Prevalence of pathogens in sympatric < em > Ixodes ricinus < /em > and < em > Dermacentor reticulatus < /em > ticks in Eastern Poland and their potential impact on oral-anal contacts between ticks

CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that tick-borne pathogens may have influenced the sexual behaviour of their vectors. The oral-anal contacts between I. ricinus and D. reticulatus ticks are probably stimulated by Bb and/or Rs. The presence of five pathogens and numerous co-infections in the analysed ticks indicates a risk of various human infectious diseases in the study region. Further studies are required to clarify the implications of oral-anal interspecific tick interactions.PMID:37387375 | DOI:10.26444/aaem/167427
Source: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: research