Occurrence of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in three regions in Poland: the final evidence of the conquest
Abstract Background Two populations of Dermacentor reticulatus ticks (Western and Eastern) in Poland are among the most dynamic tick populations in Central Europe. Expansion and settlement of ticks in new localizations depend on the presence of suitable hosts, for both adult and juvenile ticks. Meth...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-05039-z |
| _version_ | 1819043351920377856 |
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| author | Dorota Dwużnik-Szarek Ewa Julia Mierzejewska Anna Bajer |
| author_facet | Dorota Dwużnik-Szarek Ewa Julia Mierzejewska Anna Bajer |
| author_sort | Dorota Dwużnik-Szarek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Two populations of Dermacentor reticulatus ticks (Western and Eastern) in Poland are among the most dynamic tick populations in Central Europe. Expansion and settlement of ticks in new localizations depend on the presence of suitable hosts, for both adult and juvenile ticks. Methods The current study was planned to complement our previous studies on questing adult ticks and was focused on a collection of juvenile D. reticulatus ticks from rodents from three regions in Poland, defined by the presence/absence of adult ticks (regions of the Western and Eastern tick population and the gap area between them) to confirm the existence of stable populations. Rodent trapping was conducted in open habitats (fallow lands, wasteland and submerged meadows) in 2016–2018 in June, July and/or August to encompass seasonal peaks of larvae and nymph activity. Results Altogether, three tick species were collected, 2866 D. reticulatus, 2141 Ixodes ricinus and 427 Haemaphysalis concinna. Dermacentor reticulatus was the most common (72.3%) and abundant (mean 17.94 ± 2.62 ticks/rodent) tick species on rodents from the Eastern region; in the Western region infestation of rodents was only 6.8%. Ixodes ricinus was found in all three regions and was the only tick species collected from rodents from the gap area. Haemaphysalis concinna was noted only in the Western region. The highest infestation of juvenile D. reticulatus was recorded on voles (Myodes and Microtus spp.), infestation of I. ricinus was the highest on Apodemus mice, and the majority of H. concinna ticks were collected from root voles Alexandromys oeconomus. Conclusions Our study confirmed a stable population of D. reticulatus in Eastern and Central Poland and a lower prevalence and mean abundance of this tick species among rodents from the Western region. A lack of juvenile D. reticulatus on rodents in Niewiadów confirmed the existence of the gap area, free of D. reticulatus ticks. Graphical abstract |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T09:55:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3029dd389fcf4e7385838cda613b14de |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T09:55:25Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-3029dd389fcf4e7385838cda613b14de2022-12-21T19:08:04ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052021-10-011411810.1186/s13071-021-05039-zOccurrence of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in three regions in Poland: the final evidence of the conquestDorota Dwużnik-Szarek0Ewa Julia Mierzejewska1Anna Bajer2Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of WarsawDepartment of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of WarsawDepartment of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of WarsawAbstract Background Two populations of Dermacentor reticulatus ticks (Western and Eastern) in Poland are among the most dynamic tick populations in Central Europe. Expansion and settlement of ticks in new localizations depend on the presence of suitable hosts, for both adult and juvenile ticks. Methods The current study was planned to complement our previous studies on questing adult ticks and was focused on a collection of juvenile D. reticulatus ticks from rodents from three regions in Poland, defined by the presence/absence of adult ticks (regions of the Western and Eastern tick population and the gap area between them) to confirm the existence of stable populations. Rodent trapping was conducted in open habitats (fallow lands, wasteland and submerged meadows) in 2016–2018 in June, July and/or August to encompass seasonal peaks of larvae and nymph activity. Results Altogether, three tick species were collected, 2866 D. reticulatus, 2141 Ixodes ricinus and 427 Haemaphysalis concinna. Dermacentor reticulatus was the most common (72.3%) and abundant (mean 17.94 ± 2.62 ticks/rodent) tick species on rodents from the Eastern region; in the Western region infestation of rodents was only 6.8%. Ixodes ricinus was found in all three regions and was the only tick species collected from rodents from the gap area. Haemaphysalis concinna was noted only in the Western region. The highest infestation of juvenile D. reticulatus was recorded on voles (Myodes and Microtus spp.), infestation of I. ricinus was the highest on Apodemus mice, and the majority of H. concinna ticks were collected from root voles Alexandromys oeconomus. Conclusions Our study confirmed a stable population of D. reticulatus in Eastern and Central Poland and a lower prevalence and mean abundance of this tick species among rodents from the Western region. A lack of juvenile D. reticulatus on rodents in Niewiadów confirmed the existence of the gap area, free of D. reticulatus ticks. Graphical abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-05039-zDermacentor reticulatusHaemaphysalis concinnaIxodes ricinusLarvaeNymphsPoland |
| spellingShingle | Dorota Dwużnik-Szarek Ewa Julia Mierzejewska Anna Bajer Occurrence of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in three regions in Poland: the final evidence of the conquest Parasites & Vectors Dermacentor reticulatus Haemaphysalis concinna Ixodes ricinus Larvae Nymphs Poland |
| title | Occurrence of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in three regions in Poland: the final evidence of the conquest |
| title_full | Occurrence of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in three regions in Poland: the final evidence of the conquest |
| title_fullStr | Occurrence of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in three regions in Poland: the final evidence of the conquest |
| title_full_unstemmed | Occurrence of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in three regions in Poland: the final evidence of the conquest |
| title_short | Occurrence of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in three regions in Poland: the final evidence of the conquest |
| title_sort | occurrence of juvenile dermacentor reticulatus ticks in three regions in poland the final evidence of the conquest |
| topic | Dermacentor reticulatus Haemaphysalis concinna Ixodes ricinus Larvae Nymphs Poland |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-05039-z |
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