Wild birds are common hosts of ticks and can transport them for long distances, contributing to the spreading of tick-borne pathogens. The information about ticks on birds and tick-borne pathogens in Greece is limited. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and species of ticks infesting wild resident birds (mostly small passerines) in Greece, and to assess Borrelia and Rickettsia infection in the collected ticks. Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. was performed by nested PCR targeting the flaB gene. Rickettsia spp. were detected by PCR targeting the gltA and ompA genes. Seven (2 %) out of 403 birds examined in northern Greece in 2013 were infested with 15 ticks, identified as Ixodes frontalis, Ixodes acuminatus, Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma aegyptium and Hyalomma sp. All ticks were negative for Borrelia spp. while four of them were positive for rickettsiae (Rickettsia aeschlimannii in H. aegyptium and Rickettsia sp. in I. frontalis, H. aegyptium and H. marginatum). Ixodes acuminatus is reported for the first time in Greece and Sylvia borin is reported as a new host record for I. acuminatus.

CEITEC VFU University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno Brno Czech Republic

Centre for Vector and Infectious Diseases Research National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge Aguas de Moura Portugal

Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno Brno Czech Republic

Emergence Response and Biopreparadness Unit National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge Lisbon Portugal

Hellenic Agricultural Organisation Demeter Forest Research Institute Vassilika Thessaloniki Greece

Hellenic Bird Ringing Center Athens Greece

Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases School of Veterinary Medicine Faculty of Health Sciences Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki Greece

MARE Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre Department of Life Sciences Largo Marquês de Pombal Faculty of Sciences and Technology University of Coimbra Coimbra Portugal

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