Overzier Evelyn, Pfister Kurt, Thiel Claudia, Herb Ingrid, Mahling Monia, Silaghi Cornelia
Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2013 Aug;13(8):559-64. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2012.1278. Epub 2013 May 22.
In a previous study, our group investigated the Babesia spp. prevalence in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks from nine city parks in South Germany in the years 2009 and 2010. We showed predominant prevalence of B. venatorum (in previous literature also known as Babesia sp. EU1), especially in those parks in a more natural condition and with occurrence of large wild animals, such as roe deer. To obtain longitudinal data and to broaden the knowledge about this pathogen, further investigations were carried out in 2011 and 2012 in four of those city parks. Two additional habitat types were chosen for comparison of prevalence data and species analysis focusing on occurrence of potential reservoir hosts. A total of 10,303 questing I. ricinus were collected in four city parks, a pasture, and a natural area in Bavaria, and a representative number of samples were investigated for prevalence of DNA of Babesia spp. (n=4381) and Rickettsia spp. (n=2186) by PCR. In the natural and pasture area, a significantly higher Babesia spp. prevalence compared to the urban area was detected. The natural area revealed sequences of B. microti, B. venatorum, and B. capreoli. In the pasture and urban habitat, predominantly B. venatorum was found, whereas B. capreoli was less frequent and only one B. microti-infected tick was found. All B. microti sequences were 100% identical to the zoonotic Jena/Germany strain. For Rickettsia spp., the significantly highest prevalence was also detected in the natural and pasture areas, whereas lower prevalence was found in the urban area. Sequence analysis revealed R. helvetica (98%) and R. monacensis (2%). Prevalence rates and occurrence of Babesia spp. and Rickettsia spp. differed in urban, pasture and natural sites, most likely depending on the habitat structure (natural or cultivated) and therefore on the appearance and availability of reservoir hosts like roe deer or small mammals.
在之前的一项研究中，我们团队调查了2009年和2010年德国南部9个城市公园中饥饿的蓖麻硬蜱体内巴贝斯虫属的流行情况。我们发现嗜吞噬细胞无形体（在之前的文献中也称为巴贝斯虫属EU1）占主导地位，特别是在那些自然条件较好且有大型野生动物（如狍）出没的公园。为了获得纵向数据并拓宽对这种病原体的了解，2011年和2012年在其中4个城市公园进行了进一步调查。另外选择了两种栖息地类型用于比较流行数据和物种分析，重点关注潜在储存宿主的出现情况。在巴伐利亚州的4个城市公园、一片牧场和一个自然区域共收集了10303只饥饿的蓖麻硬蜱，并对其中代表性数量的样本进行了PCR检测，以分析巴贝斯虫属（n = 4381）和立克次体属（n = 2186）DNA的流行情况。在自然区域和牧场，检测到巴贝斯虫属的流行率明显高于城市地区。自然区域发现了微小巴贝斯虫、嗜吞噬细胞无形体和麂巴贝斯虫的序列。在牧场和城市栖息地，主要发现的是嗜吞噬细胞无形体，而麂巴贝斯虫较少见，仅发现一只感染微小巴贝斯虫的蜱。所有微小巴贝斯虫序列与德国耶拿的人畜共患病菌株100%相同。对于立克次体属，自然区域和牧场的流行率也明显最高，而城市地区的流行率较低。序列分析显示为瑞士立克次体（98%）和蒙氏立克次体（2%）。巴贝斯虫属和立克次体属的流行率及出现情况在城市、牧场和自然地点有所不同，很可能取决于栖息地结构（自然或人工），进而取决于狍或小型哺乳动物等储存宿主的出现和可利用情况。
