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Analysis of pathogen co-occurrence in host-seeking adult hard ticks from Serbia

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Abstract

Past studies in Serbia have reported concurrent infections of Ixodes ricinus ticks with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Francisella tularensis. As a step forward, this investigation included a broader range of microorganisms and five most common and abundant tick species in Serbia. Five tick species were identified (Dermacentor marginatus, D. reticulatus, Haemaphysalis punctata, H. concinna and I. ricinus) and analyzed for the presence of seven pathogens. Anaplasma ovis, A. phagocytophilum, Babesia canis, B. burgdorferi s.l., Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia helvetica and R. monacensis were detected. Sequencing of samples positive for F. tularensis revealed the presence of Francisella-like endosymbionts. No Bartonella spp. DNA was amplified. Concurrent infections were present in three tick species (D. reticulatus, H. concinna and I. ricinus). The rate of co-infections was highest in I. ricinus (20/27), while this tick species harbored the broadest range of co-infection combinations, with dual, triple and a quadruple infection(s) being detected.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Serbia (Project No. 173006) and by Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development of European Union (FP6-INCO-CT-2006-043702-SERBPARZOON).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Medical Entomology, Department for Parasitology, Center of Exellence for Toxoplasmosis and Medical Entomology, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Dr. Subotića 4, POB 102, 11129, Belgrade, Serbia

    Snežana Tomanović, Željko Radulović, Marija Milutinović, Sanja Ćakić & Darko Mihaljica

  2. Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, Voutes, Staurakia, 71110, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    Dimosthenis Chochlakis, Yannis Tselentis & Anna Psaroulaki

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  1. Snežana Tomanović
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  2. Dimosthenis Chochlakis
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  3. Željko Radulović
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  4. Marija Milutinović
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  5. Sanja Ćakić
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  6. Darko Mihaljica
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  7. Yannis Tselentis
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  8. Anna Psaroulaki
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Correspondence to Snežana Tomanović.

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Tomanović, S., Chochlakis, D., Radulović, Ž. et al. Analysis of pathogen co-occurrence in host-seeking adult hard ticks from Serbia. Exp Appl Acarol 59, 367–376 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-012-9597-y

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