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Additional file 1. Sampling data of 12 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), a marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna) and their ticks.

Additional file 3. The morphological characteristics of ticks from 12 red foxes and a marble polecat in northwestern China.

Additional file 4. Phylogenetic tree of the 17-kDa-ompA-gltA-sca1 concatenated sequences of Rickettsia raoultii from Ixodes canisuga and Dermacentor marginatus ticks.

Additional file 2. Nested PCR protocol for the detection of rickettsiae in 13 wild carnivores as well as from their ticks, northern Xinjiang, China.

Pediculaster mesembrinae (Canestrini, 1881) Distinguishing characters of the phoretomorphic female. First sternal plates with 6-6 setae. Setae e shorter than setae f, setae ps2 two times longer than setae ps1 and ps3 (Figure 2, A & B). Notes. This mite species was recorded from stable flies (McGarry & Baker 1997) in the UK. Pediculaster mesembrinae occurs in places where dung or dung inhabiting flies are found (Mahunka 1972). This species is not parasitic on stable flies, and similarly to the previously mentioned two species, uses them only for transportation., Published as part of Kontsch��n, Jen�� & Hornok, S��ndor, 2019, New records, a completed list and identification key of mites (Acari) associated with the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), pp. 3-11 in Acarologia 59 (1) on page 7, DOI: 10.24349/acarologia/20194306, http://zenodo.org/record/4502889, {"references":["Canestrini R. 1881. Contribuzione allo studio degli Acari parassiti degli insetti. Atti della Societ / l. Veneto-Trentina di Scienze Naturali, Padova, VII (II): 154 - 155; 168 - 169, Tav. 19, 22.","McGarry J. W., Baker A. S. 1997. Observation on the mite fauna associated with adult Stomoxys calcitrans in the UK. Med. Vet. Entomol., 11: 159 - 164. doi: 10.1111 / j. 1365 - 2915.1997. tb 00307. x","Mahunka S. 1972. Tetuatkak - Tarsonemina. - Magyarorszag Allatvilaga (Fauna Hungariae), XVIII. 16. Akademiai Kiado, Budapest, pp. 215."]}

Trichotrombidium muscarum (Riley, 1878) Distinguishing characters of the larvae. Scutellum 3.5 times wider than long, wider than scutum. Scutum and scutellum with punctuation on central part and with longitudinal striae on lateral parts. Number of dorsal setae 28, setae AM smooth, other setae on dorsum slightly barbed, trichobothria narrow and very finely barbed (Figure 2, C & D). Notes. This species is the senior synonym of T. hemistriatum (Womerslay, 1942) (Welbourn 1985) and T. rafieiae Saboori, 2002 (Hakimtabar & Saboori 2018). Kobulej (1951) described a new species Trichotrombidium muscae Kobulej, 1951, which is also a junior synonym of T. muscarum (Riley, 1878). Saboori (2002) mentioned T. muscarum in the key to Trichotrombidium species as T. hemistriatum Kobulej, 1951 which is an erroneous name (maybe mixed names of the species of Womersay and Kobulej). The name T. muscarum was also mentioned in Suhas and Rhao (1986) as ��� Trichotrombidium muscarum Kolonev ��� (sic!), which is another misuse of this name. This is a true parasitic species, known from Musca domestica only from Iran (Saboori 2002) and from Turkey (Karakurt & Sevsay 2013), and from a species of the family Ulidiidae (Diptera) (Hakimtabar & Saboori 2018), but never mentioned from stable fly. McGarry et al. (1992) reported Trichotrombidium muscarum (Riley) from flies from Libya and mentioned it from stable fly from Romania without citing references, so this association is questionable. The rate of the infection Only 5 stable flies were infested by mites from the collected 350 specimens. During our investigation of mites associated with stable flies only four mite species were collected. Two species were represented by only single specimens, namely the halolaelapid Halolaelaps sexclavatus and the siteroptid Pediculaster mesembrinae. The other two species were more abundant, one or two specimens of M. subbadius were found on the venter of the body of the flies (Figure 3). High numbers (8- 37 specimens) of T. muscarum infested the flies (Figure 4) and these were found all over the body, adhering to the membranous cuticle between the tergites and sternites of abdomen and the parts of thorax., Published as part of Kontsch��n, Jen�� & Hornok, S��ndor, 2019, New records, a completed list and identification key of mites (Acari) associated with the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), pp. 3-11 in Acarologia 59 (1) on pages 7-8, DOI: 10.24349/acarologia/20194306, http://zenodo.org/record/4502889, {"references":["Riley 1878. First Annual report of the United States Entomological Commission for the Year 1887 relating to the Rocky Mountain Locust, 306 - 313.","Welbourn W. C. 1985. Phylogenetic studies of trombidioid mites. Dissertation. The Ohio State University, pp. 268.","Saboori A. 2002. Two new species of larval mites (Acari: Microtrombidiidae, Erythraeidae) from Iran. Biol., Bratislava, 57 (5): 547 - 552.","Kobulej T. 1951. Novi vis trombidiidnovo kleschcha. Eine neue Trombiiden-Art, Trichotrombidium muscae gen. n. et spec. n. - Microtrombidiinae Sig Thor, 1935. Acta Vet. Acad. Sci. Hung., 1: 83 - 105.","Suhas Y., Rhao K. J. 1986. Trichotrombidium muscarum Kolonev, a new acarine parasite on house fly. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 83: 446.","Berlese A. 1904. Acari nuovi. Manipulus IIus. Redia, 1: 258 - 280.","Karakurt I., Sevsay S. 2013. A new species of Trichotrombidium Kobulej, 1951 (Acari: Prostigmata: Microtrombidiidae) for the Turkish fauna. Mun. Ent. Zool., 8 (2): 739 - 744.","McGarry J. W., Gusbi A. M., Baker A., Hall M. J. R., el Megademi K. 1992. Phoretic and parasitic mites infesting the New World screwworm fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax, following sterile insect release in Libya. Med. Vet. Entomol., 6, 255 - 260. doi: 10.1111 / j. 1365 - 2915.1992. tb 00615. x"]}

