382 results on '"TICKS"'
Search Results
2. Can protection motivation theory predict protective behavior against ticks?
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Hansen, Mette Frimodt, Sørensen, Pelle Korsbaek, Sørensen, Anja Elaine, and Krogfelt, Karen Angeliki
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- 2023
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3. Ticks - public health risks in urban green spaces.
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Janzén, Thérese, Choudhury, Firoza, Hammer, Monica, Petersson, Mona, and Dinnétz, Patrik
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LYME disease ,URBAN health ,PUBLIC spaces ,TICK-borne diseases ,TICKS ,GEOGRAPHIC information systems - Abstract
Background: Urban green spaces are important for human health, but they may expose visitors to tick-borne diseases. This not only presents a potential public health challenge but also undermines the expected public health gains from urban green spaces. The aim of this study is to assess the public health risk of tick-borne diseases in an urban green space used for recreation in Stockholm, Sweden. Methods: We used a mixed method approach identifying both the magnitude of the tick hazard and the extent of the human exposure to tick-borne diseases. At six entry points to an urban green space, we sampled ticks and documented microhabitat conditions from five randomly assigned 2 m × 2 m plots. Surrounding habitat data was analyzed using geographical information system (GIS). Nymphs and adult ticks were tested for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum using TaqMan qPCR. Positive B. burgdorferi (s.l.) ticks were further analyzed by nested PCR amplification and sequence analysis. Population census data and visitor count data were used to estimate the degree of human exposure to tick-borne diseases. To further understand the degree to which visitors get in contact with infected ticks we also conducted interviews with visitors to green spaces. Results: High tick densities were commonly found in humid broadleaved forest with low field vegetation. High pathogen prevalence was significantly correlated with increasing proportions of artificial areas. Integrating the tick hazard with human exposure we found that the public health risk of tick-borne diseases was moderate to high at most of the studied entry points. Many of the visitors frequently used urban green spaces. Walking was the most common activity, but visitors also engaged in activities with higher risk for tick encounters. Individual protective measures were connected to specific recreational activities such as picking berries or mushrooms. Conclusions: The number of visitors can be combined with tick inventory data and molecular analyses of pathogen prevalence to make crude estimations of the public health risk of tick-borne diseases in urban green spaces. The risk of encountering infected ticks is omnipresent during recreational activities in urban green spaces, highlighting the need for public health campaigns to reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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4. Effects of rodent abundance on ticks and Borrelia: results from an experimental and observational study in an island system.
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Kiran, Nosheen, Brila, Ilze, Mappes, Tapio, Sipari, Saana, Wang, Yingying, Welsh, Erin, and Kallio, Eva R.
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CASTOR bean tick ,TICK infestations ,LYME disease ,BORRELIA ,RODENTS ,TICKS ,TICK-borne diseases - Abstract
Background: Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-borne disease in Europe and is often caused by Borrelia afzelii, which is transmitted by Ixodes ricinus ticks. The prevalence and abundance of infected ticks fluctuate in time and space, influencing human infection risk. Rodents are reservoir hosts for B. afzelii and important feeding hosts for larval ticks. In the study reported here, we examined how variation in rodent abundance is associated with B. afzelii infection prevalence in ticks, the density of nymphs (DON) and the density of infected nymphs (DIN) in the following year. We further analysed the relationships between the abundance of infected rodents and nymphal infection prevalence (NIP) and DIN. Methods: We conducted a study that combined experimental and observational approaches on 15 islands (10 small islands and 5 large islands) in Finland. On all of the islands, ticks and rodents were monitored and sampled during the summer of 2019, with the monitoring of tick abundance and sampling continuing into the spring of 2020. On five of the 10 small islands, captured rodents were removed from the island ("removal" islands), and on the other five small islands, captured rodents were released back to the trapping site after marking and sampling ("control" islands). On the five large islands, captured rodents were released back to the trapping site after marking and sampling. The presence of B. afzelii from nymph and rodent samples was examined. Results: The results of the experimental study showed that neither treatment (removal), rodent abundance index nor abundance index of infected rodents in 2019 was associated with DON, NIP or DIN in 2020. Based on data from the observational study, the NIP in 2020 decreased with increasing rodent abundance index and abundance index of infected rodents in 2019. However, the DIN in 2020 was not associated with the rodent abundance index or the abundance index of infected rodents in 2019. In addition, in the observational study, DON in 2020 increased with increasing rodent abundance index. Conclusions: Our results suggest that low rodent abundance during the tick activity period is not sufficient for reducing the disease hazard and, hence, rodent removal may not be a feasible control measure in natural ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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5. Infection prevalence and ecotypes of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in moose Alces alces, red deer Cervus elaphus, roe deer Capreolus capreolus and Ixodes ricinus ticks from Norway
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Stigum, Vetle M., Jaarsma, Ryanne I., Sprong, Hein, Rolandsen, Christer M., and Mysterud, Atle
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- 2019
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6. Three Babesia species in Ixodes ricinus ticks from migratory birds in Sweden.
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Wilhelmsson, Peter, Pawełczyk, Olga, Jaenson, Thomas G. T., Waldenström, Jonas, Olsen, Björn, Forsberg, Pia, and Lindgren, Per-Eric
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CASTOR bean tick , *TICKS , *MIGRATORY birds , *BABESIA , *TICK-borne encephalitis viruses , *SPECIES , *TICK infestations - Abstract
Background: Migratory birds can cross geographical and environmental barriers and are thereby able to facilitate transmission of tick-borne pathogens both as carriers of infected ticks and as reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms. Ixodes ricinus is one of the most abundant tick species in the Northern Hemisphere and a main vector of several Babesia species, some which pose a potential threat to human and animal health. At present only two cases of overt babesiosis in humans have so far been reported in Sweden. To better understand the potential role of birds as disseminators of zoonotic Babesia protozoan parasites, we investigated the presence of Babesia species in ticks removed from migratory birds. Methods: Ticks were collected from birds captured at Ottenby Bird Observatory, south-eastern Sweden, from March to November 2009. Ticks were molecularly identified to species, and morphologically to developmental stage, and the presence of Babesia protozoan parasites was determined by real-time PCR. Results: In total, 4601 migratory birds of 65 species were examined for tick infestation. Ticks removed from these birds have previously been investigated for the presence of Borrelia bacteria and the tick-borne encephalitis virus. In the present study, a total of 1102 ticks were available for molecular analysis of Babesia protozoan parasites. We found that 2.4% of the ticks examined, all I. ricinus, were positive for mammal-associated Babesia species. Out of all Babesia-positive samples, Babesia venatorum was the most prevalent (58%) species, followed by Babesia microti (38%) and Babesia capreoli (4.0%). B. venatorum and B. capreoli were detected in I. ricinus larvae, whereas B. microti was only present in I. ricinus nymphs. This supports the view that the two first-mentioned species are vertically (transovarially) transmitted in the tick population, in contrast to B. microti. The largest number of Babesia-infected ticks was removed from the common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and European robin (Erithacus rubecula). Conclusions: This study reveals that Babesia protozoan parasites are present in ticks infesting migratory birds in south-eastern Sweden, which could potentially lead to the dissemination of these tick-borne microorganisms into new areas, thus posing a threat to humans and other mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2021
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7. Vectra 3D (dinotefuran, pyriproxyfen and permethrin) prevents acquisition of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto by Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes scapularis ticks in an ex vivo feeding model
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Tahir, Djamel, Asri, Btissam, Meyer, Leon Nicolaas, Evans, Alec, Mather, Thomas, Blagburn, Byron, Straubinger, Reinhard K., Choumet, Valérie, Jongejan, Frans, and Varloud, Marie
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- 2021
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8. Occurrence of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in three regions in Poland: the final evidence of the conquest
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Dwużnik-Szarek, Dorota, Mierzejewska, Ewa Julia, and Bajer, Anna
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- 2021
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9. Beech tree masting explains the inter-annual variation in the fall and spring peaks of Ixodes ricinus ticks with different time lags
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Bregnard, Cindy, Rais, Olivier, Herrmann, Coralie, Kahl, Olaf, Brugger, Katharina, and Voordouw, Maarten J.
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- 2021
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10. Ectoparasites of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in Germany and their health impact.
