Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases最新文献

{"title":"Known and unexpected determinants of Lyme disease incidence: Insights from the Czech Republic (2018 – 2024)","authors":"Petra Polcarova,&nbsp;Jan Smetana,&nbsp;Martina Malikova,&nbsp;Lenka Petrousova,&nbsp;Roman Chlibek","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102678","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102678","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Lyme disease (LD) is the most frequently reported vector-borne disease in the Czech Republic (CR). The risk of infection is present throughout the entire country. This study analyzes trends in the number of cases and the incidence of LD in the CR between 2018 and 2024.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The study analyzes data from the Information System of Infectious Diseases, which records notifiable infections in accordance with national legislation, including cases of LD classified under code A69.2 according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Between 2018 and 2024, a cumulative total of 26,183 LD cases were reported in the CR, with annual incidence ranging from 27.0 to 44.5 per 100,000 population. The female-to-male ratio was 54% versus 46%. The highest incidence was observed in the 45–74 age groups (45–54 years: 40.5/100,000; 55–64 years: 50.3/100,000; 65–74 years: 50.7/100,000). Among pediatric populations, the peak incidence occurred in the 5–9 age group (49.5/100,000). Significant regional differences were observed across the CR, with the highest incidence in the Vysocina Region (100.1/100,000) and the South Bohemian Region (71.1/100,000). The average hospitalization rate was 18.4%. A total of eight deaths attributable to LD were recorded during the study period (2018–2024).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, LD maintained interannual variability in its occurrence. In 2021, the lowest incidence in the past 25 years was recorded in the CR. The increase in incidence observed in 2024 indicates a return to pre-pandemic levels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"17 4","pages":"Article 102678"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148438615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Climate drivers of tick-borne encephalitis in the Veneto Region, Italy, 2007–2024","authors":"Claudia Cozzolino Cangiano ,&nbsp;Andrea Cozza ,&nbsp;Elisabetta Conte ,&nbsp;Alessandro Poletto ,&nbsp;Gabriele Tagliaro ,&nbsp;Patrizia Furlan ,&nbsp;Mario Saia ,&nbsp;Michele Nicoletti ,&nbsp;Davide Gentili ,&nbsp;Michele Tonon ,&nbsp;Francesca Russo ,&nbsp;Silvia Cocchio ,&nbsp;Vincenzo Baldo","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an arboviral disease in Europe, with increasing incidence in northeastern Italy. Transmission of the virus via <em>Ixodes</em> ticks is influenced by seasonal dynamics and environmental factors. This study aimed to describe TBE epidemiology in the Veneto Region, assess spatiotemporal patterns, and examine associations with environmental determinants, including possible impacts of climate change. We conducted a population-based study using hospital discharge records to identify TBE cases from 2007 to 2024. Temporal trends and spatial patterns of age-standardized incidences were assessed. A generalized additive mixed model was fitted to evaluate non-linear associations between TBE incidence and environmental predictors. Scenario-based analyses simulated changes in temperature and precipitation to estimate shifts in TBE risk. A total of 397 TBE hospitalizations were recorded, predominantly in mountainous areas (55.4%), with seasonal peaks in June and July. Age-standardized incidence significantly increased from 2014 to 2024, with an annual percentage increase of 10.2%, reaching 0.855 cases per 100,000 person-years in 2022. Changes in age-specific incidence were observed over time, with increasing trends particularly among children and adolescents. Monthly minimum temperature and forest land cover percentage emerged as key drivers of TBE risk, with U-shaped associations for precipitation and altitude. Scenario simulations suggested a maximum increase in incidence of 16% per 0.5 °C rise in minimum temperature, particularly in high-altitude municipalities. TBE hospitalizations in the Veneto Region show marked spatial, temporal, and age-related heterogeneity. Climate change is likely to increase incidence and expand at-risk areas, underscoring the need for integrated One Health surveillance and targeted prevention strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"17 3","pages":"Article 102651"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147787083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"DNA of Ehrlichia muris, hyperendemicity of Babesia microti in Ixodes ricinus and age-related detection of nuclear mitochondrial DNA (NUMTs) in Dermacentor reticulatus from an urban, marshy biotope of South-central Europe","authors":"Sándor Hornok ,&nbsp;Nóra Takács ,&nbsp;Paulina Lesiczka ,&nbsp;Tim Warbroek ,&nbsp;Tijs J.M. van den Bosch ,&nbsp;Gergő Keve ,&nbsp;Jenő Kontschán ,&nbsp;Orsolya Péteri","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102648","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102648","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study was initiated to analyze ticks collected periodically from the vegetation in an urban marshy biotope of central Europe. During the one-year-long study period, 1960 ticks were found, including <em>Ixodes ricinus</em> (<em>n</em> = 1037), <em>Dermacentor reticulatus</em> (<em>n</em> = 610) and <em>Haemaphysalis concinna</em> (<em>n</em> = 313). DNA was extracted from 199 <em>Dermacentor reticulatus</em> and 47 <em>Ixodes ricinus</em>, selected from the beginning of their questing period. Molecular analysis of the cytochrome <em>c</em> oxidase subunit I (<em>cox1</em>) barcoding gene with the classical Folmer primers revealed that among 37 <em>D. reticulatus</em> all except two ticks had serial mutations along a 129-bp-long part of the gene. The majority of these ticks were young, freshly molted adults. However, when the complete mitogenome was sequenced from two such \"aberrant\" ticks, these serial mutations were absent. In <em>D. reticulatus</em>, host DNA was detected from four synanthropic bird species, the dog, the red fox, the bank vole, the Eurasian shrew and the wild boar. Besides long-known endemic tick-borne pathogens, specimens of <em>D. reticulatus</em> and <em>I. ricinus</em> were shown to contain the DNA of <em>Ehrlichia muris. Babesia microti</em> had very high, 36% prevalence in <em>I. ricinus</em>. In conclusion, mutations in the <em>cox1</em> fragment amplified with the Folmer primers were not present in the complete mitochondrial genome of <em>D. reticulatus</em>, indicating that probably nuclear mitochondrial DNA (NUMT) was amplified with the first method. To our knowledge, similarly high local prevalence of <em>B. microti</em> was only reported in ticks in North America, where this piroplasm is responsible for most cases of human babesiosis (unlike in Europe).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"17 3","pages":"Article 102648"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147849936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Theileria equi sensu lato genetic diversity and phylogeny: new insights from mitochondrion, apicoplast and nucleus multilocus gene analysis","authors":"Mickaël Mège,&nbsp;Florian Berquier,&nbsp;Claire Bonsergent,&nbsp;Laurence Malandrin","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102656","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102656","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Equine piroplasmosis is a significant tick-borne disease with a global distribution. Among the two causative agents, &lt;em&gt;Theileria equi&lt;/em&gt; has undergone numerous taxonomic reclassifications over time, reflecting advances in our understanding of its biology, molecular characteristics, and phylogenetic relationships. Formerly named &lt;em&gt;Babesia equi&lt;/em&gt;, now classified in the Equus group apart from &lt;em&gt;Babesia&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Theileria&lt;/em&gt; species, its genus name will again certainly change. The genetic diversity also within &lt;em&gt;T. equi&lt;/em&gt; lead to the renaming of one lineage as &lt;em&gt;Theileria haneyi. Theileria equi&lt;/em&gt; should better now be considered as &lt;em&gt;T. equi&lt;/em&gt; sensu lato (including &lt;em&gt;T. haneyi&lt;/em&gt;) with a set of different cryptic species awaiting for formal taxonomical changes to be taken. A better knowledge within this group is therefore essential as this diversity has an impact on the diagnostic of this disease which is submitted to strict regulations governing the international movement of horses. In the present study, we designed primers to study the same five genes from the nucleus (&lt;em&gt;hsp70, clamp&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;ama-1&lt;/em&gt;), the mitochondria (&lt;em&gt;cox1&lt;/em&gt;) and