Macrocheles subbadius (Berlese, 1904) Distinguishing characters of female. All dorsal setae smooth and needle-like, except setae j1 which are smooth and robust. Ventral setae also smooth and needle-like, sternal shield ornamented with small pits. Ventrianal shield pentagonal with three pairs of needle-like setae anterior to anal opening (Figure 1, A & B). Notes. This is the species most frequently collected from the bodies of stable flies. This association was reported from Hungary (Erős & Mahunka 1971), France (Niogret et al. 2008), Slovakia (Ma����n 2003), Israel (Mumcuoglu & Braverman 2010), United Kingdom (McGarry & Baker 1997) and Canada (Beresford & Sutcliffe 2009). Macrocheles subbadius is a coprophilous detriticole species and a typical phoretic mite, which does not parasitize the stable fly, but use it only for transportation between different habitats (like dung pads, compost heaps etc.)., Published as part of Kontsch��n, Jen�� & Hornok, S��ndor, 2019, New records, a completed list and identification key of mites (Acari) associated with the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), pp. 3-11 in Acarologia 59 (1) on page 4, DOI: 10.24349/acarologia/20194306, http://zenodo.org/record/4502889, {"references":["Berlese A. 1904. Acari nuovi. Manipulus IIus. Redia, 1: 258 - 280.","Masan P. 2003. Macrochelid Mites of Slovakia (Acari, Mesostigmata, Macrochelidae). Bratislava, Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences. pp. 149.","Mumcuoglu K., Braverman Y. 2010. Parasitic and phoretic mites of Diptera in Israel and the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. Israel J. Entomol., 40: 195 - 203.","McGarry J. W., Baker A. S. 1997. Observation on the mite fauna associated with adult Stomoxys calcitrans in the UK. Med. Vet. Entomol., 11: 159 - 164. doi: 10.1111 / j. 1365 - 2915.1997. tb 00307. x","Beresford D. V., Sutcliffe J. F. 2009. The effect of Macrocheles muscaedomesticae and M. subbadius (Acarina: Macrochelidae) phoresy on the dispersal of Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae). Syst. Appl. Acarol., 23: 1 - 30. doi: 10.11158 / saasp. 23.1.1"]}

