title: Prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) RNA in Dermacentor reticulatus ticks from natural and urban environment, Poland.
abstract: Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) (Flaviviridae, Flavivirus) is an arthropod-borne virus, an etiologic agent of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), a human infection involving the central nervous system. The disease is endemic in a large region in Eurasia, where it is transmitted mainly by Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus ticks. It is known that also Dermacentor reticulatus is involved in circulation of TBEV. However, the current knowledge of D. reticulatus importance in TBE epidemiology is still insufficient. A total of 471 adult D. reticulatus ticks were collected by flagging vegetation in the Białowieża Primeval Forest, Biebrza National Park, Masurian Landscape Park (North-Eastern Poland) and in the city of Warsaw in the years 2007-2010. All collected ticks were examined individually for the presence of RNA of TBEV using nested RT-PCR assay. Positive results were noted in all investigated localities with the infection rate ranging from 0.99 to 12.5 % with a total mean of 2.12 %. The difference in the percentage of infective males and females was not statistically significant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Parasitology, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Powstania Styczniowego 9B Street, 81-519, Gdynia, Poland, bebe@gumed.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Biernat
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karbowiak
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Werszko
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stańczak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003870:Dermacentor / Q000821:virology*; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014505:Urban Population; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral