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Wildlife is an important reservoir of zoonotic pathogens. The objective of the present study was to assess the importance of wild ungulates in the epidemiology of Rickettsia spp. Ticks and spleen samples were collected from 262 red deer (Cervus elaphus) and 83 wild boar (Sus scrofa) hunted in southwestern Spain over a 5-year period. DNA was extracted from tick pools (n = 191) and spleens (n = 345), and two nested PCR assays targeting the rOmpA and rOmpB genes were used to detect Rickettsia DNA. Five tick species were identified (Hyalomma lusitanicum, Dermacentor marginatus, Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus bursa and Haemaphysalis sulcata). Rickettsia DNA was detected in 31 (16.2%) tick pools and two red deer spleen samples (0.8%). Four validated Rickettsia species (R. slovaca, R. monacensis, R. helvetica and R. raoultii), one uncultivated species (Candidatus R. rioja) and two uncharacterized Rickettsia spp. were detected in ticks. R. helvetica and R. slovaca were also detected in spleen samples from red deer. The overall prevalence in ungulate spleen samples was lower than in tick pools suggesting that these ungulates do not play a major role in the transmission of Rickettsia spp. However, their importance as spreaders of positive ticks cannot be ruled out. The results present a challenge for the veterinary and public health communities since most of the Rickettsia spp. detected are pathogenic. Furthermore, the new Rickettsia species could be potential pathogens. For these reasons, identifying Rickettsia species present in ticks and wildlife is of particular interest to clarify their sylvatic cycle and establish appropriate control measures., (© 2023 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

To identify the questing tick populations in urban and suburban areas from the city of Lugo (NW Spain), ticks were collected monthly by flagging. The presence of Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum also was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence analysis. Overall, 342 questing ticks were collected; the tick abundance was higher in suburban (95.9%) than in urban areas (4.1%). Ixodes frontalis was the most abundant (86.5%); 88.5% were larvae, 11.1% nymphs and 0.3% adults. All development stages of I. ricinus (7.3%) and adults of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (5.8%) and Dermacentor reticulatus (0.3%) were found. Rickettsia spp. (31.9%) was more prevalent than Borrelia spp. (2.7%); no ticks were positive to A. phagocytophilum. Six Rickettsia species were identified (R. slovaca, R. monacensis, R. massiliae, R. raoultii, R. sibirica subsp. mongolitimonae and R. aeschielmanii); Candidatus Rickettsia rioja and two novel Rickettsia species also were detected. In addition, Borrelia turdi (1.8%) and B. valaisiana (0.9%) were identified in Ixodes ticks. This is the first report of R. slovaca in R. sanguineus s.l. and of R. monacensis, R. raoultii, R. slovaca, R. sibirica subsp. mongolitimonae and Ca. R. rioja in I. frontalis. Since most of the pathogens detected are zoonotic, their presence in these areas may have implications for public health., (© 2023 The Authors. Medical and Veterinary Entomology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Entomological Society.)

The European wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus is a widespread mammal that may act as host for ectoparasites and reservoir for some vector-borne pathogens. Study aims were to investigate the arthropod fauna that may infect the European wild rabbit, to assess the ecological indexes and to investigate tick preferred attachment sites. The survey was conducted on 105 wild rabbits hunted by poachers in a Mediterranean woodland area in the province of Ragusa. Animals were individually examined for ectoparasite presence and the tick load assessed on eleven body anatomical sites. Ticks and fleas were found on 79 (75.2%) and 3 (2.9%) out of the 105 examined rabbits, respectively. Three tick species were identified; Rhipicephalus pusillus was the most abundant followed by Rhipicephalus turanicus and Ixodes gibbosus. Although ticks were found on all anatomical sites, ears, forelimbs, and abdomen were those more frequently infected. All the collected fleas were identified as Spilopsyllus cuniculi. Some of the ectoparasite species found on examined wild rabbits are recognized as potential vectors of pathogens of animal and human concern, such as, Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae and Rickettsia massiliae. The most abundant tick species found in this study is the main vector of some zoonotic pathogens; therefore, the possible role of O. cuniculus in their maintenance should be further investigated., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: sensu lato (s.l.), the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, is the most prevalent tick-borne pathogen in Europe, where it is mainly transmitted by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, is the most prevalent tick-borne pathogen in Europe, where it is mainly transmitted by Ixodes ricinus . This tick also circulates Borrelia miyamotoi , a member of the relapsing fever group of species. Objectives: A longitudinal study was performed to assess the prevalence of Borrelia spp. in questing ticks. Relationships between Borrelia s.l. was analyzed to establish the periods of acarological risk. B. burgdorferi s.l. was analyzed to establish the periods of acarological risk. Methods: Ticks were collected monthly by flagging in three different ecological areas (coast, plateau, and mountain) in north-western Spain during a 2-year study. Borrelia DNA was detected by PCR, targeting the flagellin ( fla s.l. DNA was detected in 11.84% of Results: B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA was detected in 11.84% of I. ricinus. Five Lyme Borrelia species were identified ( Borrelia afzelii , B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii , Borrelia lusitaniae , and Borrelia valaisiana ). One single relapsing fever species ( B. miyamotoi ) was detected (0.85%). Questing Ixodes frontalis , Ixodes acuminatus , Dermacentor reticulatus s.l. was significantly higher in female ticks and in the mountain area. In addition, a seasonal pattern in the Dermacentor marginatus s.l. prevalence distribution throughout the study was not detected. B. burgdorferi s.l. was significantly higher in female ticks and in the mountain area. In addition, a seasonal pattern in the B. burgdorferi s.l. in questing Conclusions: The detection of a noticeable prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. and the density of questing ticks, nor traces of a seasonal pattern in the values of prevalence in ticks.I. ricinus suggests a high acarological risk, especially in mountain area. There is no evidence of a relationship between the prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. and the density of questing ticks, nor traces of a seasonal pattern in the values of prevalence in ticks.