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Schütte, Karolin, Springer, Andrea, Brandes, Florian, Reuschel, Maximilian, Fehr, Michael, and Strube, Christina
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TICKS , *CASTOR bean tick , *HEDGEHOGS , *CYTOCHROME oxidase , *CAT flea , *ECTOPARASITES , *MITE infestations , *ANIMAL health - Abstract
Background: The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is known for high levels of ectoparasitism that not only represents a health risk for the animals themselves, but also for pet animals and humans as hedgehogs are frequently taken into human care. In the present study, patterns of ectoparasite infestation were assessed in hedgehogs taken into care at northern German animal rehabilitation centres. Methods: Ectoparasites (ticks, fleas and mites) of 498 hedgehogs were collected over a period of 3 years from July 2018 to May 2021. Species were identified based on morphological characteristics and also via amplification and sequencing of the partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 (COX-2) gene for fleas of the family Ceratophyllidae. Seasonal changes in infestation patterns as well as correlations with animal age, body weight and health status were assessed using generalised linear models. Results: Infestation with ticks, fleas and mites occurred throughout the year. Overall, 86.5% (431/498) of the examined hedgehogs were infested with ticks, 91.4% (455/498) with fleas and 17.7% (88/498) with mites.Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes hexagonus/Ixodes canisuga were the most common tick species detected, with the additional occurrence of one Ixodes frontalis. Significant seasonal changes were observed for I. ricinus, but not for I. hexagonus/I. canisuga. Additionally, I. ricinus nymph prevalence declined significantly as of 2020, probably as a consequence of the climate change-related drought as of 2018. In hedgehogs with flea infestations, Archaeopsylla erinacei, Ceratophyllus sciurorum, Nosopsyllus fasciatus and Ctenocephalides felis were identified. In all cases of mite infestation, Caparinia tripilis was detected, in addition to specimens of the family Macronyssidae and free-living mites of the family Acaridae. Statistical analyses showed correlations regarding the factors month, year, body weight and age, but no correlation was evident regarding the health status of the animals. Conclusions: With a detected infestation rate of 98.6%, almost all of the examined hedgehogs were infested with at least one ectoparasite species. The seasonal activity patterns of the different ectoparasite species together with the complex annual cycle of hedgehogs lead to different seasonal patterns in ectoparasite prevalence and infestation intensities. Due to the risk of transmission of zoonotic pathogens as well as the possible negative impact on the host itself, hedgehogs should be treated against ectoparasites when taken into care facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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11. Impact of abiotic factors, habitat type and urban wildlife on the ecology of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in urban and peri-urban habitats
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Borşan, Silvia-Diana, Toma-Naic, Andra, Péter, Áron, Sándor, Attila D., Peștean, Cosmin, and Mihalca, Andrei-Daniel
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- 2020
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12. Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) prevalence in field-collected ticks (Ixodes ricinus) and phylogenetic, structural and virulence analysis in a TBE high-risk endemic area in southwestern Germany
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Ott, Daniela, Ulrich, Kristina, Ginsbach, Philip, Öhme, Rainer, Bock-Hensley, Oswinde, Falk, Ulrich, Teinert, Martina, and Lenhard, Thorsten
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- 2020
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13. Borrelia miyamotoi and Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) identification and survey of tick-borne encephalitis virus in ticks from north-eastern Germany
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Răileanu, Cristian, Tauchmann, Oliver, Vasić, Ana, Wöhnke, Elisabeth, and Silaghi, Cornelia
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- 2020
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14. Large-scale countrywide screening for tick-borne pathogens in field-collected ticks in Latvia during 2017–2019
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Capligina, Valentina, Seleznova, Maija, Akopjana, Sarmite, Freimane, Lauma, Lazovska, Marija, Krumins, Rudolfs, Kivrane, Agnija, Namina, Agne, Aleinikova, Darja, Kimsis, Janis, Kazarina, Alisa, Igumnova, Viktorija, Bormane, Antra, and Ranka, Renate
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- 2020
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15. Who is afraid of ticks and tick-borne diseases? Results from a cross-sectional survey in Scandinavia
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Slunge, Daniel, Jore, Solveig, Krogfelt, Karen Angeliki, Jepsen, Martin Tugwell, and Boman, Anders
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- 2019
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16. “Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis” in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected near the Arctic Circle in Norway
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Larsson, Clarinda, Hvidsten, Dag, Stuen, Snorre, Henningsson, Anna J., and Wilhelmsson, Peter
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- 2018
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17. Predicting habitat suitability for Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus ticks in Finland
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Ruut Uusitalo, Mika Siljander, Andreas Lindén, Jani J. Sormunen, Juha Aalto, Guy Hendrickx, Eva Kallio, Andrea Vajda, Hilppa Gregow, Heikki Henttonen, Cedric Marsboom, Essi M. Korhonen, Tarja Sironen, Petri Pellikka, Olli Vapalahti, Department of Virology, Department of Geosciences and Geography, Medicum, Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty Common Matters (Faculty of Medicine), Helsinki One Health (HOH), Viral Zoonosis Research Unit, HUSLAB, Emerging Infections Research Group, Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), Veterinary Microbiology and Epidemiology, and Olli Pekka Vapalahti / Principal Investigator
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1171 Geosciences ,mallintaminen ,POPULATION-DYNAMICS ,Ixodes ricinus ,VECTOR ,BORRELIA ,Ixodes persulcatus ,Borreliaburgdorferi sensu lato ,zoonoosit ,paikkatietoanalyysi ,puutiaiset ,puutiaisaivotulehdus ,BURGDORFERI SENSU-LATO ,Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne ,Species distribution modelling ,Animals ,Humans ,QUESTING ACTIVITY ,Ecosystem ,Finland ,11832 Microbiology and virology ,Ixodes ,Deer ,ixodes persulcatus ,Tick-borne pathogen ,IXODES-RICINUS TICKS ,Ensemble prediction ,ennusteet ,levinneisyys ,BORNE ENCEPHALITIS-VIRUS ,Hares ,11831 Plant biology ,ixodes ricinus ,species distribution modelling ,punkit ,CLIMATE ,Borrelia-bakteerit ,Infectious Diseases ,taudinaiheuttajat ,tick-borne pathogen ,borrelioosi ,IXODIDAE ,Parasitology ,ABUNDANCE ,Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato ,ensemble prediction - Abstract
BackgroundTicks are responsible for transmitting several notable pathogens worldwide. Finland lies in a zone where two human-biting tick species co-occur:IxodesricinusandIxodespersulcatus. Tick densities have increased in boreal regions worldwide during past decades, and tick-borne pathogens have been identified as one of the major threats to public health in the face of climate change.MethodsWe used species distribution modelling techniques to predict the distributions ofI.ricinusandI.persulcatus,using aggregated historical data from 2014 to 2020 and new tick occurrence data from 2021. By aiming to fill the gaps in tick occurrence data, we created a new sampling strategy across Finland. We also screened for tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) andBorreliafrom the newly collected ticks. Climate, land use and vegetation data, and population densities of the tick hosts were used in various combinations on four data sets to estimate tick species’ distributions across mainland Finland with a 1-km resolution.ResultsIn the 2021 survey, 89 new locations were sampled of which 25 new presences and 63 absences were found forI.ricinusand one new presence and 88 absences forI.persulcatus. A total of 502 ticks were collected and analysed; no ticks were positive for TBEV, while 56 (47%) of the 120 pools, including adult, nymph, and larva pools, were positive forBorrelia(minimum infection rate 11.2%, respectively). Our prediction results demonstrate that two combined predictor data sets based on ensemble mean models yielded the highest predictive accuracy for bothI.ricinus(AUC = 0.91, 0.94) andI.persulcatus(AUC = 0.93, 0.96). The suitable habitats forI.ricinuswere determined by higher relative humidity, air temperature, precipitation sum, and middle-infrared reflectance levels and higher densities of white-tailed deer, European hare, and red fox. ForI.persulcatus, locations with greater precipitation and air temperature and higher white-tailed deer, roe deer, and mountain hare densities were associated with higher occurrence probabilities. Suitable habitats forI.ricinusranged from southern Finland up to Central Ostrobothnia and North Karelia, excluding areas in Ostrobothnia and Pirkanmaa. ForI.persulcatus, suitable areas were located along the western coast from Ostrobothnia to southern Lapland, in North Karelia, North Savo, Kainuu, and areas in Pirkanmaa and Päijät-Häme.ConclusionsThis is the first study conducted in Finland that estimates potential tick species distributions using environmental and host data. Our results can be utilized in vector control strategies, as supporting material in recommendations issued by public health authorities, and as predictor data for modelling the risk for tick-borne diseases.
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- 2022
18. Transmission of Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Foggie, 1949) by Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758) ticks feeding on dogs and artificial membranes
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Fourie, Josephus J., Evans, Alec, Labuschagne, Michel, Crafford, Dionne, Madder, Maxime, Pollmeier, Matthias, and Schunack, Bettina
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- 2019
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19. Role of mustelids in the life-cycle of ixodid ticks and transmission cycles of four tick-borne pathogens
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Hofmeester, Tim R., Krawczyk, Aleksandra I., van Leeuwen, Arieke Docters, Fonville, Manoj, Montizaan, Margriet G. E., van den Berge, Koen, Gouwy, Jan, Ruyts, Sanne C., Verheyen, Kris, and Sprong, Hein
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- 2018
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20. Year-round tick exposure of dogs and cats in Germany and Austria: results from a tick collection study.
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Probst, Julia, Springer, Andrea, and Strube, Christina
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TICKS ,CASTOR bean tick ,DOGS ,CATS ,PETS ,TICK-borne diseases ,TICK infestations - Abstract
Background: Ticks and tick-borne diseases play a major role in companion animal health. Additionally, the European tick fauna is changing, for instance due to the spread of Dermacentor reticulatus, displaying a higher likelihood of winter activity than Ixodes ricinus. Therefore, we investigated current tick infestations in dogs and cats in Germany and in parts of Austria and the seasonal infestation risk. Methods: Overall, 219 veterinary practices were invited to collect ticks from cats and dogs on a monthly basis. Ticks were morphologically identified and female I. ricinus specimens were measured to estimate attachment duration. Results: In total, 19,514 ticks, 17,789 (91.2%) from Germany and 1506 (7.7%) from Austria, were received between March 2020 and October 2021, with 10,287 specimens (52.7%) detached from dogs, 8005 from cats (41.0%) and 1222 from other species (6.3%). In Germany, the most common tick species collected from dogs were I. ricinus (78.0%) and D. reticulatus (18.8%), while cats mainly harboured I. ricinus (91.3%) and I. hexagonus (5.5%) and only few D. reticulatus (0.6%). In Austria, collected I. ricinus reached similar proportions in dogs (90.4%) and cats (95.3%), followed by D. reticulatus in both dogs (5.2%) and cats (1.5%), with I. hexagonus (0.9%) collected only marginally from cats. The average infestation intensity amounted to 1.62 ticks/dog and 1.88 ticks/cat. The single to multiple infestation ratio was 79.1% to 20.9% in dogs and 69.0% to 31.0% in cats, with cats being significantly more often multiple infested than dogs, while the proportion of mixed-species infestations was 2.0% for both dogs and cats. The average attachment duration of female I. ricinus specimens amounted to 78.76 h for dogs and 82.73 h for cats. Furthermore, year-round tick exposure was confirmed, with 108 D. reticulatus and 70 I. ricinus received on average per month during December 2020 to February 2021. Conclusions: The study shows a year-round tick infestation risk, with activity of both D. reticulatus and I. ricinus during winter, and confirms the widespread occurrence of D. reticulatus in Germany. Additionally, long average attachment durations and frequent multiple infestations underline the need for adequate year-round tick control, even during the winter months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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21. The diversity of tick-borne bacteria and parasites in ticks collected from the Strandja Nature Park in south-eastern Bulgaria
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Nader, Julian, Król, Nina, Pfeffer, Martin, Ohlendorf, Valerie, Marklewitz, Marco, Drosten, Christian, Junglen, Sandra, and Obiegala, Anna
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- 2018
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22. Ticks are more suitable than red foxes for monitoring zoonotic tick-borne pathogens in northeastern Italy
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Da Rold, Graziana, Ravagnan, Silvia, Soppelsa, Fabio, Porcellato, Elena, Soppelsa, Mauro, Obber, Federica, Citterio, Carlo Vittorio, Carlin, Sara, Danesi, Patrizia, Montarsi, Fabrizio, and Capelli, Gioia
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- 2018
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23. A 10-year surveillance of Rickettsiales (Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum) in the city of Hanover, Germany, reveals Rickettsia spp. as emerging pathogens in ticks.
