RESUMEN
Ticks are hematophagous parasites of people and animals and are a public health hazard in several countries. They are vectors of infectious diseases; in addition, the bite of some ticks, mainly from the Ornithodoros genus, may lead to local lesions and systemic illness, referred to as tick toxicosis. In this report, we describe a dog bitten by Ornithodoros brasiliensis, popularly known as the mouro tick. The main clinical findings were disseminated skin rash, pruritus, mucosal hyperemia, lethargy, and fever. Laboratory abnormalities 48 hours after the bites occurred included mild nonregenerative anemia, eosinophilia, basophilia, increased serum creatine kinase activity, increased serum C-reactive protein concentration, and prolonged coagulation times. Tick-borne pathogens were not detected by PCR analysis or serologic testing, supporting the diagnosis of a noninfectious syndrome due to tick bite, compatible with tick toxicosis.
Asunto(s)
Mordeduras y Picaduras/veterinaria , Enfermedades de los Perros/diagnóstico , Ornithodoros/fisiología , Infestaciones por Garrapatas/veterinaria , Toxicosis por Garrapatas/veterinaria , Animales , Vectores Arácnidos/clasificación , Vectores Arácnidos/fisiología , Mordeduras y Picaduras/complicaciones , Brasil , Proteína C-Reactiva/metabolismo , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Enfermedades de los Perros/parasitología , Perros , Exantema/parasitología , Exantema/veterinaria , Fiebre/parasitología , Fiebre/veterinaria , Hiperemia/parasitología , Hiperemia/veterinaria , Letargia/parasitología , Letargia/veterinaria , Masculino , Ornithodoros/clasificación , Prurito/parasitología , Prurito/veterinaria , Infestaciones por Garrapatas/complicaciones , Infestaciones por Garrapatas/parasitología , Toxicosis por Garrapatas/diagnóstico , Toxicosis por Garrapatas/parasitologíaRESUMEN
From July to December 1977 and from June to November 1978 the toxic effects of Amblyomma cajennense were studied in cattle sheep and goats. Locomotor disturbances commencing as hind-limb paralysis ascended to the upper nervous centres causing paralysis. This was observed in natural infections and confirmed experimentally. Tick paralysis is reported for the first time in Brazil, manifesting itself in a different form to that usually attributed clinically to the disease. Also for the first time reference is made to tick paralysis induced by all developmental stages of A. cajennense.