Abstract
BackgroundCandidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis (CNM) has been described in the hard tick Ixodes ricinus and rodents as well as in some severe cases of human disease. The aims of this study were to identify DNA of CNM in small mammals, the ticks parasitizing them and questing ticks in areas with sympatric existence of Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus in Germany.MethodsBlood, transudate and organ samples (spleen, kidney, liver, skin) of 91 small mammals and host-attached ticks from altogether 50 small mammals as well as questing I. ricinus ticks (n=782) were screened with a real-time PCR for DNA of CNM.Results52.7% of the small mammals were positive for CNM-DNA. The majority of the infected animals were yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis) and bank voles (Myodes glareolus). Small mammals with tick infestation were more often infected with CNM than small mammals without ticks. Compared with the prevalence of ~25% in the questing I. ricinus ticks, twice the prevalence in the rodents provides evidence for their role as reservoir hosts for CNM.ConclusionThe high prevalence of this pathogen in the investigated areas in both rodents and ticks points towards the need for more specific investigation on its role as a human pathogen.
Highlights
Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis (CNM) has been described in the hard tick Ixodes ricinus and rodents as well as in some severe cases of human disease
Rodents and other small mammals serve as main feeding and maintenance hosts for the developmental stages of various tick species
They play an important role in the endemic cycles of tick-borne pathogens by being reservoir hosts for those as well as being drivers for the tick population itself [2,3,4]
Summary
Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis (CNM) has been described in the hard tick Ixodes ricinus and rodents as well as in some severe cases of human disease. Rodents and other small mammals serve as main feeding and maintenance hosts for the developmental stages of various tick species. They play an important role in the endemic cycles of tick-borne pathogens by being reservoir hosts for those as well as being drivers for the tick population itself (e.g. the tick-borne encephalitis-virus or Babesia microti) [2,3,4]. The developmental stages of Dermacentor reticulatus or endophilic species (e.g. I_trianguliceps) are more specialised regarding their hosts and may provide stable niche cycles for pathogens such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum and B. microti [6,7,8]. A new pathogen belonging to the α-proteobacteria (family Anaplasmataceae) was detected in the late 1990s in I. ricinus in the Netherlands and Italy as well as in a Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) in China and was initially called Ehrlichia-like
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