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Blazejak, Katrin, Janecek, Elisabeth, and Strube, Christina
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RICKETTSIA ,ANAPLASMA phagocytophilum ,TICKS ,PUBLIC health - Abstract
Background: Rickettsiales (Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum) transmitted by ticks are considered (re-) emerging pathogens posing a risk to public health. Nevertheless, year-long monitoring studies on prevalences of these pathogens in questing ticks to contribute to public health risk assessment are rare. Methods: The current study extends previous prevalence surveillances (2005 and 2010) by 2015 to a 10-year monitoring. Therefore, 2100 questing Ixodes ricinus were collected from April to October 2015 at ten different recreation sites in the city of Hanover, Germany, to determine potential changes in tick infection rates with Rickettsiales. Results: Of the collected ticks, 288 were adult females, 285 adult males and 1527 nymphs. Overall, 3.8% (79/2100) of ticks were infected with A. phagocytophilum, 50.8% (1066/2100) with Rickettsia spp. and 2.2% (46/2100) with both pathogens. Statistical analyses revealed stagnating A. phagocytophilum infection rates over the 10-year monitoring period, whereas Rickettsia infections increased significantly (33.3% in 2005 and 26.2% in 2010 vs 50.8% in 2015). This increase was also characterized by prominent seasonality with higher prevalences from July to October. Conclusions: As increased tick infection rates result in an increased risk for public health, the long-term data reported here provide significant implications for the understanding of progressing Rickettsiales distribution in ticks and essentially contribute to reliable public health risk assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2017
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24. Italian peninsula as a hybridization zone of Ixodes inopinatus and I. ricinus and the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in I. inopinatus, I. ricinus, and their hybrids.
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Daněk, Ondřej, Hrbatová, Alena, Volfová, Karolina, Ševčíková, Sylvie, Lesiczka, Paulina, Nováková, Markéta, Ghodrati, Sajjad, Hrazdilova, Kristyna, Veneziano, Vincenzo, Napoli, Ettore, Otranto, Domenico, Montarsi, Fabrizio, Mihalca, Andrei Daniel, Mechouk, Noureddine, Adamík, Peter, Modrý, David, and Zurek, Ludek
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ANAPLASMA phagocytophilum ,RICKETTSIA ,IXODES ,CASTOR bean tick ,BORRELIA burgdorferi ,RIBOSOMAL DNA ,POLYMERASE chain reaction ,BACTEROIDES fragilis - Abstract
Background: Ixodes inopinatus was described from Spain on the basis of morphology and partial sequencing of 16S ribosomal DNA. However, several studies suggested that morphological differences between I. inopinatus and Ixodes ricinus are minimal and that 16S rDNA lacks the power to distinguish the two species. Furthermore, nuclear and mitochondrial markers indicated evidence of hybridization between I. inopinatus and I. ricinus. In this study, we tested our hypothesis on tick dispersal from North Africa to Southern Europe and determined the prevalence of selected tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in I. inopinatus, I. ricinus, and their hybrids. Methods: Ticks were collected in Italy and Algeria by flagging, identified by sequencing of partial TROSPA and COI genes, and screened for Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., B. miyamotoi, Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma phagocytophilum by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of specific markers. Results: Out of the 380 ticks, in Italy, 92 were I. ricinus, 3 were I. inopinatus, and 136 were hybrids of the two species. All 149 ticks from Algeria were I. inopinatus. Overall, 60% of ticks were positive for at least one TBP. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. was detected in 19.5% of ticks, and it was significantly more prevalent in Ixodes ticks from Algeria than in ticks from Italy. Prevalence of Rickettsia spotted fever group (SFG) was 51.1%, with significantly greater prevalence in ticks from Algeria than in ticks from Italy. Borrelia miyamotoi and A. phagocytophilum were detected in low prevalence (0.9% and 5.2%, respectively) and only in ticks from Italy. Conclusions: This study indicates that I. inopinatus is a dominant species in Algeria, while I. ricinus and hybrids were common in Italy. The higher prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. and Rickettsia SFG in I. inopinatus compared with that in I. ricinus might be due to geographical and ecological differences between these two tick species. The role of I. inopinatus in the epidemiology of TBPs needs further investigation in the Mediterranean Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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25. First detection of Borrelia miyamotoi in Ixodes ricinus ticks from northern Italy
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Ravagnan, Silvia, Tomassone, Laura, Montarsi, Fabrizio, Krawczyk, Aleksandra Iwona, Mastrorilli, Eleonora, Sprong, Hein, Milani, Adelaide, Rossi, Luca, and Capelli, Gioia
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- 2018
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26. Laboratory evaluation of the efficacy and speed of kill of lotilaner (CredelioTM) against Ixodes ricinus ticks on cats
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Cavalleri, Daniela, Murphy, Martin, Seewald, Wolfgang, Drake, Jason, and Nanchen, Steve
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- 2018
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27. Detection of selected pathogens in ticks collected from cats and dogs in the Wrocław Agglomeration, South-West Poland.
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Król, Nina, Obiegala, Anna, Pfeffer, Martin, Lonc, Elżbieta, and Kiewra, Dorota
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TICKS ,TICK-borne diseases ,RICKETTSIA ,CASTOR bean tick ,ANAPLASMA phagocytophilum ,RURAL geography - Abstract
Background: Tick-borne infections are no longer confined to rural areas, they are documented with increasing frequency in urban settlements across the world. They are known to cause diseases in humans as well as in their companion animals. Methods: During a period of 2 years, from January 2013 until December 2014, ticks were collected from dogs and cats in 18 veterinary clinics in the Wrocław Agglomeration, Poland. In total, 1455 ticks were found on 931 pets: 760 domestic dogs and 171 cats. For molecular examinations 127 I. ricinus ticks (115 females and 12 males) were randomly selected, all collected I. hexagonus (n = 137, 32 females, 98 nymphs, 7 larvae) and all collected D. reticulatus (n = 46, 31 females, 15 males) were taken. Ixodes ricinus and I. hexagonus ticks were tested for Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis and Babesia spp., while D. reticulatus ticks were investigated for Rickettsia spp. and Babesia spp. only. Results: In total, 65.4 % I. ricinus ticks were infected with at least one pathogen. Over 50 % of I. ricinus were positive for Rickettsia spp. (R. helvetica and R. monacensis). The infection level with A. phagocytophilum was 21.3 %. DNA of Cand. N. mikurensis was detected in 8.1 % I. ricinus ticks. Interestingly only female ticks were infected. The prevalence of Babesia spp. was confirmed in 9.0 % of I. ricinus involving the species B. microti and B. venatorum. A total of nineteen double, one triple and two quadruple infections were found in I. ricinus ticks only. Almost 11 % of I. hexagonus ticks were positive for at least one of the tested pathogens. Rickettsia spp. infection was found in 2.2 %, while A. phagocytophilum was detected in 8.1 % of I. hexagonus ticks. Only one nymph was positive for Cand. N. mikurensis and none of I. hexagonus ticks harbored a Babesia spp. Over 60 % of D. reticulatus ticks were positive for rickettsial DNA, exclusively belonging to the species R. raoultii. Conclusion: The high tick infestation rates and the prevalence of pathogens found in these ticks demonstrate a serious level of encounter to tick-borne diseases in urban dogs in the Wroclaw area, and provide evidence that dogs and cats themselves may substantially contribute to the circulation of the ticks and pathogens in the urban area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2016
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28. Distribution and prevalence of ticks and tick-borne disease on sheep and cattle farms in Great Britain.
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Lihou, Katie, Rose Vineer, Hannah, and Wall, Richard
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CASTOR bean tick ,TICK-borne diseases ,SHEEP farming ,CATTLE diseases ,SHEEP diseases ,TICKS ,FARM management - Abstract
Introduction: The most abundant and widespread tick species in Great Britain, Ixodes ricinus, is responsible for the transmission of a range of pathogens that cause disease in livestock. Empirical data on tick distribution and prevalence are required to inform farm management strategies. However, such data are largely unavailable; previous surveys have been rare and are usually relatively localised. Methods: A retrospective questionnaire survey of farmers was used to assess the reported prevalence of ticks on livestock across Great Britain. Spatial scan statistics and kernel density maps were used to assess spatial clustering and identify areas of significantly elevated risk, independent of the underlying distribution of respondents. Logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors for tick presence. Results: Tick infection risk to livestock is shown to be spatially aggregated, with areas of significantly elevated risk in north Wales, northwest England and western Scotland. Overall, the prevalence of farms reporting tick presence was 13% for sheep farms and 6% for cattle farms, but in "hot spot" clusters prevalence ranged between 48–100%. The prevalence of farms reporting tick-borne disease overall was 6% for sheep and 2% for cattle, but on farms reporting ticks, prevalence was 44% and 33% for sheep and cattle farms, respectively. Upland farming, larger flock sizes, region and the presence of sheep on cattle farms were all significant risk factors for tick presence. Conclusions: These data have important implications for assessing both the risk of tick-borne disease in livestock and optimising approaches to disease management. In particular, the study highlights the need for effective livestock tick control in upland regions and the southwest, and provides evidence for the importance of sheep as tick maintenance hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2020
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29. Distant genetic variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum from Ixodes ricinus attached to people.
