02509nas a2200217 4500008004100000022001400041245008700055210006900142260001200211300001400223490000700237520181200244653000902056653001002065653001602075653000902091653001202100100002102112700002002133856013802153 2016 eng d a0022-258500aDiversity and Prevalence of Ectoparasites on Backyard Chicken Flocks in California0 aDiversity and Prevalence of Ectoparasites on Backyard Chicken Fl c05-2016 a707 - 7110 v533 a

Peridomestic (“backyard”) chicken flocks are gaining popularity in the developed world (e.g., North America or Europe), yet little is known regarding prevalence or severity of their ectoparasites. Therefore, five birds on each of 20 properties throughout southern California were surveyed in summer for on-host (permanent) and off-host dwelling (temporary) ectoparasites. Only four premises (20%) were entirely free of ectoparasites. In declining order of prevalence (% of premises), permanent ectoparasites included six chicken louse species: Menacanthus stramineus (Nitzsch) (50%), Goniocotes gallinae (De Geer) (35%), Lipeurus caponis (L.) (20%), Menopon gallinae (L.) (15%), Menacanthus cornutus (Schömmer) (5%), and Cuclotogaster heterographus (Nitzsch) (5%). Only one flea species, Echidnophaga gallinacea (Westwood) (20%), was found. Three parasitic mite species were observed: Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini & Fanzago) (15%), Knemidocoptes mutans (Robin & Lanquetin) (10%), and Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer) (5%). Many infestations consisted of a few to a dozen individuals per bird, but M. stramineus , G. gallinae , M. cornutus , and E. gallinacea were abundant (dozens to hundreds of individuals) on some birds, and damage by K. mutans was severe on two premises. Off-host dwelling ectoparasites were rare ( D. gallinae ) or absent ( Cimex lectularius L., Argasidae ). Parasite diversity in peridomestic flocks greatly exceeds that is routinely observed on commercial chicken flocks and highlights a need for increased biosecurity and development of ectoparasite control options for homeowners.

10aflea10alouse10aMenacanthus10amite10apoultry1 aMurillo, Amy, C.1 aMullens, B., A. uhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/290211878_Diversity_and_Prevalence_of_Ectoparasites_on_Backyard_Chicken_Flocks_in_California02749nas a2200289 4500008004100000022001400041245019000055210006900245260001300314300001600327490000700343520175500350653001702105653000902122653001602131653001802147653001702165100002302182700002702205700002702232700002702259700002502286700002602311700002102337700003002358856007102388 2016 eng d a0022-258500aRickettsia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) Vector Biodiversity in High Altitude Atlantic Forest Fragments Within a Semiarid Climate: A New Endemic Area of Spotted-Fever in Brazil0 aiRickettsiai Rickettsiales Rickettsiaceae Vector Biodiversity in cAug 2016 a1458 - 14660 v533 a

Rickettsioses are re-emerging vector-borne zoonoses with a global distribution. Recently, Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest has been associated with new human spotted-fever (SF) cases in Brazil, featuring particular clinical signs: eschar formation and lymphadenopathy. These cases have been associated with the tick species, Amblyomma ovale . From 2010 until 2015, the Brazilian Health Department confirmed 11 human SF cases in the Maciço de Baturité region, Ceará, Brazil. The present study reports the circulation of Rickettsia spp. in vectors from this entirely new endemic area for SF. A total of 1,727 ectoparasites were collected in this area from the environment, humans, and wild and domestic animals. Samples ( n  = 887) were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), targeting the glt A and omp A rickettsial genes. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of glt A gene amplicons were carried out for 13 samples positive for both screening PCRs. Fragments of glt A and omp A from three samples were cloned, sequenced, and analyzed further. A. ovale and Rhipicephalus sanguineus specimens, collected from dogs, were found to be infected with Rickettsia sp. str. Atlantic rainforest, suggesting the importance of dogs in the epidemic cycle. Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae, Rickettsia felis , and Rickettsia bellii were also found infecting ticks and fleas in five municipalities, demonstrating the broad diversity of rickettsiae in circulation in the studied area. This study reports, for the first time, evidence of infection with Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest in A. ovale and R. sanguineus in Ceará, and Ca. R. andeanae in an Atlantic rainforest environment of Brazil.

10adisease tick10alice10arickettsiae10aspotted-fever10avector-borne1 aMoerbeck, Leonardo1 aVizzoni, Vinícius, F.1 aMachado-Ferreira, Erik1 aCavalcante, Robson, C.1 aOliveira, Stefan, V.1 aSoares, Carlos, A. G.1 aAmorim, Marinete1 aGazêta, Gilberto, Salles uhttps://academic.oup.com/jme/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/jme/tjw12102248nas a2200265 4500008004100000022001400041245010700055210007100162260002000233300001400253490000700267520137700274100002301651700002401674700002701698700002201725700002001747700003401767700002601801700002101827700002101848700001901869700002301888856007101911 2016 eng d a0022-258500aHost–Parasite Associations in Small Mammal Communities in Semiarid Savanna Ecosystems of East Africa0 aHost–Parasite Associations in Small Mammal Communities in Semiar cJan-28-20162020 a851 - 8600 v533 a

Despite the established importance of rodents as reservoirs of vector-borne zoonoses in East Africa, there is rela- tively limited information regarding the infestation parameters and host associations of ectoparasites that vector many such pathogens among small mammals in this region. Between 2009 and 2013, small mammals were live- trapped in the semiarid savanna of Kenya. A subset of these individual hosts, including 20 distinct host taxa, was examined for ectoparasites, which were identified to species. Species of fleas, ticks, mites, and sucking lice were recorded. Based on these data, we calculated host-specific infestation parameters, documented host preferences among ectoparasites, conducted a rarefaction analysis and extrapolation to determine if ectoparasites were ade- quately sampled, and assessed nestedness for fleas to understand how pathogens might spread in this system. We found that the flea community structure was significantly nested. Understanding the ectoparasite network structure may have significant human relevance, as at least seven of the ectoparasite species collected are known vectors of pathogens of medical importance in the region, including Yersinia pestis, Rickettsia spp., and Theileria parva, the causative agents of plague, spotted fevers and other rickettsial illnesses in humans, and theileriosis, respectively.

1 aGuerra, Ana, Sofia1 aEckerlin, Ralph, P.1 aDowling, Ashley, P. G.1 aDurden, Lance, A.1 aRobbins, R., G.1 aDittmar de la Cruz, Katharina1 aHelgen, Kristofer, M.1 aAgwanda, Bernard1 aAllan, Brian, F.1 aHedlund, Tyler1 aYoung, Hillary, S. uhttps://academic.oup.com/jme/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/jme/tjw048