Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are recognized as a serious and growing public health epidemic in Europe, and are a cause of major losses in livestock production worldwide. This review is an attempt to present a summary of results from studies conducted over the last century until the end of the year 2020 regarding ticks, tick-borne pathogens, and tick-borne diseases in Greece. We provide an overview of the tick species found in Greece, as well as the most important tick-borne pathogens (viruses, bacteria, protozoa) and corresponding diseases in circulation. We also consider prevalence data, as well as geographic and climatic conditions. Knowledge of past and current situations of TBDs, as well as an awareness of (risk) factors affecting future developments will help to find approaches to integrated tick management as part of the ‘One Health Concept’; it will assist in avoiding the possibility of hotspot disease emergencies and intra- and intercontinental transmission. Increased surveillance in Greece is required to ensure clear and effective policies for TBD control.

In this study, cattle farms located in Oudalan and Séno, two provinces in the Sahel region, northern Burkina Faso, were surveyed. Cattle owners were interviewed, cattle were examined for tick infestation, and ticks as well as blood samples were collected during the dry season (October). Blood DNA samples were tested for Babesia and Theileria infections using nested PCRs and sequencing. A total of 22 herds, 174 Zebu cattle were investigated at 6 different sites. Overall, 76 cattle (43.7 %) from 18 farms (81.8%) were found infested with ticks. Cattle in Séno, adult cattle (>5 years) and those owned by the Fulani ethnic group were significantly (p < 0.05) more likely to be tick-infested. A total of 144 adult ticks belonging to five species namely: Hyalomma impeltatum, Hyalomma impressum, Hyalomma rufipes, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, and Rhipicephalus guilhoni were collected from the animals. Piroplasms were detected in the blood DNA of 23 (13.2%) cattle. The cattle in Séno and adult cattle were significantly more likely to be piroplasm-positive. Five pathogens diversely distributed were identified. Theileria mutans (12/174), Babesia bigemina (5/174), Theileria annulata (3/174), and Theileria velifera (3/174) were detected for the first time in northern Burkina Faso, whereas Babesia occultans (1/174) was found for the first time in cattle in West Africa. The analysis of the sequences, including B. bigemina RAP-1a, T. annulata Tams1 genes, and the 18S rRNA genes of all the five protozoa, revealed identities ranging from 98.4 to 100% with previously published sequences. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 18S rRNA gene sequences located north Burkina Faso piroplasms in the same clade as isolates from Africa and other regions of the world. Notably, T. mutans sequences were distributed in two clades: the T. mutans Intona strain clade and the Theileria sp. (strain MSD)/ Theileria sp. B15a clade, suggesting the presence of at least two strains in the area. These findings indicate that the control of ticks and tick-borne diseases should be taken into account in strategies to improve animal health in the Sahel region.