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Liberska J, Michalik JF, Olechnowicz J, Dabert M. Co-Occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato and Babesia spp. DNA in Ixodes ricinus Ticks Collected from Vegetation and Pets in the City of Poznań, Poland. Pathogens 2024; 13:307. [PMID: 38668262 PMCID: PMC11054194 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Here, we described the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Babesia species found in mono- and double infections among Ixodes ricinus ticks occurring in urban areas of the city of Poznań, Poland. We tested 1029 host-seeking ticks and 1268 engorged ticks removed from pet animals. Borrelia afzelii and B. garinii prevailed both in ticks from vegetation (3.7% and 3.7%, respectively) and from pets (3.7% and 0.6%, respectively). Babesia canis and Ba. microti were the most prevalent in host-seeking (2.6% and 1.4%, respectively) and feeding ticks (2.8% and 2.2%, respectively). Babesia microti sequences proved to be identical to the human pathogenic Ba. microti genotype "Jena/Germany". Sequences of the rarest piroplasm Ba. venatorum (0.7%) were identical with those isolated from European patients. About 1.0% of tested ticks yielded dual infections; in host-seeking ticks, Ba. canis prevailed in co-infections with B. afzelii and B. garinii, whereas Ba. microti and B. afzelii dominated in double-infected feeding ticks. Dual infections, even with a low prevalence, pose a challenge for differential diagnosis in patients with acute febrile disease after a tick bite. The finding of Ba. canis in both tick groups suggests that I. ricinus could be involved in the circulation of this piroplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Liberska
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland; (J.O.); (M.D.)
| | - Jerzy Franciszek Michalik
- Department of Animal Morphology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Julia Olechnowicz
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland; (J.O.); (M.D.)
| | - Miroslawa Dabert
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland; (J.O.); (M.D.)
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Wymazał A, Nowak S, Mysłajek RW, Bajer A, Welc-Falęciak R, Szewczyk M, Kwiatkowska I, Stępniak KM, Figura M, Kloch A. Tick-borne infections in wolves from an expanding population in Eastern Europe. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102272. [PMID: 37890206 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
In Central and Eastern Europe, wolf populations have been increasing over the last two decades, recolonizing areas from which the species had been previously exterminated. As wolves are still recovering after years of persecution by humans, recognizing pathogens infecting this species, including tick-borne infections, is crucial for its conservation. On the other hand the high mobility of wolves and their frequent contacts with humans, dogs, and other domestic species make them a potentially important zoonotic reservoir. In this paper, we used molecular methods to determine the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in the following genera: Anaplasma, Babesia, Bartonella, Borrelia, and Rickettsia in 50 free-ranging wolves from Poland. We detected Babesia canis in the blood of nine individuals (prevalence 9/50=18 %). The obtained sequence showed the highest similarity to B. canis isolated from dogs and ticks, and all infected individuals originated from regions endemic to the ornate tick, Dermacentor reticulatus. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was found in tissue from one individual (1/50=2 %), and the sequence was assigned to the zoonotic ecotype I.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksander Wymazał
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warszawa 02-089, Poland
| | - Sabina Nowak
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warszawa 02-089, Poland
| | - Robert W Mysłajek
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warszawa 02-089, Poland
| | - Anna Bajer
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warszawa 02-096, Poland
| | - Renata Welc-Falęciak
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Parasitology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warszawa 02-096, Poland
| | - Maciej Szewczyk
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, Gdańsk 80-308, Poland
| | - Iga Kwiatkowska
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warszawa 02-089, Poland
| | - Kinga M Stępniak
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warszawa 02-089, Poland
| | - Michał Figura
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warszawa 02-089, Poland; Association for Nature "Wolf", Cynkowa 4, Twardorzeczka 34-324, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Kloch
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warszawa 02-089, Poland.
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Dvořáková A, Klímová A, Alaverdyan J, Černý J. Postindustrial Landscapes Are Neglected Localities That May Play an Important Role in the Urban Ecology of Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases-A Pilot Study. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12050648. [PMID: 37242319 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12050648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous recent studies have shown that ticks and tick-borne pathogens pose a considerable threat in urban areas, such as parks, playgrounds, zoos, cemeteries, etc. Abandoned postindustrial localities, and other types of vague terrain, are other examples of urban wilderness areas that have been absolutely neglected in respect to ticks and tick-borne pathogens thus far, even though they provide ideal biotopes for ticks. METHODS The abundance of ticks and prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato spirochetes were compared between a city park and an adjacent abandoned construction waste disposal site in Prague, Czechia from June to October 2021. RESULTS The results showed that ticks and borrelia spirochetes are present at the city park as well as at the abandoned construction waste disposal site, although in lower numbers. DISCUSSION According to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the presence of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in an urban postindustrial landscape. More detailed studies are needed to uncover the role of these localities in the ecology of ticks and ecoepidemiology of tick-borne diseases in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Dvořáková
- Centre for Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anita Klímová
- Centre for Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Johana Alaverdyan
- Centre for Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Černý
- Centre for Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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