BACKGROUND: Ixodes inopinatus was described from Spain on the basis of morphology and partial sequencing of 16S ribosomal DNA. However, several studies suggested that morphological differences between I. inopinatus and Ixodes ricinus are minimal and that 16S rDNA lacks the power to distinguish the two species. Furthermore, nuclear and mitochondrial markers indicated evidence of hybridization between I. inopinatus and I. ricinus. In this study, we tested our hypothesis on tick dispersal from North Africa to Southern Europe and determined the prevalence of selected tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in I. inopinatus, I. ricinus, and their hybrids. METHODS: Ticks were collected in Italy and Algeria by flagging, identified by sequencing of partial TROSPA and COI genes, and screened for Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., B. miyamotoi, Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma phagocytophilum by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of specific markers. RESULTS: Out of the 380 ticks, in Italy, 92 were I. ricinus, 3 were I. inopinatus, and 136 were hybrids of the two species. All 149 ticks from Algeria were I. inopinatus. Overall, 60% of ticks were positive for at least one TBP. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. was detected in 19.5% of ticks, and it was significantly more prevalent in Ixodes ticks from Algeria than in ticks from Italy. Prevalence of Rickettsia spotted fever group (SFG) was 51.1%, with significantly greater prevalence in ticks from Algeria than in ticks from Italy. Borrelia miyamotoi and A. phagocytophilum were detected in low prevalence (0.9% and 5.2%, respectively) and only in ticks from Italy. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that I. inopinatus is a dominant species in Algeria, while I. ricinus and hybrids were common in Italy. The higher prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. and Rickettsia SFG in I. inopinatus compared with that in I. ricinus might be due to geographical and ecological differences between these two tick species. The role of I. inopinatus in the epidemiology of TBPs needs further investigation in the Mediterranean Basin.

• Klíčová slova
• Anaplasma phagocytophilum, B. miyamotoi, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Ixodes inopinatus, Ixodes ricinus, Rickettsia SFG, Algeria, Hybrids, Italy,
• MeSH
• Anaplasma phagocytophilum genetika   izolace a purifikace   klasifikace   MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi genetika   izolace a purifikace   klasifikace   MeSH
• Borrelia genetika   izolace a purifikace   klasifikace   MeSH
• hybridizace genetická MeSH
• klíště * mikrobiologie   MeSH
• nemoci přenášené klíšťaty epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• Rickettsia * izolace a purifikace   genetika   klasifikace   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Alžírsko epidemiologie   MeSH
• Itálie epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• RNA ribozomální 16S MeSH

BACKGROUND: Anaplasma phagocytophilum is characterized by a worldwide distribution and distinguished from other Anaplasmataceae by the broadest range of mammalian hosts and high genetic diversity. The role carnivores play in the life cycle of A. phagocytophilum in Europe is uncertain. Currently, only the red fox is considered a suitable reservoir host. In this study, we focused on native and invasive medium-sized carnivore species that live in sympatry and represent the most abundant species of wild carnivores in Poland. METHODS: A total of 275 individual spleen samples from six carnivore species (Vulpes vulpes, Meles meles, Procyon lotor, Nyctereutes procyonoides and Martes spp.) were screened combining nested PCR and sequencing for A. phagocytophilum targeting a partial groEL gene with subsequent phylogenetic analysis inferred by the maximum likelihood method. RESULTS: The DNA of A. phagocytophilum was detected in 16 of 275 individuals (5.8%). Eight unique genetic variants of A. phagocytophilum were obtained. All detected haplotypes clustered in the clade representing European ecotype I. Three variants belonged to the subclade with European human cases together with strains from dogs, foxes, cats, and wild boars. CONCLUSIONS: While carnivores might have a restricted role in the dissemination of A. phagocytophilum due to their relatively low to moderate infection rates, they hold significance as hosts for ticks. Consequently, they could contribute to the transmission of tick-borne infections to humans indirectly, primarily through tick infection. This underscores the potential risk of urbanization for the A. phagocytophilum life cycle, further emphasizing the need for comprehensive understanding of its ecological dynamics.

• Klíčová slova
• Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Carnivores, Invasive species, Martes spp., Meles meles, Nyctereutes procyonides, Procyon lotor, Vulpes vulpes,
• MeSH
• Anaplasma phagocytophilum * genetika   MeSH
• Carnivora * MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• klíšťata * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Mustelidae * MeSH
• prasata MeSH
• psi MeSH
• Sus scrofa MeSH
• sympatrie MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• psi MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Polsko epidemiologie   MeSH