Ticks are blood ectoparasites that feed on domestic, wild animals and humans. They spread a variety of infections such as protozoa, viruses, and bacteria. Moreover, cattle reared by smallholder farmers are susceptible to ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Therefore, accurate identification of ticks and detection of tick-borne pathogens is crucial. The main aim of this study was to identify and characterize ticks and tick-borne pathogens from selected villages in Greater Letaba Municipality, Limpopo Province, using morphological and molecular techniques. A total of 233 ticks were collected from cattle and identified morphologically using appropriate morphological keys. The following tick species were identified: Amblyomma hebraeum, Hyalomma rufipes, Hyalomma truncatum, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Rhipicephalus spp. was the most common species accounting to 73.8% of the identified ticks. The genomic DNA was extracted from the whole tick for tick identification and from midguts of the ticks for the detection of tick-borne pathogens, followed by amplification and sequencing. A total of 27 samples were positive for tick-borne pathogens: 23 samples tested positive for Theileria and four samples tested positive for Ehrlichia. Anaplasma and Rickettsial OmpB could not be detected from any of the samples. There was no obvious grouping of ticks and tick-borne pathogens on the bases of their locality. The findings of this study confirm previous reports that indicated that cattle reared by smallholder farmers harbor various ticks and tick-borne pathogens of veterinary, public health, and economic importance. Regular monitoring of tick infestations in villages around the study areas is recommended to avoid disease outbreaks.

UNASSIGNED: Tick-borne pathogens, such as Borreliella spp., Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma spp., are frequently detected in Germany. They circulate between animals and tick vectors and can cause mild to severe diseases in humans. Knowledge about distribution and prevalence of these pathogens over time is important for risk assessment of human and animal health.
UNASSIGNED: Ixodes ricinus nymphs were collected at different locations in 2009/2010 and 2019 in Germany and analyzed for tick-borne pathogens by real-time PCR and sequencing.
UNASSIGNED: Borreliella spp. were detected with a prevalence of 11.96% in 2009/2010 and 13.10% in 2019 with B. afzelii and B. garinii as dominant species. Borrelia miyamotoi was detected in seven ticks and in coinfection with B. afzelii or B. garinii. Rickettsia spp. showed a prevalence of 8.82% in 2009/2010 and 1.68% in 2019 with the exclusive detection of R. helvetica. The prevalence of Anaplasma spp. was 1.00% in 2009/2010 and 7.01% in 2019. A. phagocytophilum was detected in seven tick samples. None of the nymphs were positive for C. burnetii.
UNASSIGNED: Here, observed changes in prevalence were not significant after a decade but require longitudinal observations including parameters like host species and density, climatic factors to improve our understanding of tick-borne diseases.

Karachay-Cherkessia is the region in the Russian Federation that has been overlooked in terms of research on the human bacterial pathogens transmitted by ticks. In this study, we investigated the infection status of ticks with Rickettsia, Borrelia, Coxiella burmetii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis/Ehrlichia muris associated with natural focal infections in Karachay-Cherkessia. A total amount of 159 ticks from three species across three genera (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor marginatus, Hyalomma scupense) removed from humans were collected for analysis. Additionally, we used 53 individual ticks and 40 tick pools from the vegetation of three species (I. ricinus, D. marginatus, and Rhipicephalus bursa). Screening of the studied pathogens was performed by using commercial qPCR kits. Sanger sequencing utilizing partial sequences of gltA and ompA genes was employed to identify the Rickettsia species. Our findings revealed the presence of DNA from five species within the spotted fever group Rickettsia, namely Rickettsia raoultii, R. slovaca, R. helvetica, R. monacensis, and R. aeschlimannii. Moreover, two distinct genotypes were identified within R. aeschlimannii, R. helvetica, and R. monacensis. Additionally, DNA from Borrelia burgdoferi s.l., B. miyamotoi, and A. phagocytophilum was detected in the tested ticks. This study provides valuable insights into the prevalence and the diversity of bacterial pathogens transmitted by ticks in the Karachay-Cherkessia region.