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Lesiczka, Paulina Maria, Hrazdilova, Kristyna, Hönig, Václav, Modrý, David, and Zurek, Ludek
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ANAPLASMA phagocytophilum ,CASTOR bean tick ,GENETIC variation ,GENETIC profile ,GENETIC markers ,TICKS - Abstract
Background: Although the tick-borne pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum is currently described as a single species, studies using genetic markers can distinguish groups of variants associated with different hosts, pathogenicity, zoonotic potential and biotic and geographic niches. The objective of our study was to investigate the genetic diversity of A. phagocytophilum and Ixodes ricinus ticks attached to people. Methods: In collaboration with a commercial diagnostic company, a total of 52 DNA samples were obtained from ticks that tested positive for A. phagocytophilum by quantitative PCR. The genetic profile of each sample was determined using the groEL and ankA genes. Identification of the tick species was confirmed by partial sequencing of the COI subunit and a portion of the TROSPA gene. Results: All 52 ticks were identified as I. ricinus. Two protocols of nested PCR amplifying 1293- and 407-bp fragments of groEL of A. phagocytophilum yielded amplicons of the expected size for all 52 samples. Among all sequences, we identified 10 unique genetic variants of groEL belonging to ecotype I and ecotype II. The analysis targeting ankA was successful in 46 of 52 ticks. Among all sequences, we identified 21 unique genetic variants phylogenetically belonging to three clusters. Conclusions: Our results indicate that ticks attached to people harbor distant genetic variants of A. phagocytophilum, some of which are not recognized as zoonotic. Further studies are needed to determine the risk of human infection by genetic variants other than those designated as zoonotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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30. Tick microbial associations at the crossroad of horizontal and vertical transmission pathways.
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Krawczyk, Aleksandra Iwona, Röttjers, Sam, Coimbra-Dores, Maria João, Heylen, Dieter, Fonville, Manoj, Takken, Willem, Faust, Karoline, and Sprong, Hein
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CASTOR bean tick ,ANAPLASMA phagocytophilum ,TICKS ,BORRELIA burgdorferi ,POLYMERASE chain reaction ,BACTERIAL communities ,MICROBIAL communities - Abstract
Background: Microbial communities can affect disease risk by interfering with the transmission or maintenance of pathogens in blood-feeding arthropods. Here, we investigated whether bacterial communities vary between Ixodes ricinus nymphs which were or were not infected with horizontally transmitted human pathogens. Methods: Ticks from eight forest sites were tested for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Babesia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Neoehrlichia mikurensis by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and their microbiomes were determined by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Tick bacterial communities clustered poorly by pathogen infection status but better by geography. As a second approach, we analysed variation in tick microorganism community structure (in terms of species co-infection) across space using hierarchical modelling of species communities. For that, we analysed almost 14,000 nymphs, which were tested for the presence of horizontally transmitted pathogens B. burgdorferi s.l., A. phagocytophilum, and N. mikurensis, and the vertically transmitted tick symbionts Rickettsia helvetica, Rickettsiella spp., Spiroplasma ixodetis, and CandidatusMidichloria mitochondrii. Results: With the exception of Rickettsiella spp., all microorganisms had either significant negative (R. helvetica and A. phagocytophilum) or positive (S. ixodetis, N. mikurensis, and B. burgdorferi s.l.) associations with M. mitochondrii. Two tick symbionts, R. helvetica and S. ixodetis, were negatively associated with each other. As expected, both B. burgdorferi s.l. and N. mikurensis had a significant positive association with each other and a negative association with A. phagocytophilum. Although these few specific associations do not appear to have a large effect on the entire microbiome composition, they can still be relevant for tick-borne pathogen dynamics. Conclusions: Based on our results, we propose that M. mitochondrii alters the propensity of ticks to acquire or maintain horizontally acquired pathogens. The underlying mechanisms for some of these remarkable interactions are discussed herein and merit further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2022
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31. Characterization and manipulation of the bacterial community in the midgut of Ixodes ricinus.
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Guizzo, Melina Garcia, Dolezelikova, Kristyna, Neupane, Saraswoti, Frantova, Helena, Hrbatova, Alena, Pafco, Barbora, Fiorotti, Jessica, Kopacek, Petr, and Zurek, Ludek
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CASTOR bean tick ,BACTERIAL communities ,MICROCOCCUS luteus ,BACTERIAL diversity ,BACTERIAL colonies ,TICKS ,RICKETTSIA - Abstract
Background: Ticks are obligate hematophagous arthropods transmitting a wide range of pathogens to humans and animals. They also harbor a non-pathogenic microbiota, primarily in the ovaries and the midgut. In the previous study on Ixodes ricinus, we used a culture-independent approach and showed a diverse but quantitatively poor midgut bacterial microbiome. Our analysis also revealed the absence of a core microbiome, suggesting an environmental origin of the tick midgut microbiota. Methods: A bacterial analysis of the midgut of adult females collected by flagging from two localities in the Czech Republic was performed. Using the culture-independent approach, we tested the hypothesis that the midgut microbiome is of the environmental origin. We also cultured indigenous bacteria from the tick midgut and used these to feed ticks artificially in an attempt to manipulate the midgut microbiome. Results: The midgut showed a very low prevalence and abundance of culturable bacteria, with only 37% of ticks positive for bacteria. The culture-independent approach revealed the presence of Borrelia sp., Spiroplasma sp., Rickettsia sp., Midichloria sp. and various mainly environmental Gram-positive bacterial taxa. The comparison of ticks from two regions revealed that the habitat influenced the midgut bacterial diversity. In addition, the midgut of ticks capillary fed with the indigenous Micrococcus luteus (Gram-positive) and Pantoea sp. (Gram-negative) could not be colonized due to rapid and effective clearance of both bacterial taxa. Conclusions: The midgut microbiome of I. ricinus is diverse but low in abundance, with the exception of tick-borne pathogens and symbionts. The environment impacts the diversity of the tick midgut microbiome. Ingested extracellular environmental bacteria are rapidly eliminated and are not able to colonize the gut. We hypothesize that bacterial elimination triggered in the midgut of unfed adult females is critical to maintain low microbial levels during blood-feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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32. A quantitative evaluation of the extent of fluralaner uptake by ticks (Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes scapularis) in fluralaner (BravectoTM) treated vs. untreated dogs using the parameters tick weight and coxal index.
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Williams, Heike, Demeler, Janina, Taenzler, Janina, Roepke, Rainer K. A., Zschiesche, Eva, and Heckeroth, Anja R.
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CASTOR bean tick ,IXODES scapularis ,DOG diseases ,DOG physiology ,ANTIPARASITIC agents ,TICKS - Abstract
Background: Fluralaner is a new antiparasitic drug that was recently introduced as Bravecto™ chewable tablets for the treatment of tick and flea infestations in dogs. Most marketed tick products exert their effect via topical application and contact exposure to the parasite. In contrast, Bravecto™ delivers its acaricidal activity through systemic exposure. Tick exposure to fluralaner occurs after attachment to orally treated dogs, which induces a tick-killing effect within 12 h. The fast onset of killing lasts over the entire treatment interval (12 weeks) and suggests that only marginal uptake by ticks is required to induce efficacy. Three laboratory studies were conducted to quantify the extent of uptake by comparison of ticks' weight and coxal index obtained from Bravecto™-treated and negative-control dogs. Methods: Three studies were conducted using experimental tick infestation with either Ixodes ricinus or Ixodes scapularis after oral administration of fluralaner to dogs. All studies included a treated (Bravecto™ chewable tablets, MSD Animal Health) and a negative control group. Each study had a similar design for assessing vitality and weighing of ticks collected from dogs of both groups. Additionally, in one study the coxal index (I. ricinus) was calculated as a ratio of tick's ventral coxal gap and dorsal width of scutum. Tick weight data and coxal indices from Bravecto™-treated and negative-control groups were compared via statistical analysis. Results: Ticks collected from Bravecto™-treated dogs weighed significantly less (p ≤ 0.0108) than ticks collected from negative-control dogs, and their coxal index was also significantly lower (p < 0.0001). The difference in tick weights was demonstrated irrespective of the tick species investigated (I. ricinus, I. scapularis). At some assessments the mean tick weights of Bravecto™-treated dogs were significantly lower than those of unfed pre-infestation (baseline) ticks. The demonstrated tick-killing efficacy was in the range of 94.6 - 100 %. Conclusions: Tick weights and coxal indices confirm that a minimal uptake results in a sufficient exposure of ticks to fluralaner (Bravecto™) and consequently in a potent acaricidal effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
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33. Babesia spp. in ticks and wildlife in different habitat types of Slovakia.
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Hamšíková, Zuzana, Kazimírová, Mária, Haruštiaková, Danka, Mahríková, Lenka, Slovák, Mirko, Berthová, Lenka, Kocianová, Elena, and Schnittger, Leonhard
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BABESIA , *TICKS , *HABITATS , *ZOONOSES , *PIROPLASMIDA , *CASTOR bean tick , *HAEMAPHYSALIS , *RODENT diseases - Abstract
Background: Babesiosis is an emerging and potentially zoonotic disease caused by tick-borne piroplasmids of the Babesia genus. New genetic variants of piroplasmids with unknown associations to vectors and hosts are recognized. Data on the occurrence of Babesia spp. in ticks and wildlife widen the knowledge on the geographical distribution and circulation of piroplasmids in natural foci. Questing and rodent-attached ticks, rodents, and birds were screened for the presence of Babesia-specific DNA using molecular methods. Spatial and temporal differences of Babesia spp. prevalence in ticks and rodents from two contrasting habitats of Slovakia with sympatric occurrence of Ixodes ricinus and Haemaphysalis concinna ticks and co-infections of Candidatus N. mikurensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum were investigated. Results: Babesia spp. were detected in 1.5 % and 6.6 % of questing I. ricinus and H. concinna, respectively. Prevalence of Babesia-infected I. ricinus was higher in a natural than an urban/suburban habitat. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Babesia spp. from I. ricinus clustered with Babesia microti, Babesia venatorum, Babesia canis, Babesia capreoli/Babesia divergens, and Babesia odocoilei. Babesia spp. amplified from H. concinna segregated into two monophyletic clades, designated Babesia sp. 1 (Eurasia) and Babesia sp. 2 (Eurasia), each of which represents a yet undescribed novel species. The prevalence of infection in rodents (with Apodemus flavicollis and Myodes glareolus prevailing) with B. microti was 1.3 % in an urban/suburban and 4.2 % in a natural habitat. The majority of infected rodents (81.3 %) were positive for spleen and blood and the remaining for lungs and/or skin. Rodent-attached I. ricinus (accounting for 96.3 %) and H. concinna were infected with B. microti, B. venatorum, B. capreoli/B. divergens, Babesia sp. 1 (Eurasia), and Babesia sp. 2 (Eurasia). All B. microti and B. venatorum isolates were identical to known zoonotic strains from Europe. Less than 1.0 % of Babesia-positive ticks and rodents carried Candidatus N. mikurensis or A. phagocytophilum. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that I. ricinus and rodents play important roles in the epidemiology of zoonotic Babesia spp. in south-western Slovakia. Associations with vertebrate hosts and the pathogenicity of Babesia spp. infecting H. concinna ticks need to be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
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34. Effect of landscape features on the relationship between Ixodes ricinus ticks and their small mammal hosts.