Halolaelps sexclavatus (Oudemans, 1902) Distinguishing characters of the deutonymphs. All dorsal setae short, smooth and needle-like. Ventral setae also smooth and needle-like, three pairs club-like setae visible on the gnathosoma (setae h4 or subcoxal setae), and on coxae II and III (Figure 1, C & D). Notes. This is the first report of this mite in association with the stable fly. The deutonymph of H. sexclavatus is known to be present on the body of various insect species (like: beetles Bahrami et al. 2011) or in bird nests (Kri��tof��k et al 2013), but it was never collected from stable flies. Nevertheless, McGarry & Baker (1997) listed a Halolaelaps species from this fly species in the UK. Halolaelps sexclavatus is not a parasitic mite: this species occurs in compost and dung, therefore we suppose that this species uses the host only for dispersal between different sites., Published as part of Kontsch��n, Jen�� & Hornok, S��ndor, 2019, New records, a completed list and identification key of mites (Acari) associated with the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), pp. 3-11 in Acarologia 59 (1) on page 4, DOI: 10.24349/acarologia/20194306, http://zenodo.org/record/4502889, {"references":["Oudemans A. C. 1902. New list of Dutch Acari, second part. With remarks on known and description of","Bahrami F., Arbabi M., Shoushtari R. V., Kazemi, S. 2011. Mesostigmatic mites associated with Coleoptera and biodiversity calculation of these mites phoretic on dung beetles in Golestan Province (North of Iran). Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 9 (3): 345 - 366.","Kristofik J., Masan P., Sustek Z., Nuhlickov S. 2013. Arthropods (Acarina, Coleoptera, Siphonaptera) in nests of hoopoe (Upupa epops) in Central Europe. Biol., Bratislava, 68 (1): 155 - 161.","McGarry J. W., Baker A. S. 1997. Observation on the mite fauna associated with adult Stomoxys calcitrans in the UK. Med. Vet. Entomol., 11: 159 - 164. doi: 10.1111 / j. 1365 - 2915.1997. tb 00307. x"]}

To screen the host-dependent abundance of hard tick (Acari: Ixodidae) developmental stages on ruminants in South Hungary, red and roe deer, as well as goats and sheep were examined in a season, when larvae and nymphs are active. Altogether 2271 ticks were collected. In the relevant period the prevalence of tick-infestation was significantly higher among goats, than among sheep kept in the very same area, most likely in association with the browsing habit of the former. Roe deer and goats were found to be important hosts for Ixodes ricinus and Haemaphysalis concinna larvae, in contrast to the view that this stage does not usually feed on medium-sized mammals. Interestingly, one third of I. ricinus larvae and one larva of H. concinna and of Dermacentor reticulatus collected from goats in the same herd in August have started the moulting process (showed apolysis) on their host, despite being three-host ticks. This is the first survey involving four species of domestic and wild ruminants in Europe to compare the host-preference of ixodid ticks in the same region.

In order to obtain data on the occurrence of the protozoan parasite Neospora caninum as a potential factor in the aetiology of reproduction problems in cattle, 97 postabortion sera were examined by ISCOM ELISA and IFAT for the presence of antibodies in N. caninum. The results showed 10% and 9% seropositivity by the ELISA and IFAT, respectively. In 2 of the 10 seropositive cases no other fetopathogenic agents (such as Chlamydia sp., Leptospira spp. or bovine viral diarrhoea virus) were detected. These data confirm the presence of N. caninum in cattle in Hungary.

Rickettsia felis, the causative agent of flea-borne spotted fever, occurs on all continents except Antarctica, owing to the cosmopolitan distribution of its cat flea vector. In this study, cat fleas were collected in two countries where the occurrence of R. felis was either unknown (Malta) or where accurate prevalence data were lacking (Israel). Altogether 129 fleas were molecularly analysed for the presence of rickettsial DNA. On the basis of three genetic markers, R. felis was identified in 39.5% (15/38) of the cat fleas from Malta. Sequences showed 100% identity to each other and to relevant sequences in GenBank. Among the 91 cat fleas from Israel, two (2.2%) contained the DNA of Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis. Phylogenetically, the R. felis and Candidatus R. senegalensis identified here clustered separately (with high support) but within one clade, which was a sister group to that formed by the typhus group and spotted fever group rickettsiae. This is the first record of R. felis in Malta and of Candidatus R. senegalensis outside its formerly reported geographical range including Africa, Asia and North America. Keywords: Emerging, gltA gene, ompA gene, phylogeny, Rickettsia, 17 kDa protein gene

The present study was carried out in a herd with concurrent infections of Mycoplasma wenyonii and 'Candidatus M. haemobos', to investigate if transplacental and/or vector-borne transmission is possible for one or both bovine haemoplasma species. For this purpose blood samples were collected from 38 mother animals and their newborn calves; as well as from 17 uninseminated cows twice three months apart. In addition, 311 mosquitoes and blood-sucking flies (Diptera: Culicidae, Tabanidae, Muscidae) were cought near the animals. DNA was extracted from all samples, followed by real-time PCR analysis. In 10.5% of neonate calves, that were born to cows harbouring both haemoplasmas, M. wenyonii and/or 'Candidatus M. haemobos' positivity was detected. Copy numbers in positive samples from cows and their calves indicated that - in comparison with M. wenyonii - 'Candidatus M. haemobos'-bacteraemia had usually lower levels. In samples of uninseminated cows the rate of infection with the latter species decreased. These findings may explain why M. wenyonii was significantly more frequently detected in blood-sucking flies, than 'Candidatus M. haemobos'. In conclusion, molecular evidence is provided for the first time on the transplacental transmission of bovine haemoplasmas. Regarding their spread by blood-sucking arthropods, new potential vectors were identified, i.e. the horn fly (Haematobia irritans), the stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) and two species of horse flies (Tabanus bovinus, T. bromius).

