Prevalence of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Questing Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus Ticks Collected from Recreational Areas in Northeastern Poland with Analysis of Environmental Factors

Abstract

Ticks, such as Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus, act as vectors for multiple pathogens posing a threat to both human and animal health. As the process of urbanization is progressing, those arachnids are being more commonly encountered in urban surroundings. In total, 1112 I. ricinus (n = 842) and D. reticulatus (n = 270) ticks were collected from several sites, including recreational urban parks, located in Augustów and Białystok, Poland. Afterwards, the specimens were examined for the presence of Borrelia spp., Babesia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., and Coxiella burnetii using the PCR method. Overall obtained infection rate reached 22.4% (249/1112). In total, 26.7% (225/842) of I. ricinus was infected, namely with Borrelia spp. (25.2%; 212/842), Babesia spp. (2.0%; 17/842), and A. phagocytophilum (1.2%; 10/842). Among D. reticulatus ticks, 8.9% (24/270) were infected, specifically with Babesia spp. (7.0%; 19/270), A. phagocytophilum (1.1%; 3/270), and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. (0.7%; 2/270). No specimen tested positively for Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., or Coxiella burnetii. Co-infections were detected in 14 specimens. Results obtained in this study confirm that I. ricinus and D. reticulatus ticks found within the study sites of northeastern Poland are infected with at least three pathogens. Evaluation of the prevalence of pathogens in ticks collected from urban environments provides valuable information, especially in light of the growing number of tick-borne infections in humans and domesticated animals.

Exposure of Dogs and Cats to Borrelia Miyamotoi Infected Ixodes Ricinus Ticks in Urban Areas of the City of Poznań, West-Central Poland

“…The infection prevalence determined in our study was comparable to infection rates reported from two other Polish urban agglomerations: the city of Warsaw (1.3%) in central Poland [48] and the city of Olsztyn (3.5%) in north-eastern Poland [49]. In Poland, the highest B. miyamotoi prevalences (6.4-8.4%) were noted in suburban recreational areas of the city of Białystok in northeastern Poland [50]. However, so far, no endemic or risk sites in Poland have been identi ed for B. miyamotoi.…”

Prevalence of pathogens in sympatric <i>Ixodes ricinus</i> and <i>Dermacentor reticulatus</i> ticks in Eastern Poland and their potential impact on oral-anal contacts between ticks

“…Particularly interesting is the detection of B. burgdorferi s.l. in many D. reticulatus ticks, which are not competent vectors of this pathogen, as suggested by some researchers [12,37,38]. Rudolf and Hubalek [39] showed that the salivary gland and midgut extracts in this species inhibited the development of one of the B. burgdorferii s.l.…”

“…Podlaskie Province, bordering the north of Lublin Province, is characterised by the highest incidence of tick-borne diseases recorded in Poland, and the prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. in this region, on average, is 25.2% in questing I. ricinus ticks and only 0.7% in D. reticulatus [12].…”

“…The impact of climatic parameters (mainly humidity and temperature), environmental conditions [11,12], and chemical stimuli released by hosts [13][14][15] on the questing behaviour of ticks has been documented in many studies. In contrast, there are sparse data on the influence of microorganisms on ticks.…”

Erkinis Encefalitas Ir Neuroboreliozė. Klinikinis Atvejis

“…Lenkijos šiaurinėje dalyje ištyrus Ixodes ricinus ir Dermacentor reticulates erkėse esančius sukėlėjus, stebėta vos 1,25 proc. koinfekcijos atvejų [12]. Vokietijos regionuose prie Baltijos jūros pakrantės atlikto tyrimo metu nustatyta, kad po kelis patogenus nešioja maždaug kas ketvirta erkė, tačiau iš 1174 tirtų erkių nebuvo nė vieno EEV ir borelijų koinfekcijos atvejo [13].…”