Table 3.

Hematological variables evaluated in five capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) one to four exposures (experimental phases I to IV) to Rickettsia rickettsii strain Itu via infestations with R. rickettsii-infected Amblyomma sculptum ticks. Values presented as: mean (standard deviation) [range].

Capybara Number	Packed cell volume (%)				Red blood cell count (x106 cells/mm3)				White blood cell count (x103 cells/mm3)
	Phases#				Phases#				Phases#
	I	II	III	IV	I	II	III	IV	I	II	III	IV
1	36.8 (10.83) [22.2–50.9]	35.9 (2.15) [33.3–39.2]	38.7 (2.23) [35.0–41.4]	40.4 (1.49) [38.4–42.4]	2.56 (0.48) [1.97–3.28]	2.75 (0.31) [2.07–3.13]	2.66 (0.49) [1.80–3.36]	2.75 (0.18) [2.49–2.94]	3.46 (1.73) [1.85–6.93]	4.84 (0.75) [3.70–5.75]	4.72 (0.95) [3.28–6.38]	4.95 (0.64) [4.03–5.95]
2	-	33.8 (7.27) [24.4–40.4]				2.70 (0.46) [2.28–3.34]			—	1.97 (1.11) [1.13–3.23]
3	40.5 (4.46) [34.9–48.1]	34.5 (7.49) [25.6–42.6]			2.91 (0.33) [2.37–3.23]	2.95 (0.36) [2.41–3.18]			4.59 (1.08) [3.40–6.68]	2.71 (1.56) [1.38–4.53]
4			35.6 (2.32) [31.4–38.1]	40.6 (1.02) [39.2–41.6]	—	—	2.65 (0.35) [2.21–3.18]	3.05 (0.17) [2.78–3.32]			5.89 (1.28) [3.43–7.20]	7.62 (1.78) [5.48–10.55]
5			31.6 (3.34) [27.1–36.0]	40.8 (1.4) [38.3–42.4]	—	—	2.14 (0.42) [1.59–2.81]	3.05 (0.18) [2.81–3.29]			4.98 (2.06) [2.23–8.73]	4.94 (0.85) [3.80–6.28]
Reference values*	46.6–51.437; 43.3–52.938; 38.4–42.419				3.44–3.9837; 2.82–3.4438; 4.3–4.719				3.96–6.4437; 7.44–15.8238; 3.3–7.319

^#Phase I, primary infection of capybara no. 1, and retaining capybara no. 3 as noninfected control; phase II, second infection of capybara no. 1 and primary infection of capybaras no. 2 and 3; phase III, third infection of capybara no. 1 and primary infection of capybaras no. 4 and 5; phase IV, fourth infection of capybara no. 1 and second infection of capybaras no. 4 and 5.

*Hematological reference values for capybaras, according to Madella et al.¹⁹, Arouca et al.³⁷, and Van de Heijden et al.³⁸.