Zoonotic Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ixodes ricinus Complex (Acari: Ixodidae) From Urban and Peri-Urban Areas of Kosovo

IF 2.4 2区农林科学 Q3 INFECTIOUS DISEASES Zoonoses and Public Health Pub Date : 2024-12-08 DOI:10.1111/zph.13197

Ina Hoxha, Betim Xhekaj, Genc Halimi, Michiel Wijnveld, Margarida Ruivo, Driton Çaushi, Albana Matoshi, Adelheid G. Obwaller, Bernhard Jäger, Martin Weiler, Julia Walochnik, Kurtesh Sherifi, Edwin Kniha

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Abstract

Introduction

Ixodes ricinus, the castor bean tick, is the most prevalent tick species in Europe. It favours habitats such as shrubs, deciduous and mixed forests, but can also be found in urban environments. Due to its high vector competence, it is of enormous veterinary as well as medical importance, transmitting tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus, Borrelia burgdorferi s. l., the causative agent of lyme borreliosis, Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum amongst many other pathogens. In Kosovo, I. ricinus is the predominant species and a few studies, mostly based on human and animal seroprevalences, indicate the circulation of tick-borne pathogens. However, data on pathogens in I. ricinus are scarce in Kosovo, particularly in urban settings. This study aimed to provide first insights into the circulation of tic-kborne pathogens in I. ricinus from urban and peri-urban areas in Kosovo.

Methods

Urban and peri-urban areas were sampled by flagging 150 m transects. In total, 197 ticks were morphologicaly identified as I. ricinus, and consequently DNA and RNA were isolated. All individuals were screened for the presence of tick-borne pathogens by using reverse line blotting (RLB) hybridisation.

Results

DNA of nine different pathogens from four genera including Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma spp. and Babesia spp. was detected in 60 (33.5%) specimens. The most frequently detected pathogens were Rickettsia spp. (16.2%), followed by Borrelia spp. (11.7%). Altogether, 54 single infections, 11 double infections and 1 triple infection were observed.

Conclusions

We provide first data on genotyping of B. burgdorferi sensu lato as well as the detection of Anaplasma, Babesia and Rickettsia from I. ricinus in this country. The data underline that particularly recreational (peri-)urban areas could facilitate the spillover of zoonotic tick-borne pathogens to humans in Kosovo and provide baseline data for future surveys.

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科索沃城市和城郊地区蓖麻硬蜱复合体（蜱螨：硬蜱科）的人畜共患蜱传病原体。

简介：蓖麻蜱，蓖麻豆蜱，是欧洲最常见的蜱类。它喜欢灌木、落叶和混交林等栖息地，但也可以在城市环境中找到。由于其高媒介能力，它具有巨大的兽医和医学重要性，传播蜱传脑炎（TBE）病毒，伯氏疏螺旋体，莱姆病的病原体，立克次体和嗜吞噬细胞无原体以及许多其他病原体。在科索沃，蓖麻虫是主要物种，一些主要基于人类和动物血清流行率的研究表明蜱传病原体在传播。然而，在科索沃，特别是在城市环境中，关于蓖麻I. ricinus病原体的数据很少。本研究旨在首次深入了解科索沃城市和城郊地区蓖麻杆菌中蜱传病原体的传播情况。方法：对城市和城郊地区进行150m样带取样。197只蜱经形态学鉴定为蓖麻蜱，并分离了DNA和RNA。所有个体采用逆行杂交（RLB）筛选蜱传病原体的存在。结果：60份（33.5%）标本检出伯氏疏螺旋体、立克次体、无形体和巴贝斯虫4属9种不同病原的DNA；检出率最高的病原体为立克次体（16.2%），其次为伯氏疏螺旋体（11.7%）。单例感染54例，双例感染11例，三例感染1例。结论：本研究为我国蓖麻属勃氏疏螺旋体的基因分型及无形体、巴贝斯虫和立克次体的检测提供了第一手资料。这些数据强调，在科索沃，尤其是休闲（城市周边）地区可能促进人畜共患的蜱传病原体向人类扩散，并为今后的调查提供基线数据。

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来源期刊

Zoonoses and Public Health 医学-传染病学

CiteScore

5.30

自引率

4.20%

发文量

115

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Zoonoses and Public Health brings together veterinary and human health researchers and policy-makers by providing a venue for publishing integrated and global approaches to zoonoses and public health. The Editors will consider papers that focus on timely collaborative and multi-disciplinary research in zoonoses and public health. This journal provides rapid publication of original papers, reviews, and potential discussion papers embracing this collaborative spirit. Papers should advance the scientific knowledge of the sources, transmission, prevention and control of zoonoses and be authored by scientists with expertise in areas such as microbiology, virology, parasitology and epidemiology. Articles that incorporate recent data into new methods, applications, or approaches (e.g. statistical modeling) which enhance public health are strongly encouraged.