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Perez, Grégoire, Bastian, Suzanne, Agoulon, Albert, Bouju, Agnès, Durand, Axelle, Faille, Frédéric, Lebert, Isabelle, Rantier, Yann, Plantard, Olivier, and Butet, Alain
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IXODES , *TICKS , *PARASITIFORMES , *ACAROLOGY ,HOSTS of parasitoids - Abstract
Background: The consequences of land use changes are among the most cited causes of emerging infectious diseases because they can modify the ecology and transmission of pathogens. This is particularly true for vector-borne diseases which depend on abiotic (e.g. climate) and biotic conditions (i.e. hosts and vectors). In this study, we investigated how landscape features affect the abundances of small mammals and Ixodes ricinus ticks, and how they influence their relationship. Methods: From 2012 to 2014, small mammals and questing I. ricinus ticks were sampled in spring and autumn in 24 sites located in agricultural and forest landscapes in Brittany, France. We tested the effects of landscape features (composition and configuration) on the abundances of small mammal species and immature ticks and their relationship. Additionally, we quantified the larval tick burden of small mammals in 2012 to better describe this relationship. Results: The nymph abundance was positively influenced by the larval occurrence and the wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus abundance the previous spring because they hosted tenfold more larvae than the bank vole Myodes glareolus. The bank vole abundance in spring and autumn had a negative and positive effect, respectively, on the nymph abundance. In agricultural landscapes, wood mice were positively influenced by woodland cover and woodland/hedgerow-grassland ecotone, whereas bank voles showed the opposite or non-significant responses to these landscape variables. The woodland cover had a positive effect on immature ticks. Conclusion: The landscape configuration, likely by affecting the landscape connectivity, influences the small mammal communities in permanent habitats. Our study showed that the wood mouse, due to its dominance and to its tolerance to ticks, feeds a substantial proportion of larvae. The acquired resistance to ticks in the bank vole can reduce its role as a trophic resource over time. The nymph abundance seems indirectly influenced by landscape features via their effects on the small mammal community. To enhance our understanding of the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases within landscapes, further studies will integrate data on pathogen prevalence and investigate explicitly the effect of landscape connectivity on host-vector-pathogen systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
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35. Pathogen communities of songbird-derived ticks in Europe's low countries.
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Heylen, Dieter, Fonville, Manoj, van Leeuwen, Arieke Docters, Stroo, Arjan, Duisterwinkel, Martin, van Wieren, Sip, Diuk-Wasser, Maria, de Bruin, Arnout, and Sprong, Hein
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BORNA disease virus ,PATHOGENIC microorganisms ,BORRELIA ,TICKS ,ACAROLOGY - Abstract
Background: Birds play a major role in the maintenance of enzootic cycles of pathogens transmitted by ticks. Due to their mobility, they affect the spatial distribution and abundance of both ticks and pathogens. In the present study, we aim to identify members of a pathogen community [Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.), B. miyamotoi, 'Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis', Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Rickettsia helvetica] in songbird-derived ticks from 11 locations in the Netherlands and Belgium (2012-2014). Results: Overall, 375 infested songbird individuals were captured, belonging to 35 species. Thrushes (Turdus iliacus, T. merula and T. philomelos) were trapped most often and had the highest mean infestation intensity for both Ixodes ricinus and I. frontalis. Of the 671 bird-derived ticks, 51% contained DNA of at least one pathogenic agent and 13% showed co-infections with two or more pathogens. Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) DNA was found in 34% of the ticks of which majority belong to so-called avian Borrelia species (distribution in Borrelia-infected ticks: 47% B. garinii, 34% B. valaisiana, 3% B. turdi), but also the mammal-associated B. afzelii (16%) was detected. The occurrence of B. miyamotoi was low (1%). Prevalence of R. helvetica in ticks was high (22%), while A. phagocytophilum and 'Ca. N. mikurensis' prevalences were 5% and 4%, respectively. The occurrence of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) was positively correlated with the occurrence of 'Ca. N. mikurensis', reflecting variation in susceptibility among birds and or suggesting transmission facilitation due to interactions between pathogens. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the contribution of European songbirds to co-infections in tick individuals and consequently to the exposure of humans to multiple pathogens during a tick bite. Although poorly studied, exposure to and possibly also infection with multiple tick-borne pathogens in humans seems to be the rule rather than the exception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
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36. Anaplasma phagocytophilum prevalence in ticks and rodents in an urban and natural habitat in South-Western Slovakia.
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Svitálková, Zuzana, Haruštiaková, Danka, Mahríková, Lenka, Berthová, Lenka, Slovák, Mirko, Kocianová, Elena, and Kazimírová, Mária
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ANAPLASMA phagocytophilum , *TICKS as carriers of disease , *LABORATORY rodents , *DISEASE prevalence - Abstract
Background: Ixodes ricinus is the principal vector of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the ethiological agent of granulocytic anaplasmosis in Europe. Anaplasmosis is an emerging zoonotic disease with a natural enzootic cycle. The reservoir competence of rodents is unclear. Monitoring of A. phagocytophilum prevalence in I. ricinus and rodents in various habitat types of Slovakia may contribute to the knowledge about the epidemiology of anaplasmosis in Central Europe. Methods: Over 4400 questing ixodid ticks, 1000 rodent-attached ticks and tissue samples of 606 rodents were screened for A. phagocytophilum DNA by real-time PCR targeting the msp2 gene. Ticks and rodents were captured along six transects in an urban/suburban and natural habitat in south-western Slovakia during 2011-2014. Estimates of wildlife (roe deer, red deer, fallow deer, mouflon, wild boar) densities in the study area were taken from hunter's yearly reports. Spatial and temporal differences in A. phagocytophilum prevalence in questing I. ricinus and relationships with relative abundance of ticks and wildlife were analysed. Results: Overall prevalence of A. phagocytophilum in questing I. ricinus was significantly higher in the urban/suburban habitat (7.2 %; 95 % CI: 6.1-8.3 %) compared to the natural habitat (3.1 %; 95 % CI: 2.5-3.9 %) (χ² = 37.451; P < 0.001). Significant local differences in prevalence of infected questing ticks were found among transects within each habitat as well as among years and between seasons. The trapped rodents belonged to six species. Apodemus flavicollis and Myodes glareolus prevailed in both habitats, Microtus arvalis was present only in the natural habitat. I. ricinus comprised 96.3 % of the rodent-attached ticks, the rest were Haemaphysalis concinna, Ixodes trianguliceps and Dermacentor reticulatus. Only 0.5 % of rodent skin and 0.6 % of rodent-attached ticks (only I. ricinus) were infected with A. phagocytophilum. Prevalence of A. phagocytophilum in questing I. ricinus did not correlate significantly with relative abundance of ticks or with abundance of wildlife in the area. Conclusion: The study confirms that urban I. ricinus populations are infected with A. phagocytophilum at a higher rate than in a natural habitat of south-western Slovakia and suggests that rodents are not the main reservoirs of the bacterium in the investigated area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
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37. Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum: prevalences and investigations on a new transmission path in small mammals and ixodid ticks.
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Obiegala, Anna, Pfeffer, Martin, Pfister, Kurt, Tiedemann, Tim, Thiel, Claudia, Balling, Anneliese, Karnath, Carolin, Woll, Dietlinde, and Silaghi, Cornelia
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TICKS , *CANDIDATUS , *ANAPLASMA phagocytophilum , *MAMMALS , *POLYMERASE chain reaction - Abstract
Background: Small mammals are crucial for the life history of ixodid ticks, but their role and importance in the transmission cycle of tick-borne pathogens is mostly unknown. Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis (CNM) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum are both tick-borne pathogens, and rodents are discussed to serve as main reservoir hosts for CNM but not for the latter especially in Germany. Analysing the prevalence of both pathogens in small mammals and their ticks in endemic regions may help to elucidate possible transmission paths in small mammal populations and between small mammals and ticks. Methods: In 2012 and 2013, small mammals were trapped at three different sites in Germany. DNA was extracted from different small mammal tissues, from rodent neonates, foetuses and from questing and attached ticks. DNA samples were tested for CNM and A. phagocytophilum by real-time PCR. Samples positive for A. phagocytophilum were further characterized at the 16S rRNA gene locus. Results: CNM was detected in 28.6% of small mammals and in 2.2% of questing and 3.8% of attached ticks. Altogether 33 positive ticks were attached to 17 different hosts, while positive ticks per host ranged between one and seven. The prevalences for this pathogen differed significantly within small mammal populations comparing sites (χ2: 13.3987; p: 0.0004) and between sexes. Male rodents had an approximately two times higher chance of infection than females (OR: 1.9652; 95% CI: 1.32-2.92). The prevalence for CNM was 31.8% (95% CI: 22-44) in rodent foetuses and neonates (23 of 67) from positive dams, and 60% (95% CI: 35.7-80.25) of positive gravid or recently parturient rodents (9 out of 15) had at least one positive foetus or neonate. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected at a low percentage in rodents (0-5.6%) and host-attached ticks (0.5-2.9%) with no significant differences between rodent species. However, attached nymphs were significantly more often infected than attached larvae (χ2: 25.091; p: <0.0001). Conclusion: This study suggests that CNM is mainly a rodent-associated pathogen and provides evidence for a potential transplacental transmission in rodents. In contrast, most of the rodent species captured likely represent only accidental hosts for A. phagocytophilum at the investigated sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
38. Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis in ticks and rodents from urban and natural habitats of South-Western Slovakia.
