title: First evidence of Babesia venatorum and Babesia capreoli in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks in the Czech Republic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ixodes ricinus is the most common tick species occurring in Central Europe and it serves as a principal vector of emerging human pathogens. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Babesia spp. in host-seeking I. ricinus in urban and natural habitats.
  
  
  METHODS
  PCR was applied on samples to assess prevalence of Babesia spp. in questing ixodid ticks. Sequencing was used for Babesia species determination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1,473 I. ricinus ticks (1,294 nymphs, 99 males and 80 females) were examined for the presence of Babesia spp. at the two study sites. Minimum infection rate for Babesia spp. was found to be 0.5% (infected I. ricinus nymphs were only detected in the natural ecosystem). Two Babesia species were identified by sequencing: B. venatorum (formerly called Babesia sp. EU1) and B. capreoli.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained represent the first evidence of the occurrence of B. venatorum and B. capreoli in host-seeking I. ricinus ticks in the Czech Republic.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Masaryk University, Department of Experimental Biology, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Kristyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Venclikova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mendel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Betasova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Masaryk University, Department of Experimental Biology, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Zdenek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hubalek
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Masaryk University, Department of Experimental Biology, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rudolf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D001403:Babesia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002947:Cities; D018153:Czech Republic; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018884:Ixodes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009758:Nymph / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S