Wild carnivores are increasingly recognized as hosts or reservoirs of canine parvovirus (CPV), a major pathogen of dogs. To investigate CPV circulation in Central Europe, we examined 221 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and 53 European badgers (Meles meles) from seven Slovakian regions. Small intestines (n = 86), rectal swabs (n = 123), and feces (n = 65) were tested by real-time PCR, and positives were sequenced for the VP2 gene. Virus isolation was performed on MDCK cells. CPV was detected in 10.9% (30/274) of samples, with a prevalence of 10.9% (24/221) in foxes and 11.3% (6/53) in badgers. Phylogenetic analysis revealed co-circulation of CPV-2a, CPV-2b, and CPV-2c, with CPV-2b being prevalent (20/30, 66.7%) and CPV-2c detected in a single sample (1/30, 3.3%). CPV-2a/2b isolates clustered with European strains, while CPV-2c grouped within the “Asian” lineage. Several sequences carried “Asian-like” signatures (5G, 267Y, 324I, 370R), suggesting transboundary introduction and spillover into wildlife. Two infrequent substitutions were identified: S552I in CPV-2b and I447M in CPV-2a. Viable virus was isolated from all positives, with characteristic CPV-cytopathic effects. This study provides the first molecular and virological evidence of CPV in Central European wildlife. Our findings expand our understanding of CPV diversity in Europe, and underscore wildlife as an integral component of European ecology.

Ixodes ricinus is the most common and, epidemiologically speaking, the most important tick species in Slovakia, transmitting a wide range of zoonotic pathogens. The goal of the present study was to monitor selected tick-borne infectious agents in an urban environment in northern Slovakia where the conditions for their occurrence and survival are typically unfavourable. Ticks were collected by the flagging method during the period from March to November 2024 in the city of Žilina in five urban locations characterized by high human activity and suitable conditions for tick–host interactions. A total of 264 ticks of Ixodes ricinus were collected (67 females, 85 males, and 112 nymphs). A molecular analysis confirmed the presence of Borrelia spp. in 34.5% of samples, while the most frequently detected species was Borrelia afzelii. The other detected species included zoonotic piroplasms Babesia microti and Babesia venatorum (1.5%), as well as the bacteria Anaplasma spp. (2.65%) and Rickettsia spp. (0.4%). In four ticks (1.5%), the presence of coinfection caused by multiple pathogens was detected. These results confirm that urban ecosystems located in the northern regions of Slovakia also provide significant reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens and impose a potential risk for public health.