- Author
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Svitálková, Zuzana Hamšíková, Haruštiaková, Danka, Mahríková, Lenka, Mojšová, Michala, Berthová, Lenka, Slovák, Mirko, Kocianová, Elena, Vayssier-Taussat, Muriel, and Kazimírová, Mária
- Subjects
CANDIDATUS diseases ,IMMUNOCOMPROMISED patients ,TICKS ,LABORATORY mice - Abstract
Background: Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis (CNM) is an emerging tick-borne pathogen causing severe disease in immunocompromised patients. In Europe, Ixodes ricinus is the primary vector and rodents act as reservoir hosts. New data on the prevalence of CNM in ticks and rodents contribute to the knowledge on the distribution of endemic areas and circulation of the bacterium in natural foci. Methods: Questing ticks were collected and rodents were trapped in urban/suburban and natural habitats in South-Western Slovakia from 2011 to 2014. DNA from questing and rodent-attached ticks and rodent tissues were screened for CNM by real-time PCR. Rodent spleen samples positive for CNM were characterised at the groEL gene locus. Spatial and temporal differences in CNM prevalence in ticks and rodents and co-infections of ticks with CNM and Anaplasma phagocytophilum were analysed. Results: The presence of CNM was confirmed in questing and rodent-attached I. ricinus ticks and in rodents. Total prevalence in both ticks and rodents was significantly higher in the natural habitat (2.3 % and 10.1 %, respectively) than in the urban/suburban habitat (1.0 % and 3.3 %, respectively). No seasonal pattern in CNM prevalence in ticks was observed, but prevalence in rodents was higher in autumn than in spring. CNM was detected in Apodemus flavicollis, Myodes glareolus, Microtus arvalis and Micromys minutus, with the highest prevalence in M. arvalis (30 %). By screening CNM dissemination in rodent tissues, infection was detected in lungs of all specimens with positive spleens and in blood, kidney, liver and skin of part of those individuals. Infection with CNM was detected in 1.3 % of rodent attached I. ricinus ticks. Sequences of a fragment of the groEL gene from CNM-positive rodents showed a high degree of identity with sequences of the gene amplified from ticks and infected human blood from Europe. Only 0.1 % of CNM-positive questing ticks carried A. phagocytophilum. Ticks infected with CNM prevailed in the natural habitat (67.2 %), whereas ticks infected with A. phagocytophilum prevailed in the urban/suburban habitat (75.0 %). Conclusion: The study confirmed the circulation of CNM between I. ricinus ticks and rodents in South-Western Slovakia, and indicates a potential risk of contracting human infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
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39. Beech tree masting explains the inter-annual variation in the fall and spring peaks of Ixodes ricinus ticks with different time lags
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Olaf Kahl, Katharina Brugger, Maarten J. Voordouw, Coralie Herrmann, Olivier Rais, and Cindy Bregnard
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0106 biological sciences ,Nymph ,Ixodes ricinus ,Fagus sylvatica ,Climate ,030231 tropical medicine ,Zoology ,Time lag ,Infectious and parasitic diseases ,RC109-216 ,Tick ,Diapause ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Trees ,03 medical and health sciences ,Bimodal phenology ,0302 clinical medicine ,parasitic diseases ,Unimodal phenology ,Fagus ,Animals ,Beech tree ,Beech ,Population Density ,biology ,Ixodes ,Phenology ,Research ,fungi ,Masting ,Tick population ecology ,biology.organism_classification ,Europe ,Infectious Diseases ,Deciduous ,Larva ,Parasitology ,Arachnid Vectors ,Seasons - Abstract
Background The tick Ixodes ricinus is an important vector of tick-borne diseases including Lyme borreliosis. In continental Europe, the nymphal stage of I. ricinus often has a bimodal phenology with a large spring peak and a smaller fall peak. There is consensus about the origin of the spring nymphal peak, but there are two alternative hypotheses for the fall nymphal peak. In the direct development hypothesis, larvae quest as nymphs in the fall of the same year that they obtained their larval blood meal. In the developmental diapause hypothesis, larvae overwinter in the engorged state and quest as nymphs one year after they obtained their larval blood meal. These two hypotheses make different predictions about the time lags that separate the larval blood meal and the density of questing nymphs (DON) in the spring and fall. Methods Inter-annual variation in seed production (masting) by deciduous trees is a time-lagged index for the density of vertebrate hosts (e.g., rodents) which provide blood meals for larval ticks. We used a long-term data set on the masting of the European beech tree and a 15-year study on the DON at 4 different elevation sites in western Switzerland to differentiate between the two alternative hypotheses for the origin of the fall nymphal peak. Results Questing I. ricinus nymphs had a bimodal phenology at the three lower elevation sites, but a unimodal phenology at the top elevation site. At the lower elevation sites, the DON in the fall was strongly correlated with the DON in the spring of the following year. The inter-annual variation in the densities of I. ricinus nymphs in the fall and spring was best explained by a 1-year versus a 2-year time lag with the beech tree masting index. Fall nymphs had higher fat content than spring nymphs indicating that they were younger. All these observations are consistent with the direct development hypothesis for the fall peak of I. ricinus nymphs at our study site. Our study provides new insight into the complex bimodal phenology of this important disease vector. Conclusions Public health officials in Europe should be aware that following a strong mast year, the DON will increase 1 year later in the fall and 2 years later in the spring. Studies of I. ricinus populations with a bimodal phenology should consider that the spring and fall peak in the same calendar year represent different generations of ticks. Graphical Abstract
- Published
- 2021
40. Winter activity of Ixodes ricinus in Sweden.
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Kjellander, Petter, Bergvall, Ulrika A., Chirico, Jan, Ullman, Karin, Christensson, Madeleine, and Lindgren, Per-Eric
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CASTOR bean tick ,WINTER ,ROE deer ,ANIMAL wintering ,SPRING ,SNOW accumulation - Abstract
Background: In Europe, Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) is the most widespread and abundant tick species, acting as a vector for several microorganisms of medical and veterinary importance. In Northern and Central Europe, the tick has a bimodal activity pattern consisting of a peak in spring to the beginning of summer and a second peak at the end of summer. However, several findings of ticks on animals during winter have been reported, which raises the question of whether this is an overwintering strategy or whether ticks are active during winter in Scandinavia. The objectives of our study were to determine (i) whether ticks were active and finding hosts during winter, (ii) whether they parasitize their hosts, and (iii) what climatic factors—i.e., temperature, snow depth and precipitation—govern tick winter activity. Methods: Throughout three winter seasons, we examined wild-living and free-ranging roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) for ticks on 332 occasions. In total, 140 individual roe deer were captured in two climatically contrasting sites in south-central Sweden, Grimsö and the Bogesund research area, respectively. We re-examined individual roe deer up to 10 times within the same winter or approximately once a week (mean 10 days, median 7 days between re-examinations) and recorded the absence or presence of ticks on the animals, and tested to what extent meteorological factors affected tick activity. To determine the attachment day, we used the coxal/scutal index of 18 nymphs and 47 female ticks. Results: In total, 243 I. ricinus were collected from 301 roe deer captures between 14 December and 28 February at the Bogesund study site during three subsequent years (2013/2014–2015/2016). We found attached ticks every third to every second examination (32%, 48% and 32% of the examinations, respectively). However, we collected only three I. ricinus females from 31 roe deer captures at the Grimsö study site between 17 December 2015 and 26 February 2016. At the Bogesund study site, based on 192 captures of previously examined deer, we collected 121 ticks, and ticks were found at 33%, 48% and 26% of the examinations during the respective winters. The probability of finding an attached tick on a roe deer at a temperature of −5 °C was > 8% ± 5 (SE), and that probability increased to almost 20% ± 7 (SE) if the air temperature increased to 5 °C. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that winter-active nymphs and female ticks have been documented to attach and feed on roe deer during winter (December to February) in Scandinavia. The main weather conditions regulating winter activity for females were temperature and precipitation, and the lowest estimated air temperature for finding an active tick was well below 5 °C. The behaviour of winter-active and blood-feeding ticks was documented over several winters and in two contrasting areas, implying that it is a common phenomenon that should be investigated more thoroughly, since it may have important consequences for the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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41. Vector competence of Ixodes ricinus instars for the transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in different small mammalian hosts.
