Rickettsioses are vector-borne zoonotic diseases that occur in urban environments. Currently, they are associated with the presence of domestic and synanthropic animals, the ectoparasites that they harbor, and their local habitat. The implementation of prevention actions relies on the understanding of the local ecology of interactions between hosts, vector species, and the etiologic agents. In this context, this study aimed to explore and describe the occurrence of infected mammals and their ectoparasites in human urban dwellings, and those characteristics of urban dwellings associated to the presence of Rickettsia infected animals in groups of households where at least one human case of rickettsiosis has occurred in the previous year of the study. Briefly, blood-samples and ectoparasites from synanthropic and domestic animals, were obtained from groups of households from different areas of an urban settlement. Serologic and molecular diagnostics helped to identify Spotted Fever Group (SFG) and TG (Typhus Group) Rickettsia in animal and ectoparasite samples. A total of 99 mammals were sampled, 29 opossums (Didelphis virginiana), 13 house mice (Mus musculus), seven black rats (Rattus rattus) and 50 dogs. Infection occurrence in opossums was 8.3% of SFG, 50% for TG, and 4.2% of undetermined group. For house mice 46.2% for SFG and 30.8% were undetermined. Black rats 28.6% of SFG and 57.1% undetermined. Finally, dogs were 19.1% of SFG, 57.4% to TG, and 23.4% belonged to undetermined group. A total of 424 ectoparasites were collected from the mammals. In opossums occurred the ticks Ambyomma sp., Ornithodoros (Alecterobius) nr. talaje, and the flea Ctenocephalides felis. In dogs we found the ticks Rhipicephalus sanguineus s. l., Amblyomma sp., O. (A.) nr. talaje, and the flea Ct. felis. No ectoparasites were collected from rodents. The occurrence of infected animals was associated primarily with the material of the backyard floor, the type of sanitary system in the household, the presence of garbage in the backyard, presence of firewood storage, stored polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers for sale to recyclers, and the store of construction supplies in the backyard. Nonetheless a generalized linear model showed that the household with a backyard with a dirt floor or other non-concrete material has more chances of harboring infected animals (RR= 1.74, 95% CI= 1.07-2.84 and RR= 1.03, 95% CI= 0.39-2.32 respectively). In contrast, when the house has a sanitary system of urban sewer system or a latrine outside de house, the chances of having infected animals decreased significantly (RR= 0.39, 95% CI= 0.12-0.94 and RR= 0.46, 95% CI= 0.03-2.22). We conclude that both SFG and TG rickettsioses occur in animals and their ectoparasites in peridomiciles of urban households were at least one human rickettsiosis case had occurred.

立克次体是在城市环境中发生的媒介传播的人畜共患疾病。当前，它们与家养和合生动物的存在，它们所藏有的外寄生物以及它们的本地栖息地有关。预防措施的实施取决于对宿主，媒介物种和病原体之间相互作用的局部生态学的理解。在这种情况下，本研究旨在探索和描述人类城市住宅中感染的哺乳动物及其外寄生虫的发生，以及与立克次体的存在相关的城市住宅的特征。 在研究的前一年中至少发生了1例人类立克次病病例的家庭组中感染动物。简而言之，来自同居和家畜的血液样本和体外寄生虫是从城市居住区不同地区的家庭组中获得的。血清学和分子诊断有助于鉴定动物和体外寄生虫样品中的斑点热病组（SFG）和TG（斑疹伤寒组）立克次体。总共采样了99只哺乳动物，29只负鼠（Didelphis virginiana），13只家鼠（Mus musculus），7只黑鼠（Rattus rattus）。）和50条狗。负鼠感染的发生率是SFG的8.3％，TG的50％和未定组的4.2％。对于家鼠，SFG的46.2％和30.8％的不确定。黑大鼠的SFG占28.6％，未确定的占57.1％。最后，狗的SFG含量为19.1％，TG含量为57.4％，未确定组含量为23.4％。从哺乳动物中总共收集到424种体外寄生虫。在负鼠中出现了s虫Ambyomma sp。，Ornithodoros（Alecterobius）nr。talaje和跳蚤Ctenocephalides felis。在狗中，我们发现了壁虱Rhipicephalus sanguineus sl，Amblyomma sp。，O。（答：）塔拉耶和跳蚤Ct。费利斯。没有从啮齿动物中收集到外寄生虫。被感染动物的发生主要与后院地板的材料，家庭卫生系统的类型，后院是否存在垃圾，柴火存储，出售给回收商的已存储聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯（PET）容器，和后院的建筑用品商店。但是，广义线性模型显示，后院的地板上有尘土或其他非混凝土材料的家庭有更多的机会藏有被感染的动物（RR = 1.74，95％CI = 1.07-2.84，RR = 1.03，95％CI =分别为0.39-2.32）。相比之下，如果房屋的卫生系统为城市下水道系统或房屋外的厕所，则感染动物的几率显着降低（RR = 0.39、95％CI = 0.12-0.94和RR = 0.46，95％CI = 0.03-2.22）。我们得出的结论是，SFG和TG立克次体病均在动物中发生，并且城市家庭的蠕虫中至少存在1例人类立克次体病病例。