title: Co-circulation of emerging tick-borne pathogens in Middle Germany.
abstract: From May until October 2007, a total of 658 Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected off birds (189), rodents (273), and vegetation (196) in a certain area of Middle Germany and investigated for infection with Babesia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Rickettsia spp. Overall, 13.1% (86/658) of the ticks were infected with at least one pathogen; co-infections occurred in 0.6% (4/658). Babesia spp. specific DNA was detected in 9.7% (64/658) of the ticks, 1.4% (9/658) were infected with A. phagocytophilum, and 2.6% (17/658) harbored rickettsiae. At least two different Rickettsia species were identified: Rickettsia monacensis and Rickettsia helvetica. Our study provides first interesting insights into the circulation and co-circulation of several emerging pathogens not only in ticks parasitizing birds and small mammals as potential reservoirs but also in questing ticks in a single natural habitat.
authors.affiliation: Medical University Laboratories, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany. anke.hildebrandt@med.uni-jena.de
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hildebrandt
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fritzsch
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: Svea
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sachse
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dorn
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Straube
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001717:Birds; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030561:Databases, Nucleic Acid; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D005858:Germany; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012377:Rodentia
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D016054:DNA, Protozoan