Ticks are ectoparasites of a wide range of animals and are important vectors of numerous pathogens affecting humans, livestock, and pets. This study investigates possible correlations between selected factors, altitude, soil pH, and a factor called \'amount\' (number of ticks examined in pooled samples) on the occurrence of I. ricinus ticks positive for selected tick-borne microorganisms. Questing I. ricinus ticks were collected in 2016 and 2017 across various altitudes, at two mountain ranges in central Slovakia. Tick pools were screened for the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl), Babesia/Theileria spp., Rickettsia spp., and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) using molecular methods. Regression analysis was employed to evaluate relationships between selected factors and the occurrence of vector-borne microorganisms. This study revealed a statistically significant influence of altitude on the occurrence of A. phagocytophilum; increasing altitude of the sampling site was associated with increased probability of pathogen occurrence. For Babesia/Theileria spp., neither altitude nor soil pH significantly affected pathogen occurrence. The occurrence of Bbsl was notably impacted by both altitude and soil pH; higher altitudes were associated with a decreased probability of pathogen presence, whereas higher soil pH increased the likelihood of pathogen occurrence. The presence of Rickettsia in a pooled sample was not affected by altitude and soil pH, but the \'amount\' factor was a significant predictor, increasing the probability of pathogen detection. Neither altitude nor soil pH had a significant impact on TBEV occurrence. The regression models showed moderate goodness-of-fit levels to the data, underscoring their utility in examining the role of altitude and soil pH on pathogen occurrence. However, they explained only a small portion of the overall variance in pathogen occurrence, indicating the presence of other significant factors not covered in this study.

Ticks are obligate blood-feeding ectoparasites notorious for their role as vectors for various pathogens, posing health risks to pets, livestock, wildlife, and humans. Wildlife also notably serves as reservoir hosts for tick-borne pathogens and plays a pivotal role in the maintenance and dissemination of these pathogenic agents within ecosystems. This study investigated the diversity of ticks and pathogens in wildlife and their habitat by examining ticks collected at Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Chonburi Province, Thailand. Tick samples were collected for 1 year from March 2021 to March 2022 by vegetation dragging and direct sampling from wildlife. A total of 10,436 ticks or 449 tick pools (1-50 ticks per pool) underwent screening for pathogen presence through conventional PCR and DNA sequencing. Out of the 298 samples (66.37%) where bacteria and protozoa were detected, encompassing 8,144 ticks at all stages, 114 positive samples from the PCR screenings were specifically chosen for detailed nucleotide sequencing and comprehensive analysis. Four species of ticks were conclusively identified through the application of PCR, namely, Rhipicephalus microplus, Dermacentor auratus, Haemaphysalis lagrangei, and Haemaphysalis wellingtoni. The highest infection rate recorded was for Anaplasma spp. at 55.23% (248/449), followed by Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. at 29.62% (133/449) and 16.26% (73/449), respectively. Among bacteria identified, three Anaplasma genotypes were closely related to an unidentified Anaplasma spp., A. phagocytophilum, and A. bovis. Among protozoa, only an unidentified Babesia spp. was found, whereas two Theileria genotypes found were closely related to unidentified Theileria spp. and T. equi. Significantly, our findings revealed coinfection with Anaplasma spp., Theileria spp., and Babesia spp. While blood samples from wildlife were not specifically collected to assess infection in this study, the data on the presence of various pathogens in ticks observed can serve as valuable indicators to assess the health status of wildlife populations and to monitor disease dynamics. The findings could be valuable in developing programs for the treatment, prevention, and control of tick-borne illnesses in this area. However, additional research is required to determine the ticks\' ability to transmit these pathogens and enhance the current understanding of the relationship among pathogens, ticks, and hosts.

