Prevalence of Some Bacterial and Viral Pathogens in Ixodid Ticks Collected in Northwest Russia
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction: Ticks are among the most common vectors of pathogens that cause infectious diseases in humans. According to official government statistics, tick-borne infections are the most common zoonotic diseases in Russia, particularly in the Northwestern Federal District. Objective: To detect the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Rickettsia spp. SFG, Ehrlichia chaffensis/ E. muris, Coxiella burnetii, tick-borne encephalitis virus, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in ixodid ticks collected in the Arkhangelsk, Leningrad, and Pskov regions, the Republic of Karelia, and the city of St. Petersburg. Materials and methods: We tested 3,585 adult ixodid ticks of two species: Ixodes ricinus (48 %) and Ixodes persulcatus (52 %). Questing ticks were collected from vegetation by flagging and then tested individually by real-time PCR for genetic markers of tick-borne pathogens using commercial test systems and following the manufacturer’s instructions. Results: 35.8 % of the collected ticks contained the genetic material of at least one pathogen. The prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. was 24.7 %; Rickettsia spp. SFG – 10.1 %; E. chaffensis/ E. muris – 6.9 %; C. burnetii – 5.1 %; tick-borne encephalitis virus – 2.1 %, and A. phagocytophilum – 1.1 %. Multiple pathogens were detected in 8.4 % of the ticks in 15 different combinations, the most common being B. burgdorferi s.l. + E. chaffensis/E. muris (3.5 %) and B. burgdorferi s.l. + Rickettsia spp. SFG (2.7 %). Conclusions: Our findings show the existence of active natural foci of tick-borne infections in the Northwestern Federal District and justify the expediency of continuous monitoring of the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in ixodid ticks.
Authors: Islam A. Karmokov, Ekaterina G. Riabiko, Regina R. Baimova, Erik S. Khalilov, Daria I. Grechishkina, Ivan S. Lyzenko, Alena A. Sharova, Gelena A. Lunina, Olga A. Freylikhman, Olga V. Sokolova, Lilia A. Bubnova, Olga S. Safonova, Lyubov A. Bespyatova, Elena L. Kalinina, Nikolay K. Tokarevich
Language: English
Subfield: Parasitology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4405330414