Tick-borne rickettsioses, most of them belonging to the spotted fever group (SFG), have been recognized as important emerging vector-borne zoonotic diseases. In order to determine the presence of Rickettsia spp. in questing ticks from north-western Spain, 1056 Ixodes ricinus, 19 Dermacentor marginatus, 17 Dermacentor reticulatus and one Ixodes acuminatus were processed. Rickettsia DNA was detected by PCR targeting rOmpA and rOmpB genes. A total of 219 (20.7%) I. ricinus, 19 (100%) D. marginatus and four D. reticulatus (23.5%) were positive. The prevalence was significantly higher in I. ricinus from coastal areas and in winter. Five species were identified: Rickettsia felis, Rickettsia monacensis, Rickettsia raoultii, Rickettsia slovaca and "Candidatus Rickettsia rioja". Our results reveal a significant presence of some pathogenic Rickettsia species in questing tick populations from this area which involves a noticeable risk of rickettsiosis. As R. raoultii, R. slovaca and "Ca. R. rioja" DNA were identified in I. ricinus, considered an unusual vector for these Rickettsia species, further studies are needed to unravel the role of that tick species in the maintenance and transmission of these three Rickettsia species in north-western Spain.

Ixodes ricinus, comprising the predominant tick species in Europe, can transmit important human pathogens, including Borreliella spp., the causal agent of Lyme borreliosis. One hundred and seventy five roe deer hunted in two areas (plateau and mountain) of Galicia (northwest Spain) were examined for the presence of ticks; all roe deer were infested by I. ricinus. Nymphs (n = 1000), males (n = 1449) and females (n = 1000) of I. ricinus were analysed in pools of up to 10 ticks to detect both Borreliella and Borrelia DNA. The average number of I. ricinus per roe deer was similar in both areas, regardless of the life stage; although the percentage of Borreliella and Borrelia positive pools was higher in ticks collected from roe deer hunted in the plateau area, no significant differences were detected. Sequence analysis at the flagellin gene allowed the identification of four Borreliella species (Borreliella afzelii, Borreliella garinii, Borreliella lusitaniae and Borreliella valaisiana) and Borrelia miyamotoi in adult males; only B. valaisiana and B. miyamotoi were detected in nymphs and all females were negative. All Borreliella and Borrelia species found in roe deer were previously identified in questing I. ricinus collected in the same study area, although the prevalence was lower in the present study. The analysis of male I. ricinus ticks collected from roe deer gives a good estimation of Borreliella diversity in questing ticks., (© 2019 The Royal Entomological Society.)

Background: Ixodes ricinus, the predominant tick species in Europe, can transmit the causative agents of important human diseases such as Lyme borreliosis (LB), caused by Borrelia spirochetes. In northern Spain, LB is considered endemic; recently, a significant increase of the annual incidence of LB was reported in the northwestern (NW) region., Methods: In order to provide information on the prevalence of Borrelia spp., pooled and individually free-living I. ricinus from NW Spain were molecularly analyzed. Positive samples were characterized at the fla and Glpq genes and the rrfA-rrlB intergenic spacer region to identify Borrelia species/genospecies., Results: Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) (s.l.) individual prevalence and MIR were significantly higher in adult females (32.3 and 16%) than in nymphs (18.8 and 6.2%) and adult males (15.6 and 8.4%). Five Borrelia genospecies belonging to the B. burgdorferi (s.l.) group were identified: B. garinii was predominant, followed by B. valaisiana, B. lusitaniae, B. afzelii and B. burgdorferi (sensu stricto) (s.s.). One species belonging to the tick-borne relapsing fever group (B. miyamotoi) was also found, showing low individual prevalence (1%), positive pool (0.7%) and MIR (0.1%) values. To our knowledge, this is the first citation of B. miyamotoi in free-living ticks from Spain., Conclusions: The significant prevalences of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) genospecies detected in questing ticks from NW Spain are similar to those detected in northern and central European countries and higher to those previously found in Spain. These results together with the high incidence of LB in humans and the high seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) in roe deer shown in other studies reveal that the northwest area is one of the most risky regions for acquiring LB in Spain.