Open AccessPopulation dynamics and Borrelia burgdorferi infection rate of ixodes ricinus ticks in the Belgrade area
Author(s) -
J Milutinovic Marija,
M Radulovic Zeljko,
Jovicic Vilma,
Zorana Oreščanin
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
acta veterinaria
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.308
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1820-7448
pISSN - 0567-8315
DOI - 10.2298/avb0403219m
Subject(s) - ixodes ricinus , borrelia burgdorferi , biology , ixodes , lyme disease , borrelia , nymph , ixodidae , veterinary medicine , tick , population , ricinus , abundance (ecology) , zoology , ecology , virology , botany , medicine , immunology , environmental health , antibody
To obtain better understanding of epidemiological and epizootiological agents inside a specific region, investigations of ticks in the Belgrade area, an endemic focus of Lyme disease, were carried out during 2002. Green areas of four localities were investigated: Ada Ciganlija, Košutnjak, Miljakovačka forest and Avala. The research involved: relative abundance, population dynamics and detection of Borrelia burgdorferi in Ixodes ricinus ticks. A total of 2704 ticks were collected. The greatest number of ticks were recorded on Avala (1265), followed by Miljakovačka forest (614), Košutnjak (541) and Ada Ciganlija (284). Maximal abundance of ticks was recorded in mid-April at Ada Ciganlija, but during May in other localities. A total of 530 ticks of the species Ixodes ricinus (from all localities) was examined by darkfield microscopy for Borreliae. Out of this number, 125 (23.58 %) were infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. The proportions of infected ticks were 20.34 % in nymphs and 23.99 % in adults. Infection rates by localities were Avala-18.75 %, Miljakovačka forest-20.21 %, Ada Ciganlija-29.31 % and Košutnjak-31.88 %. There were statistically significant differences in the infection rates between localities (p<0.05)