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Cited by 60Vector-borne infectious diseasesBartonella species infections researchViral Infections and Vectors

Detection of selected pathogens in ticks collected from cats and dogs in the Wrocław Agglomeration, South-West Poland

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Król, Nina, Obiegala, Anna, Pfeffer, Martin, Lonc, Elżbieta, Kiewra, Dorota·2016·Parasites & Vectors
DOI 10.1186/s13071-016-1632-0PMC PMC4915085
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Tick-borne infections are no longer confined to rural areas, they are documented with increasing frequency in urban settlements across the world. They are known to cause diseases in humans as well as in their companion animals. METHODS: During a period of 2 years, from January 2013 until December 2014, ticks were collected from dogs and cats in 18 veterinary clinics in the Wrocław Agglomeration, Poland. In total, 1455 ticks were found on 931 pets: 760 domestic dogs and 171 cats. For molecular examinations 127 I. ricinus ticks (115 females and 12 males) were randomly selected, all collected I. hexagonus (n = 137, 32 females, 98 nymphs, 7 larvae) and all collected D. reticulatus (n = 46, 31 females, 15 males) were taken. Ixodes ricinus and I. hexagonus ticks were tested for Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis and Babesia spp., while D. reticulatus ticks were investigated for Rickettsia spp. and Babesia spp. only. RESULTS: In total, 65.4 % I. ricinus ticks were infected with at least one pathogen. Over 50 % of I. ricinus were positive for Rickettsia spp. (R. helvetica and R. monacensis). The infection level with A. phagocytophilum was 21.3 %. DNA of Cand. N. mikurensis was detected in 8.1 % I. ricinus ticks. Interestingly only female ticks were infected. The prevalence of Babesia spp. was confirmed in 9.0 % of I. ricinus involving the species B. microti and B. venatorum. A total of nineteen double, one triple and two quadruple infections were found in I. ricinus ticks only. Almost 11 % of I. hexagonus ticks were positive for at least one of the tested pathogens. Rickettsia spp. infection was found in 2.2 %, while A. phagocytophilum was detected in 8.1 % of I. hexagonus ticks. Only one nymph was positive for Cand. N. mikurensis and none of I. hexagonus ticks harbored a Babesia spp. Over 60 % of D. reticulatus ticks were positive for rickettsial DNA, exclusively belonging to the species R. raoultii. CONCLUSION: The high tick infestation rates and the prevalence of pathogens found in these ticks demonstrate a serious level of encounter to tick-borne diseases in urban dogs in the Wroclaw area, and provide evidence that dogs and cats themselves may substantially contribute to the circulation of the ticks and pathogens in the urban area.

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  • In studies of pet-associated ticks, Rickettsia spp. was detected in 18.4 and 14.1% of Ixodes ticks in Italy and Belgium, respectively, while over 50% of I. ricinus were positive for Rickettsia spp. in Poland and Germany; Dermacentor ticks were pathogen-negative in Belgium, but 39% of D. reticulatus were found to be Rickettsia-positive in the study in Germany.

    “Interestingly, in studies of pet-associated ticks, Rickettsia spp. was detected in 18.4 and 14.1% of Ixodes ticks in Italy and Belgium, respectively, while over 50% of I. ricinus were positive for Rickettsia spp. in Poland and Germany; also, Dermacentor ticks were pathogen-negative in Belgium, but 39% of D. reticulatus were found to be Rickettsia–positive in the study in Germany [20–23].”

    From Tick-borne pathogens in ticks collected from dogs, Latvia, 2011–2016 (2019) · cites this paper as [21]

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  • The spectrum of detected pathogens was compatible to those reported recently in dog-associated ticks collected in Germany, Italy, Belgium and Poland.

    “The spectrum of detected pathogens was compatible to those reported recently in dog-associated ticks collected in Germany, Italy, Belgium and Poland [20–23].”

    From Tick-borne pathogens in ticks collected from dogs, Latvia, 2011–2016 (2019) · cites this paper as [21]

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Cited by

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Authors
Król, N., Obiegala, A., Pfeffer, M., Lonc, E., & Kiewra, D.
Affiliations
  • University of Wrocław (PL)
  • Leipzig University (DE)
Corresponding author
Król, Nina
ORCID
Venue
Parasites & Vectors
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2016-06-21
Volume
9
Issue
1
Pages
351-351
ISSN
1756-3305 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/s13071-016-1632-0
PMC
PMC4915085
OpenAlex
W2465310444
Cited by
60
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 4
FWCI
5.84
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Parasites & Vectors (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Bayer Animal HealthCare (DE) (TC00685704)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Parasitology › Vector-borne infectious diseases
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Parasitology › Bartonella species infections research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Viral Infections and Vectors
Keywords
tick-borne pathogens, Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes hexagonus, Dermacentor reticulatus, Rickettsia helvetica, Rickettsia monacensis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Babesia microti, Babesia venatorum, co-infection
MeSH terms
Anaplasmataceae, Animals, Arachnid Vectors, Babesia, Cat Diseases, Cats, Dog Diseases, Dogs, Female, Male, Poland, Rickettsia, Tick Infestations, Urban Population, Ixodidae

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