two agents of unknown pathogenicity, Rickettsia bellii and 'Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae' were found in 7 and 5%, respectively, of the A. parvum ticks. A fourth rickettsial agent, Rickettsia amblyommatis, was found in a single A. sculptum tick. Several Vero cell-established isolates of R. parkeri and R. bellii were obtained from A. triste and A. parvum, respectively. Serological analyses of small mammals suggest that they have been infected by R. parkeri and R. bellii, possibly via natural infestations by A. triste and A. parvum, respectively. Because the Park has suffered low anthropic alterations, our results should provide baseline data that shall be used for future comparisons with other Cerrado areas with higher degree of anthropic changes.
Experimental and Applied Acarology, 2018
The Cerrado Biome is the second largest in Brazil covering roughly 2 million km 2 , with varying ... more The Cerrado Biome is the second largest in Brazil covering roughly 2 million km 2 , with varying features throughout its area. The Biome is endangered but it is also source of animal species for rural, green urban and degraded rainforest areas. Ticks are among Cerrado species that establish at anthropogenic sites and although information about them is steadily increasing, several features are unknown. We herein report tick species, abundance and some ecological relationships within natural areas of the Cerrado at higher altitudes (800-1500 m) within and around Serra da Canastra National Park, in Minas Gerais State Brazil. In total of 1196 ticks were collected in the environment along 10 campaigns held in 3 years (2007-2009). Amblyomma sculptum was the most numerous species followed by Amblyomma dubitatum and Amblyomma brasiliense. Distribution of these species was very uneven and an established population of A. brasiliense in the Cerrado is reported for the first time. Other tick species (Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma nodosum, Amblyomma parvum, Ixodes schulzei and Haemaphysalis leporispalustris) were found in lesser numbers. Domestic animals displayed tick infestations of both rural and urban origin as well as from natural areas (Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, Rhipicephalus microplus, Dermacentor nitens, A. sculptum, A. ovale, Amblyomma tigrinum, Argas miniatus). Amblyomma sculptum had the widest domestic host spectrum among all tick species. DNA of only one Rickettsia species, R. bellii, was found in an A. dubitatum tick. Several biological and ecological features of ticks of the studied areas are discussed.
Este trabalho teve como objetivos: determinar a prevalência e a carga parasitária de carrapatos e... more Este trabalho teve como objetivos: determinar a prevalência e a carga parasitária de carrapatos em aves silvestres; identificar as espécies de carrapatos encontradas, correlacionar a ocorrência e a carga parasitária de carrapatos com variáveis ecológicas das espécies hospedeiras; e determinar a prevalência de ácaros plumícolas e de piolhos-de-aves nessas espécies. O estudo foi desenvolvido em um fragmento de Mata de Galeria (30 ha), localizado na Fazenda Experimental do Glória (Uberlândia, MG). Foram realizadas quatro campanhas de campo, entre março e junho de 2005. Durante os 10 dias de capturas, 20 redes de neblina (12x2,6m) foram abertas do alvorecer ao crepúsculo (2.000 horas/rede). Os parasitos foram pesquisados manualmente, sendo os carrapatos coletados para identificação. Foram realizados cálculos de prevalência, densidade relativa e intensidade média de infestação. As aves foram classificadas quanto à dieta, grau de dependência florestal e participação em bandos mistos, conforme a literatura. Foram capturadas 162 aves (10 famílias, 22 gêneros e 26 espécies). As espécies mais freqüentes foram: Antilophia galeata (n=63), Eucometis penicilata (n = 12) e Arremon flavirostris (n=11). Quatro espécies endêmicas de Cerrado foram capturadas: Hylocryptus rectirostris, Antilophia galeata, Basileuterus leucophrys, Herpsilochmus longirostris. A taxa geral de prevalência de carrapatos foi de 53% (86 indivíduos de 15 espécies, todas Passeriformes). Foram coletados 352 carrapatos. As espécies identificadas foram: Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma nodosum e Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Apenas um carrapato adulto foi coletado, e entre os estágios imaturos 64% eram do estágio larval (n=225). Essas larvas estavam fixadas principalmente nas pálpebras e cabeça. Os maiores índices de infestação por carrapatos foram observados entre espécies frugívoras e dependentes de ambientes florestais. O grau de dependência florestal mostrou correlação positiva significativa com a prevalência (rs=0,6978; p=0,0001) e com a densidade relativa de carrapatos (rs=0,6779; p=0,0001). Não houve correlação significativa entre infestação e bandos mistos. De 37 aves recapturadas, 12 (32,4%) representaram casos novos de infestação por carrapatos e sete de reinfestação. A taxa geral de prevalência por ácaros plumícolas foi de 64% e a de piolho-de-ave foi de 13%. Várias aves (n=48 indivíduos) estavam infestadas por mais de um tipo de ectoparasito. Os resultados evidenciam um alto nível de transmissão de ectoparasitos na área, talvez como uma conseqüência da forte pressão ambiental exercida sobre o fragmento de mata estudado.
Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária, 2010
This is a report of ticks species, parasite prevalence and infestation intensity of birds in a fo... more This is a report of ticks species, parasite prevalence and infestation intensity of birds in a forest fragment (18º 56' 57" S and 48º 12' 14" W) within the Brazilian cerrado (savanna), in the municipality of Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A total of 162 birds from 26 species were captured. One adult tick, 296 larvae and 67 nymphs were found on passerine birds. Of these, it was identified 31 larvae and 27 nymphs of Amblyomma longirostre, 17 nymphs of A. nodosum, one A. cajennense larvae and one male of Rhipicephalus sanguineus. All other ticks were identified as Amblyomma sp. larvae (n = 264) or nymphs (n = 26). Overall tick infestation intensity and prevalence were 4.32 ticks/infested bird and 52%, respectively. Sampling of host-seeking ticks on the ground within the forest during a two-year period showed only five Amblyomma sp. nymphs and one adult male of A. nodosum whereas a search for ticks on domestic animals (cattle, horses and dogs) found Rhipice...
Uploads
Papers by Graziela Pascoli