Open AccessCoexistence of Pathogens in Host-Seeking and Feeding Ticks within a Single Natural Habitat in Central Germany
Author(s) -
Jan Franke,
Julia Fritzsch,
Herbert Tomaso,
Eberhard Straube,
Wolfram Dorn,
Anke Hildebrandt
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
applied and environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 324
eISSN - 1070-6291
pISSN - 0099-2240
DOI - 10.1128/aem.01630-10
Subject(s) - biology , anaplasma phagocytophilum , ixodes ricinus , tick , borrelia , tick borne disease , spotted fever , ixodidae , ixodes , francisella tularensis , host (biology) , babesia , bartonella , zoology , transmission (telecommunications) , acari , borrelia burgdorferi , virology , ecology , rickettsia , virulence , immunology , biochemistry , virus , gene , antibody , electrical engineering , engineering
The importance of established and emerging tick-borne pathogens in Central and Northern Europe is steadily increasing. In 2007, we collectedIxodes ricinus ticks feeding on birds (n = 211) and rodents (n = 273), as well as host-seeking stages (n = 196), in a habitat in central Germany. In order to find out more about their natural transmission cycles, the ticks were tested for the presence of Lyme disease borreliae,Anaplasma phagocytophilum , spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae,Francisella tularensis , and babesiae. Altogether, 20.1% of the 680 ticks examined carried at least one pathogen. Bird-feeding ticks were more frequently infected withBorrelia spp. (15.2%) andA. phagocytophilum (3.2%) than rodent-feeding ticks (2.6%; 1.1%) or questing ticks (5.1%; 0%).Babesia spp. showed higher prevalence rates in ticks parasitizing birds (13.2%) and host-seeking ticks (10.7%), whereas ticks from small mammals were less frequently infected (6.6%). SFG rickettsiae andF. tularensis were also found in ticks collected off birds (2.1%; 1.2%), rodents (1.8%; 1.5%), and vegetation (4.1%; 1.6%). Various combinations of coinfections occurred in 10.9% of all positive ticks, indicating interaction of transmission cycles. Our results suggest that birds not only are important reservoirs for several pathogens but also act as vehicles for infected ticks and might therefore play a key role in the dispersal of tick-borne diseases.