Staphylococcus saprophyticus is a pathogen of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus |
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Authors: | Estefhan Miranda-Miranda Raquel Cossio-Bayugar Ma Del Rosario Quezada-Delgado Bernardo Sachman-Ruiz Enrique Reynaud |
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Institution: | 1. Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Parasitología Veterinaria del Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales Agrícolas y Pecuarias , Boulevard Cuauhnahuac No. 8534, Colonia Progreso Jiutepec, Morelos, C.P. 62550, México;2. Centro Nacional de Servicios de Constatación en Salud Animal SAGARPA , Boulevard Cuauhnahuac No. 8534, Colonia Progreso, Jiutepec, Morelos, México , C.P. 62550;3. Centro de Ciencias Genómicas de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Av. Universidad s/n., Colonia Chamilpa, C.P. 62210, Morelos, Cuernavaca, México;4. Instituto de Biotecnología de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Apdo. 510-3, Morelos, C.P. 62210, Cuernavaca, México |
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Abstract: | During experimental Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) infestation on cattle, approximately 5% of engorged female ticks showed symptoms of bacterial infection. The affected ticks were unable to oviposit, secreted a distinctive yellow exudate through the genital orifice and eventually died. Microscopic analysis of tick exudate showed abundant clusters of Gram-positive cocci bacteria that were isolated and cultured on bacteriological medium. Biochemical phenotyping and 16S rRNA ribotyping analysis on cultured bacteria identified it as Staphylococcus saprophyticus. This species was also isolated from healthy tick larvae, indicating that S. saprophyticus is commonly found in ticks during different developmental stages. However, conspicuous symptoms are only found on fully engorged females. Cultured S. saprophyticus induced identical pathological symptoms when the bacteria were experimentally inoculated into healthy ticks, demonstrating it to be the causative agent of the R. microplus infectious lethal disease described in this work. |
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Keywords: | tick infestation biochemical phenotyping 16S rRNA genotyping |
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