Mass gatherings increase infectious disease risks through human, environmental, and zoonotic pathways. The Grand Magal of Touba (GMT) involves the annual sacrifice of animals under limited biosafety, yet data on zoonotic pathogens are scarce. This cross-sectional exploratory study aimed to detect major zoonotic agents in livestock during the GMT and to provide baseline evidence to guide One Health surveillance. From 2022 to 2024, post-mortem samples (blood, nasal and rectal swabs, skin, ticks) were collected from sacrificed animals and analyzed using molecular and culture-based methods. 88 animals were included. Borrelia spp. was detected in 28.8% of bovine blood samples, mostly in 2023 and 8.3% of dromedaries. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli occurred in 64.3% of cattle and 33.3% of dromedaries' rectal samples. Nasal swabs showed Mycobacterium spp in 54.9% bovines and 75.0% dromedaries. Among hard ticks from bovines (predominantly Hyalomma spp.), 10.2% and 11.5%) were infected with Borrelia spp. and Rickettsia spp., including R. aeschlimannii and R. sibirica mongolitimonae. and one case of Coxiella burnetii was found. In dromedaries, only Borrelia spp. (43.7%) was found in ticks. No dermatophytes were isolated. These findings demonstrate active zoonotic circulation and stress the need for continuous surveillance of zoonotic pathogens in animals involved in the GMT. Given the close proximity of humans and livestock during such events, the potential for spillover of zoonotic agents necessitates a One Health approach, integrating veterinary, environmental, and human health surveillance. Future investigations should further characterize pathogen species to better inform risk reduction strategies.

Morphological and molecular characterization of ixodid tick vectors in Algeria, North Africa.

Probable Lyme carditis in pacemaker candidates with atrioventricular block: Preliminary results from northern Serbia.

The journey into the ecology and distribution of the genus Amblyomma in southern Africa.

Why are the ticks winning, and what can we do about it?

Polygenic control of Rhipicephalus microplus infestation in purebred and crossbred cattle revealed by GWAS.

Lyme disease is a common vector-borne infection that can lead to complications such as Lyme carditis (LC), particularly in untreated cases. LC can manifest as conduction abnormalities, including heart block and other arrhythmias, potentially leading to serious cardiac events. We report a case of a 38-year-old male with no prior medical history presenting with recurrent dizziness and bradycardia. The patient exhibited Erythema Migrans and had a history of a recent tick bite, with Lyme serology confirming the diagnosis. Despite intravenous ceftriaxone, the patient experienced persistent bradycardia and intermittent episodes of ventricular tachycardia, necessitating transvenous pacing. His condition stabilized, and he completed a 28-day antibiotic regimen, leading to full recovery. This case highlights the importance of recognizing Lyme carditis in endemic areas and the role of temporary pacing in managing symptomatic bradycardia. Early intervention with antibiotics and appropriate supportive measures can facilitate recovery, prevent progression, and reduce the need for permanent pacing.

An 8‑month-old infant developed afever of up to 40 °C, accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea, 1day after atick bite in the nuchal region; there was also local infection of the bite wound. Although treated with anti-inflammatory medication and antibiotics, the fever persisted. Sonography on day10 of the fever showed multiple hypoechogenic abscesses in the spleen as well as lymphadenopathy in the upper abdomen, suspected of resulting from septic dissemination of the tick bite. After several tests to rule out any alternative disease etiologies yielded negative results, alymphadenitis panel was positive for Francisella tularensis. Antibiotic therapy with ciprofloxacin was initiated accordingly. Arepeat ultrasound showed new hypoechogenic lesions in the liver, in addition to those in the spleen. These were now determined to be granulomas caused by the infection with F.tularensis, consistent with previously reported cases. The patient was discharged on oral antibiotics 5days after the diagnosis. At afollow-up appointment 1week later, the patient's IgM antibodies against F.tularensis continued to decrease, while IgG levels continued to rise, confirming recent infection. After another 2 weeks of antibiotic treatment, the hepatic and splenic lesions had regressed significantly.

Tularemia is a rare zoonotic infection most often acquired through exposure to infected animals, arthropods, or contaminated food or water. Diagnosis typically involves serologic or PCR testing, but histopathologic findings can be a clue to the diagnosis. Here, we present a case of inguinal lymphadenopathy in an adolescent patient with a history of multiple animal exposures and possible tick bite. Excisional lymph node biopsy showed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation, and the clinical history, histologic findings, and serologic results together led to the diagnosis of ulceroglandular tularemia. This report adds to the limited available literature on the histopathologic findings of tularemia lymphadenitis and discusses the importance of including this entity in the differential diagnosis for necrotizing granulomatous disease.

