Description of human infestations by ticks in Panama and Costa Rica

Sergio Bermúdez C.; Vicente Greco-Mastelari; Yamitzel Zaldívar; Michelle Hernández; Lillian Domínguez A.; Victor M. Montenegro H.; José M. Venzal

doi:10.54034/mic.e1241

Authors

Sergio Bermúdez C. Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panamá, Panamá; Programa de Desarrollo de las Ciencias Básicas (PEDEClBA), Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay
Vicente Greco-Mastelari Hospital Santo Tomás, Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá
Yamitzel Zaldívar Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panamá, Panamá.
Michelle Hernández Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panamá, Panamá. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7445-6965
Lillian Domínguez A. Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panamá, Panamá.
Victor M. Montenegro H. Laboratorio de Parasitología, Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
José M. Venzal Laboratorio de Vectores y Enfermedades Transmitidas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Salto, Uruguay. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4633-7456

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54034/mic.e1241

Keywords:

tick bites, humans, lymphadenopathy, erythema migrans-like, environments, Panama, Costa Rica

Abstract

Tick bites in humans are associated with the transmission of pathogens, anaphylactic shock, paralysis, and secondary infections. In this work we described six cases of tick bites in patients from Panama and Costa Rica. These bites were provoked for adults of Ornithodoros puertoricensis, Amblyomma cf. oblongoguttatum, Amblyomma ovale, and Ixodes cf. boliviensis, and a nymph of Amblyomma mixtum. The relationships of these species of ticks with the environment are explained. Among the reactions observed in the patients there are blisters, maculo-papular rash, granuloma, lymphadenopathy, and erythema migrans-like rash, but none referred symptoms compatible with an infectious disease. In the collected ticks a PCR battery was developed to rule out Borrelia, Rickettsia, Anaplasmataceae, and Coxiella diseases to the ticks from the cases 1, 2, 3 and 4, with negative results. Although no pathogen infections were evidenced, these finding indicate that the tick bites constitute a public health problem what goes unnoticed in many countries.

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