In Poland, tick-borne diseases constitute the majority of diseases related to exposure to biological agents with a predominance of Lyme borreliosis; therefore, research on ticks as a reservoir of various pathogens remains crucial in the epidemiology of human diseases after tick bites. This study aimed to identify the occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Borrelia miyamotoi, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, and Babesia spp. in ticks collected from vegetation in eastern Poland. Additionally, the prevalence of co-infections in the adult Ixodes ricinus ticks was determined. Among I. ricinus ticks the predominantly detected pathogen was B. burgdorferi s.l. (23%) with B. burgdorferi sensu stricto as the most frequently identified species, followed by B. garinii. In 2013, the double or triple infections of B. burgdorferi s.s., B. afzelii, and B. garinii species did not exceed 9% in adult ticks, whereas in 2016, the prevalence of mixed infections reached 29%. The prevalence of N. mikurensis and B. miyamotoi in I. ricinus was determined at the same level of 2.8%. Four Babesia species were identified in the examined I. ricinus population: B. microti (1.5%), B. venatorum (1.2%), B. divergens (0.2%), and B. capreoli (0.1%). Co-infections were detected in 10.1% of all infected ticks with the highest prevalence of co-infections with B. burgdorferi s.l. and Babesia species. The changes in the prevalence and the distribution of particular pathogens within tick populations indicate the need for monitoring the current situation related to tick-borne pathogens from the aspect of risk to human health.

Introduction and Objecrtive: The problem of occupational biohazards is very important, especially in the field of agriculture and in human and veterinary medicine. The aim of the study was to determine the potential sources of infection in veterinary professionals with selected zoonotic agents,...

Research on the transovarial transmission of pathogens whose reservoirs and vectors are ticks has led to an understanding of the mechanisms related to the circulation and persistence of selected microorganisms in natural foci. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of transovarial transmission of Rickettsia spp. in Dermacentor reticulatus ticks, and the influence of Francisella-like endosymbionts (FLEs) and Spiroplasma spp. on the efficiency of the egg-laying process and transmission of selected pathogens. In total, 16,600 eggs were obtained under laboratory conditions from 55 females, with an average of 346 eggs per female. Adults, eggs, and hatched larvae were tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of Rickettsia and endosymbionts. DNA fragments of Rickettsia spp. were found in females (56.4 %) and in pools of eggs (72.9 %) and larvae (62.4 %). FLEs and Spiroplasma endosymbionts were confirmed in females (80 % and 14.5 %, respectively), pools of eggs (81.6 % and 26.1 %, respectively), and larvae (82.7 % and 46.2 %, respectively). Transovarial transmission was confirmed in Rickettsia raoultii, FLEs, and Spiroplasma ixodetis. No correlation was observed between the occurrence of individual endosymbionts and the efficiency of egg laying and transovarial transmission in Rickettsia spp. In conclusion, transovarial transmission of Rickettsia spp., FLEs and Spiroplasma spp. in D. reticulatus plays an important role in their persistence and circulation in the environment. However, further research is required on this topic.

The epidemiological situation related to infectious diseases is influenced by many factors. To monitor actual trends in selected zoonoses, a total of 473 serum samples from farmers, forestry workers, and veterinarians were collected for serological examination. Anti-Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) antibodies were tested with ELISA and Western blot (WB) tests; the detection of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies was performed using an enzyme linked fluorescence assay (ELFA). Antibodies to bartonellosis, anaplasmosis, and chlamydiosis were determined by indirect immunofluorescent test (IFA), whereas antibodies to yersiniosis and mycoplasmosis were confirmed in the ELISA test. Positive or borderline results of antibodies against B. burgdorferi s.l. in the ELISA test were detected in 33.8% of the study population. The borderline or positive ELISA test results for at least one antibody class were confirmed by WB in 58.7% of cases. The IgG antibodies against Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Toxoplasma gondii, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae were detected in 9.6%, 51.7%, and 63.6% of samples, respectively. Antibodies against Yersinia spp., Bartonella henselae, and Chlamydia pneumoniae were found to vary between 43 and 47%.

Introduction: Rickettsia is a genus of obligatory intracellular and Gram-negative bacteria responsible for causing acute febrile diseases called rickettsioses. Species within the genus are divided into the spotted fever group, the typhus group, the transient group and the ancestral group....

Introduction and Objective: Parasites of the genus Theileria are intracellular protozoa that infect the leukocytes and erythrocytes of animals, causing theileriosis. The aim of the study was to examine the presence of Theileria spp. in adult ticks and their offspring in the Lublin region of...