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.

West Nile virus (WNV) circulates endemically in Romania, yet prevention of WNV infection in horses largely depends on owner-driven decisions that require accurate risk perception and veterinary guidance. A cross-sectional online survey was carried out between May and November 2025 to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices (KAP) regarding WNV among 227 horse owners from various Romanian regions. In total, 67.4% of respondents had previously heard of WNV. The main transmission route was correctly identified as mosquito bites by 49.8% of participants, while 32.2% answered "don't know" or presented misconceptions: horse-to-horse contact (9.3%), tick bites (10.6%) and blood transfusion (0.4%). Recognition of clinical signs was limited, with fever (31.3% of respondents) and gait abnormalities or ataxia (24.7% of respondents) being most frequently mentioned, followed by inappetence (19.4% of respondents), seizures (18.1% of respondents), coughing (8.8% of respondents), and abortions (10.6% of respondents); 47.6% of respondents were unable to identify any specific signs. Awareness of the existence of an equine WNV vaccine was reported by 23.8% of respondents, while only 4.0% indicated that their horses had been vaccinated. The most common preventive measures included the use of insecticides in stables (61.2%) and topical repellents on horses (55.5%), whereas environmental control actions such as removing standing water (14.1%) or avoiding swampy areas (11.9%) were less frequent; 19.4% reported taking no preventive measures. Veterinary communication was limited, with only 17.2% of respondents having received information about WNV from a veterinarian, and 21.6% perceiving a real risk of infection in Romania. Overall, the data show a marked disconnect between awareness and actionable prevention (particularly vaccination and environmental mosquito control), indicating that targeted owner education must be paired with structured veterinary communication to translate knowledge into preventive uptake in endemic settings.

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.

Alpha-gal syndrome is an underrecognized, tick-associated allergic reaction that can cause delayed anaphylaxis, posing a growing diagnostic challenge in the emergency department. Transmitted most commonly by the bite of the lone star tick, this serious allergic reaction to red meat and other mammal products was once rare and geographically limited. However, owing to climate change, shifting bird migration patterns, and the movement of deer, the lone star tick is now found along the entire East Coast and is spreading into the western United States. As this tick moves into new regions, more people are being exposed to alpha-gal syndrome-often without awareness of the condition. Because symptoms are delayed and can vary widely, the syndrome is frequently misdiagnosed or overlooked entirely. Insufficient awareness during ED assessment may delay recognition and escalate patient risk, emphasizing the need for strengthened nursing education and heightened diagnostic vigilance in underrecognized regions.

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.

Canine distemper is a highly contagious viral disease of dogs that causes multisystemic infection and severe immunosuppression, often predisposing affected animals to secondary opportunistic infections. The present case report describes a non-oliguric acute kidney injury associated with haemorrhagic manifestations in a two-year-old unvaccinated male non-descript dog diagnosed with concurrent canine distemper and anaplasmosis. The animal was presented with clinical signs including tick infestation, pyrexia, vomiting, diarrhoea, serous ocular and nasal discharge, melena, hyperkeratosis of nasal planum and foot pads, and ecchymotic haemorrhages over various body regions. Serological testing using an immunochromatographic assay confirmed infection with Anaplasma spp., while clinical findings were suggestive of systemic canine distemper. Haemato-biochemical analysis revealed leukopenia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, hypocalcaemia and elevated phosphorus levels initially, followed by marked increases in blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and liver enzymes indicating acute renal involvement. The dog was treated with doxycycline, supportive fluid therapy, antihistamines, diuretics and immunosuppressive therapy, along with oral supplements. Progressive clinical improvement was observed, and the animal recovered completely by day 18 post-treatment. This case highlights the importance of early screening for vector-borne infections in dogs with immunosuppressive viral diseases such as canine distemper, as coinfections may worsen clinical outcomes and complicate diagnosis and management.

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.

Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks as a competent vector for 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemobos' in experimental transmission studies.