the apicoplast (&lt;em&gt;tufA&lt;/em&gt;), on a set of 36 mono-infected samples of the lineages A, C (&lt;em&gt;T. haneyi&lt;/em&gt;) and E of &lt;em&gt;T. equi&lt;/em&gt; sensu lato. The phylogenetic separation in lineages A, C and E based on 18S rRNA sequencing was confirmed by this multi-locus analysis. Genetic diversity and phylogenetic separation within lineage A into two sub-lineages A1 and A2 were demonstrated on the basis of all five genes, with an additional A3 sub-lineage on the basis of nuclear (&lt;em&gt;hsp70&lt;/em&gt;) and mitochondrial (&lt;em&gt;cox1&lt;/em&gt;) markers. All these sub-lineages would deserve the rank of species based on &lt;em&gt;cox1&lt;/em&gt; divergence confirmed by other markers. Phylogenetic and haplotype networks analyses were also conducted on genes used in molecular or serological diagnostic, &lt;em&gt;ema-1&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;ema-11&lt;/em&gt;, to evaluate the impact of this diversity on currently used tests. We confirmed the absence of molecular detection of the lineage E DNA with any of these two gene targets. We linked the sub-lineages A1 and A3 to the &lt;em&gt;ema-1&lt;/em&gt; clades A and B, with a worldwide distribution. We confirmed the link of the rare A2 sub-lineage from France to a new &lt;em&gt;ema-1&lt;/em&gt; clade D, with additional Eurasian sequences from Croatia, Mongolia and China. A fifth &lt;em&gt;ema-1&lt;/em&gt; clade E was also confirmed. Separation of lineage C (&lt;em&gt;T. haneyi&lt;/em&gt;) into at least two sub-lineages was also confirmed with the few &lt;em&gt;ema-11&lt;/em&gt; sequences available, based on their genetic diversity, and their phylogenetic and haplotype network analyses. From this study, it becomes clear that the division of &lt;em&gt;T. equi&lt;/em&gt; sensu lato into species corresponding either to the lineage (5 species) or to the sub-lineage (at least 10) should await a more comprehensive knowledge of its genetic diversity worldwid","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"17 3","pages":"Article 102656"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147989725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The 11th “Ticks and Tick-borne Pathogens” Conference, more than just a meeting","authors":"Alina Rodríguez-Mallon ,&nbsp;Pat Nuttall ,&nbsp;Petr Kopáček","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102614","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102614","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"17 3","pages":"Article 102614"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146144451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrigendum to “Tick hazard in a Central European country: Mapping Europe’s principal tick-borne disease vector across Germany” [Ticks Tick-Borne Dis. 16 (2025) 102485]","authors":"Andrea Springer ,&nbsp;Alexander Lindau ,&nbsp;Katrin Fachet-Lehmann ,&nbsp;Daniel Kämmer ,&nbsp;Ingrid Bulling ,&nbsp;Steffen Knoll ,&nbsp;Nina Król ,&nbsp;Dominik Fischer ,&nbsp;Luisa Fischer ,&nbsp;Marco Drehmann ,&nbsp;Lidia Chitimia-Dobler ,&nbsp;Madeleine Noll ,&nbsp;Hannah Rose Vineer ,&nbsp;Olaf Kahl ,&nbsp;Martin Pfeffer ,&nbsp;Christina Strube ,&nbsp;Ute Mackenstedt","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102641","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102641","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"17 3","pages":"Article 102641"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147678068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonality and environmental drivers of tick-borne encephalitis virus prevalence in Ixodes ricinus ticks from Southern Norway","authors":"Andrea P. Cotes-Perdomo ,&nbsp;Arnulf Soleng ,&nbsp;Kristin Edgar ,&nbsp;Kenedith Méndez-Gutierrez ,&nbsp;Hans Renssen ,&nbsp;Heidi Lindstedt ,&nbsp;Maria Diekmann ,&nbsp;Kamilla Häusler ,&nbsp;Kawsar Bibi ,&nbsp;Binita Sigdel ,&nbsp;Rachana Pradhan ,&nbsp;Kristian Alfsnes ,&nbsp;Rose Vikse ,&nbsp;Andrew Jenkins ,&nbsp;Åshild K. Andreassen","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102658","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102658","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is the causative agent of neurological disease in humans, and it is mainly transmitted by the tick <em>Ixodes ricinus</em> in western Europe. In Norway, previous surveillance studies have detected the virus along the coast from Nordland County in the north to the Swedish border in the southeast. However, all human cases of tick-borne encephalitis are restricted