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) causes serious zoonotic diseases in humans in Europe and Asia, characterised by central nervous system infections. The risk of TBEV transmission to humans from the milk of infected ruminant animals is the primary source of foodborne TBE infection. Ixodid (Ixodes ricinus) ticks are present in Türkiye. This is the first study investigating foodborne TBEV in raw milk obtained from ruminant animals in Türkiye. Raw milk was collected from 900 ruminant animals in six provinces. It was analysed for viral nucleic acids using real-time reverse transcription PCR (rtRT-PCR). No TBEV RNA was detected.

Tick-borne hemoparasitic diseases have a worldwide presence, impacting public health and livestock economies. In this study, 16 ewes from the same farm were evaluated, 56% (9/16) exhibited various clinical symptoms, such as conjunctivitis, nasal discharge, cough, swollen lymph nodes, fever, and tick infestation. After physical examination, ultrasound and complete blood count analysis were performed, along with molecular testing using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing. Neutrophilic leukocytosis, mild normocytic normochromic anemia, thrombocytosis, reactive lymphocytes, and intra-cytoplasmic lymphocytic inclusion bodies were all identified. Spleen and liver abnormalities were confirmed by ultrasound. In total, 44% (7/16) of ewes were infested with ticks, which were identified as Dermacentor nitens, Rhipicephalus microplus, and Amblyomma sculptum. Of the 16 sheep screened for tick-borne agents using PCR, 37% (6/16) tested positive for the Piroplasmida order. Among these, 33% (2/6) showed co-infection with Anaplasma sp. None of the samples tested positive for Ehrlichia spp. or Borrelia spp. Molecular analyses, followed by sequence comparison, revealed the pathogens to be Theileria ovis and Anaplasma sp. closely related to Candidatus Anaplasma boleense. Ewes were treated with three doses of oxytetracycline (20mg/kg) 48h apart. After treatment, new blood smears and whole blood samples were negative for cell inclusions, and all PCR results were negative. The study identified a tick-borne disease caused by piroplasms and Anaplasma spp. in a Brazilian sheep flock with clinical remission following treatment. Furthermore, this research marks the first documentation of T. ovis and Anaplasma sp. closely related to Candidatus A. boleense infecting sheep in Latin America, emphasizing the need for further studies and surveillance of tick-borne pathogens in Brazil.

Tick-borne pathogens in ticks collected from Humans: A prospective clinical pilot study.

Rickettsia conorii Indian tick typhus strain (R. conorii subsp. indica, ITTR) was detected in both a human patient and an attached Rhipicephalus turanicus tick that was removed from the patient in Yanqi County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), China. The molecular identification of the pathogen, along with previous reports, suggests it may be distributed across the area. A 55-year-old female farmer presented with fever, headache, eschar, and a maculopapular rash following a tick bite. Laboratory findings indicated thrombocytopenia, liver enzyme elevation, and proteinuria, which, combined with clinical symptoms, strongly suggested a rickettsial infection. PCR and sequencing of multiple rickettsial genes confirmed the presence of ITTR in both the patient and the tick. Furthermore, the genetic identity between these sequences provided evidence that R. turanicus can act as a vector of ITTR. This case provides valuable insights into the clinical manifestation, diagnosis, and treatment of ITTR infections. These findings highlight the need for improved surveillance and awareness of tick-borne rickettsial diseases in regions with high tick exposure.

Lyme borreliosis (LB), caused by different species belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato group, is the most common tick-borne disease in Europe. However, its true burden remains difficult to assess, partly due to the diagnostic variability of commercial assays. This study evaluated seroprevalence and seroconversion following tick bite, using four serological assays with distinct antigenic compositions. Participants provided blood samples within three days of the tick bite and three months after to assess seroconversion. We evaluated the seroprevalence, seroconversion, inter-assay variation, consensus scoring, and factors affecting the detection rate for both seroprevalence and seroconversion. Seroprevalence evaluation varied across the four serology assays: 33% using Anti-Borrelia plus VlsE (ABV), 26% using Epitogen™ Lyme (Epitogen), 22% using C6 Lyme ELISA (C6) and 10% using IDEIA™ B. burgdorferi (IDEIA). Estimation of overall seroconversion rates also differed: C6 had the highest rate (93%), followed by Epitogen (78%), ABV (58%) and IDEIA (38%). Using a consensus scoring approach that required positivity of at least two assays (including immunoblot) yielded a seropositivity rate of 23% at inclusion and an overall seroconversion rate of 86%. The Epitogen assay showed the highest level of concordance with the consensus score, followed by C6, ABV, and IDEIA assays. Seroprevalence and seroconversion estimates in LB are highly assay-dependent. Assay choice significantly influenced outcome, mainly reflecting differences in antigen composition. This study underscores the importance of evaluating the antigen composition used in assays to ensure accurate result interpretation, particularly in the context of potential species variability across differing geographical regions. The use of consensus scoring across complementary multi-assays, or the implementation of well-designed assays with appropriate antigen coverage, offers a pathway to improved diagnostic accuracy and enhanced comparability.

Active transmission of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever virus, a tick-borne disease, in Iraq: Animal host population movement dynamics and retrospective case study analysis (2018-2023).

Dynamics of a tick-borne disease transmission model with acquired tick resistance.

Electrochemical immunosensor for sensitive detection of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus based on a flexible electrode of carbon nanofibers modified with copper (II) phosphate nanoflowers.

Meat Allergy Alert: The bite of the lone star tick can cause an allergy to red meat, as well as to dairy and some medications.

Ticks occupy diverse habitats, increasing the risk of human exposure. Assessing the public health threat posed by ticks requires rigorous monitoring of their distribution and of the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens. In France since 2017, the citizen science program CiTIQUE monitors human tick bites through multiple complementary approaches. Citizens can report bites and submit biting ticks to a national tick bank for research and surveillance. This study aimed to investigate human exposure to tick-borne microorganisms including pathogens across France, using ticks submitted through the CiTIQUE program. In total, 2009 ticks were selected from the CiTIQUE tick bank, identified, and screened for microorganisms using a real-time microfluidic PCR method. Most bites involved Ixodes ricinus nymphs except in Mediterranean regions where Dermacentor and Rhipicephalus ticks were more common. Twenty-six microorganisms were detected, eighteen of which are potentially pathogenic to humans. These pathogens were widely distributed across the country. Borrelia spp. were the most frequently detected pathogens with spatial variation among regions. Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection rates varied from region to region. Neoehrlichia mikurensis was found in seven out of twelve French regions. Rickettsia species diversity was highest in the southeast, associated with a greater diversity of vectors. Five percent of ticks were infected with more than one pathogen. Although spatial heterogeneity was observed, no region was free of infected ticks. This study demonstrates the power of citizen science for nationwide surveillance of tick-borne pathogens, providing a large-scale overview of pathogen diversity and distribution across France from crowdsourced tick data.

The aim of this investigation was to analyze predilection sites of ticks on avian hosts according to tick species and developmental stages, as well as individual and ecological characters of bird species (i.e., their age, habitat type, seasonality). For this, 916 ticks were removed from 289 birds in Hungary at 23 different places in the course of one year. The location of ticks on birds was recorded whenever possible. Ticks were identified as Ixodes ricinus (n=595), Ixodes frontalis (n=34), Ixodes arboricola (n=21), Ixodes acuminatus (n=1), Haemaphysalis concinna (n=246), Haemaphysalis punctata (n=16) and Hyalomma rufipes (n=3). Several new tick-host associations were revealed. Tick infestation showed predominance on juvenile birds in comparison with older ones. Among ornithophilic ticks, I. arboricola was associated with the eyes, whereas most I. frontalis larvae were collected from the ear region. Considering generalist ticks, significantly more specimens of I. ricinus were collected in the spring than during the summer, in contrast to H. concinna-infestation of birds associated with the summer. Importantly, while I. ricinus predominated in the corner of the beaks in both forested and reedbed habitats, the predilection site of H. concinna was the throat region in reedbed but the corner of beaks on forest-dwelling bird species. These findings imply that the same tick species occurred at different predilection sites during the summer depending on the typical habitat of its avian hosts. By contrast, ornithophilic tick species usually infest a narrow range of avian hosts with particular spatiotemporal distribution, allowing them to be more site-specific.