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Lindsø, Lars K., Viljugrein, Hildegunn, and Mysterud, Atle
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CASTOR bean tick ,BORRELIA burgdorferi ,LYME disease ,DISEASE vectors ,SHREWS ,TICK infestations ,APODEMUS - Abstract
Background: Many pathogens and parasites can infect multiple host species, and the competence of different hosts as pathogen reservoirs is key to understanding their epidemiology. Small mammals are important hosts for the instar stages of Ixodes ricinus ticks, the principal vector of Lyme disease in Europe. Small mammals also act as reservoirs of Borrelia afzelii, the most common genospecies of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) spirochetes causing Lyme disease in Europe. However, we lack quantitative estimates on whether different small mammal species are equally suitable hosts for feeding I. ricinus and whether they show differences in pathogen transmission from host to tick. Methods: Here, we analysed the feeding success and prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. infections in 12,987 instar I. ricinus found on captured small mammals with known infection status in Norway (2018–2022). Results: We found that larvae were more likely to acquire a blood meal from common shrews (Sorex araneus, 46%) compared to bank voles (Myodes glareolus, 31%) and wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus, 36%). Nymphs tended to be more likely to acquire a blood meal from wood mice (66%) compared to bank voles (54%). Common shrews harboured few nymphs (n=19). Furthermore, we found that larvae feeding on infected bank voles (11%) were more likely to be infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. than larvae on infected common shrews (7%) or wood mice (4%). Conclusions: Our study provides quantitative evidence of differences in suitability for the instar stages of I. ricinus across taxa of small mammals and highlights how even known small mammal host species can differ in their ability to feed ticks and infect larval ticks with the pathogen causing Lyme disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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42. Occurrence of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in three regions in Poland: the final evidence of the conquest
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Anna Bajer, Dorota Dwużnik-Szarek, and Ewa J. Mierzejewska
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Male ,Nymph ,Haemaphysalis concinna ,Ixodes ricinus ,Dermacentor reticulatus ,Population ,Zoology ,Rodentia ,Infectious and parasitic diseases ,RC109-216 ,Tick ,medicine.disease_cause ,Rodents ,Mice ,Larvae ,Species Specificity ,Infestation ,parasitic diseases ,medicine ,Animals ,Microtus ,education ,Dermacentor ,education.field_of_study ,biology ,Geography ,Arvicolinae ,Research ,biology.organism_classification ,Nymphs ,Tick Infestations ,Infectious Diseases ,Parasitology ,Female ,Poland - Abstract
Background Two populations of Dermacentor reticulatus ticks (Western and Eastern) in Poland are among the most dynamic tick populations in Central Europe. Expansion and settlement of ticks in new localizations depend on the presence of suitable hosts, for both adult and juvenile ticks. Methods The current study was planned to complement our previous studies on questing adult ticks and was focused on a collection of juvenile D. reticulatus ticks from rodents from three regions in Poland, defined by the presence/absence of adult ticks (regions of the Western and Eastern tick population and the gap area between them) to confirm the existence of stable populations. Rodent trapping was conducted in open habitats (fallow lands, wasteland and submerged meadows) in 2016–2018 in June, July and/or August to encompass seasonal peaks of larvae and nymph activity. Results Altogether, three tick species were collected, 2866 D. reticulatus, 2141 Ixodes ricinus and 427 Haemaphysalis concinna. Dermacentor reticulatus was the most common (72.3%) and abundant (mean 17.94 ± 2.62 ticks/rodent) tick species on rodents from the Eastern region; in the Western region infestation of rodents was only 6.8%. Ixodes ricinus was found in all three regions and was the only tick species collected from rodents from the gap area. Haemaphysalis concinna was noted only in the Western region. The highest infestation of juvenile D. reticulatus was recorded on voles (Myodes and Microtus spp.), infestation of I. ricinus was the highest on Apodemus mice, and the majority of H. concinna ticks were collected from root voles Alexandromys oeconomus. Conclusions Our study confirmed a stable population of D. reticulatus in Eastern and Central Poland and a lower prevalence and mean abundance of this tick species among rodents from the Western region. A lack of juvenile D. reticulatus on rodents in Niewiadów confirmed the existence of the gap area, free of D. reticulatus ticks. Graphical abstract
- Published
- 2021
43. Revisited: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infections in hard ticks (Ixodes ricinus) in the city of Hanover (Germany).
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Tappe, Julia, Jordan, Daniela, Janecek, Elisabeth, Fingerle, Volker, and Strube, Christina
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BORRELIA burgdorferi ,IXODES ,RICKETTSIALES ,PATHOGENIC microorganisms ,TICKS - Abstract
Background: The present study investigated the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) genospecies in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected in Hanover, Northern Germany, in 2010. At the same time the study served as fifth-year-follow-up study for data comparison with 2005. Methods: A total of 2100 questing ticks were collected and analysed by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) with subsequent species differentiation via Reverse Line Blot and Sanger sequencing. Simultaneously, results obtained in 2010 were compared to infection rates from 2005 to evaluate the development of B. burgdorferi s.l. infection rates in Hanoverian ticks. Results: Overall, 22.7% (476/2,100) of collected ticks were tested positive for B. burgdorferi s.l. infections. Adult ticks showed an infection rate of 33.3% (124/372), subdivided into 29.6% (58/196) positive males and 37.5% (66/176) positive females. Nymph and larvae infection rates were found to be 20.3% (344/1,697) and 25.8% (8/31), respectively. Species identification was successful for 59.2% (282/476) of positive ticks with B. afzelii as the most frequently detected genospecies, followed by B. garinii (including B. bavariensis) and B. spielmanii. B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), B. bissettii, B. valaisiana and B. lusitaniae were also identified. Significant differences concerning seasonal fluctuations as well as local differences were observed. Comparing infection rates of Hanoverian ticks between years, a significant increase (P = 0.002) could be observed for larvae with 1.7% positives (2/60) in 2005 and 25.8% positives (8/31) in 2010. In the latter year, coinfections with Borrelia and Rickettsiales were detected in a total of 7.8% (163/2,100) of collected ticks. Of these, 7.3% (153/2,100) were coinfected with Rickettsia spp., 0.3% (7/2,100) with A. phagocytophilum and 0.1% (3/2,100) were coinfected with all three pathogens. Between years 2005 and 2010, no statistically significant differences in coinfection rates were found. Conclusions: Comparing B. burgdorferi s.l. infections in Hanoverian I. ricinus ticks in 2010 with data from 2005, a statistically significant increase of infected larvae was noted, whereas the other stages revealed no statistically significant differences. Whether the increased larvae infection rate is an isolated event or results from factual circumstances, e.g. increasing effectiveness of transovarial transmission due to unknown factors, has to be evaluated in further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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44. Genetic analysis challenges the presence of Ixodes inopinatus in Central Europe: development of a multiplex PCR to distinguish I. inopinatus from I. ricinus.
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Hrazdilova, Kristyna, Danek, Ondrej, Hrbatova, Alena, Cervena, Barbora, Noskova, Eva, Adamik, Peter, Votypka, Jan, Mihalca, Andrei Daniel, Noureddine, Mechouk, Modry, David, and Zurek, Ludek
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IXODES ,CASTOR bean tick ,MOLECULAR cloning ,POLYMERASE chain reaction - Abstract
Background: Ixodes ricinus is an important vector of several pathogens, primarily in Europe. Recently, Ixodes inopinatus was described from Spain, Portugal, and North Africa and then reported from several European countries. In this study, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed to distinguish I. ricinus from I. inopinatus and used in the surveillance of I. inopinatus in Algeria (ALG) and three regions in the Czech Republic (CZ). Methods: A multiplex PCR on TROSPA and sequencing of several mitochondrial (16S rDNA, COI) and nuclear markers (TROSPA, ITS2, calreticulin) were used to differentiate these two species and for a subsequent phylogenetic analysis. Results: Sequencing of TROSPA, COI, and ITS2 separated these two species into two subclades, while 16S rDNA and calreticulin could not distinguish I. ricinus from I. inopinatus. Interestingly, 23 nucleotide positions in the TROSPA gene had consistently double peaks in a subset of ticks from CZ. Cloning of these PCR products led to a clear separation of I. ricinus and I. inopinatus indicating hybridization and introgression between these two tick taxa. Based on a multiplex PCR of TROSPA and analysis of sequences of TROSPA, COI, and ITS2, the majority of ticks in CZ were I. ricinus, no I. inopinatus ticks were found, and 10 specimens showed signs of hybridization. In contrast, most ticks in ALG were I. inopinatus, four ticks were I. ricinus, and no signs of hybridization and introgression were detected. Conclusions: We developed a multiplex PCR method based on the TROSPA gene to differentiate I. ricinus and I. inopinatus. We demonstrate the lack of evidence for the presence of I. inopinatus in Central Europe and propose that previous studies be re-examined. Mitochondrial markers are not suitable for distinguishing I. inopinatus from I. ricinus. Furthermore, our data indicate that I. inopinatus and I. ricinus can hybridize, and the hybrids can survive in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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45. SNP-based real-time pyrosequencing as a sensitive and specific tool for identification and differentiation of Rickettsia species in Ixodes ricinus ticks.
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Janecek, Elisabeth, Streichan, Sabine, and Strube, Christina
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- *
GENETIC polymorphisms , *TICKS , *BACTERIA , *RICKETTSIACEAE , *RICKETTSIA - Abstract
Background: Rickettsioses are caused by pathogenic species of the genus Rickettsia and play an important role as emerging diseases. The bacteria are transmitted to mammal hosts including humans by arthropod vectors. Since detection, especially in tick vectors, is usually based on PCR with genus-specific primers to include different occurring Rickettsia species, subsequent species identification is mainly achieved by Sanger sequencing. In the present study a real-time pyrosequencing approach was established with the objective to differentiate between species occurring in German Ixodes ticks, which are R. helvetica, R. monacensis, R. massiliae, and R. felis. Tick material from a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) based study on Rickettsia-infections in I. ricinus allowed direct comparison of both sequencing techniques, Sanger and real-time pyrosequencing. Methods: A sequence stretch of rickettsial citrate synthase (gltA) gene was identified to contain divergent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites suitable for Rickettsia species differentiation. Positive control plasmids inserting the respective target sequence of each Rickettsia species of interest were constructed for initial establishment of the real-time pyrosequencing approach using Qiagen's PSQ 96MA Pyrosequencing System operating in a 96-well format. The approach included an initial amplification reaction followed by the actual pyrosequencing, which is traceable by pyrograms in real-time. Afterwards, real-time pyrosequencing was applied to 263 Ixodes tick samples already detected Rickettsia-positive in previous qPCR experiments. Results: Establishment of real-time pyrosequencing using positive control plasmids resulted in accurate detection of all SNPs in all included Rickettsia species. The method was then applied to 263 Rickettsia-positive Ixodes ricinus samples, of which 153 (58.2%) could be identified for their species (151 R. helvetica and 2 R. monacensis) by previous custom Sanger sequencing. Real-time pyrosequencing identified all Sanger-determined ticks as well as 35 previously undifferentiated ticks resulting in a total number of 188 (71.5%) identified samples. Pyrosequencing sensitivity was found to be strongly dependent on gltA copy numbers in the reaction setup. Whereas less than 101 copies in the initial amplification reaction resulted in identification of 15.1% of the samples only, the percentage increased to 54.2% at 101-102 copies, to 95.6% at >102-103 copies and reached 100% samples identified for their Rickettsia species if more than 103 copies were present in the template. Conclusions: The established real-time pyrosequencing approach represents a reliable method for detection and differentiation of Rickettsia spp. present in I. ricinus diagnostic material and prevalence studies. Furthermore, the method proved to be faster, more cost-effective as well as more sensitive than custom Sanger sequencing with simultaneous high specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
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46. Ixodes ricinus ticks removed from humans in Northern Europe: seasonal pattern of infestation, attachment sites and duration of feeding.
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Wilhelmsson, Peter, Lindblom, Pontus, Fryland, Linda, Nyman, Dag, Jaenson, Thomas G. T., Forsberg, Pia, and Lindgren, Per-Eric
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LYME disease ,TICK infestations ,TICK-borne encephalitis ,TICKS as carriers of disease ,CASTOR bean tick - Abstract
Background The common tick Ixodes ricinus is the main vector in Europe of the tick-borne encephalitis virus and of several species of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, which are the etiological agents of Lyme borreliosis. The risk to contract bites of I. ricinus is dependent on many factors including the behaviour of both ticks and people. The tick's site of attachment on the human body and the duration of tick attachment may be of clinical importance. Data on I. ricinus ticks, which were found attached to the skin of people, were analysed regarding potentially stage-specific differences in location of attachment sites, duration of tick attachment (= feeding duration), seasonal and geographical distribution of tick infestation in relation to age and gender of the tick-infested hosts. Methods During 2008-2009, 1770 tick-bitten persons from Sweden and the Åland Islands removed 2110 I. ricinus ticks. Participants provided information about the date of tick detection and location on their body of each attached tick. Ticks were identified to species and developmental stage. The feeding duration of each nymph and adult female tick was microscopically estimated based on the scutal and the coxal index. Results In 2008, participants were tick-bitten from mid-May to mid-October and in 2009 from early April to early November. The infestation pattern of the nymphs was bimodal whereas that of the adult female ticks was unimodal with a peak in late summer. Tick attachment site on the human body was associated with stage of the tick and gender of the human host. Site of attachment seemed to influence the duration of tick feeding. Overall, 63% of nymphs and adult female ticks were detected and removed more than 24 hours after attachment. Older persons, compared to younger ones, and men, compared to women, removed "their" ticks after a longer period of tick attachment. Conclusions The infestation behaviour of the different tick stages concerning where on the host's body the ticks generally will attach and when such ticks generally will be detected and removed in relation to host age and gender, should be of value for the development of prophylactic methods against tick infestation and to provide relevant advice to people on how to avoid or reduce the risk of tick infestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2013
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47. Three Babesia species in Ixodes ricinus ticks from migratory birds in Sweden
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Olga Pawełczyk, Thomas G. T. Jaenson, Bjorn R. Olsen, Jonas Waldenström, Per-Eric Lindgren, Pia Forsberg, and Peter Wilhelmsson
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0301 basic medicine ,Tick infestation ,animal diseases ,Ixodes ricinus ,0302 clinical medicine ,Babesia capreoli ,Babesia microti ,Babesia venatorum ,Migratory birds ,Tick-borne diseases ,Sweden ,Zoonoses ,Passeriformes ,Tick-borne disease ,education.field_of_study ,biology ,Babesiosis ,Infectious Diseases ,Larva ,Female ,Nymph ,030106 microbiology ,030231 tropical medicine ,Population ,Zoology ,Babesia ,Tick ,Microbiology ,Zoologi ,lcsh:Infectious and parasitic diseases ,03 medical and health sciences ,Borrelia ,parasitic diseases ,medicine ,Animals ,lcsh:RC109-216 ,education ,Ixodes ,Research ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease ,bacterial infections and mycoses ,Tick Infestations ,Mikrobiologi ,Parasitology ,Animal Migration - Abstract
Background Migratory birds can cross geographical and environmental barriers and are thereby able to facilitate transmission of tick-borne pathogens both as carriers of infected ticks and as reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms. Ixodes ricinus is one of the most abundant tick species in the Northern Hemisphere and a main vector of several Babesia species, some which pose a potential threat to human and animal health. At present only two cases of overt babesiosis in humans have so far been reported in Sweden. To better understand the potential role of birds as disseminators of zoonotic Babesia protozoan parasites, we investigated the presence of Babesia species in ticks removed from migratory birds. Methods Ticks were collected from birds captured at Ottenby Bird Observatory, south-eastern Sweden, from March to November 2009. Ticks were molecularly identified to species, and morphologically to developmental stage, and the presence of Babesia protozoan parasites was determined by real-time PCR. Results In total, 4601 migratory birds of 65 species were examined for tick infestation. Ticks removed from these birds have previously been investigated for the presence of Borrelia bacteria and the tick-borne encephalitis virus. In the present study, a total of 1102 ticks were available for molecular analysis of Babesia protozoan parasites. We found that 2.4% of the ticks examined, all I. ricinus, were positive for mammal-associated Babesia species. Out of all Babesia-positive samples, Babesia venatorum was the most prevalent (58%) species, followed by Babesia microti (38%) and Babesia capreoli (4.0%). B. venatorum and B. capreoli were detected in I. ricinus larvae, whereas B. microti was only present in I. ricinus nymphs. This supports the view that the two first-mentioned species are vertically (transovarially) transmitted in the tick population, in contrast to B. microti. The largest number of Babesia-infected ticks was removed from the common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and European robin (Erithacus rubecula). Conclusions This study reveals that Babesia protozoan parasites are present in ticks infesting migratory birds in south-eastern Sweden, which could potentially lead to the dissemination of these tick-borne microorganisms into new areas, thus posing a threat to humans and other mammals. Graphical Abstract
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- 2021
48. Acaricidal efficacy of a new combination of fipronil and permethrin against Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks.
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Dumont, Pascal, Chester, Theodore S., Gale, Boyd, Soll, Mark, Fourie, Josephus J., and Beugnet, Frédéric
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BROWN dog tick ,CASTOR bean tick ,TICKS ,IXODIDAE ,DOGS ,PERMETHRIN - Abstract
Copyright of Parasites & Vectors is the property of BioMed Central and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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- 2015
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49. Large-scale countrywide screening for tick-borne pathogens in field-collected ticks in Latvia during 2017–2019
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Viktorija Igumnova, Alisa Kazarina, Maija Seleznova, Rudolfs Krumins, Darja Aleinikova, Antra Bormane, Agnija Kivrane, Agne Namina, Valentina Capligina, Marija Lazovska, Sarmite Akopjana, Renate Ranka, Janis Kimsis, and Lauma Freimane
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Ixodes ricinus ,Dermacentor reticulatus ,030231 tropical medicine ,Zoology ,Babesia ,Borrelia miyamotoi ,Ixodes persulcatus ,Tick ,lcsh:Infectious and parasitic diseases ,Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,parasitic diseases ,Prevalence ,Animals ,Humans ,lcsh:RC109-216 ,Pathology, Molecular ,Rickettsia ,Dermacentor ,Lyme Disease ,Tick-borne pathogens ,biology ,Ixodes ,Coinfection ,Research ,Borrelia ,biology.organism_classification ,bacterial infections and mycoses ,Latvia ,030104 developmental biology ,Infectious Diseases ,Tick-Borne Diseases ,Borrelia burgdorferi ,Parasitology ,Encephalitis, Tick-Borne ,Anaplasma phagocytophilum - Abstract
Background Tick-borne diseases are of substantial concern worldwide in both humans and animals. Several hard tick species are of medical and veterinary interest in Europe, and changes in the range of tick species can affect the spread of zoonotic pathogens. The aim of the present study was to map the current prevalence and distribution pattern of ticks and related tick-borne pathogens in Latvia, a Baltic state in northern Europe. Methods Nearly 4600 Ixodes ricinus, I. persulcatus and Dermacentor reticulatus tick samples were collected in all regions of Latvia during 2017–2019 and were screened by molecular methods to reveal the prevalence and distribution pattern of a wide spectrum of tick-borne pathogens. Results New localities of D. reticulatus occurrence were found in western and central Latvia, including the Riga region, indicating that the northern border of D. reticulatus in Europe has moved farther to the north. Among the analyzed ticks, 33.42% carried at least one tick-borne pathogen, and 5.55% of tick samples were positive for two or three pathogens. A higher overall prevalence of tick-borne pathogens was observed in I. ricinus (34.92%) and I. persulcatus (31.65%) than in D. reticulatus (24.2%). The molecular analysis revealed the presence of tick-borne encephalitis virus, Babesia spp., Borrelia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Rickettsia spp. Overall, 15 and 7 tick-borne pathogen species were detected in Ixodes spp. and D. reticulatus ticks, respectively. This is the first report of Borrelia miyamotoi in Latvian field-collected ticks. Conclusions This large-scale countrywide study provides a snapshot of the current distribution patterns of Ixodes and Dermacentor ticks in Latvia and gives us a reliable overview of tick-borne pathogens in Latvian field-collected ticks.
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- 2020
50. Prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks in urban and suburban areas of Switzerland.
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Oechslin, Corinne P., Heutschi, Daniel, Lenz, Nicole, Tischhauser, Werner, Péter, Olivier, Rais, Olivier, Beuret, Christian M., Leib, Stephen L., Bankoul, Sergei, and Ackermann-Gäumann, Rahel
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PATHOGENIC microorganisms ,IXODES ,IXODIDAE ,TICK-borne encephalitis ,FLAVIVIRAL diseases - Abstract
Background: Throughout Europe, Ixodes ricinus transmits numerous pathogens. Its widespread distribution is not limited to rural but also includes urbanized areas. To date, comprehensive data on pathogen carrier rates of I. ricinus ticks in urban areas of Switzerland is lacking. Results: Ixodes ricinus ticks sampled at 18 (sub-) urban collection sites throughout Switzerland showed carrier rates of 0% for tick-borne encephalitis virus, 18.0% for Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato), 2.5% for Borrelia miyamotoi, 13.5% for Rickettsia spp., 1.4% for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, 6.2% for "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis", and 0.8% for Babesia venatorum (Babesia sp., EU1). Site-specific prevalence at collection sites with n > 45 ticks (n = 9) significantly differed for B. burgdorferi (s.l.), Rickettsia spp., and "Ca. N. mikurensis", but were not related to the habitat type. Three hundred fifty eight out of 1078 I. ricinus ticks (33.2%) tested positive for at least one pathogen. Thereof, about 20% (71/358) were carrying two or three different potentially disease-causing agents. Using next generation sequencing, we could detect true pathogens, tick symbionts and organisms of environmental or human origin in ten selected samples. Conclusions: Our data document the presence of pathogens in the (sub-) urban I. ricinus tick population in Switzerland, with carrier rates as high as those in rural regions. Carriage of multiple pathogens was repeatedly observed, demonstrating the risk of acquiring multiple infections as a consequence of a tick bite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
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