First report of Neotrombicula inopinata infestation in domestic cats from Portugal

Trombiculids parasitize a wide variety of terrestrial vertebrates, including domestic animals, throughout the world. They are parasites only during their larval stages, causing several dermatological lesions on their hosts, such as acute dermatitis, erythema, excoriation, erosion, papules, crusts and alopecia on the ear margins, face, interdigital spaces and abdomen. Neotrombicula is one of the several genera in Trombiculidae family, which cause trombiculosis. The most common species implicated in clinical cases is Neotrombicula autumnalis. However, several reports have shown that Neotrombicula inopinata (Oudemans, 1909) can also play a role in trombiculosis. Here, we describe the first case of N. inopinata infestation in domestic cats from mainland Portugal. Since nucleic acids of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi have been found in Neotrombicula autumnalis and Rickettsia spp. in Neotrombicula inopinata, a correct taxonomical identification is essential to understand the role of these mite species as possible vectors of pathogens.