title: Diversity and coexistence of tick-borne pathogens in central Germany.
abstract: In total, 1000 Ixodes ricinus L. ticks were collected from a small recreational forest area in central Germany (Thuringia) and investigated for the presence of Borrelia spp., Babesia spp., Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii, and Francisella tularensis. Overall, 43.6% of the ticks were infected with at least one pathogen. In 8.4% of ticks double infections were detected, and 1.6% harbored more than two pathogens. In this study, we present data on the coexistence of established and emerging pathogens in questing nymphs and adult ticks in a recreational area in central Germany, indicating the need for further studies for a reliable risk assessment.
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: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schmoock
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pauliks
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krämer
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Straube
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001898:Borrelia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018884:Ixodes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph / Q000382:microbiology; D020560:Proteobacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA