Veterinary Medical Research Institute, H-1143 Budapest, Hungária krt. 21, Hungary.
Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2012 Apr;3(2):90-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2012.01.002. Epub 2012 Mar 23.
Ixodes ricinus is the most important tick species in Europe as it is most widely distributed and transmits the majority of tick-borne zoonotic pathogens. As limited data are available for Hungary, the aim of the present study was to investigate the seasonal timing of questing by I. ricinus and the infection rate of this tick species with all major tick-borne zoonotic pathogens. Monthly collections of I. ricinus were carried out over 3 consecutive years by dragging a blanket in 6 biotopes representing different areas of Hungary. Altogether, 1800 nymphs (300 per collection point) were screened as pooled samples (each of 5 specimens) by PCR-based methods for tick-borne pathogens. I. ricinus larvae, nymphs, and adults had bimodal activity patterns with a major peak in the spring. As newly moulted ticks of all stages are thought to emerge in the autumn of each year, it appears that most newly emerged ticks delayed their questing until the following spring. The minimum prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was 2.5%. Borr. afzelii, Borr. burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borr. garinii, Borr. lusitaniae, and Borr. valaisiana were identified by hybridization. The minimum infection rate with spotted fever group rickettsiae was 1.9%. Rickettsia helvetica was identified in all biotopes. The minimum prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia divergens and Bab. microti was low (0.3-0.5%). Bartonella spp.-, Francisella tularensis-, and TBE virus-specific amplification products were not detected. Relative to the results of comparable studies carried out in the Carpathian Basin, the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens was low in Hungary. This might be attributed to the climatic difference between the lowland areas of Hungary and submountain areas of the surrounding countries involved in the studies.
硬蜱属中的蓖子硬蜱是欧洲最重要的蜱种，因为它分布最广，并传播大多数蜱传动物源性病原体。由于匈牙利的数据有限，本研究的目的是调查蓖子硬蜱的季节性觅食时间以及该蜱种感染所有主要蜱传动物源性病原体的感染率。通过在代表匈牙利不同地区的 6 种生境中拖动毯子，连续 3 年每月进行一次蓖子硬蜱的采集。总共对 1800 只幼虫（每采集点 300 只）进行了筛查，作为池样本（每个样本 5 只），采用基于 PCR 的方法检测蜱传病原体。硬蜱的幼虫、若虫和成虫的活动模式呈双峰型，春末夏初出现一个高峰期。由于每年秋季新蜕皮的各期硬蜱都被认为会出现，因此，大多数新出现的硬蜱会延迟其觅食时间，直到次年春天。伯氏疏螺旋体的最低流行率为 2.5%。通过杂交鉴定出阿菲波体属、伯氏疏螺旋体、伽氏疏螺旋体、贝氏疏螺旋体和巴尔通体。斑点热群立克次体的最低感染率为 1.9%。在所有生境中都发现了立氏立克次体。无形体属、分歧巴贝斯虫和微小巴贝斯虫的最低流行率较低（0.3-0.5%）。未检测到巴尔通体、土拉弗朗西斯菌和 TBE 病毒的特异性扩增产物。与在喀尔巴阡盆地进行的类似研究的结果相比，匈牙利的蜱传病原体的流行率较低。这可能归因于匈牙利低地地区和参与研究的周边国家的次山区之间的气候差异。
