title: Sympatric occurrence of Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus and Haemaphysalis concinna ticks and Rickettsia and Babesia species in Slovakia.
abstract: Vojka nad Dunajom in the south-west of the Slovak Republic is a locality with sympatric occurrence of 3 species of ticks. This study investigated the spatial distribution of Dermacentor reticulatus, Ixodes ricinus, and Haemaphysalis concinna ticks in this area and determined the prevalence of Babesia and Rickettsia species in questing adults of these tick species considered as potential risk for humans and animals. Ticks were collected by blanket dragging over the vegetation from September 2011 to October 2012. All ticks were subjected to DNA extraction and individually assayed with PCR-based methods targeting the gltA, sca4, 23S rRNA genes of Rickettsia spp. and the 18S rRNA gene of Babesia spp. D. reticulatus was the dominant species occurring in this area (67.7%, n=600), followed by I. ricinus (31.8%, n=282) and H. concinna (0.5%, n=4) ticks. Rickettsial infection was determined in 10.8% (n=65) and 11.7% (n=33) of D. reticulatus and I. ricinus ticks, respectively. Babesia spp. infection was confirmed in 1.8% (n=11) of D. reticulatus and 0.4% (n=1) of I. ricinus ticks. DNA of 6 different pathogenic tick-borne species, Rickettsia helvetica, Rickettsia monacensis, Rickettsia slovaca, Rickettsia raoultii, Babesia canis, and Babesia venatorum were identified in this locality with sympatric occurrence of I. ricinus, D. reticulatus, and H. concinna ticks.
authors: Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravska cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Svehlová
authors: Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravska cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
authors: Lenka
authors: L
authors: Berthová
authors: Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravska cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
authors: Balázs
authors: B
authors: Sallay
authors: HPL (Ltd) Medical Laboratories, Department of Parasitology, Istrijská 20, 841 07 Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
authors: Vojtech
authors: V
authors: Boldiš
authors: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK.
authors: Olivier A E
authors: OA
authors: Sparagano
authors: Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravska cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: eva.spitalska@savba.sk.
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Spitalská
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / Q000235:genetics; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018154:Slovakia; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S
keywords: Babesia spp.; Dermacentor reticulatus; Haemaphysalis concinna; Ixodes ricinus; Rickettsia spp.; Sympatric occurrence; Vojka nad Dunajom