Tick-borne diseases remain a major concern in both human and animal health in most biogeographical regions. Since certain tick-borne pathogens are transmitted by specific tick species, tick identification through morphological and biomolecular examination of the species is highly recommended for investigation of tick-borne diseases. In this study, we assessed a non-destructive DNA protocol for identifying tick species and screening of pathogens and evaluate the effects of this protocol on the tick body, using geometric morphometric (based on coxa 1). Overall, 80 Ixodes spp. specimens (I. ricinus, I. hexagonus, and I. acuminatus) conserved in alcohol for more than 15years were tested here, including all stages (male, female, nymph and larva). Molecular investigation using 16S rRNA enabled 92% of ticks to be assigned to a species. The microfluidic chip demonstrates the presence of Bartonella sp. (13%), Rickettsia helvetica (63%) and Hepatozoon sp. (13%) in tested engorged females. Comparison of the coxa 1 shape before and after extraction showed no changes in morphology. We demonstrated that DNA can be extracted from old specimens of hard ticks using non-destructive methods, allowing for molecular identification of ticks and pathogens without altering their morphology. As a result, this technique makes it possible to preserve specimens from laboratory or museum collections. Additionally, non-destructive DNA extraction could be useful in medical entomology for monitoring arrivals of alien species and emergence of associated tick-borne diseases affecting humans, domestic animals, or wildlife.

Blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis)-associated diseases are increasing in incidence and geographic range in the United States. Pathogen range expansion may increase the risk of coinfections, which could complicate accurate diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases. To identify regions of coinfection risk across the eastern United States, we used a national database of tick-borne pathogen occurrence to identify areas of co-occurrence between four I. scapularis-borne human pathogens: Anaplasma phagocytophilum human-active variant (Apha; anaplasmosis), Babesia microti (Bam; babesiosis), Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (Bbss; Lyme disease), and Borrelia miyamotoi (Bmiya; hard tick relapsing fever). Using testing data from 13,437 nymphs submitted to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2013 to 2024, we summarized the mean and variation in observed coinfection prevalence from site to regional scales. Bbss-Bam, Bbss-Apha, and Bam-Apha co-occurred primarily in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, whereas Bbss-Bmiya co-occurrence extended from those regions into the Ohio Valley and southern Appalachia. Within zones of co-occurrence, Bbss-Bam was the most prevalent coinfection, followed by Bbss-Apha, Bam-Apha, and Bbss-Bmiya. Except for Bbss-Bmiya, resampling simulations for all coinfections revealed coinfections form more often than expected by chance. This study is a first step in delineating acarological risk for I. scapularis-borne coinfections in the United States.

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of tick bites in a Spanish tertiary hospital: a three-year retrospective study.

Ethnoveterinary practices represent an essential component of indigenous knowledge systems that contribute significantly to animal healthcare in rural communities. However, documented evidence on such practices, particularly those related to the treatment of dogs, remains limited in Ondo State, Nigeria. This study was conducted to identify, document, and analyse the botanical resources and traditional methods employed by local dog owners in Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State. Data were collected through open-ended interviews and structured questionnaires administered to knowledgeable respondents. The study revealed a range of ethnoveterinary practices that utilise various medicinal plants and manual techniques, such as hand-picking of ectoparasites, for the management of canine ailments, including tick infestation, diarrhoea, mastitis, lameness, and intestinal worms. The findings highlight the depth of indigenous knowledge applied to animal healthcare within the community and underscore its continued relevance in the absence of readily available modern veterinary services. Given the threat of cultural erosion and biodiversity loss, there is an urgent need to systematically preserve, validate, and integrate this traditional knowledge into modern veterinary and conservation frameworks to ensure its sustainability and potential contribution to scientific research and rural development.

