Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland.
Department of Microbial Ecology and Acaroentomology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland.
Sci Rep. 2022 Apr 6;12(1):5755. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-09419-y.
Ornate dog tick, Dermacentor reticulatus is an important vector of Babesia canis, and Rickettsia spp. and other pathogens of veterinary and public health interest. The current study is the first to investigate the long-term changes in prevalence of these pathogens in expanding tick populations in Central Europe. Molecular techniques (PCR, sequencing) were applied for the detection of pathogen DNA in adult (n = 2497) and juvenile ticks (1096 larvae and 410 nymphs). DNA of Rickettsia spp. was identified in 35% of adults and 12.6% of juvenile ticks. DNA of B. canis was detected in 3% of adult ticks and only in ticks from the Eastern region (regional prevalence 6%). As previously, no B. canis-positive ticks were found in Western Poland, including ticks from Wrocław area (n = 298). DNA of B. canis was identified in 0.33% of juvenile ticks (in 3 pools of larvae and 2 nymphs) from the Eastern region. In the current study we confirmed high occurrence of R. raoultii in adults ticks from all four zones and relatively high prevalence of B. canis in the Eastern population of D. reticulatus, corresponding well with high incidence of canine babesiosis in this area of Poland. Finally, we confirmed R. raoultii and B. canis infection in all life stages of D. reticulatus ticks.
华丽硬蜱是犬巴贝斯虫、立克次体属等兽医和公共卫生关注病原体的重要传播媒介。本研究首次调查了这些病原体在中欧不断扩大的蜱种群中的长期流行变化。应用分子技术（PCR、测序）检测了成年（n=2497）和幼蜱（幼虫 1096 只，若虫 410 只）中病原体的 DNA。35%的成年蜱和 12.6%的幼蜱中检测到立克次体属的 DNA。3%的成年蜱和仅在东部地区的蜱中检测到犬巴贝斯虫的 DNA（区域流行率为 6%）。与以往一样，在波兰西部（包括弗罗茨瓦夫地区的蜱）未发现犬巴贝斯虫阳性蜱，包括 298 只。在东部地区的 3 个幼虫和 2 个若虫幼虫中发现了 0.33%的幼蜱中含有犬巴贝斯虫的 DNA。本研究证实了所有四个地区成年硬蜱中 R. raoultii 的高发生率，以及东部地区 D. reticulatus 中犬巴贝斯虫的高流行率，这与波兰该地区犬巴贝斯虫病的高发病率相吻合。最后，我们证实了 R. raoultii 和犬巴贝斯虫在 D. reticulatus 所有生命阶段的感染。
