Summary: | Raccoon dogs (<i>Nyctereutes procyonoides</i>) and raccoons (<i>Procyon lotor</i>) are invasive alien species originating from East Asia and North America, respectively. They are discussed as vectors and reservoirs for various infectious diseases, including vector-borne and zoonotic pathogens, and are therefore a potential threat to human and domestic animal health, as well as to biodiversity and conservation. In the years 2021 and 2022, 110 raccoon dogs (<i>Nyctereutes procyonoides</i>) and 30 raccoons (<i>Procyon lotor</i>) were screened via qPCR for the presence of <i>Leptospira</i> spp., <i>Rickettsia</i> spp. and <i>Borreliella</i> spp. in the German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein as part of a health and risk assessment study. <i>Borreliella</i> spp. were confirmed in one raccoon dog and one raccoon, identified as <i>Borreliella afzelii</i> in the raccoon. <i>Leptospira</i> spp. were found in 21 (19.44%) raccoon dogs and 2 (6.90%) raccoons. In five raccoon dogs, <i>Leptospira</i> spp. were identified as <i>Leptospira borgpetersenii</i>, <i>Leptospira kirschneri</i> and <i>Leptospira interrogans.</i>
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