BACKGROUND: Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) constitute an emerging threat to public and animal health especially in the African continent, where land-use change, and wildlife loss are creating new opportunities for disease transmission. A review of TBPs with a focus on ticks determined the epidemiology of Rhipicephalus ticks in heartwater and the affinity of each Rickettsia species for different tick genera. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to collect, map and estimate the molecular prevalence of Anaplasmataceae, Rickettsiaceae and Coxiellaceae in African wildlife.
METHODS: Relevant scientific articles were retrieved from five databases: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Ovid and OAIster. Publications were selected according to pre-determined exclusion criteria and evaluated for risk of bias using the appraisal tool for cross-sectional studies (AXIS). We conducted an initial descriptive analysis followed by a meta-analysis to estimate the molecular prevalence of each pathogen. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression models were employed to unravel associations with disease determinants. Finally, the quality of evidence of every estimate was finally assessed.
RESULTS: Out of 577 retrieved papers, a total of 41 papers were included in the qualitative analysis and 27 in the meta-analysis. We retrieved 21 Anaplasmataceae species, six Rickettsiaceae species and Coxiella burnetii. Meta-analysis was performed for a total of 11 target pathogens. Anaplasma marginale, Ehrlichia ruminantium and Anaplasma centrale were the most prevalent in African bovids (13.9 %, CI: 0-52.4 %; 20.9 %, CI: 4.1-46.2 %; 13.9 %, CI: 0-68.7 %, respectively). Estimated TBPs prevalences were further stratified per animal order, family, species and sampling country.
CONCLUSIONS: We discussed the presence of a sylvatic cycle for A. marginale and E. ruminantium in wild African bovids, the need to investigate A. phagocytophilum in African rodents and non-human primates as well as E. canis in the tissues of wild carnivores, and a lack of data and characterization of Rickettsia species and C. burnetii.
CONCLUSIONS: Given the lack of epidemiological data on wildlife diseases, the current work can serve as a starting point for future epidemiological and/or experimental studies.

This study investigated the prevalence of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia in 494 engorged ticks collected from various animal hosts, including cattle, horses, sheep, chickens, dogs, and cats, in six regions of northern Kyrgyzstan. Ten tick species, belonging to two families and six genera, were identified based on CO1, 16S rRNA, and ITS2 genes: Argas persicus (26.5%), Haemaphysalis punctata (18.0%), Dermacentor spp. (16.0%), Rhipicephalus annulatus (11.8%), R. turanicus (10.9%), D. marginatus (7.7%), Hyalomma scupense (4.5%), Hy. marginatum (3.8%), R. sangineus complex (0.6%), and Ornithodoros lahorensis (0.2%). PCR analysis revealed a 15.0% (74/494) overall infection rate of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. Anaplasma species were found in six tick species and were identified as A. bovis (n = 44), Anaplasma spp. (n = 20), A. ovis (n = 5), and A. capra (n = 2). Ehrlichia species were found only in H. punctata (n = 5) and identified as E. chaffeensis (n = 1) and Ehrlichia spp. (n = 4). Additionally, two H. punctata were co-infected with Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. This is the first study to investigate tick-borne bacterial pathogens in ticks collected from animal hosts in Kyrgyzstan. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the epidemiology and emergence of tick-borne infections in Kyrgyzstan.

Dogs are considered the main reservoir of several zoonoses endemic to the Mediterranean Basin. In this study, a prevalence of infections and coinfections of canine vector-borne diseases was analyzed in apparently healthy dogs of different canine pure breeds in Sicily (Italy), where these diseases are endemic. The seroprevalence of Leishmania infantum, Ricketsia ricketsii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Erlichia canis was assessed, as single and coinfections. Biochemical and hematological parameters were evaluated, and epidemiological factors, including sex, age, and canine breed, were recovered. The most frequent infection was L. infantum (45.61%), following R. ricketsii (36.84%), both as single, double, or triple coinfections. Coinfections change the biochemical and hematological parameters of the host, and canine breeds are related to the infection frequency and the parameters observed during infections. Changes in the complete blood count (CBC) and biochemical values also differ between canine breeds, with the Cirneco dell\'Etna dogs infected with L. infantum being the animals presenting the most interesting results in our study. High values of RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), the albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio, and albumin and low levels of β-2 globulin and γ-globulin were found only in this canine breed, suggesting some resistance to infection in these dogs. Future studies about the immune response of this canine breed could be interesting to determine their possible resistance to zoonotic pathogens, such as L. infantum.