The aim of the present study was twofold. First, in general, to reveal new aspects of the potential vector role of ixodid ticks and fleas by screening large numbers of specimens with recently developed molecular biological methods. Second, to evaluate the occurrence of vector-borne infectious agents in a geographical context. Altogether 3442 unfed hard ticks (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor marginatus, D. reticulatus, Haemaphysalis inermis, H. concinna, H. punctata) and 939 fleas of cats and dogs (Ctenocephalides felis, C. canis, Pulex irritans) were collected in Hungary. DNA was extracted and analyzed in pools for representatives of the orders Rickettsiales and Mycoplasmatales. H. inermis was newly identified as the most important potential vector for Rickettsia helvetica in the study region. A novel Rickettsia genotype (designated 'Candidatus R. hungarica') was also detected in the same tick species, with a maximum of 95.8% gltA gene sequence identity to known rickettsiae. In addition, P. irritans tested positive for Rickettsia sp. RF2125, which has not been previously described in Europe. The human pathogen R. felis and the feline pathogen 'Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis' were shown for the first time to occur in Central-Eastern Europe. Further novel findings include the presence of Spiroplasma spp. in D. marginatus and fleas. In conclusion, this molecular study extends the geographic range and vector spectrum of several arthropod-borne agents, some of which have zoonotic potential.

Although haemobartonellosis was previously reported in Hungary, until now the diagnosis (based on morphological identification in blood smears) has only been suggestive of the occurrence of the large species, recently reclassified as Mycoplasma haemofelis . However, in July 2007 a cat was presented at a small animal clinic with severe haemolytic anaemia, icterus and haemoglobinuria. While biochemical parameters were within the reference range, the cat had leukocytosis and rapidly decreasing haematocrit values, and eventually died 7 days after the sudden onset of aggravating clinical signs. From blood samples of the cat ‘ Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’ was identified by molecular methods, according to its 100% 16S rRNA gene sequence homology with two Swiss isolates and one isolate from the UK. The rapid termination of the disease and the high pathogenicity of the causative agent observed in this case are unusual, taking into account that PCR results were negative for immunosuppressive viruses. This is the first record of this feline haemoplasma species in Hungary.

After the first outbreak of fatal Mycoplasma ovis infection (eperythrozoonosis) in a sheep flock in Hungary (1997), a second wave of the disease was noted in 2006, with different seasonal pattern and affected age group, as well as increased mortality (5.5%). The aim of the present study was to molecularly characterize the causative agent and to reveal underlying factors of the second wave of the disease. Remarkably, among the 33 sheep examined, 17 were infected with two strains of haemotropic mycoplasmas. Cloning and sequencing isolates of the latter showed that one of the strains was 99.4-99.8% identical to M. ovis (AF338268), while the second was only 96.8-97.9% identical and contained a 17-bp deletion. Different isolates of both strains were demonstrated in the same animal. When analyzing possible risk factors for fatal disease outcome, we found that among sheep born prior to the 1997 outbreak significantly more animals survived the second outbreak than succumbed to disease. In addition, locally born sheep were less frequently diseased than sheep introduced into the flock from other places. This suggests an immunoprotective effect in some animals. Concurrent infection with Anaplasma ovis was detected in 24 of the 33 evaluated sheep. In conclusion, this is the first study to demonstrate the existence of and characterize two genetically distinct ovine haemotropic mycoplasma strains in a sheep flock with fatal haemolytic anaemia.

Background Despite their close association with human dwellings, the role of synanthropic rodents in the epidemiology of vector-borne infections is seldom studied. The aim of the present study was to compensate for this lack of information, by the molecular investigation of vector-borne bacteria in peridomestic rodents and their ectoparasites. Findings Fifty-two rodents (mainly house mice and brown rats) were caught alive in buildings and checked for blood-sucking ectoparasites; followed by molecular analysis of these, together with spleen samples, for the presence of vector-borne agents. Haemoplasma infection was significantly more prevalent among brown rats, than among house mice. A novel haemoplasma genotype (with only 92-93% similarity to Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis and M. coccoides in its 16S rRNA gene) was detected in a harvest mouse and a brown rat. Sporadic occurrence of Rickettsia helvetica, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Bartonella sp. was also noted in rodents and/or their ectoparasites. Conclusions These results indicate that synanthropic rodents, although with low prevalence, may carry zoonotic and vector-borne pathogens indoors.