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Detection of selected pathogens in ticks collected from cats and dogs in the Wrocław Agglomeration, South-West Poland.
Parasit Vectors. 2016 06 21; 9(1):351.PV

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Tick-borne infections are no longer confined to rural areas, they are documented with increasing frequency in urban settlements across the world. They are known to cause diseases in humans as well as in their companion animals.

METHODS

During a period of 2 years, from January 2013 until December 2014, ticks were collected from dogs and cats in 18 veterinary clinics in the Wrocław Agglomeration, Poland. In total, 1455 ticks were found on 931 pets: 760 domestic dogs and 171 cats. For molecular examinations 127 I. ricinus ticks (115 females and 12 males) were randomly selected, all collected I. hexagonus (n = 137, 32 females, 98 nymphs, 7 larvae) and all collected D. reticulatus (n = 46, 31 females, 15 males) were taken. Ixodes ricinus and I. hexagonus ticks were tested for Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis and Babesia spp., while D. reticulatus ticks were investigated for Rickettsia spp. and Babesia spp. only.

RESULTS

In total, 65.4 % I. ricinus ticks were infected with at least one pathogen. Over 50 % of I. ricinus were positive for Rickettsia spp. (R. helvetica and R. monacensis). The infection level with A. phagocytophilum was 21.3 %. DNA of Cand. N. mikurensis was detected in 8.1 % I. ricinus ticks. Interestingly only female ticks were infected. The prevalence of Babesia spp. was confirmed in 9.0 % of I. ricinus involving the species B. microti and B. venatorum. A total of nineteen double, one triple and two quadruple infections were found in I. ricinus ticks only. Almost 11 % of I. hexagonus ticks were positive for at least one of the tested pathogens. Rickettsia spp. infection was found in 2.2 %, while A. phagocytophilum was detected in 8.1 % of I. hexagonus ticks. Only one nymph was positive for Cand. N. mikurensis and none of I. hexagonus ticks harbored a Babesia spp. Over 60 % of D. reticulatus ticks were positive for rickettsial DNA, exclusively belonging to the species R. raoultii.

CONCLUSION

The high tick infestation rates and the prevalence of pathogens found in these ticks demonstrate a serious level of encounter to tick-borne diseases in urban dogs in the Wroclaw area, and provide evidence that dogs and cats themselves may substantially contribute to the circulation of the ticks and pathogens in the urban area.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Król N
Department of Microbial Ecology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland. nina.krol2@uwr.edu.pl.
Obiegala A
Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
Pfeffer M
Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
Lonc E
Department of Microbial Ecology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland.
Kiewra D
Department of Microbial Ecology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland.

MeSH

AnaplasmataceaeAnimalsArachnid VectorsBabesiaCat DiseasesCatsDog DiseasesDogsFemaleIxodidaeMalePolandRickettsiaTick InfestationsUrban Population

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

27329450

Citation

Król, Nina, et al. "Detection of Selected Pathogens in Ticks Collected From Cats and Dogs in the Wrocław Agglomeration, South-West Poland." Parasites & Vectors, vol. 9, no. 1, 2016, p. 351.
Król N, Obiegala A, Pfeffer M, et al. Detection of selected pathogens in ticks collected from cats and dogs in the Wrocław Agglomeration, South-West Poland. Parasit Vectors. 2016;9(1):351.
Król, N., Obiegala, A., Pfeffer, M., Lonc, E., & Kiewra, D. (2016). Detection of selected pathogens in ticks collected from cats and dogs in the Wrocław Agglomeration, South-West Poland. Parasites & Vectors, 9(1), 351. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-016-1632-0
Król N, et al. Detection of Selected Pathogens in Ticks Collected From Cats and Dogs in the Wrocław Agglomeration, South-West Poland. Parasit Vectors. 2016 06 21;9(1):351. PubMed PMID: 27329450.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Detection of selected pathogens in ticks collected from cats and dogs in the Wrocław Agglomeration, South-West Poland. AU - Król,Nina, AU - Obiegala,Anna, AU - Pfeffer,Martin, AU - Lonc,Elżbieta, AU - Kiewra,Dorota, Y1 - 2016/06/21/ PY - 2016/03/31/received PY - 2016/06/07/accepted PY - 2016/6/23/entrez PY - 2016/6/23/pubmed PY - 2017/2/23/medline KW - Anaplasma phagocytophilum KW - Babesia spp. KW - Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis KW - Cats KW - Dermacentor reticulatus KW - Dogs KW - Ixodes hexagonus KW - Ixodes ricinus KW - Rickettsia spp. KW - Ticks SP - 351 EP - 351 JF - Parasites & vectors JO - Parasit Vectors VL - 9 IS - 1 N2 - BACKGROUND: Tick-borne infections are no longer confined to rural areas, they are documented with increasing frequency in urban settlements across the world. They are known to cause diseases in humans as well as in their companion animals. METHODS: During a period of 2 years, from January 2013 until December 2014, ticks were collected from dogs and cats in 18 veterinary clinics in the Wrocław Agglomeration, Poland. In total, 1455 ticks were found on 931 pets: 760 domestic dogs and 171 cats. For molecular examinations 127 I. ricinus ticks (115 females and 12 males) were randomly selected, all collected I. hexagonus (n = 137, 32 females, 98 nymphs, 7 larvae) and all collected D. reticulatus (n = 46, 31 females, 15 males) were taken. Ixodes ricinus and I. hexagonus ticks were tested for Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis and Babesia spp., while D. reticulatus ticks were investigated for Rickettsia spp. and Babesia spp. only. RESULTS: In total, 65.4 % I. ricinus ticks were infected with at least one pathogen. Over 50 % of I. ricinus were positive for Rickettsia spp. (R. helvetica and R. monacensis). The infection level with A. phagocytophilum was 21.3 %. DNA of Cand. N. mikurensis was detected in 8.1 % I. ricinus ticks. Interestingly only female ticks were infected. The prevalence of Babesia spp. was confirmed in 9.0 % of I. ricinus involving the species B. microti and B. venatorum. A total of nineteen double, one triple and two quadruple infections were found in I. ricinus ticks only. Almost 11 % of I. hexagonus ticks were positive for at least one of the tested pathogens. Rickettsia spp. infection was found in 2.2 %, while A. phagocytophilum was detected in 8.1 % of I. hexagonus ticks. Only one nymph was positive for Cand. N. mikurensis and none of I. hexagonus ticks harbored a Babesia spp. Over 60 % of D. reticulatus ticks were positive for rickettsial DNA, exclusively belonging to the species R. raoultii. CONCLUSION: The high tick infestation rates and the prevalence of pathogens found in these ticks demonstrate a serious level of encounter to tick-borne diseases in urban dogs in the Wroclaw area, and provide evidence that dogs and cats themselves may substantially contribute to the circulation of the ticks and pathogens in the urban area. SN - 1756-3305 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/27329450/Detection_of_selected_pathogens_in_ticks_collected_from_cats_and_dogs_in_the_Wrocław_Agglomeration_South_West_Poland_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -