Birds as potential reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens: first evidence of bacteraemia with Rickettsia helvetica

摘要: Background: Birds have long been known as carriers of ticks, but data from the literature are lacking on their role a reservoir in epidemiology certain tick-borne disease-causing agents. Therefore, aim this study was to evaluate presence three emerging, zoonotic pathogens blood samples and ticks birds assess impact feeding location preference migration distance bird species tick infestation. Methods: Blood were analysed with TaqMan real-time PCRs conventional PCR followed by sequencing. Results: During spring autumn migrations, 128 140 (Ixodes ricinus, Haemaphysalis concinna Hyalomma specimen) collected belonging 16 species. The prevalence infestation related habits avian hosts. shown be bacteraemic Rickettsia helvetica Anaplasma phagocytophilum, not Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis. rickettsiae high (51.4%) suggesting that some them may acquired infection host. Conclusion: Based present results potential reservoirs both I. ricinus transmitted pathogens, R. A. epidemiological appears less important concerning latter, at least Central Europe.