MICROORGANISMS CONTAMINATING TICKS COLLECTED AT NATURAL RESERVES OR WILD ANIMALS

This work investigated microorganisms responsible for the contamination and death of ticks from natural reserves and wild animals and later kept in the Laboratory of Ixodology in the Veterinary School of the Federal University of Uberlandia. Such investigation aimed prevention of tick death in the laboratory but also search for microorganisms to be used in the biological control of ticks. From four tick samples of Amblyomma genus, the following agents were isolated: Staphylococus sp, Gram positive bacillus, filamentous fungi of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium, and a yeast identified as Non-albicans Candida and Cryptococcus sp. Even though the source of contamination of these ticks is uncertain, this study displayed the necessity of to better evaluating the spread of pathogens by ticks, as well as those known to be transmitted solely during tick feeding.