Abstract

In recent years, a new focus of the relict tick Haemaphysalis concinna was discovered in Western Poland, near Wolsztyn, Greater Poland voivodeship. This species may play an important role in the circulation of pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. In the present study we tested 880 juvenile ticks collected from rodents, including 427 H. concinna, 443 Ixodes ricinus and 10 Dermacentor reticulatus for three of the most common pathogens vectored by ticks in Poland: Rickettsia and Babesia spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. Additionally, molecular techniques were applied for accurate identification of tick host species (the voles Microtus and Alexandromys). Our study found differences in the range and prevalence of vectored pathogens between the three tick species. DNA of all three pathogens was found in I. ricinus. In juvenile H. concinna, DNA of Babesia microti, Borrelia afzelii and Rickettsia sp. was identified. Moreover, DNA of a new unnamed Babesia species related to B. crassa, was found in two H. concinna nymphs. This genotype of Babesia was previously identified in H. concinna in the Far East and then in Central Europe. DNA of Rickettsia raoulti and B. afzelii was detected in D. reticulatus nymphs. Among rodent hosts, Alexandromys oeconomus seems to be host of the highest significance for juvenile tick stages and was the only host species with B. afzelii detected in blood samples. Using phylogenetic methods, we confirmed a clear division between rodents from the genera Microtus and Alexandromys. Moreover, we found that A. oeconomus trapped in Western Poland clustered with a Central European A. oeconomus allopatric phylogroup.

Highlights

  • The relict tick Haemaphysalis concinna occurs in Europe and Asia in isolated limited locations (Rubel et al 2018)

  • 71 H. concinna samples (22 nymphs and 49 pools of larvae), 92 I. ricinus samples (38 nymphs and 54 pools of larvae) and 10 nymphs of D. reticulatus were screened for the presence of pathogens

  • DNA of Rickettsia spp. was found in four D. reticulatus nymphs, in 31.5% of I. ricinus samples (72.4% of larvae pools, 27.6% of nymphs), and the lowest prevalence was found in H. concinna (2.9%; only in two larvae pools) (Rickettsia spp. presence/absence × tick species: χ2 = 23.26, d.f. = 2, P < 0.001)

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Summary

Introduction

The relict tick Haemaphysalis concinna occurs in Europe and Asia in isolated limited locations (Rubel et al 2018). Adult ticks infest wildlife and farm animals (cattle, goats and sheep), larvae and nymphs feed on small rodents, birds or reptiles. Humans can be attacked by both nymphs and adult ticks (Rubel et al 2018). In 2018 several new foci of H. concinna were discovered in Western Poland (Dwużnik et al 2019a; Kiewra et al 2019). 43 H. concinna specimens were collected in six out of 24 monitored sites in Lower Silesia (dolnośląskie voivodeship) (Kiewra et al 2019). In summer 2018 all stages of H. concinna were collected from rodents and vegetation near Wolsz‐ tyn, in Greater Poland voivodeship (Dwużnik et al 2019a)

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