Abattoir surveillance is the font of valuable information on the incidence and epidemiology of animal disease, having both public and animal health importance. A cross-sectional study followed by simple random sampling was conducted from December 2021 to May 2022 to identify the major causes of edible offal condemnation and to estimate the financial losses attributed to edible offal condemnation in cattle slaughtered at Bahir Dar municipal abattoir, northwestern Ethiopia, using antemortem and post-mortem examination. Out of 334 cattle investigated, 3.6% (12/334) cattle showed detectable abnormalities including diarrhoea in 0.6% (2/12), lameness in 0.9% (3/12) and tick infestation in 1.2% (4/12), and nasal discharge in 0.9% (3/12) in cattle during an antemortem examination. However, in post-mortem examination, 22.16% (74/334) of cattle revealed lesions in visceral organs including the liver (14.6%), lung (9.9%), kidney (1.8%), heart (2.4%) and tongue (0.9%). The major causes that were identified in the current study include calcification, fasciolosis, hydatid cyst, cirrhosis, abscess, pneumonia, haemorrhage, emphysema, congestion, pericarditis, Cysticercus bovis, nephritis and renal calculi. Among the putative risk factors, only body condition was shown to have statistically significant variation (p<0.05) with the prevalence of major causes of organ condemnation upon post-mortem examination. The overall financial losses incurred due to organ condemnation were estimated to be $475.19, with an annual loss of $15,447.85. The current study implies that there was considerable edible offal condemnation resulting in significant economic loss. This instigates that it is crucial to adopt efficient animal management practices, conduct regular health assessments of animals and provide educational programmes for animal owners on disease prevention strategies like deworming to reduce the incidence of organ condemnation and its financial impacts in the region.

Rickettsia parkeri sensu stricto, a causative agent of spotted fever rickettsiosis, is spread via the bite of infected ticks within the Amblyomma maculatum complex group. In the United States of America (USA), Am. maculatum Koch, 1844 is the primary vector for R. parkeri; however, Amblyomma americanum (Linnaeus, 1758) and Dermacentor variabilis (Say, 1821) have demonstrated potential to transmit R. parkeri under laboratory conditions. In this study, we investigate the genetic differences between R. parkeri detected in Am. maculatum, the primary enzootic vector, and potential secondary vectors - Am. americanum and De. variabilis. Using Nanopore long-read amplicon sequencing, we compared four R. parkeri genes amplified from naturally infected Am. maculatum, Am. americanum, and De. variabilis collected in the USA. Three R. parkeri genes associated with potential virulence factors were sequenced: outer membrane protein A (OmpA/sca0), outer membrane protein B (OmpB/sca5), and surface cell antigen 4 (gene D/sca4). One species-level gene target was used for species confirmation: 16S ribosomal RNA gene (16S). Differences in cellular-entry and pathogen chromosomal genes (OmpA, OmpB, and 16S) were detected within the different tick species. No differences were noted in the cell-to-cell mediated transfer gene (gene D) between tick species. This preliminary study suggests that infection in Am. americanum may lead to changes in R. parkeri genes responsible for pathogen-host cell attachment and replication processes, but once established in a host cell, R. parkeri transfer between cells is unlikely to be impacted.

Tick infestation is a major constraint to cattle health and productivity in tropical and subtropical regions. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence, associated risk factors and species composition of ticks infesting cattle at the Livestock Farm Complex of Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, from July to December 2025. A total of 201 cattle were screened based on history and clinical examination, of which 118 were found positive, yielding an overall prevalence of 58.70%. The highest prevalence was recorded in August, followed by July and September. Cattle below one year of age, female cattle and crossbred animals showed significantly higher infestation. Loose housing and irregular deworming were identified as important predisposing factors. Common clinical signs included pruritus, alopecia and erythema. Morphological examination of 60 adult ticks confirmed all specimens as Rhipicephalus microplus, indicating its predominance in the study area. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between tick infestation and factors such as month age sex breed duration of illness deworming status and housing system. The findings highlight the high prevalence of tick infestation in cattle under field conditions and emphasize the need for effective and regular tick control measures to reduce economic losses and improve animal health.

The École National Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT) holds the Neumann’s collection of parasites. The depository, created by Louis Georges Neumann at the end of the 19th century, contains a large number of ixodid specimens and primary types, all listed in an accession book by Neumann himself. In an effort to enhance the visibility and accessibility of this collection for the scientific community, the curatorial personnel of the collection recently transferred all accession data to an electronic database and began inventorying the specimens that are still available. This offered us with an opportunity to examine all remaining primary types of Ixodidae in the collection and write this catalogue.