“…Although the ticks were frequently still alive when reaching the laboratory, room temperature transport might have affected DNA quality in cases of dead ticks, so the Babesia prevalence may have been underestimated. In previous studies from other European countries, prevalence values varying from 0 to 82.6% were reported (summarized by Zygner et al, 2023 ), although vast differences in sampling size and geographical extent of the studies as well as different molecular detection methods make direct comparisons difficult. Even in countries considered endemic for canine babesiosis, large regional differences in prevalence rates were recorded.…”