Resposta celular e metabólica de fêmeas ingurgitadas de Rhipicephalus microplus expostas ao Fluazuron

Abstract

This work aims to evaluate the hemolymph collected from engorged females of the tick Rhipicephalus microplus after their exposure to a growth regulator, fluazuron, and to compare it to the hemolymph of ticks of the same species without treatment with the growth regulator through cell characterization and counting and biochemical measurements. Immersion tests were performed with engorged females in two groups, control and fluazuron 1.000 ppm. Hemolymph was collected for total and differential counts of hemocytes and evaluation of energy metabolism through glucose and total protein (PT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) enzyme activity, at 24 and 48 hours after the immersion. When comparing the two groups, control and fluazuron, the total hemocyte count was lower in the fluazuron group in both 24 and 48 hours and there was a decrease in granulocyte counts and increase in spherulocyte counts at both analysis times, also in the group fluazuron. There was a reduction in glucose and PT values in both groups, control and treated, at the 48 hour evaluations when compared to the 24 hour evaluations, and there were no changes in LDH and AST activities in both groups in the two analysis times in relation to the action of fluazuron. Fluazuron was not able to promote changes in the energetic metabolism of ticks under the conditions established in this study, but for the dynamics of hemocytes the growth regulator was able to promote changes.