Occurrence of ornithodoros brasiliensis aragão (acari: Argasidae) in São Francisco De Paula, RS, Southern Brazil

There have been no reports of the endemic Ornithodoros brasiliensis (Aragão) in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, since the 1950s. In January 2007, 21 O. brasiliensis ticks were collected in a rural area named "Cruzinha" in the municipality of São Francisco de Paula, RS, and another population was sampled later that year (October) in Vargem do Cedro, another rural area of São Francisco de Paula, following reports of human parasitism by ticks. The reappearance of this tick is a reason for concern in terms of public health.Fil: Martins, J. R.. Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor; BrasilFil: Doyle, R. L.. Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor; BrasilFil: Barros Battesti, D. M.. Governo do Estado de Sao Paulo. Secretaria da Saude. Instituto Butantan; BrasilFil: Onofrio, V. C.. Governo do Estado de Sao Paulo. Secretaria da Saude. Instituto Butantan; BrasilFil: Guglielmone, Alberto Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; Argentin