BackgroundElucidating which wildlife species significantly contribute to the maintenance of Ixodes ricinus populations and the enzootic cycles of the pathogens they transmit is imperative in understanding the driving forces behind the emergence of tick-borne diseases. Here, we aimed to quantify the relative contribution of four mustelid species in the life-cycles of I. ricinus and Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) in forested areas and to investigate their role in the transmission of other tick-borne pathogens. Road-killed badgers, pine martens, stone martens and polecats were collected in Belgium and the Netherlands. Their organs and feeding ticks were tested for the presence of tick-borne pathogens.ResultsIxodes hexagonus and I. ricinus were found on half of the screened animals (n = 637). Pine martens had the highest I. ricinus burden, whereas polecats had the highest I. hexagonus burden. We detected DNA from B. burgdorferi (s.l.) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in organs of all four mustelid species (n = 789), and Neoehrlichia mikurensis DNA was detected in all species, except badgers. DNA from B. miyamotoi was not detected in any of the investigated mustelids. From the 15 larvae of I. ricinus feeding on pine martens (n = 44), only one was positive for B. miyamotoi DNA, and all tested negative for B. burgdorferi (s.l.), N. mikurensis and A. phagocytophilum. The two feeding larvae from the investigated polecats (n = 364) and stone martens (n = 39) were negative for all four pathogens. The infection rate of N. mikurensis was higher in feeding nymphs collected from mustelids compared to questing nymphs, but not for B. burgdorferi (s.l.), B. miyamotoi or A. phagocytophilum.ConclusionsAlthough all stages of I. ricinus can be found on badgers, polecats, pine and stone martens, their relative contribution to the life-cycle of I. ricinus in forested areas is less than 1%. Consequently, the relative contribution of mustelids to the enzootic cycles of I. ricinus-borne pathogens is negligible, despite the presence of these pathogens in organs and feeding ticks. Interestingly, all four mustelid species carried all stages of I. hexagonus, potentially maintaining enzootic cycles of this tick species apart from the cycle involving hedgehogs as main host species.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3126-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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There are increasing concerns about the status and population trends of carnivores around the world. Carnivores play an important role in terrestrial ecosystems, as their interactions influence the composition and function of ecological communities. In the context of global change, it is essential to understand the interactions and resource use of carnivores. In this study, we explore the dietary ecology of six small-and medium-sized carnivores (red fox, European badger, European polecat, stoat, stone marten and least weasel) to determine their main food resources and the degree of food overlap in Flanders, Belgium. The studied species differed in their food consumption pattern with some being generalist and some more specialist. The dietary composition among the species was clearly different, although certain species showed considerable overlap for different food types. We also conclude that the differences and overlap in the dietary habits among the species were consistent across seasons. Understanding these relationships among species' populations and their dietary ecology is essential for biodiversity conservation and nature management.

An outbreak of distemper was observed in beech martens (Martes foina) in the eastern part of Flanders (Belgium) for the first time. The clinical and pathological findings were consistent with other outbreaks described in mustelids in Europe. Using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, morbillivirus RNA was detected in an organ homogenate inoculated on Vero.dogSLAM cells. The virus was sequenced and was identified as a canine distemper virus (CDV) strain, hundred percent identical to an earlier isolate from a marten from Germany. After a period of nearly complete absence of beech martens in Flanders due to intensive prosecution, their population density has increased substantially in the last decennia. Although the exact mechanisms behind the observed population changes stay unclear, spread of CDV from central Europe following dispersion of beech martens is indicated by our findings. Further CDV spread could negatively impact on the highly threatened pine marten (Martes martes) and the decreasing polecat (Mustela putorius) populations in Flanders.