<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec>
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p><italic>Ixodes ricinus</italic> ticks are an important vector and reservoir of pathogenic microorganisms causing dangerous infectious diseases in humans and animals. The presence of ticks in urban greenery is a particularly important public health concern due to the potential for humans and companion animals to be exposed to tick-borne diseases there. The study assessed the prevalence of <italic>Borrelia burgdorferi</italic> and <italic>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</italic> infection in <italic>I. ricinus</italic> ticks feeding on dogs.</p>
</sec>
<sec>
<h3>Material and Methods</h3>
<p>The study consisted in analyses of <italic>I. ricinus</italic> ticks collected in 2018–2020 from owned and stray dogs in the north-eastern part of Lubelskie province (eastern Poland). An AmpliSens PCR kit was used for qualitative detection and differentiation of tick-borne infections.</p>
</sec>
<sec>
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>Infections of <italic>B. burgdorferi</italic> and <italic>A. phagocytophilum</italic> were detected in 10.9% and 12.9% of the examined ticks, respectively. One tick (0.7%) was co-infected by both pathogens. Infection with <italic>B. burgdorferi</italic> was significantly more highly prevalent in ticks collected from the owned dogs than from the strays (18.7% and 2.8%, respectively), whereas the prevalence of <italic>A. phagocytophilum</italic> was similar in both groups (12.0% and 13.9%, respectively).</p>
</sec>
<sec>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The co-infection observed in the study suggests the possibility of simultaneous infection by both pathogens from a single tick bite. The presence of pathogens in ticks collected from dogs is a factor in assessing infection risk not only to companion animals but also to their owners, who are in close contact with their dogs and visit the same green areas recreationally.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
Ixodes ricinus ticks are an important vector and reservoir of pathogenic microorganisms causing dangerous infectious diseases in humans and animals. The presence of ticks in urban greenery is a particularly important public health concern due to the potential for humans and companion animals to be exposed to tick-borne diseases there. The study assessed the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in I. ricinus ticks feeding on dogs.


Material and Methods
The study consisted in analyses of I. ricinus ticks collected in 2018–2020 from owned and stray dogs in the north-eastern part of Lubelskie province (eastern Poland). An AmpliSens PCR kit was used for qualitative detection and differentiation of tick-borne infections.


Results
Infections of B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum were detected in 10.9% and 12.9% of the examined ticks, respectively. One tick (0.7%) was co-infected by both pathogens. Infection with B. burgdorferi was significantly more highly prevalent in ticks collected from the owned dogs than from the strays (18.7% and 2.8%, respectively), whereas the prevalence of A. phagocytophilum was similar in both groups (12.0% and 13.9%, respectively).


Conclusion
The co-infection observed in the study suggests the possibility of simultaneous infection by both pathogens from a single tick bite. The presence of pathogens in ticks collected from dogs is a factor in assessing infection risk not only to companion animals but also to their owners, who are in close contact with their dogs and visit the same green areas recreationally.

Prevalence of <italic>Borrelia burgdorferi</italic> and <italic>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</italic> in <italic>Ixodes ricinus</italic> collected from dogs in eastern Poland

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Prevalence of  and  in  collected from dogs in eastern Poland

Introduction
Ixodes ricinus ticks are an important vector and reservoir of pathogenic microorganisms causing dangerous infectious diseases in humans and...

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes ricinus collected from dogs in eastern Poland

Published Online: Mar 23, 2024

Page range: 109 - 114

Received: Oct 13, 2023

Accepted: Mar 06, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2024-0015

Keywords
ticks, tick-borne infections, canine borreliosis, anaplasmosis, eastern Poland

© 2024 Anna Pańczuk et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes ricinus collected from dogs in eastern Poland

Published Online: Mar 23, 2024

Page range: 109 - 114

Received: Oct 13, 2023

Accepted: Mar 06, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2024-0015

Keywordsticks, tick-borne infections, canine borreliosis, anaplasmosis, eastern Poland

© 2024 Anna Pańczuk et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
ticks, tick-borne infections, canine borreliosis, anaplasmosis, eastern Poland