title: Ticks and tick-borne pathogens in wild birds in Greece.
abstract: Wild birds are common hosts of ticks and can transport them for long distances, contributing to the spreading of tick-borne pathogens. The information about ticks on birds and tick-borne pathogens in Greece is limited. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and species of ticks infesting wild resident birds (mostly small passerines) in Greece, and to assess Borrelia and Rickettsia infection in the collected ticks. Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. was performed by nested PCR targeting the flaB gene. Rickettsia spp. were detected by PCR targeting the gltA and ompA genes. Seven (2 %) out of 403 birds examined in northern Greece in 2013 were infested with 15 ticks, identified as Ixodes frontalis, Ixodes acuminatus, Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma aegyptium and Hyalomma sp. All ticks were negative for Borrelia spp. while four of them were positive for rickettsiae (Rickettsia aeschlimannii in H. aegyptium and Rickettsia sp. in I. frontalis, H. aegyptium and H. marginatum). Ixodes acuminatus is reported for the first time in Greece and Sylvia borin is reported as a new host record for I. acuminatus.
authors: Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. diakou@vet.auth.gr.
authors: Anastasia
authors: A
authors: Diakou
authors: MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences Largo Marquês de Pombal, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.|Centre for Vector and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Aguas de Moura, Portugal.
authors: Ana Cláudia
authors: AC
authors: Norte
authors: Centre for Vector and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Aguas de Moura, Portugal.|Emergence Response and Biopreparadness Unit, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: Isabel
authors: I
authors: Lopes de Carvalho
authors: Centre for Vector and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Aguas de Moura, Portugal.
authors: Sofia
authors: S
authors: Núncio
authors: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.|CEITEC VFU, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors: Markéta
authors: M
authors: Nováková
authors: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors: Matej
authors: M
authors: Kautman
authors: Hellenic Bird Ringing Center, Athens, Greece.
authors: Haralambos
authors: H
authors: Alivizatos
authors: Hellenic Agricultural Organisation "Demeter", Forest Research Institute, Vassilika, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Savas
authors: S
authors: Kazantzidis
authors: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors: Oldřich
authors: O
authors: Sychra
authors: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.|CEITEC VFU, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Literák
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D001717:Birds; D001898:Borrelia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D046109:Passeriformes; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Birds; Borrelia; Greece; Rickettsia; Tick-borne pathogens; Ticks