Status of tick distribution and tick-borne pathogens in urban parks of Quzhou, Zhejiang, 2017–2019

Abstract

Objective To understand the distribution and pathogen carriage of ticks in urban parks of Quzhou of Zhejiang province, and evaluate the transmission risk of tick-borne diseases in the urban parks. Methods From March to November during 2017−2019, a total of 18 urban parks in 6 counties (districts) of Quzhou were selected. The free ticks and parasitic ticks were collected by mannual lab-cloth flag method and animal surface collection method, and the tick species were identified. Borrelia burgdorferi, spotted fever group Rickettsia, Babesia microsatellite, Anaplasmosis/Eriksiella and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome bunyavirus in ticks were detected by PCR. Results A total of 168 ticks were captured, and 41, 70 and 57 ticks were collected in spring, summer and autumn, respectively, the differences were not significant. All the 168 ticks were adult ticks, belonging to 7 species, 5 genera and 1 family. Dermacentor was predominant, accounting for 36.90%(62/168), followed by Haemaphysalis longicornis, accounting for 26.79%(45/168), Ixodes sinensis, accounting for 14.29%(24/168). There were 39 free ticks (23.21%) and 129 parasitic ticks (76.79%), in which 96 had rodents as host (74.42%), higher than other hosts. A total of 47 ticks were positive for five pathogens, and total positive rate was 27.98%, Among them, the positive rate of Borrelia burgdorferi was highest (13.10%), and the positive rate of Anaplasma/Eriksium was lowest(1.79%). Conclusion Dermacentor and H.longicornis were the main species of ticks captured in urban parks of Quzhou, carrying Borrelia burgdorferi, spotted fever group Rickettsia, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome bunyavirus and other pathogens, the risk of tick bite and infection exists for the public.