to the southernmost part of the country, presenting a significant increase in the incidence in the last decades. The incidence and prevalence of TBEV is consistently linked to climatic factors. We evaluated the monthly variation in prevalence of TBEV during six years, in nymphal and adult ticks from Mandal, southern Norway; a TBEV endemic area with high density of ticks. In addition, we evaluated the relationship between the virus prevalence and the accumulated heat and relative humidity. A marked seasonality of the virus prevalence was observed, peaking in the spring-early summer in nymphs and in summer-early autumn in adult ticks. The accumulated heat correlated positively with the prevalence in nymphs and adults, and the relative humidity correlated negatively with the prevalence in adults. Future research should focus on understanding the impacts of host dynamics, climate change and land use in the circulation of this emerging virus in Norway.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"17 3","pages":"Article 102658"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147976788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) failed to acquire and consequently transmit Babesia bigemina to naïve cattle","authors":"Karen C. Poh ,&nbsp;Mitzi Aguilar ,&nbsp;Janaína Capelli-Peixoto ,&nbsp;Jesse R. Evans ,&nbsp;Chungwon J. Chung ,&nbsp;Massaro W. Ueti","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102659","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102659","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since its introduction into the United States, the Asian longhorned tick (<em>Haemaphysalis longicornis</em>) has spread to several states and poses a growing threat to livestock due to its broad host range and rapid reproductive capacity. Since <em>H. longicornis</em> can transmit livestock pathogens such as <em>Theileria orientalis</em> Ikeda, it is a high priority to determine the vector competence of a United States population of <em>H. longicornis</em> for other livestock pathogens that circulate or may re-emerge domestically, such as <em>Babesia bigemina</em>, the causative agent of bovine babesiosis. This study evaluated the vector competence of <em>H. longicornis</em> for the acquisition and transmission of <em>B. bigemina</em>, using the <em>Rhipicephalus microplus</em> system as a positive control. Potential transmission routes assessed included transovarial transmission, transstadial maintenance across all life stages, and transstadial transmission from nymphs to adults. Nymphs and adult females were allowed to feed to repletion during acquisition. Twelve days post-repletion, a subset of nymphs were frozen, and adult females were dissected to collect ovaries and midguts. Tick tissues or whole ticks were tested for the presence of <em>B. bigemina</em> using nested PCR (nPCR) followed by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Detectable <em>B. bigemina</em> DNA was observed only in the midguts of adult female ticks following acquisition. During transmission trials, no subsequent life stages or progeny transmitted <em>B. bigemina</em> to naïve calves, as demonstrated by negative nPCR and qPCR results and the absence of clinical signs of bovine babesiosis. Collectively, these findings indicate that <em>H. longicornis</em> does not appear to be a competent vector for <em>B. bigemina</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"17 3","pages":"Article 102659"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147950102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reducing tick density along recreational trails in Ottawa, Canada: results from an ecotone modification study using deltamethrin-treated and untreated woodchips","authors":"Katarina Ost ,&nbsp;Roman McKay ,&nbsp;Alexander Stone ,&nbsp;Alison Krentel ,&nbsp;Kate Zinszer ,&nbsp;Cindy Feng ,&nbsp;Manisha A. Kulkarni","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102649","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102649","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Expanding tick populations and increasing Lyme disease incidence in Ottawa, Ontario, highlight the need for effective strategies to reduce human exposure in recreational areas. <em>Ixodes scapularis</em> is the primary tick vector of <em>Borrelia burgdorferi</em> sensu stricto (s.s.), the causative agent of Lyme disease in this region. We conducted a two-year experimental field trial (2022–2023) in Ottawa’s Greenbelt to evaluate whether modifying trailside ecotones with woodchip