title: Risk of exposure to ticks (Ixodidae) and the prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in ticks in Southern Poland.
abstract: The article presents the results of the first study on seasonal activity of ticks and prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in nymphs from the Silesian Province (Southern Poland). Previous studies on the prevalence of TBEV in ticks in Poland have been conducted mostly in northern and eastern regions, but none in the Silesian Province itself. The aims of this study were to analyse the seasonal variation in tick populations and compare TBEV prevalence in nymphs from different geographical locations in the Silesia. A total of 5160 questing Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected by the flagging method from 23 localities in southern Poland in 2010. Micro-climatic parameters (air temperature and humidity) were measured in order to estimate their influence on tick population. The highest tick activity was recorded in spring and was positively correlated with relative air humidity (RH). TBEV in the Silesian Province was analysed in 1750 nymphs and an overall prevalence was 0.11% (2 pools out of 175 analysed). The results of this study show that TBEV pool prevalence in nymphs is low in accordance with the low number of TBE cases reported within the region.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, School of Pharmacy, Department of Parasitology, ul. Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland. Electronic address: piotrc10@op.pl.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cuber
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Infectious Disease Control, Department of Virology, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: Ashild.Andreassen@fhi.no.
authors.forename: Åshild
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Andreassen
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Infectious Disease Control, Department of Virology, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: Kirsti.Vainio@fhi.no.
authors.forename: Kirsti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vainio
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, School of Pharmacy, Department of Parasitology, ul. Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland. Electronic address: masman@sum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asman
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Infectious Disease Control, Department of Virology, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: SusanneGjeruldsen.Dudman@fhi.no.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dudman
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, School of Pharmacy, Department of Parasitology, ul. Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland. Electronic address: szilpio@sum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szilman
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, School of Pharmacy, Department of Parasitology, ul. Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland. Electronic address: eszilman@sum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Szilman
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Infectious Disease Control, Department of Pest Control, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: Preben.Ottesen@fhi.no.
authors.forename: Preben
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ottesen
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Infectious Disease Control, Department of Virology, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: Gabriel.Anestad@fhi.no.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ånestad
authors.affiliation: Silesian ZOO, Department of Birds, Promenada Gen. Jerzego Ziętka 7, 41-501 Chorzów, Poland. Electronic address: sabinaciesla@akk.net.pl.
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cieśla-Nobis
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, School of Pharmacy, Department of Parasitology, ul. Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland. Electronic address: solarzk@sum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Solarz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000821:virology*; D002980:Climate; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018884:Ixodes / Q000821:virology; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D012621:Seasons
keywords: Ixodes ricinus; Prevalence; Seasonal activity; TBEV; Tick ecology