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Rickettsiae of the spotted fever group are considered as emerging pathogens; ticks, fleas and mites are known to be their vectors. However, the prevalence and species diversity of rickettsiae in small mammals and the role of these hosts in the circulation of bacteria are much less studied. During 2014–2016, a total of 250 small mammals (Apodemus agrarius, Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus uralensis, Myodes glareolus, Crocidura leucodon, Crocidura suaveolens, Micromys minutus, Microtus arvalis, Microtus subterraneus, Neomys fodiensand Sorex minutus) were captured in natural, suburban and urban habitats of eastern Slovakia. Ear biopsies of 245 individuals were examined for the presence of SFG rickettsiae by molecular methods. The overall prevalence of Rickettsiaspp. in small mammals was 11%. The predominant species, Rickettsia helveticawas confirmed in the striped field mouse (A. agrarius), the yellow-necked mouse (A. flavicollis), the bank vole (M. glareolus) and the common vole (M. arvalis) in natural and suburban habitats, followed by Rickettsiasp. closely related to R. felisidentified in A. flavicolliscaptured in a suburban habitat. Finally, R. slovacawas found in only one yellow-necked mouse (A. flavicollis) captured in a natural habitat, with the sympatric occurrence of Dermacentor marginatusand Dermacentor reticulatusticks. We assume the presence of R. slovacaespecially in sites with the occurrence of Dermacentorspp. All small mammals captured in the urban habitat tested were negative for the presence of rickettsiae. This study brings the first molecular evidence of R. slovacain a rodent captured in Slovakia. Rickettsiasp. closely related to R. feliswas first time detected in A. flavicollisin suburban site of Slovakia.

In Slovakia, little knowledge is available on the occurrence, hosts and vectors of Borrelia miyamotoiof the relapsing fever group. In the current study, 2160 questing and rodent-attached ticks of six species (Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes trianguliceps, Dermacentor marginatus, Dermacentor reticulatus, Haemaphysalis concinnaand Haemaphysalis inermis), 279 fleas belonging to 9 species (Ctenophthalmus agyrtes, Ctenophthalmus solutus, Ctenophthalmus assimilis, Megabothris turbidus, Amalareus penicilliger, Hystrichopsylla orientalis, Ctenophthalmus uncinatus, Doratopsylla dasycnemaand Nosopsyllus fasciatus) and skin biopsies from 245 small mammals belonging to eight species (Apodemus agrarius, Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus uralensis, Myodes glareolus, Crocidura leucodon, Micromys minutus, Microtus arvalis, Microtus subterraneus) were screened for the presence of B. miyamotoiDNA. The overall prevalence of B. miyamotoifound in questing and rodent-attached ticks was 1.8% (23 positive/1260 examined) and 3.4% (31 positive/900 examined), respectively. Borrelia miyamotoiwas detected in questing I. ricinus, rodent-attached I. ricinusand H. inermisticks, and in one male of the common vole (M. arvalis) in different habitats (mainly rural) in eastern Slovakia. However, B. miyamotoiwas not found in any of the tested fleas. Our findings indicate that rural habitats with different species of tick vectors and hosts are appropriate for the occurrence of B. miyamotoi.