To improve the knowledge on the role of bats in the maintenance and transmission of tick-borne pathogens, a molecular approach was used to characterize Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., piroplasmids, Hepatozoon spp., flaviviruses and nairoviruses in ticks collected from Iberian bats. A total of 732 bats from 25 species were captured at 38 sampling sites distributed in seven provinces of Spain between 2018 and 2022. Seventy-nine Ixodes simplex ticks were collected from 31 bats (Eptesicus isabellinus, Hypsugo savii, Myotis capaccini, Myotis emarginatus, Myotis myotis, Miniopterus schreibersii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum). Sixty of 79 I. simplex were positive for at least one pathogen tested and were collected from 23 bats captured in southeast Spain. We detected the presence of Rickettsia slovaca in 12 ticks collected from M. emarginatus, H. savii, M. schreibersii and E. isabellinus; Rickettsia aeschlimannii in 1 tick from M. schreibersii; Anaplasma ovis in 3 ticks from H. savii and M. schreibersii; C. burnetii in 2 ticks from H. savii; Occidentia massiliensis in 1 tick from H. savii; piroplasmids in 12 ticks from H. savii, M. schreibersii and E. isabellinus; and a novel nairovirus in 1 tick from M. schreibersii. Furthermore, blood samples obtained from 14 of the 31 tick-infested bats were negative in all PCR analyses. This study describes new host and pathogen associations for the bat-specialist I. simplex, highlights the risk of spread of these pathogens, and encourages further research to understand the role of Iberian bats in the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens.

The aim of this study was to determine the level of infection of Ixodes ricinus ticks with pathogens (Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma spp.) collected from Lacerta agilis and Zootoca vivipara lizards in the urban areas of Wrocław (SW Poland). The study was carried out in July-August 2020. Lizards were caught by a noose attached to a pole or by bare hands, identified by species, and examined for the presence of ticks. Each lizard was then released at the site of capture. Ticks were removed with tweezers, identified by species using keys, and molecular tests were performed for the presence of pathogens. From 28 lizards (17 specimens of Z. vivipara and 11 specimens of L. agilis) a total of 445 ticks, including 321 larvae and 124 nymphs, identified as I. ricinus were collected. A larger number of ticks were obtained from L. agilis compared to Z. vivipara. Molecular tests for the presence of pathogens were performed on 445 specimens of I. ricinus. The nested PCR method for the fla gene allowed the detection of Borrelia spp. in 9.4% of ticks, and it was higher in ticks from L. agilis (12.0%) than from Z. vivipara (1.0%). The RFLP method showed the presence of three species, including two belonging to the B. burgdorferi s.l. complex (B. lusitaniae and B. afzelii), and B. miyamotoi. The overall level of infection of Rickettsia spp. was 19.3%, including 27.2% in ticks collected from Z. vivipara and 17.0% from L. agilis. Sequencing of randomly selected samples confirmed the presence of R. helvetica. DNA of Anaplasma spp. was detected only in one pool of larvae collected from L. agilis, and sample sequencing confirmed the presence of (A) phagocytophilum. The research results indicate the important role of lizards as hosts of ticks and their role in maintaining pathogens in the environment including urban agglomeration as evidenced by the first recorded presence of (B) miyamotoi and (A) phagocytophilum in I. ricinus ticks collected from L. agilis. However, confirmation of the role of sand lizards in maintaining (B) miyamotoi and A. phagocytophilum requires more studies and sampling of lizard tissue.