borders could reduce questing tick density. Twenty 50-m trail segments across two sites were randomly assigned to intervention groups: untreated woodchip borders, deltamethrin-treated woodchip borders, and ten assigned to untreated controls. Pre-treatment tick drags were conducted at the start of each study year, and environmental variables (canopy cover, canopy type, soil moisture, leaf litter depth) were recorded. Post-intervention sampling was performed weekly for six weeks during peak nymphal activity (June–July). The effects of deltamethrin-treated or untreated woodchip borders on tick density compared to controls were analyzed using mixed-effects negative binomial regression accounting for study design. A total of 440 ticks were collected, including 322 adult and nymphal <em>I. scapularis</em>. Of 293 ticks tested, 34.5 % were positive for <em>B. burgdorferi</em>. Treated woodchips reduced <em>I. scapularis</em> adult and nymph density by 99 % (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.01, 95 % CI: 0.001–0.08) relative to controls, while untreated woodchips achieved a 48 % reduction (IRR = 0.52, 95 % CI: 0.34–0.78). This study demonstrates that modifying trailsides with woodchip borders, deltamethrin-treated or untreated, substantially reduces questing tick density, offering a tool for integrated tick management in recreational settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"17 3","pages":"Article 102649"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147787146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular characteristics and geographical distribution of Rickettsiales bacteria along Inner Mongolia’s ecological gradient","authors":"Miao Lu ,&nbsp;Qing-Zhu Huang ,&nbsp;Zhong-Qiu Teng ,&nbsp;Jia He ,&nbsp;Yu-Qing Cheng ,&nbsp;Li-Hong Qiao ,&nbsp;Na Zhao ,&nbsp;Meng-Meng Zhang ,&nbsp;Lu-Peng Dai ,&nbsp;Tian Qin ,&nbsp;Xiao-Yan Si","doi":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102644","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ttbdis.2026.102644","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rickettsiales bacteria represent a major global public health threat, yet their distribution patterns along ecological gradients remain poorly characterized. The distinctive east–west biome transition in Inner Mongolia provides an ideal model for studying how environmental factors shape the prevalence and diversity of Rickettsiales. Molecular screening for <em>Rickettsia, Anaplasma</em>, and <em>Ehrlichia</em> species was performed on 2372 ticks collected from diverse hosts and environmental sources across five leagues in Inner Mongolia. Nine tick species from four genera were identified, with <em>Dermacentor silvarum</em> being the dominant species, accounting for 24.7% of collected specimens. The overall infection rate of <em>Rickettsia</em> spp. was 59.8%, encompassing seven species. <em>Anaplasma</em> spp. infection was detected at 13.9%, involving five species, while <em>Ehrlichia</em> spp. showed a prevalence of 5.6%, comprising three species. A distinct east–west divergence in pathogen distribution was observed. Eastern forest-steppe regions exhibited higher <em>Rickettsia</em> prevalence at 62.5%, primarily vectored by <em>Ixodes persulcatus</em>. Western arid regions demonstrated elevated infection levels of <em>Anaplasma</em> (26.4%) and <em>Ehrlichia</em> (7.7%), mainly associated with <em>Dermacentor nuttalli</em> and <em>Hyalomma asiaticum</em>. Co-infections occurred in 12.3% of ticks, with <em>Rickettsia raoultii</em> and <em>Anaplasma ovis</em> co-infection peaking at 65.4% in <em>D. nuttalli</em> from Urad Back Banner, indicating a strong association with co-detection patterns in desert-steppe environments. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA, <em>gltA</em>, and <em>groEL</em> genes confirmed species identification and revealed geographic genetic variations. These findings provide baseline data on tick-borne pathogens in Inner Mongolia and highlight the influence of ecological heterogeneity on pathogen distribution. Region-specific surveillance and control strategies that consider environmental conditions and dominant tick species may improve the management of tick-borne disease risks in ecologically diverse regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49320,"journal":{"name":"Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases","volume":"17 3","pages":"Article 102644"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147976779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}