Relapsing polychondritis is a severe systemic immune-mediated disease characterized by an episodic and progressive inflammatory condition with progressive destruction of cartilaginous structures. This disease has for nearly a century kept secrets not yet explained. The real incidence and prevalence of this rare disease are unknown. The multiple clinical presentations and episodic nature of rela...

Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is an uncommon disease in adults, characterized by fever, neurological manifestations, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, renal dysfunction, and the presence of antibodies against the enzyme ADAMTS13. Treatment with plasmapheresis has increased the survival from 10% to more than 90%. Still, there is a subset of patients with r...

Feral pigs (S. scrofa) were introduced to the Pantanal region around 200 years ago and the population appears to be in expansion. Its eradication is considered to be impossible. The population of feral pigs in the Pantanal wetlands is currently estimated at one million. Two scientific excursions were organized. The first was conducted during the dry season, when 21 feral pigs were captured and ...

Relapsing polychondritis is a cartilage tissue disease characterized by inflammatory and destructive episodes. Elastic cartilage of the ear and nose, hyaline cartilage of the joints, hyaline cartilage of vertebra and trachea are the main involvement areas. Also organs having proteoglycan structure such as eyes, heart, blood vessels, and the inner ear can be affected. In this article otologic fi...

Ornithodoros rostratus is an argasid tick and its importance is based on its hematophagy and the resulting transmission of pathogens such as Rickettsia rickettsii and Coxiella burnetii to its vertebrate hosts. In the face of a lack of physiological studies related to hematophagy in argasid ticks, this paper aims to identify and characterize the events that occur throughout the feeding by O. ros...

Control of West Nile virus (WNV) can only be effective if the vectors and reservoirs of the virus are identified and controlled. Although mosquitoes are the primary vectors, WNV has repeatedly been isolated from ticks. Therefore, tick-borne transmission studies were performed with an ixodid (Ixodes ricinus) and an argasid tick species (Ornithodoros moubata). Both species became infected after f...

Tickborne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a zoonosis caused by spirochetes of the genus Borrelia and transmitted to humans by ticks of the genus Ornithodoros. TBRF is endemic in the western United States, predominately in mountainous regions. Clinical illness is characterized by recurrent bouts of fever, headache, and malaise. Although TBRF is usually a mild illness, severe sequelae and death can occ...