Abstract INTRODUCTION: We investigated the occurrence of relapsing fever (RF) causing Borrelia genus spirochetes in synanthropic bats from the municipality of Maringá, Paraná, South of Brazil. METHODS: Tissue samples from the wings of bats were collected monthly from April 2013 to February 2014 and extracted DNA was used to evaluate the presence of RF causing Borrelia spp. RESULTS: All bat tissues tested negative for RF causing Borrelia spp. CONCLUSIONS: Borrelia spp. do not occur in chiropterans from Maringá.

The present study describes the prevalence and abundance of, as well as factors associated with, Ixodes affinis infestation of dogs from two environments in two rural localities (Tixméhuac with a medium sub-deciduous forest and Opichén with patches of low deciduous forest, cultivated lands, and grasslands) of Yucatán, Mexico. The associated factors were obtained by an X² analysis and variables where P < 0.2 were subjected to a logistic regression. A total of 33 adult ticks from the genus Ixodes were collected from 144 dogs. The infestation prevalence was found to be 11.11% (16/144) for I. affinis. When considering the prevalence of I. affinis infestation per environment, Tixméhuac had a prevalence of 19.6% (11/56) and Opichén had a prevalence of 5.6% (5/88). The abundance of I. affinis in both environments averaged 2.1 (1-4) ticks/dog. The factors associated with infestations of I. affinis in dogs were the locality of Tixméhuac (OR = 3.70, 95% C.I. = 1.24-11.08, P = 0.001), which is surrounded by a medium sub-deciduous forest, and the use of dogs for hunting in these forested areas (OR = 7.56, 95% C.I. = 1.63-35.04, P = 0.001). This study is the first report of the prevalence and abundance of infestation with I. affinis in dogs in Mexico, which is associated with the access of dogs to adjacent forested areas.

Esta investigación describe la prevalencia y abundancia de, así como los factores asociados a la infestación con Ixodes affinis en perros que viven en dos ambientes diferentes: dos comunidades rurales, Tixméhuac (con selva mediana sub-caducifolia) y Opichén (con parches de selva baja caducifolia, tierras cultivadas y pastizales), en Yucatán, México. Los factores asociados se obtuvieron mediante un análisis de X² y las variables con P < 0.2 se sometieron a una regresión logística. Se obtuvieron un total de 33 garrapatas adultas del género Ixodes de 144 perros. La prevalencia de infestación de perros con I. affinis fue de 11.11% (16/144). Cuando la prevalencia de infestación de I. affinis se consideró por comunidad, Tixméhuac tuvo una prevalencia de 19.6% (11/56) y Opichén de 5.6% (5/88). La abundancia de I. affinis en ambas localidades promedió 2.1 (1-4) garrapatas/perro. Los factores asociados a la infestación de I. affinis en perros fueron la comunidad de Tixméhuac [razón de momios (RM) = 3.70; IC 95% = 1.24-11.08; P = 0.001], que está rodeada por selva mediana sub-caducifolia, y los perros que salen de cacería en estas zonas (RM = 7.56; IC 95% = 1.63-35.04; P = 0.001). En México, este es el primer reporte de la prevalencia y abundancia de la infestación con I. affinis en perros, que se asocia con el acceso de los perros a áreas selváticas adyacentes.