Infestation dynamics of ticks with Anaplasma and Ehrlichia pathogens in the Kirov region

Abstract

Anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis are transmissible diseases of
 both humans and domestic animals, causing serious harm to
 health and agriculture. But only ticks taken from humans are
 analyzed. The purpose of this work is to determine the presence of the genetic material of microorganisms of the Anaplasma and Ehrlichia genera in ixodid ticks of various species collected in the Kirov region in the period from 2010 to 2021 using the polymerase chain reaction. During the study, 1487 ticks of three species as Ixodes persulcatus, Dermacentor reticulatus, and Ixodes ricinus have been analyzed. The percentage of infestation with bacteria of the Ehrlichia genus (from 20.6 to 60.6 %) is higher than that of the Anaplasma bacteria (from 4.8 to 36 %). The presence of both pathogens is also observed (from up to 32 %). The percentage of infestation varies, the presence of pathogens does not depend on each other. The Dermacentor reticulatus, Ixodes ricinus ticks have a significantly lower percentage of infestation than Ixodes persulcatus. Monitoring the infestation ticks with pathogens of anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis will allow organizing the prevention of these diseases.